Experiencing the Whole Body (Sabbakāya-patisamvedī ):Interpretative Differences between Theravāda and Selected Northern Buddhist Traditions in Breath Meditation
Ven. Li Yukun
Journal of postgraduate institute of pali and buddhist studies. October 21, 2026 DOI: 10.4038/anvesana.v17i1.34 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Theoretical or philosophical paper Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Topics | Buddhism Meditation |
| Key points | Argues that Theravada interpretations of sabbakāya-paṭisaṃvedī emphasize analytical observation of physical and mental phenomena and methodological operability, while selected Northern Buddhist traditions tend toward integration and construction, sometimes including visualization. The paper contends this divergence reflects deeper differences in how meditative experience is structured and raises an open question about borrowing these approaches in contemporary meditation practice. |
Abstract
This paper takes the concept of sabbakāya-pat ̣isaṃvedī (“experi-encing the whole body”) in the Ānāpānasati Sutta as an anchor point to examine the interpretative differences between Theravada and some Selected Northern Buddhist traditions. Since the original canonical phrasing is brief and open-ended, it leaves ample room for the later interpretations. In the Theravada (Southern) tradition, texts such as the Pat ̣isambhidāmagga, Vimuttimagga, Visuddhimagga, etc. offer varying explanations, yet show a general tendency toward analytical clarification, increasing precision in meditation objects, and a strong emphasis on methodological operability. Notably, they consistently avoid interpreting “the whole body” as the diffusion of breath throughout the physical body. In contrast, Northern Buddhist sources—including Sarvāstivāda Abhidharma treatise, Madhyamaka and Yogācāra texts, as well as Tiantai literature—display a more integrative and constructive orientation. Their interpretations of “experiencing the whole body” often contain an integrative understanding of body, breath, and mind, and in some cases also include use of visualization. Although their theories are diverse, this shared trend indicates some potential common character in epistemological and methodological approaches. By comparing these traditions, this paper argues that the divergence in interpreting sabbakāyapat ̣isaṃvedī reflects deeper differences in how meditative experience is structured: one emphasizing analytical observation of physical and mental phenomena, the other tending toward integration and construction. On this basis, the pa-per further raises an open question that whether it is possible to borrowing their approaches in contemporary meditation practice?
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| Too Early to Tell: The Potential Impact and Challenges—Ethical and Otherwise—Inherent in the Mainstreaming of Dharma in an Increasingly Dystopian World | 2017 | Theoretical or philosophical paper | |
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