The Dharma Gateway of Nose Consciousness and Perfect Penetration: Sundara-nanda in the Śūraṅgama Sūtra

Sundarananda arose from his seat, paid homage at the Buddha's feet, and addressed the Buddha, saying: "When I first left home and followed the Buddha into the Path, although I upheld the precepts well, my samadhi was insufficient. My mind was constantly scattered and agitated, and I had not yet attained the undefiled state. The World-Honored One instructed me and Kaudinya to contemplate the white light at the tip of the nose during the incoming and outgoing breaths. Initially, I diligently contemplated this. After twenty-one days, I saw the breath entering and exiting my nose like smoke. My body and mind became illuminated within, and I perfectly perceived the entire world as pervaded by emptiness and purity, clear and transparent like vaidurya. The smoke-like appearance gradually dissolved, and the breath at the nose became white. My mind opened, the outflows were exhausted, and all incoming and outgoing breaths transformed into light, illuminating the worlds in the ten directions. Thus I attained Arhatship. The World-Honored One predicted that I shall attain Bodhi. The Buddha inquired about perfect penetration. I attained it through the cessation of breath. When the breath ceased for a long time, illumination arose. With perfect illumination, the outflows were extinguished. This I consider foremost."

Explanation: Sundarananda arose from his seat, paid homage at the Buddha's feet, and replied to the Buddha: "When I first left home and followed the Buddha into the Path, although I upheld the precepts well, my samadhi was not fully developed. My mind was often scattered, so I had not eradicated defilements nor reached the undefiled state. The World-Honored One instructed me and Kaudinya to contemplate the white light emitted during the incoming and outgoing breaths at the tip of the nose. I initially began to contemplate diligently in concentration. After twenty-one days, I saw the breath entering and exiting my nose like smoke. I became clearly aware within body and mind, perfectly penetrating the great chiliocosm, seeing it everywhere as empty and pure, clear and transparent like vaidurya. At that time, the breath at the nose became white, my mind opened, wisdom surged forth, and defilements were completely severed. All outgoing and incoming breaths transformed into light, illuminating the worlds in the ten directions. Thus I attained the fruition of Arhatship. The World-Honored One predicted that I would achieve Buddhahood in the future. The Buddha asked me about the method of perfect penetration. I contemplated the breath. When contemplation became subtle, the breath ceased. After the breath had ceased for a long time, the inner wisdom arose. I realized that the breath at the nose tip, as well as the five aggregates and eighteen realms, were all empty and illusory. With perfect wisdom, the defilements were exhausted. I consider this method the foremost method of perfect penetration."

Further Explanation: When Sundarananda first contemplated the breath, he had already attained the first or second fruition, but his samadhi was not very good; his mind was scattered, he lacked the first dhyana, and was not a third fruition practitioner. After contemplating the breath at the nose tip, his samadhi gradually improved, concentration arose, and his observation became subtle and profound. He then observed the breath at the nose tip like smoke. Without sufficient concentration, this phenomenon cannot be perceived. The air and breath, usually invisible, became visible at this stage – extremely subtle like smoke. This shows that breath is also material form (rūpa-dharma), composed of particles of the four great elements, but it is too subtle for those without profound samadhi whose minds are coarse to see. The ability to perceive subtle dharmas is great wisdom. Because great wisdom was opened, he inwardly penetrated the body and mind and outwardly comprehended the world, knowing the illusory and unreal nature of the world and the body-mind. Spiritual powers arose, defilements were completely exhausted, and he became a fourth fruition Great Arhat.