A Comparison of the lists and Categorisation of Meditation Practices (KammaṬṬhĀna) in the Visuddhimagga and *Vimuttimagga

ABSTRACT

This article examines the term kammaṭṭhāna discussed in the Visuddhimagga and the Jiĕ tuō dào lùn or *Vimuttimagga. Although these two texts provide similar lists and expositions for the kammaṭṭhāna, the Visuddhimagga also offers different views and criticisms. The first noticeable difference is in the 10 kasiṇas, which differ in relation to the last two kasiṇas. Furthermore, the Visuddhimagga systematises its own discussion by simplifying or specifying that of the Jiĕ tuō dào lùn and raises some criticisms of views found in the Jiĕ tuō dào lùn in the process. All of these features imply that the discussion of meditative practice, especially of the kammaṭṭhāna, has been diverse within the Theravāda tradition.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author.

Notes

1. Crosby (2013), 51–52. See Skilton in this volume.

2. Ñāṅamoli (1979), 81; Karunaratne (1996), 122; Wijeratne and Gethin (2002), 325; Bodhi (2010), 329; Crosby (2013), 51.

3. Karunaratne (1996), 122.

4. For a summary of the place of the Visuddhimagga and its list of 40 kammaṭṭhāna in Theravāda meditation, see Crosby (2014), 138–173.

5. See Skilton in this volume on the development of this term in the commentaries.

6. Yōu-bō-dĭ-sha can be reconstructed as Upatissa who is attributed to the JTDL in the commentary on the Vism as follows: ekacce ti upatissattheraṃ sandhāyāha. tena hi vimuttimagge tathā vuttaṃ. (http://tipitaka.org/romn/cscd/e0103n.att3.xml).

7. Sēng-qié-pó-luó is generally regarded as Saṃghabhara by modern scholars. For more on this topic, see Skilling (1994), 171–172.

8. Crosby (1999), 503–550; Anālayo (2009), 622–631.

9. For more detail on this topic, see Kim (2015), 236.

10. For more details on this affiliation and chronology of JTDL, see Kim (2018).

11. Bapat (1937), 29–42.

12. Vism 3.104; all of the references for the Visuddhimagga follow the Harvard Oriental Studies edition.

13. Bapat (1937), 38–39; Karunaratne (1996), 122.

14. JTDL 411a8–9.

15. On the translator’s lack of skill, see Mizuno (1978[1964]), 886–887.

16. Mizuno (1978[1964]), 886; Skilling (1994), 199–202; Cousins (2012), 86–87.

17. The condition or paccaya is being treated with great importance in Theravāda Abhidhamma treatises. Especially in the Paṭṭhāna, it is analysed by 24 types providing their possible combinations. For more details on this topic, see Kyaw (2014).

18. See also Skilton in this volume on vipassanā-kammaṭṭhāna. This evidence allows us to push back the time frame for understanding that the kammaṭṭhāna can function as subjects for vipassanā meditation beyond the evidence reviewed by Skilton.

19. Ñāṇamoli (1979), 108 (footnote 34).

20. Ehara, Thera, and Thera (1961), 66; The Japanese translator Naniwa seems to adopt it. Naniwa (2001), 60.

21. For more details on this topic, see Kim (2015), 235 and 238.

22. Kong discusses the deterioration of the state of food and the subsequent change of living beings and world found in the early Buddhist narratives. For more details on this topic, see Kong (2016), 55–68.

23. Bodhi (2010), 192.

24. kāmāvacara devesū ti kāmāvacaradevesu. VismA, 47.

25. The Abhidhammatthasaṅgaha enumerates the 10 kasiṇas as earth, water, fire, air, blue, yellow, red, white, space and light. (9.6).

26. vipassanākammaṭṭhāne pana sīlavisuddhim cittavisuddhi, diṭṭhivisuddhi kaṅkhāvitaraṇavisuddhi maggāmaggañāṇadassanavisuddhi paṭipadāñāṇadassanavisuddhi, ñāṇadassanavisuddhi cā ti sattavidhena visuddhisaṅgaho. Abhidhammatthasaṅgaha 9.22; Bodhi’s translation 2010, 345. See Skilton in this volume on vipassanā-kammaṭṭhāna.

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Kyungrae Kim

Kyungrae Kim research has focused on the Theravāda Abhidhamma and Pāli Commentaries. His recent publications include ‘Observations on some technical terms in the *Vimuttimagga and their English translations: An examination of Jiā (夾) and Visayappavatti’ in Buddhist Studies Review (2015); ‘Avīci Hell and wújiān (無間) in the cognitive process: Observations on some technical terms in the Jié tuō dào lùn (*Vimuttimagga)’ in Journal of Indian Philosophy (2016); ‘Observations on the term Bhavaṅga as described in the Jié tuō dào lùn (*Vimuttimagga): Its proper English translation and understanding’ in Journal of Indian Philosophy (2018).