Wisdom Wide and Deep

by Shaila Catherine

  MEDITATION INSTRUCTION 6.1

  Developing the Earth Kasiṇa

  To develop the element kasiṇas, begin each meditation by quickly reviewing all your previous meditation subjects. For some meditators this could include the four jhānas based on the breath, thirty-two parts, repulsive skeleton, four white kasiṇa jhānas, four bluish-brownish-black (nīla) kasiṇa jhānas, four yellow kasiṇa jhānas, and four red kasiṇa jhānas. This review of concentration practices could appear overwhelming when read in a book this way, but meditators who have developed mastery in these subjects will breeze through this sequence as quickly or as leisurely as they like.

  As you transition between each jhāna, reflect on the jhāna factors, their disadvantages and advantages. When emerging from the fourth jhāna of the last color kasiṇa, bring to mind the image of your circle of earth. Mentally recite, earth, earth. As you focus on the mental sign of earth—the image of the disk-shaped kasiṇa in your mind’s eye—you will find the kasiṇa circle becoming clearer and brighter. When it appears steady, you may incrementally expand the circle the same way you did with the colors, until it extends throughout the infinite universe, inside and outside, above and below, around and in all directions. You can focus on a small spot that might seem to be in front of you, or you can rest in a spacious vision of the expansion of the earth kasiṇa. Wherever you rest your attention, the mind will remain unmoved, like setting an item on a shelf and coming back later to find it exactly where you placed it. When you sense this deep stability, you will easily attain the four jhānas based on earth: follow the systematic procedure for attaining the first jhāna; stabilize it for an hour or until satisfied; emerge and reflect on the jhāna factors with their disadvantages and advantages; and then move methodically through the sequence of four jhānas, based on earth kasiṇa.

  MEDITATION INSTRUCTION 6.2

  Using Elements as Jhāna Subjects

  Develop the remaining kasiṇas by applying the same systematic method. The only differences lie in the presentation of the initial object.

  To perceive the water kasiṇa find a dark bowl and fill it to the brim with water. Choose a bowl that is without decoration. A dark bowl will reveal the surface of the water more clearly than a white or colored bowl, which might be confused with the white or colored kasiṇas. Alternatively, you can sit on the bank of a natural body of water, such as a still pond or lake. Observe the surface of the water and contemplate the concept of water. Disregard the characteristics of coldness, wetness, bubbles, ripples, surface reflections, fish, algae, or scientific notions about H2O. Don’t think about things that are conventionally related to water; there is no need to plan your next bath, recollect how many glasses of water you drank today, or focus on sensations of thirst. Just gaze at the surface of the water, until the image remains clear when you close your eyes. Then progress as you did with the other objects. It may help to recite the word water, water a few times to direct your attention to just water until a shimmering, whitish disk appears as the counterpart sign of water.

  A wood fire is an ideal material basis for the fire kasiṇa, since wood produces a memorable reddish cast in the flame. A previous sight of such a fire, perhaps at a campfire, bonfire, or in a woodburning stove, will be sufficient. It is not necessary to build a physical fire; a clear recollection or brief reminder of fire by glancing at a candle or the pilot light on the stove may spark sufficient inspiration to recall it to memory. Focus on the part of the flame that is reddish-orange and relatively steady. Don’t look at the ashes, smoke, or blue spots, or analyze the kind of fuel that is burning, such as wood, paper, oil, or wax. Also, don’t highlight the feature of color. It may help to recite the word fire, fire a few times to direct your attention to the basic concept of fire, until you perceive a reddish-orange disk. Focus exclusively on that fire kasiṇa. Develop and expand the counterpart sign (nimitta) of fire in the usual way until it becomes a reliable support for jhāna.

  The wind kasiṇa cannot be seen directly; it is known, rather, through its effects, such as swaying branches or moving grasses. You can also know the wind by standing outside and feeling its touch on your skin, feeling a draft enter through a crack in a door, or by feeling your hair moved by its flow.119 When you focus on the concept of wind, the kasiṇa may appears as a soft white disk, like the hue of steam wafting off a pot of boiling milk. Recite, wind, wind, or if you prefer, air, air. Develop this sign of wind, expanding and stabilizing the kasiṇa, and use it as the basis for the four jhānas.

  The light kasiṇa begins with a perception of an indirect light, such as sunrays shining through branches, or shafts of light falling on a wall, or floodlights illuminating a parking lot, or stage lights spotlighting a theatrical performance. Do not be concerned with the shape of the light that is cast, the object it illuminates, its degree of brightness, or the contours of shadows; be concerned only with the concept of light. You may notice a beam of light coming through the window at such an angle that it reveals thousands of dust particles. Don’t become distracted by the particles; steady your attention with the repeated perception of just light. Focus, in other words, on the idea of light, rather than on the effects of light. Some lights will have a colored cast; others will reflect the colors of nearby objects. As much as possible, ignore all the particular details and attend to the basic notion of light. Recite the word light, light to help direct attention to just this one concept, until the nimitta appears as a field of whitish light. Nurture the nimitta until it becomes stable, and then expand the circle and attain jhāna using the same systematic method described previously for the other colors and elements. The light kasiṇa appears as a field of whitish light, but it is the aspect of light itself, not the hue of whiteness, that grips perception.

  There can be a tendency to rush this process by skipping some repetitious details, but I urge you to trust the methodical approach—it will deepen your concentration. Patiently develop control at each stage to protect the mind from rushing too quickly through these experiences before the required skills are established.

  The limited-space kasiṇa begins with a demarcation of space, such as an archway, a window frame, or a hole in a wall. The limited-space kasiṇa is not derived from a perception of the frame, but from the space that is defined by the frame. “Limited space” is a different object from the immaterial jhāna called “infinite space” (chapter 7). To introduce this meditation, Pa-Auk Sayadaw gave me a piece of black cardboard with a circle cut in it about one foot in diameter. He instructed me to hold the cardboard at arm’s length before an area of sky that was devoid of clouds, rooftops, or tree branches, and recite the words space, space while focusing on the simple concept of limited space, until I could sense and see a circle representing basic space with my eyes closed. The limited-space kasiṇa may appear differently to different meditators. I experienced it as a disk of whitish light—less intensely bright as compared to the white kasiṇa, and not as luminous as the light kasiṇa or as soft as the wind kasiṇa.

  DEVELOPING THE KASIṆA TRAINING

  Paddling continuously against the currents of laziness, craving, and distraction takes immense effort. Continuous diligence is needed to complete this endeavor and overcome the chronic hindrances of complacency and undisciplined attention that lurk nearby and might thwart progress. There are still several intriguing objects to explore and a great deal of depth to realize before undertaking the mission of insight meditation. Periodically spark your sense of urgency, and recall your aspiration; the effort that you are putting forth will be worth the investment.

  The perception of each kasiṇa and nimitta will be slightly different for each meditator. The relative strength and acuity of material and mental sensitivities affects perception. If you follow the progression of this training, you will learn to recognize each kasiṇa for yourself. Once your kasiṇa appears, develop the meditation by following the systematic instructions detailed above.

  Some meditators will have very bright and s
table breath nimittas, although many meditators find that the kasiṇas, especially the white kasiṇa, appear bigger, brighter, and more powerful than the nimitta associated with the breath. Kasiṇas, with their infinite and expanded qualities, often dwarf the breath nimittas, which in comparison appear constrained and less impressive.

  Kasiṇa meditations were common meditative trainings that predated the Buddha. The Discourses of the Buddha mention these six kasiṇas but provide few practical instructions. The Visuddhimagga therefore serves as our treasure trove, filled with explicit instructions and procedural details to support the eager meditator. The nuanced and pragmatic structure for developing this path includes remarkably practical advice—such as to wear your sandals when you visit your physical earth circle so that you won’t waste time washing your feet upon returning to your hut!120

  In this book I have followed Venerable Pa-Auk Sayadaw’s order of instruction for introducing these practices—beginning with mindfulness with breathing and progressing through the thirty-two parts, repulsive skeleton, and kasiṇas of white, nīla, yellow, red, earth, water, fire, wind, light, and limited space. With an approach as meticulously detailed and rigorously traditional as the Sayadaw’s general mode of instruction, I was surprised that he introduced me to the kasiṇas in an order that differed from what is found in the Visuddhimagga and the Discourses of the Buddha, which generally begin with the earth kasiṇa and ends with the white kasiṇa. When I asked Venerable Pa-Auk Sayadaw about this discrepancy, he explained that based upon his experience teaching many meditators, he found that the modified order provides the most efficient progression. Meditators can certainly begin with the earth kasiṇa if they wish; however, his experience indicates that it usually takes a longer time to succeed when starting with the perception of earth. By using the revised order, meditators harness the power of concentration accrued through mindfulness with breathing and the discernment of thirty-two parts, which are often more accessible practices because they use the physical body as reference. It seems that one can learn the full series of concentration objects using the revised order in the same time that it might take to merely establish the earth kasiṇa with the ancient sequence. The order is simply a practical way to facilitate attaining jhāna. Once you have developed mastery in kasiṇa jhānas, you will easily practice them in any sequence.

  Practitioners will find their own relationship to the development of these stable concentration states. Some people will prefer one object to others—perhaps the brightness of the white kasiṇa or the soothing quality of black appears attractive, or perhaps a windy day or a log in the fireplace provides immediate inspiration for kasiṇa practice. The subtleness of the wind kasiṇa or the bare simplicity of the limited-space kasiṇa may dovetail well with an individual’s temperament. The beauty of the color kasiṇas may appeal to those with artistic temperaments, while the breath may be the favored subject for another meditator.

  Mastery in the entire array of kasiṇa objects is a required foundation for yet another level of concentration practice that develops an astounding quality of fluidity and control regarding both the object of perception and the subjective quality of these states.121 Like a skilled juggler, one can easily shift between the colors, elements, and all the jhānas in various patterns and at incredible speeds. Mastery in these exercises eventually can become the basis for psychic powers and is considered most useful for eradicating the set of unwholesome states called the higher fetters (chapter 18).

  You may choose to specialize in a single kasiṇa or cultivate the full spectrum of subjects; develop mastery with either one or all, according to your preferences and personal inclinations. All these meditation subjects will accomplish the aim of developing concentration to support wisdom; therefore you may choose whichever combination seems most interesting and suitable to you.

  TABLE 6.1

  Ten Kasiṇas as Meditation Subjects

  MEDITATION SUBJECT BASIS JHĀNA POTENTIAL

  White kasiṇa Internal: any internal white object such as bones, skull, teeth

  External: any external white object such as the bones of another person, yogurt, sheet of paper, dinner plate, snow, lab coat All four jhānas

  Nīla kasiṇa (Dark blue, brown, green, or black color) Internal: any internal blue-brown-blackish dark object such as bile, hair, pupils of the eyes

  External: any external very dark-colored object such black hair, a beetle, lacquer bowl, licorice candy, fur of a black cat All four jhānas

  Yellow kasiṇa Internal: any internal yellow object such as urine

  External: any external yellow object such as another person’s urine, a lemon peel, a daffodil, gold All four jhānas

  Red kasiṇa Internal: any internal red object such as blood or flesh

  External: any external red object such as the blood or flesh of another being, ketchup, a rose, a stop sign, nail polish All four jhānas

  Earth kasiṇa Circle drawn on ground All four jhānas

  Water kasiṇa Any water such as a pool, bowl of water, still lake, bath, ocean All four jhānas

  Fire kasiṇa Any flame, such as that in a campfire, wood-burning stove, candle, match All four jhānas

  Wind kasiṇa Movement of grasses or branches, touch of wind on body All four jhānas

  Light kasiṇa Sunlight shining through branches, beam of light falling on wall, or any perception of light (not light source) All four jhānas

  Limited-space kasiṇa Framed area of space such as a hole in a wall, archway, window, or a hole cut in a piece of cardboard about one foot in diameter through which the meditator may look toward a clear patch of sky All four jhānas

  CHAPTER 7

  Infinite Perceptions: Four Immaterial Jhānas

  For some people, contact, that point where sense plus object

  meet, is enthralling. And so they are washed by the tides of

  being, drifting along an empty, pointless road. Nowhere is

  there any sign of broken chains. But others come to understand

  their sense activity and because they understand it, the stillness

  fills them with delight. They see just what contact does,

  and so their craving ends; they realize the total calm.

  —SUTTA NIPĀTA122

  THE FIRST FOUR JHĀNAS were derived from matter. The earth kasiṇa depends upon earth; although it proceeds from a mere concept of earth, it requires the presence of earth. The yellow kasiṇa is far more refined than urine, yet the concept of color manifests in dependence upon a physical material that reflects the color. Even the limited-space kasiṇa produces a material jhāna because the space is known by the boundaries defined by the material frame. The first four jhānas are referred to as fine material jhānas because they depend on the presence of materiality, albeit of a highly refined nature. The immaterial jhānas, however, do not depend upon the presence of material forms, but only arise in the absence of the perception of matter; hence, these immaterial jhānas surmount matter.

  Four specific attainments carry awareness beyond the crutch of material form. Each immaterial attainment is distinguished by the distinct perception that serves as its base: the bases of infinite space (fifth jhāna), infinite consciousness (sixth jhāna), nothingness (seventh jhāna), and neither-perception-nor-nonperception (eighth jhāna). All four immaterial jhānas have the same two intensifying factors as the fourth jhāna—single-pointedness and equanimity. Whereas the first four jhānas develop through a sequential refinement of mental factors, the immaterial abidings develop through a refinement of the object—coarser perceptions are removed and replaced by progressively subtler perceptions. Every immaterial attainment has a unique object that corresponds to the specific perception characterizing each sphere of consciousness and serves as the nonphysical basis for concentration to focus and cohere. The nimittas for immaterial abidings appear as luminous fields, reflecting the concept of space, the perception of consciousness, the concept of nothingness, or the consciousness that
perceives nothingness. It is difficult to precisely describe the impression of these luminous fields; however, with practice you will quickly learn to recognize the unique quality of each nimitta.

  When I wrote Focused and Fearless several years ago, I introduced the immaterial abidings after the fourth jhāna attained by mindfulness with breathing. Currently, however, I only teach the immaterial abidings after at least one kasiṇa is firmly established up to the fourth jhāna. I now conform to the more traditional sequence of training because greater stability and ease seem to develop when the immaterial abidings are preceded by kasiṇa practice. Breath meditation focuses attention on a specific and narrow location; kasiṇa practice expands consciousness to unlimited proportions and reduces the perception of materiality to a mere concept. This preparation narrows the gap between the fourth and fifth jhānas and softens what might otherwise appear to be a stark contrast between material and immaterial perceptions. If the leap is too large or the contrast too jarring, a meditator could experience distortions of perception similar to the queasiness induced by a high-rise elevator, the peculiar sensation of stepping onto a moving sidewalk in an airport, or the slight disorientation felt when we first step on solid land after a long journey in a small boat. In Focused and Fearless, I cautioned certain meditators from attempting these immaterial attainments because such altered perceptions could cause instability. However, I have found no instability when kasiṇa practice precedes the immaterial jhānas and no lingering perceptional distortions after emerging. Hence, I can now wholeheartedly recommend the immaterial jhānas for practitioners who have attained mastery in the kasiṇas.