[498] "Prince (rājakumāra), this thought occurred to me: 'Suppose I were to meditate on the breathless meditative absorption (appānaka jhāna) itself.' So, Prince, I stopped the in-breaths and out-breaths through my mouth, my nose, and my ear-canals. When, Prince, my in-breaths and out-breaths were stopped through my mouth, my nose, and my ear-canals, there were extreme painful feelings (vedanā) in my head. Just as if, Prince, a strong man were to clamp a head-binding upon my head with a tough leather strap, so too, Prince, when my in-breaths and out-breaths were stopped through my mouth, my nose, and my ear-canals, there were extreme painful feelings in my head. And yet, Prince, my energy (vīriya) was aroused and unflagging, my mindfulness was established and unconfused; but my body was overstrained and not tranquil, because I was overwhelmed by that very painful striving."
English translation from the Pali (Siam Raṭṭha edition) — under review, not for citation.