Sītagū Buddhist College ( Pyay )

Paper Title

A study of Youth-stress reduction based on Ānāpanassati

Date - 30 November 2022
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B. A Fourth Semester Third Group

A study of Youth-stress reduction based on Ānāpanassati Sutta

Abstract
The purposes of the paper were to present an integration of Buddhist teachings in youth
stress reduction, and to form a model of Buddhist teachings in youth stress reduction. This paper
results show that stress is our body's response to many different situations, which is caused by an
accumulation of many problems in human life. Stress occurs when youths facing some problems
feel that they are beyond youth's capability to cope with. Thus, it can be said that stress is an
individual condition and is highly related to emotion, feeling and viewpoint of a youth towards the
problems he or she is facing. Youths can deal with stress differently. According to the teachings
of Buddha, the mind is totally pure and that pure mind is polluted by unwholesome mental factors
such as greed, hatred and ignorance, etc. Stress mostly appears in youths who are just starting out.
When youths encounter wax and wane, they cannot respond as calm as experienced adults. They
feel tremble and stress. When youth can't handle this stress, they have got a mental breakdown.
They can commit suicide. Therefore, youths feel stress and depression in their mind, these must
be reduced and taken out of their mind. We should know the ways how to reduce stress. There are
various ways for reduction stress in Western countries, for example doing exercise regularly,
relaxing, deep breathing, eat well, talk about your problems and so on. Buddhist teachings present
useful ways to cope with stress by calming the mind, controlling negative emotions and feelings
through tranquility meditation, developing wisdom and insight in order to purify the mind to be
free from stress and sufferings through insight meditation. Buddhist teachings provide useful
concepts and practical ways such as breathing meditation (Ānāpānasati) for coping with various
problems that cause stress with mindfulness and consciousness.
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Introduction
In the age of globalization, which is considered as the age of innovation, technology and
rapid communication, there is a strong competition in order to occupy resources for living. This
causes many problems, such as political problem, social problem, and family problem. Some
problems may lead to social conflict, which deteriorates the stability of the people in the country.
All problems can also cause stress anytime if youths feel that they are more serious, exceeding
their capability to cope with. However, if a youth feels that each problem is very simple and there
will be a resolution to that problem, stress may not occur. When stress occurs, both body and spirit
are tense, causing unhappiness, discouragement, and frustration. Phra Dhammavisutthikavee in
strategies for stress relaxation described that “ stress is the state of either body or spirit or both
facing depression and stress caused by many problems, for example, financial problem, health
problem, economic problem, life and environmental problem. Stress can cause depression,
sadness, disappointment, frustration and insomnia. Stressful person is easy to get anger, prefers to
stay a lone, and does not want to talk with others. If stress exceeds the capability of a person to
cope with, it can cause moodiness, nervousness, inattentiveness, and illness.”
Youths do not want to experience stress, they want to have happiness, mental well-being
and peace in their lives. Youths become stressed when they cannot cope with increasing demands
of work, or when there is too much pressure in life. Unbalanced postures of the day also could put
strains on the body and create stress. Stress is related to a growing number of problems — high
blood pressure, stomach ulcers, migraines, eczema, asthma and mental disorders. Stressful youths
are easy to get anger and when they are faced with anger, anxiety, worry, fear, disappointment and
so on, the muscles of their body become very tense and require more blood. The hearts and lungs
start to work overtime to supply more blood to the muscles for action. The heart rate, breathing
rate and blood pressure all go up. Hyperventilation and over breathing may occur to supply more
oxygen. The blood is diverted from abdominal viscera and skin to action stations of muscles, heart
and lungs. The skin, consequently begins to pale. The internal secretions which are to enable good
digestion are immediately withdrawn as they are required elsewhere. So, the mouth, throat, the
stomach and intestines dry up.
Emotion is the affective aspect of consciousness and stress is pressure or tension exerted
on a material object. Different aspects of Mindfulness book written by Venerable Doctor Khammai
Dhammasami said that Depression is an illness that is becoming more prevalent with the pressure
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of life building up in our modern society. It is one of the most upsetting experiences. A person can
go through and is often much harder to endure than physical illness. Usually, depression is the
result of some emotional experiences that go unchecked. If they were to be examined and
recognised in advance, they would not lead to depression. Depression often helps to bring out more
anxiety, resentment, frustration and agitation, which could result in a personality change. There
could be a lack of interest in life and a feeling of worthlessness. Blaming others and creating
illusions to make oneself feel better, adopting a "why me" attitude, irritability, being over anxious
and worried about the future, being over suspicious, feeling guilty about the past, fear of rejection
and lack of confidence, difficulty in seeing another viewpoint, inability to make decisions, easily
losing concentration, losing a sense of priority and proportion, being easily confused, forgetful and
