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kammaṭṭhāna

A Dictionary of Buddhism | 2004 | | Copyright

kammaṭṭhāna. Pāli term meaning ‘working ground’ and denoting a meditation subject used as a means of entering the trances (jhānas; Skt., dhyāna). A list of 40 such topics is found in the Visuddhimagga. These include 10 kasiṇas, 10 repulsive (asubha) objects, 10 recollections (anussati), 4 Brahma-vihāras, 4 immaterial spheres (arūpāyatana), perception of the repulsive nature of food, and analysis of the four elements. Topics from this list are allocated to the student by the meditation teacher depending on the student's personality, paying particular attention to any negative tendencies that need correction.

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DAMIEN KEOWN. "kammaṭṭhāna." A Dictionary of Buddhism. 2004. Encyclopedia.com. 27 May. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>.

DAMIEN KEOWN. "kammaṭṭhāna." A Dictionary of Buddhism. 2004. Encyclopedia.com. (May 27, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O108-kammahna.html

DAMIEN KEOWN. "kammaṭṭhāna." A Dictionary of Buddhism. 2004. Retrieved May 27, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O108-kammahna.html

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Kammaṭṭhāna

The Concise Oxford Dictionary of World Religions | 1997 | | Copyright

Kammaṭṭhāna (Pāli, ‘working-ground’, i.e. ‘support’). In Theravāda Buddhism, a subject of meditation; specifically, one of those which serves as the basis for the practice of mindfulness (sati) and concentration (samādhi). Buddhaghosa's Visuddhimagga lists forty kammaṭṭhāna. The meditator selects a topic or corpus of topics, on the grounds of their suitability to his own psychological disposition and character traits; in ideal circumstances he should be advised and guided in his choice by a teacher (kalyāṇa-ṃitta).

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JOHN BOWKER. "Kammaṭṭhāna." The Concise Oxford Dictionary of World Religions. 1997. Encyclopedia.com. 27 May. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>.

JOHN BOWKER. "Kammaṭṭhāna." The Concise Oxford Dictionary of World Religions. 1997. Encyclopedia.com. (May 27, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O101-Kammahna.html

JOHN BOWKER. "Kammaṭṭhāna." The Concise Oxford Dictionary of World Religions. 1997. Retrieved May 27, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O101-Kammahna.html

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