Choosing A Meditation Subject

The EBT uses some different key words to refer to meditation subjects. Probably the most frequent is “meditating”/“doing jhāna” (jhāyati), or doing “satipatthana”. Lists of meditation subject are sometimes called “perceptions” (sañña). In AN 6.29 they’re called recollections (anussati-thānāṃ). Signs (nimitta) of samādhi are also pretty frequent.

SN 48.9 excerpt, STED mindfulness faculty

♦ “katamañ-ca, bhikkhave, sat-indriyaṃ?	"{And}-what, monks, (is) mindfulness-faculty?
idha, bhikkhave, ariya-sāvako	Here, monks, (a) disciple-of-the-noble-ones,
satimā hoti	{is} mindful,
paramena sati-nepakkena samannāgato	supreme mindfulness-(and)-prudence (he) possesses,
cira-katampi cira-bhāsitampi	(what was) {done}-long-ago, {spoken}-long-ago,
saritā anussaritā —	(he) remembers (and) recollects -
idaṃ vuccati, bhikkhave, sat-indriyaṃ.	this (is) called, *********, mindfulness-faculty.

MN 44: what are nimittas of samādhi?

“katamo panāyye, samādhi,	"What, Venerable-lady, (is) concentration?
katame dhammā samādhi-nimittā,	what (are) ****** samādhi nimittas?
katame dhammā samādhi-parikkhārā...?	what (are) ****** concentration's-requisite-equipment?

♦ “yā kho, āvuso visākha,	"Whatever indeed, friend Visākha,
cittassa ekaggatā ayaṃ samādhi;	(the) Mind's unification, that (is) concentration;
cattāro sati-'paṭṭhānā samādhi-nimittā;	(the) four mindful-establishments (are) nimittas of concentration;
cattāro sammap-padhānā samādhi-parikkhārā.	(the) four right-exertions (are) concentration's-requisite-equipment.

5niv: The 5 hindrances

see 4nt → STED → 5niv

AN 6.19: Rule #1, never forget mindfulness of death!


‘assiduously (we) should-dwell,	‘appamattā viharissāma,
Quick-and-decisively, death-mindfuless (we) should-develop,	tikkhaṃ maraṇas-satiṃ bhāvessāma
(for) asinine-inclinations’ destruction.	āsavānaṃ khayāyā’ti.

(Rule #2, never forget rule #1!)

AN 9.1: asubha, metta, 16 APS, anicca-sañña are 4 indispensable practices

a-subhā bhāvetabbā	Non-beautiful [foulness perceptions] (he) should-develop,
rāgassa pahānāya,	(for) [lustful] passion's removal,
mettā bhāvetabbā	Good-will (he) should-develop,
byāpādassa pahānāya,	(for) ill-will's removal,
ānā-pānas-sati bhāvetabbā	inhale-exhale-mindfulness (he) should-develop,
vitakk-upacchedāya,	(for) [distractive] thinking's-cutting-off,
a-nicca-saññā bhāvetabbā	im-permanence-perception (he) should-develop,
asmimānasamugghātāya.	(for) pride-(and)-conceit's-uprooting.

A-nicca-saññino, bhikkhave,	(for one who has) Im-permanence-perception, monks,
an-atta-saññā saṇṭhāti.	not-self-perception (is) established.
An-atta-saññī	(for one who has) not-self-perception,
asmimānasamugghātaṃ pāpuṇāti	pride-(and)-conceit's-uprooting (is) attained,
diṭṭheva dhamme nibbānan”ti.	here-and-now (is) Nirvana."

AN 6.29: 6 important adhi-citta practices


paṭhamaṃ...dutiyaṃ...tatiyaṃ jhānaṃ upasampajja viharati, ...	first…second...third jhāna (he) enters and dwells in,…
Diṭṭha-dhamma-sukha-vihārāya saṃvattati.	(in the) here-and-now,-pleasant-abiding (it) leads-to.
āloka-saññaṃ manasi karoti,...	Luminosity-perception (his) mind makes…
ñāṇa-dassanap-paṭi-lābhāya saṃvattati.	Knowledge-and-vision’s-acquisition (this) leads-to.
kesa...mutta… (31 body parts perception)	Head-hair...urine (31 body parts contemplation)…
Kāma-rāgap-pahānāya saṃvattati.	Sensuality-passion-removal (this) leads-to.
(9 contemplations on) ... sivathikāya ...	9 contemplations on cemetary corpse decay…
Asmi-māna-samugghātāya saṃvattati.	Pride-conceit-uprooting (this) leads-to.
catutthaṃ jhānaṃ upasampajja viharati,...	fourth jhāna (he) enters and abides in,…
aneka-dhātu-paṭi-vedhāya saṃvattati.	Many-elements-fully-penetrated (this) leads-to.
sato'-va (through various moving postures)...	Always-mindful through various moving postures,…
sati-sampajaññāya saṃvattatī”ti.	Mindfulness-and-alertness (this) leads-to.

AN 6.9: 6 helpful recollections to lubricate samādhi with joy

(AN 6.10 shows how these 6 subjects lead into first jhāna, AN 6.25 and AN 6.26 more clues)

buddh-ānussati, dhamm-ānussati,	Buddha-recollection, Dhamma-recollection,
saṅgh-ānussati, sīl-ānussati,	Sangha-recollection, Virtue-recollection,
cāg-ānussati, devat-ānussati —	Generosity-recollection, Deva-recollection -
imāni kho, bhikkhave, cha anus-satiṭ-ṭhānānī”ti.	These indeed, monks, (are the) six recollection-topics.

SN 54.8 the lamp, 16 APS + 16 techniques

5abi: noble one’s developed faculties

9smd: 9 meditative attainments, 4j, 4 arūpa samāpatti, nirodha

AN 10.56: 10ds: ten perceptions,


asubha-saññā,	(1) The perception of unattractiveness,
maraṇa-saññā,	(2) the perception of death,
āhāre paṭikūla-saññā,	(3) the perception of the repulsiveness of food,
sabbaloke anabhirata-saññā,	(4) the perception of non-delight in the entire world,
anicca-saññā,	(5) the perception of impermanence,
anicce dukkha-saññā,	(6) the perception of suffering in the impermanent,
dukkhe anatta-saññā,	(7) the perception of non-self in what is suffering,
pahāna-saññā,	(8) the perception of abandoning,
virāga-saññā,	(9) the perception of dispassion,
nirodha-saññā —	and (10) the perception of cessation.

AN 8.63: 4bv + 4sp

4 brahma viharas, 4 satipatthana, in all 4 postures, combined with samadhi in 3 ways.

SN 51.12, 4ipx, 6ab

4ipx are the extended formula for 4 iddhi pada, it’s a way to perfect right effort, the 4th jhana, and smd-asnd (the samadhi of luminosity perception for knowledge and vision)

MN 20, 5 methods to stop V&V

to stop thinking and get 2nd jhana

4sp samādhi nimittas, sorted individually


for stop thinking, pleasant abiding	1. 16 APS anapanasati
counter ill will	2. metta, good will
at least enough pleasant abiding that mind is comfortable enough to handle 31asb	3. first jhana
counter lust	4. 31asb, asubha 31 body parts

6 recollections to develop piti and pamojja

buddh-ānussati, dhamm-ānussati,	5-10: Buddha-recollection, Dhamma-recollection,
saṅgh-ānussati, sīl-ānussati,	Sangha-recollection, Virtue-recollection,
cāg-ānussati, devat-ānussati —	Generosity-recollection, Deva-recollection -

https://discourse.suttacentral.net/t/i-found-my-buddho-on-singular-hill/9277

DN 33.9 “cha anussatiṭṭhānāni — buddhānussati...

DN 34.7 “katame cha dhammā bhāvetabbā? cha anussatiṭṭhānāni — ...

AN 1, 16. ekadhammapāḷi, 1. paṭhamavaggo (AN 1.296-297), para. 1 ⇒

296. “ekadhammo, bhikkhave, bhāvito bahulīkato ekantanibbidāya virāgāya nirodhāya upasamāya abhiññāya sambodhāya nibbānāya saṃvattati. katamo ekadhammo? buddhānussati.

