There are forty samatha kammaṭṭhāna (meditation) objects that a meditator can use to achieve either access or absorption concentration. They are mentioned in the Visuddhimagga as follows:
- The 10 totalities or devices (kasiṇa):
earth (paṭhavī)
water (āpo)
fire (tejo)
air (vāyo)
brown (nīla)
yellow (pīta)
red (lohita)
white (odāta)
space (ākāsa)
light (āloka)
- The 10 foulness meditation (paṭikūlamanasikāra):
a swollen corpse
a discoloured, bluish, corpse
a festering corpse
a fissured corpse
a gnawed corpse
a dismembered corpse
a hacked and scattered corpse
a bleeding corpse
a worm-eaten corpse
a skeleton
- The 10 recollections (anussati) on the:
Buddha
Dhamma
Saṅgha
Morality (sīla)
Generosity (cāga)
Wholesome attributes of divine beings (devatā)
Inevitability of death (maraṇā)
Reflection on the qualities of the Nibbāna (upasamā)
32 body parts (kāyagatā)
Mindfulness of breathing (ānāpāna)
- Four divine abidings:
Loving-kindness (mettā)
Compassion (karuṇā)
Altruistic joy (muditā)
Equanimity (upekkhā)
- Four immaterial absorption (arūpa jhāna)
Infinite space (ākāsānañcāyatana)
Infinite consciousness (viññāṇañcāyatana)
Infinite nothingness (ākiñcaññāyatana)
Neither perception nor non-perception (nevasaññānāsaññāyatana)
- Reflection on the loathsomeness of food (āhāre-paṭikūlasaññā)
- Contemplation of the four elements (catudhātuvavatthāna)
Out of these forty samatha meditation (kammaṭṭhāna) objects, thirty can lead to jhāna. These objects are underlined above.
Usually, beginner practitioners are given the object of in-and-out breathing (ānāpāna) meditation as it is the most accessible and praised highly by the Buddha. The reason is because unlike other objects, ānāpāna does not need to be perfected further, is easily accessible and can lead to attainment of the four jhānas from the first till fourth. Afterwards, to further sharpen the quality of concentration, meditation on the 32 body parts are taught to reflect on the foulness and loathsomeness of the body. Subsequently, kasiṇa meditation are also taught so that the meditator can gain up till the eighth arūpa jhāna. However, every individual is different so individualised instructions and suitable meditation objects can be given to help one gain the most superior level of concentration that they can achieve.
May you realise the four noble truths in this lifetime.