panic are some of the psychological manifestations of depression. Headaches, chronic neck,
shoulder and back pain, migraine, sexual difficulty, rapid heart beat, breathlessness, loss of
appetite, being unable to sit still or talking constantly are some of the physical appearances of the
depression. Medical experts say that it is difficult to differentiate between stress and depression,
because in both of these conditions the emotion plays a big part.
Nowaday, when youths are trying to be more successful and growth in business,
professionals and international community standards, they can also feel more stress in their mind.
The physical things that people use for wealth and comfortable life are greatly improved. It is also
easy and fast for travelling to overseas. If we are going from one place to another within our
country, we can easily reach it in a short period of time. Although these technology and facilities
have improved, the stress in our mind has also increased. In this developing age, the effects of
stress in youth mind also increase. The greed of human being has never been satisfied and if they
are filling what can't be filled, they are on a never-ending journey, so the spirit of people will
always hungry. The people of the world have never been so strict. People will always try to
improve better than ever. As the people try the best in the field of technology advances and on the
side of equipments and facilities, the. trauma of stress in people's minds will also increase. If you
have chance to hear the Dhamma, take it in your heart and practice, you can reduce this stress. The
Buddha in Pārājika Pali of Vinaya Pitaka said that “ Ayampi kho,Bhikkhave, Ānāpānassatisamādhi
bhāvito bahulīkato samto ceva panito ca asecanako ca sukho ca vihāyo uppannuppanne ca pāpake
akusale dhamme thānaso antaradhāpeti wupasameti”.It means that “Bhikkhus, this concentration
through mindfulness of breathing, when developed and practiced much, is both peaceful and
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sublime, it is an unadulterated blissful abiding and it banishes at once and stills evil unprofitable
thoughts as soon as they arise”. So, the way of Buddha for reduction stress is the best. We can
undertake meditation at any place and at any time for reduction stress in our mind. As meditation
produces the greatest benefits, we should do it as much as possible. The Buddha teaches two types
of meditation:
( 1 ) Samatha-bhāvanā = tranquility meditation
( 2 ) Vipassana-bhāvanā = insight meditation
Tranquility-meditation develops mental concentration by suppressing Hindrances and other
mental defilements not to arise in the mind. When the mind become pure, free from all defilements,
the purity of the mind (citta-visuddhi) and the right concentration (sammāsamādhi) is attained.
Ānāpānasati is the basic of these two types of meditation. By focusing on breathing in and
breathing out, meditators will be full of mindfulness, which allows their mind to enter deep
tranquility. When tranquility arises, joy, rapture, and inner happiness will arise, allowing
meditators to eradicate all causes of stress. When the causes of stress are eradicated, stress is
automatically eliminated. When focusing on one’s breath, the causes of youth stress can be
controlled and pacified. Youths can use deep breathing as the way to reduce physical and spiritual
tension, and control worry and anxiety that are the causes of stress.
Breathing meditation can be used as a tool to create positive feeling as this kind of
meditation in itself can create positive impact and refreshment to meditators. As mentioned in the
Ānāpānasati sutta, when focusing on breathing in and breathing out, pleasure, rapture, calmness,
tranquility and equanimity will arise. At the same time, positive feeling can be achieved through
eliminating the five hindrances (Nivarana) that are
1. Kāmacchanda: sensual desire,
2. Byāpāda: ill-will; hatred; revenge,
3. Thina-middha: sloth and torpor,
4. Uddhacca-kukkucca: distraction and remorse; flurry and worry; restlessness and anxiety.
5. Vicikicchā: doubt; uncertainty.
Breathing meditation can be practiced to improve the quality of the mind, as it is a tool to calm
and purify the mind. When the mind is purified, it brings happiness and peace to the practitioners.
In this matter, the Buddha in Sutta-Pitaka Khuddaka-Nikāya stated, “Manobubbanggamādhammā,
manosetthā manomayā, manasā ce pasannena, bhāsati vā karoti vā, tato nam sukhamanveti,
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chāyā’va anupāyini”. All the phenomena of existence have mind as their precursor, mind as their
supreme leader, and of mind are they made. If with a pure mind one speaks or acts, happiness
follows him like his shadow that never leaves him”.So, if youths practice the breathing
meditation,their mind becomes purified and purified mind can bring happiness and peace.
Then, the scientists are not able to find the way that the Buddha preached, they tried the
various ways for reduction stress. They are trying to reduce stress by ways of Psychotherapy,
Psychiatrist and Psychotherapist. There are more attempts to reduce stress with psychotherapy in
European countries more than Myanmar. To live more nobly, more happily and more beneficially,
we should undertake mindfulness of breathing ( Ānāpanasati) about one hour a day. The best time
to meditate is early in the morning when everything is still quiet.It is not difficult to do
Ānāpānasati. As we are breathing all the time, we can take note of our in-breath and out- breath at
any time and at any place. That is mindfulness of breathing.
There are four steps in doing Ānāpānasati systematically written by Ledi Sayadaw in
Ānāpānadīpanī.
( 1 ) First step - Awareness of the In-breath and the Out-breath.
( 2 ) Second step - Awareness of the length of Breath
( 3 ) Third step - Awareness of the whole breath
( 4 ) Fourth step - The Disapperance of the breath
Above mentioned the four steps are useful for the youths who are under stress and youths
will absolutely reduce their stress.

