a-subha 🧟‍ = un-attractive

✅in EBT meditation, it refers to 31asb🧟‍ body parts contemplation. See AN ^10.60, AN ^6.29.
⚠️300+ years after EBT, in Vimt. and Vism., Theravada re-defines asubha meditation to refer to 10 stages of corpse decay, and they reclassify 31asb🧟‍ under kāya-gatā-sati 🏃‍. It's important to know this, because in EBT suttas, an instruction to "develop asubha" is frequently mentioned, but without detail (examples: SN ^8.4, SN ^54.9). 31asb is immediately accessible, corpse contemplation considerably more complex.
• What's the purpose of asubha meditation? To counter perversions of our inverted perception AN ^4.49, SN ^8.4.
• But be careful, this is an advanced practice. Best to first have foundation in breath meditation SN ^54.9.
• SN ^12.61 and SN ^12.62 is the more general case of seeing 4 elements via dependent origination 12ps as not being worth clinging to.

a-subha 🧟 = un-attractive

and closely related terms

a-subha defn.

CPED: asubha: unpleasant; ugly. (nt.) a corpse. (adj.)

PTS: Asubha (adj.) [a + subha] impure, unpleasant, bad, ugly, nasty;
nt. ˚ŋ nastiness, impurity.
Cp. on term and the Asubha
-- meditation, as well as on the 10 asubhas or offensive objects Dhs. trsl. 70 and Cpd. 121 n. 6.
-- S iv.111 (asubhato manasikaroti); v.320; Sn 341; Sdhp 368.
-- subhâsubha pleasant unpleasant, good & bad Sn 633; J iii. 243; Miln 136.

-- ânupassin realising or intuiting the corruptness (of the body) It 80, 81; DhA i.76.
-- kathā talk about impurity Vin iii.68.
-- kammaṭṭhāna reflection on impurity DhA iii.425.
-- nimitta sign of the unclean i. e. idea of impurity Vism 77.
-- bhāvanā contemplation of the impurity (of the body) Vin iii.68.
-- saññā idea of impurity D iii.253, 283, 289, 291.
-- saññin having an idea of or realising the impurity (of the body) It 93.

subha 💑 in a negative context

subha 💑 = beautiful, attractive

In asubha meditation context, subha is diametrically opposed. Because one gets confused by the perception of the subha (beautiful) nimitta (sign/theme), it induces lust/passion, desire for sensual pleasures (SN 8.4, SN 46.2). To counter this tendency, one guards the sense doors AN 4.14 so one doesn’t get confused by the nimitta perceptions arising at the sense faculties.

subha defn.

Subha (adj.) [Vedic śubhas fr. subh; cp. sobhati] shining, bright, beautiful D i.76=ii.13=M iii.102;
Dhs 250 DA i.221;
auspicious, lucky, pleasant Sn 341;
It 80 good Sn 824, 910;
subhato maññati to consider as a good thing Sn 199; J i.146;
cp. S iv.111;
(nt.) welfare good, pleasantness, cleanliness, beauty, pleasure;

-- vasena for pleasure's sake J i.303, 304; asubha anything repulsive disgusting or unpleasant S i.188; v.320; subhâsubha pleasant and unpleasant Miln 136; J iii.243 (niraya=subhānaŋ asubhaŋ unpleasant for the good C.); cp. below subhāsubha.

