Dear Nina,

NvG> Just a remark about ruupasa~n~nii : does this not refer to ruupajhaana,
NvG> whereas aruupasa~n~nii refers to aruupajhaana?

Thank you for this remark.

Earlier I replied to this:

> The kasinas allow to attain only form jhanas, and in the cited sutta
> DN 33, MN 77 there is a clear reference to aruupasa~n~nii with colour
> kasinas. Moreover, after this stage and the stage of 'subha' proper
> aruupa jhanas are described. Thus 'aruupasa~n~nii' here should mean
> something else.

In fact my arguments were faulty. First eight kasinas allow to attain
all jhanas.

It seems that eight vimokkhas are classified by object:

1. Form jhana on kasinas;
2. Formless jhana on kasinas;
3. Brahma viharas;
4. Space;
5. Consciousness;
6. Nothingness;
7. Neither-perception-non-nonperception;
8. Cessation of apperception and feeling.

Best wishes,
Dimitry