Mahaaraahulovaadasutta, anapanasati, 2
In a similar way the words of the second tetrad are explained by the
Visuddhimagga: (VI) I shall breathe inŠbreathe out experiencing bliss
(sukha, pleasant feeling)Š
Sukha occurs in three stages of jhåna (of the fourfold system); it does not
arise in the highest stage of jhåna where there is equanimity instead of
sukha. Sukha accompanies the jhånacitta of the three stages of jhåna and is,
after the jhånacitta has fallen away, realized by paññå as impermanent.
The realization of the characteristic of impermanence can only occur when
the stages of insight knowledge have been developed, beginning with tender
insight, as I said before. Thus both jhana and insight have been developed
here. As to VI amd VII, experiencing mental formation, citta sankhara, and
tranquillizing mental formation: the Vis. VIII, 229, explains that mental
formation pertains here to feeling and perception, sanna. The feeling is
associated with perception (Vis. VIII, 230). The Vis. quotes here from the
Path of Discrimination: <perception and feeling being cetasikas... , these
things are bound up with citta and are mind functions.>
The Vis. adds that this tetrad deals with the contemplation of feeling.

The Co (to the Anapanasati sutta), the Papa~casuudanii, speaks about a
<certain feeling>, vedanaa~n~nantara.m. <This is said with reference to
pleasant feeling as a certain one among the three feelings.>
As to the words of the sutta, ³The giving attention completely², the Co
explains that attention is not pleasant feeling but it comes under the
heading of feeling. The Co repeats what has been stated in the Vis. about
experiencing rapture and pleasant feeling with the object and with
non-delusion. The Co then states:
<How by non-delusion? Having entered into the two jhanas in which rapture is
present, and emerged therefrom, he masters rapture associated with jhana (by
contemplating it) as destructable and perishable. By his penetration of its
characteristics at the moment of insight, rapture is experienced by him with
non-delusion. For this is said in the Path of Discrimination:² For one who
knows one-pointedness and non-distraction of mind through breathing in long,
mindfulness is established. By means of that mindfulness and that insight
that rapture is experienced by non-delusion, because the three
characteristics are realized.>
The Commentary explains that in the same way bliss and citta sankhara, the
mental formation, are experienced and that it is thus rightly stated that
the monk contemplates feelings in the feelings.
The Commentary to the Satipatthana sutta states that contemplating feelings
in the feelings should be seen in the same way as contemplating the body in
the body: thus, in order to limit the object and ³sifting it out². We read:
<How should feeling be contemplated upon? it is asked further. Pleasurable
feeling because it is the stuff of suffering, as suffering. Painful feeling
because it is the condition of bringing out trouble, etc. , as a thorn. And
the neither pleasurable nor painful feeling, because of non-mastery or
dependence and so forth, as transiency.>
Nina.