I thought thus, Aggi,vessana,
‘Suppose, with my teeth clenched and my tongue pressed against my palate, I beat down the mind with mind.’
So, Aggi,vessana, I with my teeth clenched and my tongue pressed against my palate, I beat down the
mind with mind.
While I, Aggi,vessana, was subduing, restraining and beating down my mind, with teeth clenched and my tongue pressed against my palate, sweat poured from my armpits.
Just like as a strong man, Aggi,vessana holding a weaker man by the head or by the shoulders, were to restrain, subdue, attack him, even so, when I, Aggi,vessana, with my teeth clenched, and my tongue pressed against my palate, sweat poured from my armpits.
But although tireless energy was aroused in me, and undistracted mindfulness was established, my body was overstrained and ill at ease because I was exhausted by the painful striving.
But such painful feeling that arose in me did not invade my mind and remain.
I thought thus, Aggi,vessana,
‘Suppose I practise the breathingless meditation.’
So I stopped my in-breaths and out-breaths
through my mouth and nose.
While I did so, there was a loud sound of winds coming out from my ear-holes, just like a loud sound
of winds from a smith’s bellows.
Even so, Aggi,vessana, when I stopped my in-breaths and out-breaths, there was a loud sound of
winds coming out from my ear-holes.
But although tireless energy was aroused in me, and undistracted mindfulness was established, my
body was overstrained and ill at ease because I was exhausted by the painful striving.
But such painful feeling that arose in me did not invade my mind and remain.
I thought thus, Aggi,vessana,
‘Suppose I practise further the breathingless meditation.’
So I stopped my in-breaths and out-breaths through my mouth, nose and ears.
While I did so, violent winds cut through my head, just as if a strong man were splitting my head open
with a sharp sword.
Even so, Aggi,vessana, when I stopped my in-breaths and out-breaths, there was a loud sound of
winds coming out from my ear-holes.
But although tireless energy was aroused in me, and undistracted mindfulness was established, my
body was overstrained and ill at ease because I was exhausted by the painful striving.
But such painful feeling that arose in me did not invade my mind and remain.
I thought thus, Aggi,vessana,
‘Suppose I practise further the breathingless meditation.’
So I stopped my in-breaths and out-breaths through my mouth, nose and ears.
While I did so, there were violent pains in my head, just as if a strong man were tightening a
tough leather strap around my head as a headband.
Even so, Aggi,vessana, when I stopped my in-breaths and out-breaths, there were violent pains in my
head.
But although tireless energy was aroused in me, and undistracted mindfulness was established, my
body was overstrained and ill at ease because I was exhausted by the painful striving.
But such painful feeling that arose in me did not invade my mind and remain.
I thought thus, Aggi,vessana,
‘Suppose I practise further the breathingless meditation.’ So I stopped
my in-breaths and out-breaths through my mouth, nose and ears.
While I did so, violent winds carved up my belly,
just as if a skilled butcher or his apprentice were to
carve up an ox’s belly with a sharp butcher’s knife.
Even so, Aggi,vessana, when I stopped my in-breaths and out-breaths, violent winds carved up my
belly.
But although tireless energy was aroused in me, and undistracted mindfulness was established, my
body was overstrained and ill at ease because I was exhausted by the painful striving.
But such painful feeling that arose in me did not invade my mind and remain.
I thought thus, Aggi,vessana,
‘Suppose I practise further the breathingless meditation.’
So I stopped my in-breaths and out-breaths through my mouth, nose and ears.
While I did so, there was a violent burning in my body, just as if two men were to seize a weaker man
by both arms, might set him on fire and roast him over a pit of burning coal.
Even so, Aggi,vessana, when I stopped my in-breaths and out-breaths through my mouth, nose and
ears, there was a violent burning in my body.
But although tireless energy was aroused in me, and undistracted mindfulness was established, my
body was overstrained and ill at ease because I was exhausted by the painful striving.
But such painful feeling that arose in me did not invade my mind and remain.