Buddhist meditation is concerned with two kinds: Tranquility and insight meditation. The
first is the practical way to calm the mind, limit the thinking, and control emotion and feeling.
When the mind focuses on one thing, it can enter deep concentration, a state of inner peace. The
second one is the way to use the concentrated mind to create wisdom and insight in order to
understand the reality of things and gain enlightenment. The goal of Buddhism is to reach
enlightenment through practicing in the noble eightfold path, which can help an individual liberate
oneself from attachment and clinging. When attachment and clinging are relinquished, the bonds
of delusion, which are the causes of sufferings will be eliminated. Moreover, practitioners can
apply meditation to improve physical and mental health, and heal some diseases systematically.
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Breathing meditation or mindfulness of breathing (Ānāpānasati) is one of the most popular

meditations that appeared to have been practiced even at the time when the Buddha was alive.
Nowadays, Zen, Tibetan, and Theravada Buddhism regularly practice this kind of meditation.
The Buddha appreciated breathing meditation, as it is the most comfortable technique for
people who have different characteristics, experiences and backgrounds. By focusing on exhale
and inhale, the mind of practitioners will be calm, peaceful, and tranquil. It is generally accepted
among practitioners that breathing meditation is the appropriate way to gain enlightenment. The
Buddha admired breathing meditation discourse (Ānāpānasati sutta) as appeared in Majjhima
Nikāya “Mindfulness of breathing in and out is of great fruit and of great benefit when cultivated
and made much of. When cultivated and made much of, mindfulness of breathing in and breathing
out brings the four foundations of mindfulness to fulfillment. When cultivated and made much of,
the four foundations of mindfulness bring the seven factors of awakening to fulfillment. When
cultivated and made much of, the seven factors of awakening bring Knowledge and Liberation to
fulfillment (Vijja and vimutti)”. Then, the Buddha taught in Ānāpānasatti Sutta how to fulfill four
foundations of mindfulness in sixteen methods.These are described in below.
Four foundations of Mindfulness Methods of Improving Mindfulness
1. Breathing in long, he knows: “ I am breathing in
long”; or breathing out long , he knows: “ I am
breathing out long”.
2. Breathing in short, he knows: “ I am breathing in
short”; or breathing out short, he knows: “ I am
Kayanupassanā: breathing out short”.
Contemplation of the body; 3. He trains thus: “ Experiencing the entire (breath-)
Mindfulness as regards the body body, I shall breath in”; he trains thus:
“Experiencing the entire ( breath-) bodyI shall
breath out”.
4. He trains thus: “ Calming the bodily formation, I
shall breath in”; he trains thus: “Calming the
bodily formation,I shall breath out”.

