Hello Raja_mw
This is the path of cetovimutti:
– Learn dhamma with curiosity to know about the true nature of the world or what is the reality or what is the truth?
-Engage in Vaci and Kaya Sankharas in accordance of Dhamma, i.e. practice sati and anapana.
-Repeat till you get to this stage where you know why you want to attain nibbana?, ‘This is suffering’, ‘This is the cause of suffering’, ‘This is the way to cease the suffering’. In short you know what should be known just the part left is executing it via Jhanas in a
formal ‘SITTING’ meditation. I think mostly all attained arahantship while sitting.
– But the path has many obstacles one of which is restlessness or Uddhacca, while understanding dhamma and Jhanas, it is suppressed so one is ‘Tranquil or at ease’ but it is only removed at arahant stage so we must be aware of this Uddhacca and try not to go back to lower life like Ven Sona in this case and we all have TV, Phone etc so we are more vulnerable so to speak. As mentioned on this site, that ‘nagging’ feeling when we are restless ‘There is nothing to do, what should I do?’
-Leaving the ‘holy life’ means to become a ‘bauddhaya’ and not a ‘bhikkhu’. Both are on the path just bhikkhus are more strict, of course as one bauddhaya will progress he will see the dangers of being idle and will get more and more ‘disciplined’.
-Being a bhikkhu is very conducive for arahantship, it requires days to get there like Ven Mahakassapa.
– Meditation in any form be it walking or sitting is contemplating ‘Tillakkhana’ of 5 aggregates, but when one will sit and do it, its likely that one will be tranquil, dwelling in rapture and bodily happiness, so whats the need of even moving a finger.
– But sitting meditation cannot be done at all times as Lal sir mentioned, Ven Sona was ‘burned up’ while practicing walking meditation (I remember), walking meditation means walking contemplating on anicca, dukkha, anatta; if it is some other dhamma concept then one is likely to walk very slowly like ‘someone engaged in deep thinking’ but if its regular tillakhana then one can walk with decent pace and ‘Enjoy’ the piti felt on face.
– Its just a matter of time, cultivate 4 supreme efforts, learn dhamma, when one ‘sees’ the cooling down or Nivana, no need to ask anyone, you know what should be done.
– Regarding ‘procedure’ of walking meditation, I suggest that you should walk after having food, engage in mundane works if not then sitting meditation.
– As Lal sir said and I too, ‘Exercises’ like Push ups, squats, Jogging, streching etc can be extremely helpful when Uddhacca is present because you cannot sit, stand or walk nor you want to watch TV or any recreation stuff, you are just ‘restless’. At that time acknowledge that its Uddhacca and the best thing to do at that time is ‘Exercising’.
– Actually, this is not sloth and torpor i.e. Tina Middha because you want to pursue your goal of Nibbana but you just can’t because of Uddhacca. Thats why in many suttas that I read exercising and streching is mentioned as regular course of actions of bhikkhus but we do not have to memorize gathas like them because of Lal sir’s compassionate effort for this site. The point is that we have much more time than a bhikkhu at that time to put effort on ‘understanding’ because we have ‘all dhamma’ available in our hands and we should be grateful and happy for this. So, add exercise to your routine rather than walking meditation this is my suggestion :)
“another question is do you think that people who attain Anariya Jhana when they come across this Teaching will benefit more/faster in attain Ariya Stages?”
– Yes it would be easier, because in order to cultivate Jhanas one has to be a Tihetuka (I read on this site Lal sir should correct me if that’s not the case), actually even for a Tihetuka with or without Jhanas understanding dhamma can come at different ‘pace’ best example is of ven culapanthaka who couldn’t memorize even a single gatha in a month and was asked to disrobe by his brother but then Buddha came and gave him instructions and he attained arahantship, he had a blockage point which Buddha was capable to devise.
With Metta