Dear Dmytro,

thanks for the link to the discussion of kasina colors, it does
provide better understanding as to what the color niila is. Your
analysis of the three colors (excluding odaa.ta) coincides with my
thoughts when I was working on this passage weeks ago. I was also
thinking niila, piita, lohita might actually refer to the three
subtractive colors: cyan, yellow and magenta, for two reasons.

1. These so called subtractive colors occurred naturally in natural
dyes, the primary colors (red, green, blue) do not. And, it is quite
possible the ancient Indians may be grouping colors as such.

2. Since yellow (piita) is mentioned, and niila is 'blue-green', it is
possible that lohita may not be pure red. And your research supports
and confirms this hypothesis.

I did roughly discussed this with Florent Robert when we met a week
ago. (More on this in a later mail)

As for kasi.na, in my opinion, taking it as "totality-dimension" is
only forcibly correct. It only adds to confusion, not clarity. If we
choose to follow Cone's, I would have "total awareness of". But that
would lose the original distinction of the (Kasina) meditation
method/exercise.

metta,
Yong Peng.

--- In Pali@yahoogroups.com, oselok wrote:

> However, in this case, in meditation practice, it does not mean
> anything close to a 'totality-dimension' as Ven. Thanissaro
> translated.

"Kasi.na" in meditation practice does mean "totality", according to
the Tipitaka and Atthakatha.
See the article in PTS Margaret Cone's doctionary:
http://www.lioncity.net/buddhism/index.php?showtopic=31453

For the discussion of kasina colors, see the article:
http://www.lioncity.net/buddhism/index.php?showtopic=31677