Vedanānupassanā:
Contemplation of feeling;
Mindfulness as regards feeling
Cittānupassanā:
Contemplation of mind
Mindfulness as regards mental
conditions
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5. He trains thus: “ Experiencing rapture, I shall
breath in”; he trains thus: “ Experiencing rapture, I
shall breath out”.
6. He trains thus: “ Experiencing joy, I shall breath
in”; he trains thus: “Experiencing joy, I shall
breath out”.
7. He trains thus: “ Experiencing the mental
formation, I shall breath in”; he trains thus:
“Experiencing the mental formation, I shall breath
out”.
8. He trains thus: “ Calming the mental formation, I
shall breath in”; he trains thus: “Calming the
mental formation, I shall breath out”.
9. He trains thus: “ Experiencing the mind, I shall
breath in”; he trains thus: “Experiencing the mind,
I shall breath out”.
10. He trains thus: “ Gladdening the mind, I shall
breath in”; he trains thus: “ Gladdening the mind, I
shall breath out”.
11. He trains thus: “ Concentrating the mind, I shall
breath in”; he trains thus: “ Concentrating the
mind, I shall breath out”.
12. He trains thus: “ Liberating the mind, I shall breath
in”; he trains thus: “ Liberating the mind, I shall
breath out”.
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13. He trains thus: “ Contemplating impermance, I

Dhammānupassanā:
Contemplation of Dhammas;
Natural law; mind-objects;
mindfulness as regards ideas
shall breath in”; he trains thus: “Contemplating
impermance, I shall breath out”.
14. He trains thus: “ Comtemplating fading away, I
shall breath in”; he trains thus: “Comtemplating
fading away, I shall breath out”.
15. He trains thus: “ Contemplating cessation, I shall
breath in”; he trains thus: “Contemplating
cessation, I shall breath out”.
16. He trains thus: “ Contemplating relinquishment, I
shall breath in”; he trains thus: “Contemplating
relinquishment, I shall breath out”.

By focusing on breathing in and breathing out, mediators or youths will be full of mindfulness,
which allows their mind to enter deep tranquility. When tranquility arises, joy, rapture, and inner
happiness will arise, allowing meditators to eradicate all causes of stress. When the causes of stress
are eradicated, stress is automatically eliminated.

The benefits of Breathing Meditation according to Four Foundation of Mindfulness are,

Four Foundation of Mindfulness
Kāyānupassanā:
Contemplation of the body;
Mindfulness as regards the body
Benefits of Breathing Meditation
1. Balancing the four elements in human body i.e.
earth, water, wind and fire
2. Improving physical health
3. Reducing physical tension and stress
4. Creating physical energy
5. Preventing physical diseases
6. Preventing gastritis
7. Sleeping well
8. Realizing each Physical movement