AN 1, 18. aparāccharāsaṅghātavaggo (AN 1.382-493-562), para. 15 ⇒

473-482. buddhānussatiṃ bhāveti. dhammānussatiṃ bhāveti. saṅghānussatiṃ bhāveti. sīlānussatiṃ bhāveti. cāgānussatiṃ bhāveti. devatānussatiṃ bhāveti. ānāpānassatiṃ bhāveti. maraṇassatiṃ bhāveti. kāyagatāsatiṃ bhāveti. upasamānussatiṃ bhāveti.

AN 6.9 chayimāni, bhikkhave, anussatiṭṭhānāni.

9. “chayimāni, bhikkhave, anussatiṭṭhānāni. katamāni cha? buddhānussati, ...

AN 6.10 buddhanussati, 6 recollections to 7sb samadhi

“yo so, mahānāma, ariyasāvako āgataphalo viññātasāsano, so iminā vihārena bahulaṃ viharati. idha, mahānāma, ariyasāvako tathāgataṃ anussarati — ‘itipi so bhagavā arahaṃ sammāsambuddho vijjācaraṇasampanno sugato lokavidū anuttaro purisadammasārathi satthā devamanussānaṃ buddho bhagavā’ti. yasmiṃ, mahānāma, samaye ariyasāvako tathāgataṃ anussarati nevassa tasmiṃ samaye rāgapariyuṭṭhitaṃ cittaṃ hoti, na dosapariyuṭṭhitaṃ cittaṃ hoti, na mohapariyuṭṭhitaṃ cittaṃ hoti; ujugatamevassa tasmiṃ samaye cittaṃ hoti tathāgataṃ ārabbha. ujugatacitto kho pana, mahānāma, ariyasāvako labhati atthavedaṃ, labhati dhammavedaṃ, labhati dhammūpasaṃhitaṃ pāmojjaṃ. pamuditassa pīti jāyati, pītimanassa kāyo passambhati, passaddhakāyo sukhaṃ vediyati, sukhino cittaṃ samādhiyati. ayaṃ vuccati, mahānāma — ‘ariyasāvako visamagatāya pajāya samappatto viharati, sabyāpajjāya pajāya abyāpajjo viharati, dhammasotaṃ samāpanno buddhānussatiṃ bhāveti”’.

AN 6.140-170-649), para. 2 ⇒

141. “rāgassa, bhikkhave, abhiññāya cha dhammā bhāvetabbā. katame cha? buddhānussati, dhammānussati, saṅghānussati, sīlānussati, cāgānussati, devatānussati. rāgassa, bhikkhave, abhiññāya ime cha dhammā bhāvetabbā”ti.

AN 11, 2. anussativaggo, 1. paṭhamamahānāmasuttaṃ (AN 11.11), para. 3 ⇒

“sādhu sādhu, mahānāma! etaṃ kho, mahānāma, tumhākaṃ patirūpaṃ kulaputtānaṃ, yaṃ tumhe tathāgataṃ upasaṅkamitvā puccheyyātha — ‘tesaṃ no, bhante, nānāvihārehi viharataṃ kenassa vihārena vihātabba’n”ti? saddho kho, mahānāma, ārādhako hoti, no assaddho; āraddhavīriyo ārādhako hoti, no kusīto; upaṭṭhitassati ārādhako hoti, no muṭṭhassati; samāhito ārādhako hoti, no asamāhito; paññavā ārādhako hoti, no duppañño. imesu kho tvaṃ, mahānāma, pañcasu dhammesu patiṭṭhāya cha dhamme uttari bhāveyyāsi. “idha tvaṃ, mahānāma, tathāgataṃ anussareyyāsi — ‘itipi so bhagavā arahaṃ sammāsambuddho vijjācaraṇasampanno sugato lokavidū anuttaro purisadammasārathi satthā devamanussānaṃ buddho bhagavā’ti. yasmiṃ, mahānāma, samaye ariyasāvako tathāgataṃ anussarati, nevassa tasmiṃ samaye rāgapariyuṭṭhitaṃ cittaṃ hoti, na dosapariyuṭṭhitaṃ cittaṃ hoti, na mohapariyuṭṭhitaṃ cittaṃ hoti; ujugatamevassa tasmiṃ samaye cittaṃ hoti tathāgataṃ ārabbha. ujugatacitto kho pana, mahānāma, ariyasāvako labhati atthavedaṃ, labhati dhammavedaṃ, labhati dhammūpasaṃhitaṃ pāmojjaṃ. pamuditassa pīti jāyati, pītimanassa kāyo passambhati, passaddhakāyo sukhaṃ vediyati, sukhino cittaṃ samādhiyati. ayaṃ vuccati, mahānāma, ariyasāvako visamagatāya pajāya samappatto viharati, sabyāpajjāya pajāya abyāpajjo viharati, dhammasotasamāpanno buddhānussatiṃ bhāveti.

