Hi upekkha100,
thanks for the examples.
I think the upadana step allready takes place the moment the mind takes hold of arising thoughts or mental formations. There is a moment the mind instinctively sees arising thoughts as me and mine. I belief there is at that moment attachment or pulling closer due to wrong view. Pulling close happens when mind identifies with what it experieces.
The Buddha emphasised in many sutta’s to treath anything which arises dependently (conditioned) like this: ‘this is not mine, not who i am, not my self’.
The habit of I making and mine making is like an instinct, a very strong habit. It happens not by free will or due to a self-entity, it is just a very strong habit. The mind seems to be very curious, like a cow. When there arises something, it immediately want to see what happens there and pulls it closer.
If there is no tanha and upadana step this does not take place. In that case thought, as verbal formations, as vaci sankhara, would arise, just like sounds, smells etc. but no pulling closer takes place without tanha and updana. Then everything just arises and vanishes without leaving a trace.
kind regards,
Siebe