釋禪波羅蜜次第法門 4.86

4.86

Furthermore, there are twelve kinds of breath that can cure various afflictions: first, rising breath; second, descending breath; third, filling breath; fourth, scorching breath; fifth, increasing breath; sixth, destroying breath; seventh, warming breath; eighth, cooling breath; ninth, surging breath; tenth, holding breath; eleventh, harmonizing breath; twelfth, tonifying breath. These twelve breaths are all employed through visualization in the mind. Now I will briefly explain the characteristics of how the twelve breaths counteract afflictions: the rising breath treats heaviness; the descending breath treats floating emptiness; the filling breath treats withered emaciation; the scorching breath treats swelling and fullness; the increasing breath treats deficiency; the destroying breath treats excess; the warming breath treats cold; the cooling breath treats heat; the surging breath treats congestion and blockage; the holding breath treats trembling and agitation; the harmonizing breath generally treats disharmony of the four great elements; the tonifying breath nourishes and tonifies the four great elements. Skillful use of these breaths can universally cure various afflictions; misapplying them will each generate various afflictions, as can be deduced. The methods used by various masters to cure illness with the breath are manifold (and so forth) and are not fully described; here I briefly indicate one or two items to convey the general idea.