AN 11, 2. anussativaggo, 2. dutiyamahānāmasuttaṃ (AN 11.12), para. 4 ⇒

“idha tvaṃ, mahānāma, tathāgataṃ anussareyyāsi — ‘itipi so bhagavā . pe . satthā devamanussānaṃ buddho bhagavā’ti. yasmiṃ, mahānāma, samaye ariyasāvako tathāgataṃ anussarati, nevassa tasmiṃ samaye rāgapariyuṭṭhitaṃ cittaṃ hoti, na dosapariyuṭṭhitaṃ cittaṃ hoti, na mohapariyuṭṭhitaṃ cittaṃ hoti; ujugatamevassa tasmiṃ samaye cittaṃ hoti tathāgataṃ ārabbha. ujugatacitto kho pana, mahānāma, ariyasāvako labhati atthavedaṃ, labhati dhammavedaṃ, labhati dhammūpasaṃhitaṃ pāmojjaṃ. pamuditassa pīti jāyati, pītimanassa kāyo passambhati, passaddhakāyo sukhaṃ vediyati, sukhino cittaṃ samādhiyati. imaṃ kho tvaṃ, mahānāma, buddhānussatiṃ gacchantopi bhāveyyāsi, ṭhitopi bhāveyyāsi, nisinnopi bhāveyyāsi, sayānopi bhāveyyāsi, kammantaṃ adhiṭṭhahantopi bhāveyyāsi, puttasambādhasayanaṃ ajjhāvasantopi bhāveyyāsi.

marana sati , recollection of death


	11. marana sati , recollection of death

5 methods to stop V&V, get 2nd jhana+

and above, from MN 20

simile of coarse peg being replaced with fine peg	12. replace akusala thought with kusala
like a person would feel revulsion at wearing an animal carcass	13. seeing danger in akusala thoughts
	14. forget thought
from walkig, to standing, to sitting	15. slow down
like strong man beating down weak one	16. mind crush mind

5abi, 5 masteries of perception


	17. beatiful as foul
	18. foul as beautiful
	19. foul & beautiful as foul
	20. foul and beautiful as foul
	21. equanimity

bring jhana up to 4th jhana quality


	22-25 four jhānas
	26-29 4bv brahma viharas
	30-33 4 arupa samadhis

4ipx, perfect 4th jhana, luminosity perception to gateway of 6ab

	34-37 4ipx, for smd-asnd

impermance for uprooting “I am” conceit	38-46 9siv cemetary contemplations
āhāre paṭikūla-saññā,	47. the perception of the repulsiveness of food,

7 ways to counter drowsiness

	48-56.
	(1. don’t attend to the perception that made you drowsy)
	(2. Recall dhamma using V&V, thinking and evaluation, and upekkha)
	(3. Recite that dhamma out loud, vocally)
	(4. Pull your earlobes and rub your limbs)
	(5. Stand up, wash eyes with water, look at stars in sky)
	(6. STED ASMK: luminosity perception all day all night)
	(7. Start walking meditation)
	(Lie down in lion posture as last resort)
	(don’t sociaize with lay people too much, causes restlessness)
	(don’t say confrontational things)
	(Buddha praises secluded meditation areas)
	(conclusion: brief summary of path to arahantship)

5 niv + 7sb, classic early dhamma anupassana


	57-68.

	69. guarding sense doors
	70. removing akusala
	71. wakefulness
	72. eating in moderation

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