-- angana with beautiful courts J vi.272.
-- âsubha good and bad, pleasant & unpleasant Dh 409=Sn 633. ;
-- kiṇṇa the lustrous devas, a class of devas D ii 69; M i 2. 329 390; iii.102; A i.122; J iii.358; Kvu 207; also written ˚kiṇha A ii.231, 233; iv.40, 401; Vism 414, 420 sq. VbhA 520; KhA 86.
-- gati going to bliss, to heaven Mhvs 25, 115.
-- ṭṭhāyin existing or remaining, continuing in glory D i.17; DA i.110; A v.60.
-- dhātu the element of splendour S ii.150.
-- nimitta auspicious sign auspiciousness as an object of one's thought M i 26 A i.3, 87, 200; S v.64, 103; Vism 20.
-- saññā perception or notion of what is pleasant or beautiful Nett 27 Opp. asubhasaññā concept of repulsiveness A i.42 ii.17; iii.79; iv.46; v.106. See asubha.
-- saññin considering as beautiful A ii.52.

subha in a positive context

subha as one of 8 vimokkha

As one of the 8 vimokkha (MN 77) meditation attainments, subha refers to 4bv☮️ brahma vihāras (or perhaps just metta), divine abidings (SN 46.54).
LBT says subha are jhānas done with kasinas.

Also see: MN 137, SN 14.11

🏦 Bank of Asubha

🔗🏦 Bank of Asubha: collection of helpful materials

suttas matching “asubha-anupassi”

Asubhānupass 9 texts and 12 matches in Suttanta Pali

AN ^4.163 asubhasutta asubhānupassī: doing this is painful practice, compared to jhāna which is pleasant
AN ^4.169 Sasaṅkhārasutta Extra Effort asubhānupassī: similar notes to AN 4.163
AN ^5.69 asubhānupassī leads to disenchantment...nirvana
AN ^5.70 asubhānupassī leads to Āsavak khaya
AN ^5.71 asubhānupassī leads to ceto vimutti phala
AN ^5.121 Buddha comforts sick monk that doing asubhānupassī leads to awakening
AN ^5.122 Sati-sūpaṭṭhita-sutta: any monk who does asubhānupassī well can expect to attain arahant or nonreturn
AN ^10.60 Girimānanda recovers from grave illness using asubhasaññā as 1 of 10 perceptions
MN ⁵⁰ Māra tries to deceive monks, Buddha Kakusandha tells them to do 4 meditations including asubhānupassino

KN
Dhp ⁸ Māra can’t overpower asubha meditator
KN Iti 85 asubha, breath meditation, impermanence
Pe ³
KN Nett, 4. paṭiniddesavāro, 9. parivattanahāravibhaṅgo, para. 5 ⇒

suttas matching “asubha”

Asubh 70 texts and 123 matches in Suttanta +KN Pali

AN ^1.16 asubha-nimittaṁ, nothing like it to hinder kāma chanda
AN ^1.465 asubha saññaṁ: for a fingersnap time qualifies as jhāna

AN ^3.68 🚫 rāga ← a-subha-nimitta + yoniso manasi kāra
AN ^4.49 Vipallāsasutta:seeing asubha as beauty is distortion of perception, mind, and view.
AN ^4.163 asubhasutta asubhānupassī: doing this is painful practice, compared to jhāna which is pleasant
AN ^4.169 Sasaṅkhārasutta Extra Effort asubhānupassī: similar notes to AN 4.163
AN ^5.30 asubha-nimitt-ānuyogaṁ, devotion to asubha sign leads to revulsion towards beauty sign
AN ^5.61 asubha-saññā is one of 5 beneficial perceptions
AN ^5.69 asubhānupassī leads to disenchantment...nirvana
AN ^5.70 asubhānupassī leads to Āsavak khaya
AN ^5.71 asubhānupassī leads to ceto vimutti phala
AN ^5.121 Buddha comforts sick monk that doing asubhānupassī leads to awakening
AN ^5.122 Sati-sūpaṭṭhita-sutta: any monk who does asubhānupassī well can expect to attain arahant or nonreturn
AN ^5.303 asubhasaññā as 1 of 5 perceptions that develops abhiññāya
AN ^6.41 Dasubhadhātu asubhantveva: monk with psychic power could determine a tree into any single one of 4 elements, subha, or asubha.
AN ^6.107 removing 3 unskillful Dharmas: develop asubhā to remove rāga
AN ^7.27 asubhasaññaṁ as 1 of 7 perceptions that lead to growth and not decline
AN ^7.48 only brief mention as 1 of 7 perceptions, asubhasaññā
AN ^7.49 details as 1 of 7 perceptions: seeing ugliness, their mind draws back from sexual intercourse
AN ^7.616 asubhasaññā as 1 of 7 perceptions for abhiñña of rāga
AN ^7.617 asubhasaññā as 1 of 7 more perceptions for abhiñña of rāga
AN ^9.1 asubhā to remove rāga, as 1 of 4 core meditations
AN ^9.3 same as AN 9.1: asubhā to remove rāga, as 1 of 4 core meditations
AN ^9.16 asubhasaññā as 1 of 9 perceptions that lead to deathless
AN ^9.93 asubhasaññā as 1 of 9 perceptions for abhiñña of rāga
AN ^10.56 asubhasaññā as 1 of 10 perceptions that lead to deathless
AN ^10.59 asubhasaññā paricitañca as 1 of 10 perceptions that lead to arahant or nonreturn this life
AN ^10.60 Girimānanda recovers from grave illness using asubhasaññā as 1 of 10 perceptions
AN ^10.72 subha sign is a thorn for one pursuing asubha
AN ^10.237 asubhasaññā as 1 of 10 perceptions for abhiñña of rāga

