40 meditation subjects
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The 40 meditation subjects are topics for contemplation and meditation, primarily for samatha, tranquility, one-pointed concentration. The subjects are for access to the jhanas, although insight can be attained as well.
List of the 40 meditation subjects
- Earth device
- Water device
- Fire device
- Air or wind device
- Blue device
- Yellow device
- Red device
- White device
- Space device
- Consciousness device
- A corpse that is bloated
- A corpse that is livid (has patchy discoloration)
- A corpse that is festering (trickling with pus in broken places)
- A corpse that is cut up
- A corpse that is gnawed
- A corpse that is scattered
- A corpse that is hacked and scattered
- A corpse that is bleeding
- A corpse that is worm-infested
- A corpse that is a skeleton
- Contemplation of the Buddha
- Contemplation of the Dhamma
- Contemplation of the Sangha
- Contemplation of Virtue
- Contemplation of Charity
- Contemplation of the Devas
- Mindfulness of Death
- Mindfulness of the Physical Body
- Mindfulness of Breathing
- Contemplation of Calmness
- Loving-kindness
- Compassion
- Sympathy
- Equanimity
- Sphere of Infinity of Space
- Sphere of Infinite Consciousness
- Sphere of No-thingness
- Sphere of Neither Perception nor Non-Perception
- Contemplation of the loathsomeness of food
- Analysis of the four physical elements
The Visuddhimagga discusses the 40 subjects at length and provides instruction.
See also
References
- The Complete Book of Buddha's Lists -- Explained. David N. Snyder, Ph.D., 2006.
- http://www.thedhamma.com/