Hi Lal,
This is the same as a lineage that places very strong emphasis on concentration. I seriously have my doubts over this kind of practice. If concentration alone can remove defilements, then there is absolutely no need for a Buddha to appear. The ancient yogis are more than qualified for this job. Moreover, the lineage heavily relies on materials from Visuddhimagga. My intent is not to discredit them. But to let fellow practitioners know there are such teachings out there and let them decide for themselves what is the right teachings of the Buddha.
I quote some text from the author:
“These days, even in predominantly Buddhist countries, there are many learned Buddhist scholars who maintain that it is not possible to discern rūpa kalāpas and mental processes, and base and object. In saying so, they are not lying, in the sense that what they assert is true from their point of view. From their standpoint, such discernment is impossible. This view of theirs proliferates because they hold fast to well-known teachers and lineages that at some point have introduced the idea that concentration is not necessary for realising the Four Noble Truths. Teachers like these fail to encourage their disciples to develop concentration. Herein lies the fault. They go on to replace the First and Second Noble Truths with their own interpretations and so do not teach them as the Buddha taught them. In such circumstances, it is indeed impossible to discern ultimate truth. In order to see the Four Noble Truths as they really are, one must heed the admonition of the Buddha: ‘Bhikkhus, develop concentration. One who is concentrated knows and sees the Four Noble Truths as they really are.’ The First Noble Truth is ultimate mentality and ultimate materiality. Ultimate materiality is of twenty-eight kinds, eighteen of which are real and the objects of vipassanā.”
Seriously, the first Noble Truth is all about ultimate materiality and mentality? How does discerning these 2 things help to get rid of greed, hatred, and delusion? There are many accounts in the sutta that mentioned followers of the Buddha attained Sotāpanna just by listening to discourses. I don’t think there is any mention in the sutta of people attaining Sotāpanna by developing concentration and discerning the 4 elements and their derivatives in order to gather unshakable faith.
The author further explains:
“If one discerns four elements systematically, one will see an improvement in one’s concentration. When concentration improves, the body disappears. One sees just a block of four elements; one’s whole body becomes just a block of four elements. One does not see a face, a hand, or a leg. At this point the perception of being, satta-saññā, disappears. This means the meditator has attained right view to a certain extent. If one continues discerning these twelve characteristics in that block of four elements, concentration further improves, and the body will emit light – beginning with grey light, which gradually becomes white, until finally the whole body becomes a block of bright light. That block of bright light is actually just a group of rūpa kalāpas. It has not been broken down into small particles, so the meditator sees them as a group; and because there is colour in every kalāpa, they are perceived as a block of bright light. Now one needs to continue discerning four elements in that block of bright light in order to break it down into very tiny particles. If one continues discerning four elements in that block of bright light, it will finally break down into very small particles, which might be called sub-atomic particles. Some meditators may encounter difficulty when they try to break the block of bright light down into very small sub-atomic particles. In that case, they are instructed to see the space element (ākāsadhātu). The space element functions as a sort of border line; it is the space between rūpa kalāpas. When the meditator looks at the space element, the block of light will dissolve, and the meditator will then see very tiny particles. The Buddha said that this whole world is made up of very tiny sub-atomic particles. If the block of light dissolves while one is practising together with many other practitioners, one can discern four elements in those who are sitting nearby or far away, and one will see everyone be come nothing more than small particles. One does not see man or woman or anything else; everything becomes the same – just very tiny particles which are arising and perishing very rapidly all the time. If one discerns four elements in the floor or the cushion on which one is sitting or a Buddha statue or any other object, everything becomes very small particles. Everything becomes the same.”
The author further said:
“Whether one regards mountains, trees, flowers, living things, or non-living things, everything becomes the same – nothing more than tiny particles that constantly arise and perish. When this happens, one will agree with the Buddha and cease to disagree with or doubt Him. Sometimes we are inclined to disagree with the Buddha. Here we see men, here we see women; why then did the Buddha say there are no men, there are no women? There are! Why did the Buddha say that men and women do not really exist, and that there is only ultimate reality? We think this way sometimes. However, with the attainment of concentration and insight, one sees for oneself that there are no men, no women, no trees, no mountains, no Buddha images; instead, there are only very small particles. When one sees this, one will agree with the Buddha. These are not my words. The Buddha Himself says, ‘I do not argue with the world; it is the world that argues with me.’ The world dares to argue with the Buddha because the world is blind. Only when people arrive at a true un derstanding will they no longer dare to argue with the Bud dha. The Buddha is the One Who knew what lies beyond the scope of the naked eye. If one develops concentration and then practises four elements meditation systematically, one will know and will see what the Buddha taught.”