DN ¹⁶ Mahāparinibbānasutta : as 1 of 7 perceptions that lead to growth, not decline
DN ²⁴ in the liberation of the beautiful, at that time one only perceives what is ugly
DN ³³ as part of list of 7 perceptions
DN ³⁴as part of list of 7 perceptions that should be produced

MN ⁵⁰ Māra tries to deceive monks, Buddha Kakusandha tells them to do 4 meditations including asubhānupassino
MN ⁶² Mahārāhulovādasutta: develop asubha to remove rāga
MN ¹¹⁸ monks were doing various practices including asubha bhāvan ānuyogamanuyuttā before learning 16🌬️😤‍

SN ^4.3 buddha tells māra in many rebirths he made forms beautiful and ugly
SN ^8.4 asubha as part of meditative lifestyle to conquer lust in Vangisa.
SN ^14.11 element of beauty appears due to the element of ugliness
SN ^35.127 Bhāradvāja tries asubha but still only subha comes to him
SN ^46.51 feed and starve 5niv⛅ and 7sb☀️ : asubha nimittaṁ starves kāma‍ chanda
SN ^46.67 Asubha sutta: asubha saññā combined with 7sb☀️ leads to nirvana, in same way as 20 meditation subjects in those 2 chapters.
SN ^54.9 Vesālī sutta: scores of monks commit suicide practicing asubha wrongly, Buddha teaches them 16🌬️😤‍

KN

Dhp ⁸ Māra can’t overpower asubha meditator
KN Iti 85 asubha, breath meditation, impermanence: asubha removes rāga

KN Iti 93 Aggi sutta: fire of rāga nirvana’d with asubhasaññino
KN Snp‍ ^2.11 Rāhula sutta: uses same passage as SN 8.4, develop mind of asubha with samādhi of 4 jhānas

KN Thag 10.7 asubha saññañca as 1 of 4 perceptions proper for an ascetic
KN Thag 19.1 using jhāna to remove all sabbasubhaṁ nimitta
KN Thag 21.1 uses same passage from SN ^8.4
KN Thig 2.1 uses same passage from SN ^8.4
KN Thig 5.4 uses same passage from SN ^8.4
KN Thig 14.1 saṅkhatam-asubhanti, seeing conditioned things as asubha, mind clings to nothing
KN Ud 4.1 asubhā as 1 of 4 core meditations
Pe ³
KN Nett, 4. paṭiniddesavāro, 9. parivattanahāravibhaṅgo, para. 5 ⇒

covert suttas about asubha without matching “asubha” string

KN Snp‍ ^1.11 irregular # of body parts rather than standard 31asb🧟‍ , also nonstandard corpse stages compared to 9siv⚰️ and 5siv⚰️

some excerpts

KN Iti 85 asubha, breath meditation, impermanence
KN It, 3. tikanipāto, 4. catutthavaggo, 6. asubhānupassīsuttaṃ (KN 4.85), para. 2 ⇒

