THE FORTY MEDITATION SUBJECTS OF SAMATHA

                                       THE FORTY SUBJECTS OF SAMATHA

The Ten Kasina:

1) Earth-kasina, having earth as the object

2) Water-kasina, having water as the object

3) Fire-kasina, having fire as the object

4) Air-kasina, having air as the object

These four are called the essential-kasina.

5) Green-kasina, having green as the object

6) Yellow-kasina, having yellow as the object

7) Red-kasina, having red as the object

8) White-kasina, having white as the object

There four are called the color-kasina.

9) Light-kasina, having light as the object

10) Space-kasina, having space as the object

The Ten Asubha:

There are ten stages of the decomposition of the body as follows:

1) A swollen corpse (Uddhumataka)

2) A blue-black corpse (Nilaka)

3) A festering corpse (Vipubbaka)

4) A dismembered corpse (Vicchiddaka)

5) A corpse hewed and scattered by animals (Vikkhayitaka)

6) A cut-up scattered corpse (Vikkhittaka)

7) A cut and dismembered corpse (Hatavikkhittaka)

8) A bleeding corpse (Lohitaka)

9) A worm-infested corpse (Puluvaka)

10) A skeleton (Atthika)

The Ten Recollections (Anussati)

There are ten subjects to be recollected:

1) Recollection of the Buddha (Buddhanussati)

2) Recollection of the Dhamma (Dhammanussati)

3) Recollection of the Sangha (Sanghanussati)

4) Recollection of the Virtue (Silanussati)

5) Recollection of the Generosity (Caganussati)

6) Recollection of the Deities (Devatanussati)

7) Recollection of the Death (Maranasati)

8) Recollection of the Body (Kayagatasati)

9) Mindfulness of Breathing (Anapanasati)

10) Recollection of the Niravana (Upasamanussati)

The Four Divine Abodes (Bramavihara)

The Four Divine Abodes are:

1) Loving-kindness (Metta)

2) Compassion (Karuna)

3) Sympathetic Joy (Mudita)

4) Equanimity (Upekkha)

Perception of the Repulsiveness of Food (Aharepatikulasanna)

The purpose of the contemplation of food is to realize its repulsiveness.

Determination of the Four Great Elements (Catudhatuvavatthana)

The method of dividing the different parts of the body so as to see them as only these four elements, that is earth, water, fire and air, and just seeing them as unattractive.

Four Formless States (Arupadhamma)

These are the four formless Jhanas:

1) Infinity of space—attending to space as infinite (Akasanancayatana)

2) Infinity of consciousness—consciousness as infinite (Vinnanancayatana)

3) Nothingness—attending to formlessness (Akincannayatana)

4) Neither-perception-nor-not-perception—(Nevasannanasannayatana)

The person who wishes to develop Tranquillity meditation should study these until they understand the methods of practice, which are the calm related to these forty subjects.