The following is from Andrew Glass: Connected Discourses in Gandhara
When it comes to meditation we have a limited set of stock formulae, so I found it very interesting to see the following surprisingly precise meditations in one Gandhari sutta…
###The Sutra on the Perceptions
What is the concentration connected with perception of foulness? In regard to this, a monk who is at the root of a tree, or in an empty house, or in an open space, examines this very body, as it is placed, as it is disposed, upwards from the sole of the foot, surrounded by skin, downwards from the tip of the hair, full of impurity of various kinds. There is in this body: [followed by the 32 body parts]. It is the undistracted one-pointedness of mind of a person so positioned, which is called “the concentration connected with the perception of foulness.”
What is the concentration connected with the perception of death? In regard to this, a monk who is at the root of a tree, or in an empty house, or in an open space… thinks “I will die, I will not live long, I will perish, I will die, I will disappear. It is the undistracted one-pointedness of mind of a person so positioned, which is called “the concentration connected with the perception of death.”
What is the concentration connected with the perception of the repulsiveness of food? By ‘food’ is meant porridge, sour gruel; this, the monk . . . realizes is ‘fecal matter’; he realizes it is ‘saliva’; he realizes it is ‘vomit’; he realizes it is ‘a lump of putrid bodily secretions’—‘black filth’. It is the undistracted one-pointedness of mind of a person so positioned, which is called “the concentration connected with the perception of the repulsiveness of food.”
What is the concentration connected with the perception of non-delight in the entire world? In regard to this, a monk upon seeing a village sees a non-village; or upon seeing a town sees a non-town; upon seeing a district sees a non-district. He is dissatisfied. He reflects. He does not take pleasure. He does not delight. He tames and controls his mind with regard to that, and makes it pliant and workable. […] then, some time later, when he has seen a delightful park, or a delightful grove, or a delightful lotus pool, or a delightful river, or delightful grounds, or a delightful mountain, he is dissatisfied. He reflects. He does not enjoy. He does not delight. He tames and controls his mind with regard to that, and makes it pliant and workable […] then, some time later, thus above, below, across, in every direction, everywhere . . . he is dissatisfied. He reflects. He does not enjoy. He does not delight. It is the undistracted one-pointedness of mind of a person so positioned, which is called “the concentration connected with the perception of non-delight in the entire world.”