What would be in the ideal dharma book?

Kenneth, the book project is very exciting, as evidenced by the responses your invitation has generated. I endorse those who have gone before me and am not sure that I am adding real value with my contributions, but here goes:

- The role that retreats play in the development of a practitioner. What options are there for those who may not be able to undertake lengthy retreats?
- The importance of following precisely the ancient teachings, as well as those such as Mahasi Sayadaw's that are much more recent but which may come across as rather turgid and outdated because of their style. The fact that they really do work if followed precisely. The importance and utility of translating these teachings into maps that can guide today's practitioner in ways that they can learn and relate to.
- The emergence of a new generation of teachers and practitioners who are going against the taboo against attainments, and how this taboo contributes to slack, disheartened and/or misguided effort.
- The influence of technology on the spread of Dharma. Perhaps this is not a new topic, but KFDh and DhO are fascinating examples of virtual sanghas which are contributing in a significant way to the abilities of practitioners to progress despite barriers of time and distance. What factors are necessary to have for a virtual sangha to remain dynamic and progressive?

Hope this is helpful. Good luck!

Kenneth,
I was wondering a while back when you were going to put you experiences and teachings in print. I am grateful this is now coming to fruition.
What has brought me into this corner of the Dharma practice is goal-oriented, down to earth practice. Here are some of the things I would be looking for in a dharma book (this mirrors many of the ideas mentioned previously in this thread):
- Possibilities of lay practice. How often, how hard, how much retreat time, how much daily time ...- would be recommended for certain results to come to be. MCotB addresses some of this in real world terms - zero--to--hero (Arhatship) in 15-20y perhaps?
- Expounding on 2nd and 3rd gear practices. More specifically what kind of practice can pre-stream entry practitioner do that would benefit him.
- Personal side of the dharma - I agree with short expose on applicability of insights/shifts in daily life. Jack Kornfield is a master at this. He uses the cognitive vocabulary (storytelling) most people are used to - to communicate tremendously difficult to communicate subjects
- Resources for people to turn to when their practice matures to certain levels, who are the authorities (controversial subject) to seek guidance from regarding lets say 3rd gear. Who could help? Good reference section.

I sort of missed the coming up of this topic otherwise I would have chimed in earlier. These are some of my preliminary thoughts. