Dear Dmytro,
Yes, you are right. It actually means: all encompassing.
That is why the device that is prepared in the case of earth, is a circle of
earth. Everything is earth. We fight for it, want to have things, but in
fact, they are only earth. This leads to less clinging to sense objects, the
aim of samatha.
When we translate with totality, I am not sure whether this is generally
clear to people.
I looked in Netti Pakara.na, 89: ten bases of wholeness: kasi.naayatana.
Footnote says: whole, entire. This is about what you mean by totality.

Some texts leave kasi.na untranslated. It is to be preferred to leave
kasi.na in brackets. Or the word *device* is used.
Perhaps it depends on one's personal preference. If one uses totality, it
may not be clear that it is a specific meditation subject.

Nina.

op 14-06-2006 14:14 schreef Dmytro O. Ivakhnenko op aavuso@...:

In Sutta 'kasina' does not mean a circular device. I like the Thanissaro
Bhikkhu's translation 'totality'.

[4] "There are these ten totality-dimensions. Which ten? One perceives
the earth-totality above, below, all-around: non-dual, unlimited.


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