The Ancient Therav?da Meditation System, Bor?n Kamma??h?na: ?n?p?nasati or ‘Mindfulness of The Breath’ in Kammatthan Majjima Baeb Lamdub
Andrew Skilton, Phibul Choompolpaisal
Buddhist Studies Review February 24, 2016 DOI: 10.1558/bsrv.v32i2.28172 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Historical analysis Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Topics | Meditation |
| Key points | Proposes that the boran kammatthana method for anapanasati can be seen as a rational development of earlier techniques advocated by Buddhaghosa, despite distinctive features regarding nimitta, bodily location, and terminology. |
Abstract
In Thailand the pre-reform Therav?da meditation system, bor?n kamma??h?na, is now practised only by small and isolated groups. To promote detailed comparative study of bor?n kamma??h?na, the tradition of it taught at Wat Ratchasittharam, Thonburi, is explored through a translation of a text on ?n?p?nasati attributed to Suk Kaitheun, the head of its lineage. This is followed by a detailed discussion and comparison with the description of the same technique in the Visuddhimagga. Some close connections between these two sources are identified and it is speculated that, despite features concerning nimitta, bodily location, terminology etc. that are diagnostically distinctive for bor?n kamma??h?na, its method for ?n?p?nasati can be seen as a rational development of earlier techniques advocated by Buddhaghosa.
Comparable studies
Other theoretical and historical papers on meditation, most cited first.
| Study | Year | Design | Participants |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mindfulness: A proposed operational definition. | 2004 | Theoretical or philosophical paper | |
| Mechanisms of mindfulness | 2005 | Theoretical or philosophical paper | |
| How Does Mindfulness Meditation Work? Proposing Mechanisms of Action From a Conceptual and Neural Perspective | 2011 | Theoretical or philosophical paper | |
| Mindfulness-based cognitive therapy for depression | 2006 | Theoretical or philosophical paper | |
| Self-awareness, self-regulation, and self-transcendence (S-ART): a framework for understanding the neurobiological mechanisms of mindfulness | 2012 | Theoretical or philosophical paper |
Citations in the library
Cited by 6
- An Ethical Samādhi: Brahma-vihāra Meditation and the Flexible Early Buddhist Path Mindfulness May 20, 2025
- Supreme Patriarch Suk Kai Thuean’s Method of Visualizing the Elements Journal of Contemplative Studies July 23, 2025
- Ayutthayan Protective Practices and Devices: Manual of Wat Pradusongtham Journal of International Buddhist Studies May 11, 2026
- Meditation Transcending Signs: Seven Concepts for a Buddhist Psychosemiotics Philosophies January 12, 2026
- Phra Lakkhaṇa Dhamma: A Unique Siamese Meditation Text of the Late 18th Century Religions November 9, 2025
and 1 more in the library