1. Human development
  2. Tenfold powers (Buddhism)

Tenfold powers (Buddhism)

  • Meditating on the kasinas

Description

There are ten kasinas (universals) or devices used as subjects for meditation in the fine-material sphere. These are: earth kasina; water kasina; fire kasina; air kasina; blue kasina; yellow kasina; red kasina; white kasina; light kasina; limited or separated space kasina. Each kasina is associated with special powers.

- Earth kasina: having been one, becoming many; by creating earth, walking, standing or sitting on space or water.

- Water kasina: diving in and out of earth; producing rain, rivers or oceans; making earth, mountains, palaces shake.

- Fire kasina: producing smoke, flames, sparks; destruction of fire with fire; burning whatever one wishes; making light to see physical objects with the divine eye; on attaining nibbana, to consume one's own body with fire.

- Air kasina: moving with the speed of wind; causing storms.

- Blue kasina: creating black forms; producing darkness; mastery through fair and ugly appearance; liberation through beauty.

- Yellow kasina: creating yellow forms; resolving that something should become gold; mastery through the way stated; liberation through beauty.

- Red kasina: creating red forms; mastery through the way stated; liberation through beauty.

- White kasina: creating white forms; putting away sloth and torpor; dispelling darkness; making light to see visible objects with the divine eye.

- Light kasina: creating luminous forms; putting away sloth and torpor; dispelling darkness; making light to see visible objects with the divine eye.

- Limited or separated space kasina: uncovering the hidden; creating space within earth and rock and maintaining postures there; travelling through walls.

By extension, the kasinas are perceived upward to the sky, downward to the earth, around as far as is desired.

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Metadata

Database
Human development
Type
(H) Concepts of human development
Content quality
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Language
English
Last update
Dec 3, 2024