re
Piers M (9/16/14 6:15 AM )
"Okay, so the last few days I’ve tried the Candle Kasina meditation. I’ve followed the advice given by Nikolai . in this link: …"
Where does this conception of 'kasina' meditation come from (in the link from "The Yogi Toolbox," and as apparently commonly agreed upon in this forum)? No sources, written or oral are mentioned there. I ask on the chance that there is, in fact, some tradition that uses '
kasina' in this sense, as a sort of
vipassana practice (noting changing stuff), and using "momentary concentration" (
khanika-samadhi), which is similar to access-concentration and s/t taught in the context of
vipassana meditation.
And I'm curious because this is different from the
kasina practices in the Theravada Pali Canon (both the Suttas and the commentaries):
First, there were traditionally 10 kasina objects – the 4 Great Elements (earth, water, fire, air/wind); 4 colors (blue, yellow, red and white); plus space and light (or s/t consciousness).
Second, each was considered a pure phenomenon, i.e. only earth,… only blue,…; that is, as exclusive, one-pointed object, to the exclusion ("seclusion", s/t considered suppression of all other objects), i.e. as an object for absorptive concentration (
jhana).
Third, the respective object (or rather the mind's corresponding
nimitta) is cultivated to fill consciousness, and then to be '
extended' beyond all boundaries, all limits, to become an 'immeasurable' experience. The term is
kasina-ayatana –
ayatana as in the term for the 4 'higher'
jhanas, which also use 'unbounded' objects (in fact, 2 of those are in the
kasina list). In the suttas (in AN, DN, MN), the expression is (in one English rendering) "one perceives [the
kasina object] above, below, on all sides, undivided, unbounded." In the Visudhimagga (commentaries) extending the sign (
nimitta) was described in more detail (Chapter IV, 126ff). Note: the Brahma-Viharas (goodwill, compassion,…) also were, for G.Buddha, "immeasureables", and as such among the possible objects of
jhana absorption.
As Jenny put it (9/23/14 5:40 PM as a reply to Dream Walker): "Again, is there a special purpose to this kind of meditation object?
In the original sources, the purpose of kasina objects was for attaining
jhana.
Nikolai answers (9/25/14 7:56 AM as a reply to Jenny) "The purpose, as I see it, is to calm, direct and sustain the incessant flow of thought,"
i.e. standard preparation of jhanic factors for 1st
jhana. He adds "The Buddha asks one to contemplate secondary objects…" i.e.
vipassana interpretation of
anapanasati instructions. (Sujato, tho, seems to insist the thrust of
anapanasati is towards
jhana.) But this all lacks mention of working with the immeasurable quality to deepen the
ekaggata (one-pointedness of mind) factor. Is that because these instructions are intended only at a beginning level?