<p>The meditation subjects are called <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kamma%E1%B9%AD%E1%B9%ADh%C4%81na" rel="nofollow noreferrer">Kammaṭṭhāna</a>. There are 40 of them.</p>

<p>Most of these are collected in the following books:</p>

<ul>
<li><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Visuddhimagga" rel="nofollow noreferrer">Visuddhimagga</a></li>
<li><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vimuttimagga" rel="nofollow noreferrer">Vimuttimagga</a></li>
</ul>

<p>Also you might want to read <a href="http://www.dhammatalks.net/Books13/Pa-Auk-Sayadaw_Knowing-and-Seeing-4th-Ed-2010.pdf" rel="nofollow noreferrer">Knowing and Seeing</a> by Pa Auk Sayadaw which glosses over many of matter.</p>

<p>Looking at the size of these manual it is difficult to give introduction to all in one answer.</p>

<p>But in ascese all have the similar goal. That is to:</p>

<ul>
<li>scrub the latent tendencies (anusaya), <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kleshas_(Buddhism)" rel="nofollow noreferrer">Kleshas</a> or unwholesome roots</li>
<li>remove the corruptions of insight (vipallasa) and understand the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Three_marks_of_existence" rel="nofollow noreferrer">three marks of existence</a></li>
</ul>

<p>with ever way you understand better.</p>

<p>In studying meditation from any of the above sources it is wise to treat them as secondary source and compair with the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tripi%E1%B9%ADaka" rel="nofollow noreferrer">Tripitaka</a> which is the primary source.</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2017-01-31T06:51:44.640Z
2017-01-31T07:03:15.797Z
2017-01-31T07:03:15.797Z
Suminda Sirinath S. Dharmasena
<p>At least forty: </p>

<ol>
<li><p>Earth device</p>

<p>Water device</p>

<p>Fire device</p>

<p>Air or wind device</p>

<p>Blue device</p>

<p>Yellow device</p>

<p>Red device</p>

<p>White device</p>

<p>Space device</p>

<p>Consciousness device</p>

<p>A corpse that is bloated</p>

<p>A corpse that is livid (has patchy discoloration)</p>

<p>A corpse that is festering (trickling with pus in broken places)</p>

<p>A corpse that is cut up</p>

<p>A corpse that is gnawed</p>

<p>A corpse that is scattered</p>

<p>A corpse that is hacked and scattered</p>

<p>A corpse that is bleeding</p>

<p>A corpse that is worm-infested</p>

<p>A corpse that is a skeleton</p>

<p>Contemplation of the Buddha</p>

<p>Contemplation of the Dhamma</p>

<p>Contemplation of the Sangha</p>

<p>Contemplation of Virtue</p>

<p>Contemplation of Charity</p>

<p>Contemplation of the Devas</p>

<p>Mindfulness of Death</p>

<p>Mindfulness of the Physical Body</p>

<p>Mindfulness with Breathing</p>

<p>Contemplation of Calmness</p>

<p>Loving-kindness</p>

<p>Compassion</p>

<p>Sympathy</p>

<p>Equanimity</p>

<p>Sphere of Infinity of Space</p>

<p>Sphere of Infinite Consciousness</p>

<p>Sphere of No-thingness</p>

<p>Sphere of Neither Perception nor Non-Perception</p>

<p>Contemplation of the loathsomeness of food</p>

<p>Analysis of the four physical elements</p></li>
</ol>

<p><a href="http://www.dhammawiki.com/index.php?title=40_meditation_subjects" rel="nofollow noreferrer">http://www.dhammawiki.com/index.php?title=40_meditation_subjects</a></p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2017-01-31T04:43:09.280Z
Thank you for your answer! But how are some of these types of meditation? For example, 'a corpse that is bleeding'.
Nanoputian
CC BY-SA 3.0
2017-01-31T09:50:37.453Z
https://suttacentral.net/en/dn22 may help! :)
Ilya Grushevskiy
CC BY-SA 3.0
2017-01-31T22:49:17.277Z
@IlyaGrushevskiy thank you so much! That definitely helped. I have been looking for this for so long. Thanks again.
Nanoputian
CC BY-SA 3.0
2017-01-31T03:22:09.297Z
2017-01-31T03:22:09.297Z
Dhamma Dhatu
<p>How many types of meditation are there in Theravada Buddhism? Could you also provide a list of them as well.</p>

<p>Thank you in advance.</p>

<theravada><meditation>
Types of Meditation in Theravada Buddhism
# Types of Meditation in Theravada Buddhism

(Asked by: username_0 on 2017-01-31)

How many types of meditation are there in Theravada Buddhism? Could you also provide a list of them as well.

Thank you in advance.

**Tags:** theravada, meditation


---

## 2 answers

### Answer by username_2 on 2017-01-31. Score: 2 | Accepted answer

At least forty:

1. Earth device

   Water device

   Fire device

   Air or wind device

   Blue device

   Yellow device

   Red device

   White device

   Space device

   Consciousness device

   A corpse that is bloated

   A corpse that is livid (has patchy discoloration)

   A corpse that is festering (trickling with pus in broken places)

   A corpse that is cut up

   A corpse that is gnawed

   A corpse that is scattered

   A corpse that is hacked and scattered

   A corpse that is bleeding

   A corpse that is worm-infested

   A corpse that is a skeleton

   Contemplation of the Buddha

   Contemplation of the Dhamma

   Contemplation of the Sangha

   Contemplation of Virtue

   Contemplation of Charity

   Contemplation of the Devas

   Mindfulness of Death

   Mindfulness of the Physical Body

   Mindfulness with Breathing

   Contemplation of Calmness

   Loving-kindness

   Compassion

   Sympathy

   Equanimity

   Sphere of Infinity of Space

   Sphere of Infinite Consciousness

   Sphere of No-thingness

   Sphere of Neither Perception nor Non-Perception

   Contemplation of the loathsomeness of food

   Analysis of the four physical elements

<http://www.dhammawiki.com/index.php?title=40_meditation_subjects>

> **Comments:**
> **username_0**: Thank you for your answer! But how are some of these types of meditation? For example, 'a corpse that is bleeding'.  
> **username_3**: https://suttacentral.net/en/dn22 may help! :)  
> **username_0**: @IlyaGrushevskiy thank you so much! That definitely helped. I have been looking for this for so long. Thanks again.  

---

### Answer by username_1 on 2017-01-31. Score: 1

The meditation subjects are called [Kammaṭṭhāna](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kamma%E1%B9%AD%E1%B9%ADh%C4%81na). There are 40 of them.

Most of these are collected in the following books:

* [Visuddhimagga](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Visuddhimagga)
* [Vimuttimagga](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vimuttimagga)

Also you might want to read [Knowing and Seeing](http://www.dhammatalks.net/Books13/Pa-Auk-Sayadaw_Knowing-and-Seeing-4th-Ed-2010.pdf) by Pa Auk Sayadaw which glosses over many of matter.

Looking at the size of these manual it is difficult to give introduction to all in one answer.

But in ascese all have the similar goal. That is to:

* scrub the latent tendencies (anusaya), [Kleshas](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kleshas_(Buddhism)) or unwholesome roots
* remove the corruptions of insight (vipallasa) and understand the [three marks of existence](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Three_marks_of_existence)

with ever way you understand better.

In studying meditation from any of the above sources it is wise to treat them as secondary source and compair with the [Tripitaka](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tripi%E1%B9%ADaka) which is the primary source.


---