Vedanānupassanā:
Contemplation of feeling;
Mindfulness as regards feeling
Cittānupassanā:
Contemplation of mind;
Mindfulness as regards mental
conditions
Dhammānupassanā:
Contemplation of Dhammas;
Natural law; mind-objects;
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9. Eliminating insomnia
10. Reducing intestinal disorders
11. Improving mindfulness in body
12. Experiencing rapture
13. Experiencing joy
14. Calming mental formation
15. Improving negative feeling
16. Transcending negative feeling
17. Creating positive feeling
18. Creating emotional immunity
19. Having ability to void negative feeling
20. Enduring physical feeling
21. Enduring mental feeling
22. Being kind towards human beings
23. Being compassionate towards human beings
24. Gladdening the mind
25. Concentrating the mind
26. Liberating the mind
27. Creating clear vision
28. Calming the mind
29. Creating mental stability
30. Increasing mental energy
31. Having ability to control the mind
32. Reducing mental suffering
33. Having mental relaxing
34. Having mental liberation
35. Knowing that everything is impermanent
36. Knowing that everything is full of suffering
37. Knowing that everything is non-self
38. Releasing attachment
39. Understanding things as they are
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Mindfulness as regards ideas 40. Creating wisdom within

41. Understanding the rules of nature
42. Accepting the reality of things in the world
43. Achieving the cessation of suffering

Mindfulness of breathing in and breathing out is of great fruit and of great benefit when
cultivated and made much of. Breathing meditation can be practiced as tranquility and insight
meditation. For tranquility meditation, when the mind of the meditator is calm and tranquil, it leads
to create the following spiritual attainments: initial deliberation (Vitakka) which can eradicate
sloth and torpor (Thina-middha); sustained deliberation (Vichāra) which can eradicate doubt
(Vicikicchā); rapture (Piti) which can eradicate ill-will (Byāpāda); happiness (Sukha)which can
eradicate flurry and worry (Uddhacca-kukkucca); tranquility (Ekaggatā) which can eradicate
sensual desire (Kāmachanda).
For insight meditation, mindfulness of breathing in and breathing out, when cultivated and
made much of, leads to the completion of the four foundations of mindfulness. When cultivated
and made much of, the four foundations of mindfulness lead to the completion of the seven factors
of awakening. When cultivated and made much of, the seven factors of awakening lead to the
completion of knowledge and liberation (Vijjā vimutti). Obtaining knowledge and liberation leads
to the extinction and cessation of stress and suffer. In Myanmar, Buddhist monks are distributing
the teachings preached by the Buddha, so anyone can go to meditation centers and seek peace of
mind. Therefore, the right way given by the Buddha absolutely reduce stress in youth mind.
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Body Feeling Mind Dhammas

Breathing Meditation Four foundation of

Insight meditation Mindfulness ( Satipatthana)
( Ānāpānasati )
Mindfulness (Sati)

Lead to fulfillment of
Tranquility meditation

Dhamma/Truth
investifation(Dham
mavicaya)

Effort (Viriya)
Enlightenment
Initial application-
factors (Bojjhanga) Rapture (Piti)
eradicates-sloth and
torpor
Tranquility
(Passaddhi)
Sustained application-
eradicates-doubt Concentration
(Samādhi)
Rapture/Joy -eradicates-
Knowledge and Equanimity
ill-will (Byāpāda)
liberation
(Upekkhā)
(Vijjā and vimutti)
Happiness-eradicates-
restlessness and worry

Tranquility (Ekaggatā)-
eradicates-sensual desire
(Kāmacchanda) Cessation of stress

Above mentioned diagram shows how to reduce in youth’s mind stress. When youth
follows and practices in accordance with above mentioned, he or she wil definitely free from stress
and depression.
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Conclusion

The nature of Buddha’s teachings is full of reason and rationality, which can be seen and
experienced by youths themselves. The Buddha never forced and induced people to believe in him
but encouraged them to use their wisdom to understand the Dhamma by themselves. The aim of
practicing meditation in Buddhism is to control and calm the mind, which everyone can reach the
state of calmness and inner peace through tranquility meditation. Youth people can experience
stress in various situations. Stress is dangerous for the individual, family and community. There
are more two thousand years old Buddhist Abhidhamma Philosophy and mindfulness of breathing
than Western Psychologists who study stress, emotions and depression. Out of these many ways,
if we cultivate the practice of mindfulness based on Ānāpānasati which is the basic of meditation,
we especially youths will be able to attain the cessation of stress, and reach inner peace, which are
the most important factors to live a happy life in the midst of stressful environments.
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