[Pramāṇa](https://indike.org/pramana/) › [Indian literature](https://indike.org/pramana/in) › [Buddhist Literature](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha) › [Taishō Tripiṭaka (Chinese Buddhist canon)](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho) › [坐禪三昧經](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.614) › 1.58 # 坐禪三昧經 1.58 坐禪三昧經 1.58 - **Language:** Classical Chinese ### [1.58](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.614.1.58) 答曰：「餘觀法寬難失故，數息法急易轉故。譬如放牛，以牛難失故，守之少事，如放獼猴易失故，守之多事，此亦如是！數息心數不得少時他念，少時他念則失數，以是故初斷思覺應數息。」 > He answers: "Because the other methods of contemplation are loose and difficult to lose, whereas the method of counting the breath is tight and easily shifts away. It is like tending cattle: because cattle are difficult to lose, guarding them involves little trouble; whereas tending a monkey is easy to lose, so guarding it involves much trouble. This is just like that! When counting breaths, the mind's counting must not turn to other thoughts even for a brief moment; if it turns to other thoughts for a brief moment, the count is lost. For this reason, to initially sever discursive thoughts, one should count the breath." > — English (machine translation) (machine translation) - [Previous: 1.57](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.614.1.57) - [Next: 1.59](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.614.1.59) - [Up: 1](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.614.1) ## Translations (1) - [English (machine translation)](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.614~en-mt.1.58) — English, machine translation --- Source: [https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.614.1.58](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.taisho.614.1.58) · Pramāṇa