[Embodied]

Hi Johnny,

“Can a lay person Sotāpanna really avoid idle chatter? ”
i’m trying it hard and i’m appreciating the results. It helps to silence the monkey/noisy mind, triggers “cooling down”, allows energy-saving and stimulates sati. It’s worth it, thus.

Which doesn’t mean either that i don’t say a word all day…

[Embodied]

Lal,

The subject(s) in question were approached simply because they aren’t incompatible with the forum guidelines as far as i understood the following: – “Any question even remotely connected to Buddha Dhamma (Buddhism) is welcome. There are people of very different levels of exposure to Buddhism.” And also:”But I encourage everyone to participate because there will be people who can benefit from information at different levels.”

From the above i infer that one can refer to Buddhism history and different trends. But perhaps i inferred wrongly?

As for objective spiritual progress, i agree with you.

With Metta

[Embodied]

Donna wrote:
“I wouldn’t say “easily” though.” Easily time helping, of course. It requires some practice.

“I’ve come to realize not “wanting” the store to be any particular way allows me not to suffer. I do the best I can and let it go (move on) so as not to create new kamma beeja. This peace and calm allows me to perform well and in an efficient manor.” Precisely.

[Embodied]

1.Sitting virasana or siddhasana (my 2 favorite postures for any kind of formal session) in a silent place (relatively…not so easy to get nowadays) I get into in a state of global receptiveness to whatever sanna surfaces.
2. One should switch between environment and body sannas.
3. So let’s suppose that i start by noticing i.e. the distant noise of a car – I listen to it for some seconds (usually not more than 5) but don’t elaborate on it meaning why it pleases me or not pleases or neither.
4. Then i turn my attention/focus to the body and notice the nature of the contact between my pelvis/tighs and the floor, which may include sensations of temperature, softness or hardness,etc doesn’t matter in fact, i simply notice it for not more than 5 secondes and move on to an “external”/environmental sanna i.e. :light nuances let’s suppose…
5.then again back to the body i notice my breathing-rhythm without interfering with it. And so on.

There are also sannas related to energy between the skin and more or less 3 mm around it (can this be the gandhabba?) but whatever the sanna one shouldn’t stick (starting elaborate on it based upon memory or expectations) to any in particular.

This technique includes also citta-sanna : when something pops-up one should proceed same as above.

Practiced in Chan Buddhism. This is the Chan way of not getting entangled in and by vacisankhara.

At first sight it may look strenuous but in fact after 15 minutes one starts noticing i.e. that the body is much more relaxed than at the beginning of the session.

It can be also practiced extra formal sessions.

[Embodied]

Lal
It’s not about theory.
It depends on the pain intensity. If not too intense by moving on one overcomes pain. As much as one integrated (thus above mere intelectual understanding) that the body is but a transient expression, then a certain degree of pain can be easily overcomed.
Now I’m not saying this is effective for insight. Yet,it brings relief, it’s even used to overcome insomnia. Back to practice and / or theory…I’m not a theoretic one which doesn’t mean that my practice(s) are all correct. Always open to improvement and rectification.

[Embodied]

Hello

Rectification on my previous post.The following might “explain” Goenka’s Vipassana and also Zen/Chan Buddhism sati premises :

“Normally we just say saṅkhāra in the place of abhisankhāra. But it is only abhisankhāra that lead to rebirth. Thus an Arahant does saṅkhāra, but not abhisankhāra, i.e., there is no“upādāna” or “clinging”. This is discussed in the posts on “san” and “saṅkhāra“.But an ordinary person generates greedy, hateful, or ignorant thoughts and generates (abhi)saṅkhāra when experiencing external objects, and thus has pancaupādānakkhandha.”

The above mentioned premises are: not sticking/stopping (unfreezing mind) at whatsoever sanna or vedanna. Briefly noticing /moving on / briefly noticing / moving on and so on.
Thus no spacetime to trigger abisankhara ?

[Embodied]

Whatever “I” is,or is not or neither, the actual body is but a transient expression of it.

[Embodied]

Definitely. One wonders about the consistency of Goenka’s, how could he implement an whole practice based only upon body sensations and so on. Even somatisation can’t justify it.

[Embodied]

Moreover,one should judiciously take advantage of the free available time one has.
If one has to choose between Insight Meditation/ Tilakhanna bhavana and circumnanbulations…well the decision isn’t difficult to make.

[Embodied]

Hello,

That reminds me Tibetan “buddhism” pervaded by tantra and magick.
According alot of magickal systems counterclockwise is often related to and might awake dark energies from the lower worlds.
Moreover it reminds me also the Purification Sutta where the Gotama criticises the brahmins rituals for purification , the Cunda Kammaraputta Sutta which is indirectly related to your question.

[Embodied]

Thank you very much Lal. In my answer to Akvan there are alot of strictly personal insights in my own language whereas your answer gives me a solid basis for evolving. Or at least for a serious try…

[Embodied]

Perhaps that one can do it but for free.

[Embodied]

Hi

Seeds and plants: it’s strange yes for seeds and plants do not have a gandhabba, or they’ve ? It’s like there are two tendencies,one where the priority is existence/life-continuum the other the end of it.

Raw food: Contrary to what alot might think raw food is bad for health and the Gotama had also great knowledge about health. Among his adepts there was a sotapanna (perhaps above sotapanna) that was the doctor of the royal family.

[Embodied]

Hi Akvan,

Thanks for your input. Now :social statute it’s one thing, behaviour it’s another (imo).But agree with the fact that only a Buddha can see thoroughly through.Still,such shouldn’t prevent one of making a “clear” picture of what a Sotapanna might be, it’s a matter of motivation.
Of course there is the link “How does one know wether the Sotapanna stage is reached”(which i still didn’t read) but i think it’s also important to get there by using one’s own words.
So basically to me a Sotapanna is someone that :
Is unceasingly aware (sati) of the Path, that has reasonably understood Tilakhanna based upon PureDhamma definition but also – i.e. – in terms of dhamma (phenomenon) “rise (jati) & fall”.
He is aware of the fact that there is a kammic tendency to cling (crystallization) to phenomenon when they are in its rising phase.
He’s aware of and watches over his khanda, he still has asavas & correspondent anusaya BUT he is not a slave of them – he do his best to apply khaia, to improve his gati.
The Sotapanna strives for an healthy body (kaya) and acute mental faculties yet without getting obsessed by such.
He is sober about every thing body related – food, sexuality, he commands it instead of being a puppet in the hands of Mara.

Just some points,of course there is much more to it.

[Embodied]

@Lal,

“Love is a complex word. It can have sexual connotations” true however in the case of my post there was no sexual connotation.

Pali words: i already memorised some as tilakhanna (anicca, anatta, dukkha), sansara, sankhara, patica samupaddha,abisankhara, micca ditthi, dasa akusala, asava,sanna, sati and others, but i still have to get into the habit of using them…such will come soon.

Metta/compassion and/or love: there is some subjectivity to be dealt with here, if i may. Because compassion can be seen as a form of love but a love that doesn’t “tie” us (hopefully) thus compatible with Pure Dhamma.

I’m acquainted with Ariya Metta.

Thanks

[Author]

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