“asubhānupassī, bhikkhave, kāyasmiṃ viharatha; ānāpānassati ca vo ajjhattaṃ parimukhaṃ sūpaṭṭhitā hotu; sabbasaṅkhāresu aniccānupassino viharatha. asubhānupassīnaṃ, bhikkhave, kāyasmiṃ viharataṃ yo subhāya dhātuyā rāgānusayo so pahīyati {pahiyyati (ka.)} . ānāpānassatiyā ajjhattaṃ parimukhaṃ sūpaṭṭhititāya ye bāhirā vitakkāsayā vighātapakkhikā, te na honti. sabbasaṅkhāresu aniccānupassīnaṃ viharataṃ yā avijjā sā pahīyati, yā vijjā sā uppajjatī”ti. etamatthaṃ bhagavā avoca. tatthetaṃ iti vuccati —

KN It, 3. tikanipāto, 4. catutthavaggo, 6. asubhānupassīsuttaṃ (KN 4.85), para. 3 ⇒

“asubhānupassī kāyasmiṃ, ānāpāne paṭissato.

KN Nett, 4. paṭiniddesavāro, 9. parivattanahāravibhaṅgo, para. 5 ⇒

ye vā pana keci evamāhaṃsu “attakilamathānuyogo dhammo”ti. niyyāniko tesaṃ dhammo adhammo. ye ca kho keci evamāhaṃsu “dukkho dhammo”ti. sukho tesaṃ dhammo adhammo. yathā vā pana bhikkhuno sabbasaṅkhāresu asubhānupassino viharato subhasaññā pahīyanti. dukkhānupassino viharato sukhasaññā pahīyanti. aniccānupassino viharato niccasaññā pahīyanti. anattānupassino viharato attasaññā pahīyanti. yaṃ yaṃ vā pana dhammaṃ rocayati vā upagacchati vā, tassa tassa dhammassa yo paṭipakkho, svassa aniṭṭhato ajjhāpanno bhavati. tenāha āyasmā mahākaccāyano “kusalākusaladhamme”ti.

Pe ³
KN Peṭ, 3. suttādhiṭṭhānatatiyabhūmi, , para. 33 ⇒

“asubhānupassiṃ {asubhānupassī (pī.) passa dha. pa. 8} viharantaṃ, indriyesu susaṃvutaṃ.

KN Peṭ, 3. suttādhiṭṭhānatatiyabhūmi, , para. 36 ⇒

tattha yā asubhāya upaparikkhā, ayaṃ kāmesu ādīnavadassanena pariccāgo. indriyesu susaṃvuto tasseva alobhassa pāripūriyaṃ mama āyatanasocitaṃ anupādāya. bhojanamhi ca mattaññunti rasataṇhāpahānaṃ. iti ayaṃ alobho asubhānupassitāya vatthuto dhārayati, so alobho hetu. indriyesu guttadvāratāya gocarato dhārayati, bhojanemattaññutāya parato dhārayati, ayaṃ nissando. taṃ ve nappasahati māro, vāto selaṃ va pabbatanti, idaṃ phalaṃ. iti yoyeva dhammo ādimhi nikkhitto, soyeva majjhe ceva avasāne ca.

KN Peṭ, 3. suttādhiṭṭhānatatiyabhūmi, tatthimā uddānagāthā, para. 5 ⇒

asubhānupassiṃ viharantaṃ, nimittesu asubhā ca.

4👑☸ Cattāri Ariya-saccaṃ 四聖諦