There are two manuals on Anapanasati that I recommend highly, this is the first. And if you only ever buy one book on Buddhism or Meditation, this is the book to buy. Read, understood, and practiced, it will change your life, profoundly.
(Click the image to order)
From the Amazon product description:
Any practitioner, after meditating for some time, inevitably wonders what meditation method the historical Buddha Shakyamuni himself used while beneath the Bodhi Tree. Many people understand that prior to his realization, Shakyamuni Buddha studied with many of great yogis of his time, but most do not know what method he ultimately found leads most directly to Nirvana. In Ajahn Buddhadasa Bhikku’s book, Mindfulness With Breathing, the Thai meditation master provides practitioners with penetrating insights into the Anapanasati Sutta, the sacred canonical text which many believe is the most direct transmission of Shakyamuni Buddha’s breath meditation methods. Combined with a concise translation of the Sutta itself, Mindfulness With Breathing is one of the best guides to Buddhist meditation practice available in the English language.
From John D. Daniel’s Amazon review:
The Anapanasati Sutta is a system of exercises and experiments in breathing and awareness applied to the body, feelings, mind, and spirit. It is presumed that by employing this method, the Buddha achieved enlightenment. It is difficult to imagine a more powerful exposition of these steps than that given by Buddhadasa Bhikkhu (Ajahn Buddhadasa). Buddhadasa Bhikkhu was perhaps the most influential teacher of Buddhism in the history of Thailand. Although he did not have much formal education, he was honored by many doctoral degrees. The translator, Santikaro Bhikkhu, after serving in the Peace Corps in Thailand, returned in l985 to become the translator for Buddhadasa Bhikkhu, and today is the abbot of a monastery. From the translator’s faithfulness to his task, the personality of Buddhadasa Bhikkhu emerges: clear, practical and possessing gentle,good humor. Both Buddhadasa Bhikkhu and Santikaro Bhikkhu felt that many Pali terms did not translate easily into English. Consequently their inclusion was necessary. The reader is given three ways to grasp these terms; 1). A glossary, 2). In-text definitions and, 3). Grasping the terms in context through reading and study of the text. Through the Pali terms and the clear presentation of the core ideas of Buddhism, the reader if not enlightened, will at least be well-educated. The reader is taken gently and closely through every step of the way, starting with suggestions for reading the text. Always the reader is encouraged to do his/her best with what is available, which is exactly how Buddhadasa Bhikkhu and Santikaro Bhikkhu prepared this model of what a text book should be. The lectures this book were based on, were originally given to Westerners, consequently the reasoning behind ideas is emphasized. For instance, it is pointed out that any body process, not only breathing, can be used for this type of study. Should the reader not be prepared to undertake the path of “serious beginner” at this time, other less rigorous methods are described.
Ulf Wolf