TIL

Pali Dictionary

by U Kyaw Tun, et. al.

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Contents of this file: ka-si-ṇa | ka-si-ṇa-maṇ-ḍa-la | ka-si-ṇa-pa-ri-kam-ma |

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ka-tha

kasiṇa

{ka.thi.ṉa.}

UMK-USL p5
n. object one concentrates on while meditating; meditation device.
There are ten such devices:
1. pathavī kasiṇa -- disc or clay or earth
2. āpo kasiṇa -- a stretch of water
3. tejo kasiṇa -- fire
4. vāyo kasiṇa -- wind
5. nila kasiṇa -- blue object
6. pīta kasiṇa -- yellow object
7. lohita kasiṇa -- red object
8. odāta kasiṇa -- white object
9. okāsa kasiṇa -- space . See extended meanings of okāsa in PTS p163
10. āloka kasiṇa -- light

PTS p201
kasiṇa  -- one of the aids to kammaṭṭhāna the practice by means of which mystic meditation (bhāvanā, jhāna) may be attained.

UKT:
   An incident told by my father, U Tun Pe, about his mentor U Kyaw Dun (I was named Kyaw Tun in U Kyaw Dun's honour. Kyaw Dun, a typical Arakanese name, is softened into Burmese name Kyaw Tun.)
   U Kyaw Dun, an instructor in Insein Government Technical Institute, was instrumental in introducing a critical version of Therawada Buddhism to my father. My father under the guidance of U Kyaw Dun had practiced kasiṇa {ka. theing:}. One day, in a sort of farewell, U Kyaw Dun told my father that he would be doing pathavī kasiṇa {pahtawi katheign:} seriously. U Kyaw Dun told my father that this particular kasiṇa is supposed to be very dangerous -- it could bring on insanity. True to his prediction, U Kyaw Dun did become insane. When I was about to embark on meditational practices at the age 16, my father objected citing the story about his beloved mentor.
   My father advised me to practice good {thila.} before going into meditation. I eventually took up meditation after my marriage to my wife Daw Than Than. It was through U Khin Maung Latt and his wife Daw Khin Myo Chit (my wife's relatives) at their {Damayoan} according to Sun Lun method under the guidance of Ven. U Winiya. That was just before I went to the United States in 1957. I was then an Assistant Lecturer in Chemistry for two years. My meditational experience was very instrumental in overcoming long separation from my wife and son and in overcoming many setbacks later in life.

kasina: (perhaps related to Sanskrit krtsna, 'all, complete, whole'), is the name for a purely external device to produce and develop concentration of mind and attain the 4 absorptions (jhána q.v.). It consists in concentrating one's full and undivided attention on one visible object as preparatory image (parikamma-nimitta),e.g. a colored spot or disc, or a piece of earth, or a pond at some distance, etc., until at last one perceives, even with the eyes closed, a mental reflex, the acquired image (uggaha-nimitta). Now, while continuing to direct one's attention to this image, there may arise the spotless and immovable counter-image (patibhága-nimitta),and together with it the neighbourhood-concentration (upacára-samádhi) will have been reached. While still persevering in the concentration on the object, one finally will reach a state of mind where all sense-activity is suspended, where there is no more seeing and hearing, no more perception of bodily impression and feeling, i.e. the state of the 1st mental absorption (jhána, q.v.).
   The 10 kasinas mentioned in the Suttas are: earth-kasina, water, fire, wind, blue, yellow, red, white, space, and consciousness. "There are 10 kasina-spheres: someone sees the earth kasina, above, below, on all sides, undivided, unbounded .... someone see the water-kasina, above, below, etc." (M. 77; D. 33) Cf. abhibháyatan, bhávaná; further s. Fund. IV.
   For space and consciousness-kasina we find in Vis.M. V the names limited space-kasina (paricchinnákása-kasina; . . . s. App. ) and light-kasina(áloka-kasina).
   For full description see Vis.M. IV-V; also Atthasálini Tr. I, 248.
-- from: NBD

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kasiṇa-pari-kamma

{ka.thi.ṉa.pa.ri.kam~ma.}

UMK-USL p5
n. preliminary stage to meditation.

UKT: What we mean by "meditation" in Myanmar is actually in two stages:
1. Mental concentration -- the mind becomes very sharp. This stage is very dangerous because of illusionary experiences which can easily bring on insanity.
2. Buddhistic contemplation -- the mind becomes able to differentiate between illusions and reality.

   Under the guidance of a meditation master, after the citing of kasiṇa-pari-kamma (in essence placing one's self in the care of Buddha being represented by meditation master), the mental concentration part can be made devoid of dangers. The meditation master has to follow the mental progress of his charge closely and must be able to bring out his charge from illusions.

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kasiṇa-maṇḍala

{ka.thi.ṉa.maṉ~ḏa.la.}

UMK-USL p5
n. circular object for mind to concentrate on (width of the circle depends on the disposition of the person doing concentration)

PTS p516
maṇḍala --
1. circle.
2. disk.
3. a round flat surface.
4. an enclosed part of space in which something happens, a circus ring.
5. anything within certain limits or boundaries, a group.
6. border as a part of a bhikkhu dress, hem.

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End of TIL file