there is not many information about the animitta development. (named “Signless” or “without object”). It seems this is not part of a Path of cultivation of Jhanas. It is a different training taught by the Buddha.
I have known some people with little knowledge on Buddhism who seem to have a natural predisposition for this type of meditation. Unfortunately, I cannot find more information inside the Theravada sources.
This scholar paper from Peter Harvey is interesting because it shows some sources:
“Signless Meditations in Pali Buddhism”
although no many more things…
This cultivation seems to be similar to some popular practices of Mahayana tradition which are rooted in samatha, like the Tibetan shiné or some Zen meditations.
If somebody knows where to find some guides or more information about the animitta meditation inside the Theravada tradition, please leave here
thanks 
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Hi zerotime
There was a post on dsg that had some comments by ven Bodhi
https://groups.io/g/dsg/message/52161
(a) AA “The signless liberation of mind (animittacetovimutti) is strong insight; but the reciters of the Digha Nikaya say that it is the fruition attainment of arahantship, for that is called ‘signless’ because of the absence of the signs of lust, etc., of the signs of forms, etc., and the signs of permanence, etc.”
(b) In MN43 “the signless liberation of mind” is explained in a way that clearly connects it with the fruition of arahantship: there lust, hatred and delusion are declared to be “sign-makers” (nimittakarana), which the arahant has totally abandoned.
(c) Elsewhere, however, a “signless concentration” (animitta-samadhi) is referred to in a context which makes it plain that the one who has attained it is not yet an arahant; see e.g., MN 121, SN 40:9.
(d) The “sign of forms”, etc., is nothing other than the form itself, taken as an object of attachment; see MN 138 and Comy.
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thank so much Robert. So it seems those extracts only expand the questions. In some places it appears related with a fruition of arhantship while in others it is developed before.
I was reviewing the B.Bodhi translation and in p.57 pf he writes:
“At the end of 7:56, the Buddha mentions another “seventh person” in place of the faith follower. This type is called “one who dwells in the markless” {animittavihari), a term unexplained in the sutta itself and never taken up for elaboration in the post-canonical Buddhist tradition. The comm entary simply identifies this figure w ith the faith follower, but that may be an attempt to fit unusuaL ideas into the slots of an established system.”
the inclusion into the faith follower path really it seems strange. I have found similarities in some mahayana approaches although I’m not sure until what extent can be related.
Hope Nina and DSG people are well.
thanks again,
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here is the related AN 7:56:
[The Blessed One said:] “But, Moggallana, didn’t the brahma Tissa teach you about the seventh person, the one who dwells in the markless?”
“It is the time for this, Blessed One! It is the time for this, Fortunate One! The Blessed One should teach about the seventh person, the one who dwells in the markless. Having heard it from the Blessed One, the bhikkhus will retain it in mind.”
“Then listen, Moggallana, and attend closely. I will speak.” “Yes, Bhante,” the Venerable Mahamoggallana replied. The Blessed One said this:
(7) “Here, Moggallana, through non-attention to all marks, a bhikkhu enters and dwells in the markless mental concentration. Those devas know him thus: 'Through non-attention to all marks, this venerable one enters and dwells in the markless mental concentration. If this venerable one resorts to congenial lodgings, relies on good friends, and harmonizes the spiritual faculties, perhaps he will realize for him self with direct knowledge, in this very life, that unsurpassed consummation of the spiritual life for the sake of which clansmen rightly go forth from the household life into homelessness, [79] and having entered upon, it, dwell in it / It is in this way, too, that those devas know one who has a residue remaining as ‘one with a residue remaining’ and one who has no residue remaining as 'one without residue remaining”
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Hi zerotime,
I am in Bangkok now and several dsg members are here too.
All are well 
.
I don’t have my computer and work off my phone, so am a bit hesitant to comment on that sutta but anyway…
All realities, all khandhas, have a nimitta.
And satipatthana, even vipassana nana, understands to some degree the nimitta of those realities.
The only reality without nimitta is nibbana so my guess about that sutta is that it is referring to nibbana - we see at the end the mention of Nibbāna with residue and without. But this is only a guess.
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Middle length sayings
SUTTA 121
- "Again, Ananda, a bhikkhu - not attending to the perception of the base of nothingness, not attending to the perception
of the base of neither-perception-nor-non-perception - attends
to the singleness dependent on the signless concentration of
mind. 1142 His mind enters into that signless concentration of
mind and acquires confidence, steadiness, and decision. He
understand thus: ‘Whatever disturbances there might be
dependent on the perception of the base of nothingness, those
are not present here; whatever disturbances there might be
dependent on the perception of the base of neither-perceptionnor-non-perception, those are not present here. There is present
only this amount of disturbance, namely, that connected with
the six bases that are dependent on this body and [108] conditioned by life.’ He understands: ‘This field of perception is void of
the perception of the base of nothingness; this field of perception
is void of the perception of the base of neither-perception-nornon-perception. There is present only this non-voidness, namely, that connected with the six bases that are dependent on this
body and conditioned by life.’ Thus he regards it as void of
what is not there, but as to what remains there he understands
that which is present thus: ‘This is present.’ Thus, Ananda, this
too is his genuine, undistorted, pure descent into voidness.
- "Again, Ananda, a bhikkhu - not attending to the perception of the base of nothingness, not attending to the perception
of the base of neither-perception-nor-non-perception - attends
to the singleness dependent on the signless concentration of
mind. His mind enters into that signless concentration of mind
and acquires confidence, steadiness, and decision. He understands thus: 'This signless concentration of mind is conditioned
and volitionally produced. But whatever is conditioned and
volitionally produced is impermanent, subject to cessation.'1143
When he knows and sees thus, his mind is liberated from the
taint of sensual desire, from the taint of being, and from the taint
of ignorance. When it is liberated there comes the knowledge: ‘It
is liberated.’ He understands: ‘Birth is destroyed, the holy life
has been lived, what had to be done has been done, there is no
more coming to any state of being.’
bodhi notes:
1142 Animitta cetosamadhi. MA: This is the concentration of the
mind in insight; it is called “signless” because it is devoid
of the signs of permanence, etc.
1143 See MN 52.4. MA calls this “counter-insight” (pativipassana), i.e., the application of the principles of insight to
the act of consciousness that exercises the function of
insight. On the basis of this he attains arahantship
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thank you Robert.
Btw, it seems that recently B.Analayo published a book about this issue. Hope in some future there will be free access to it
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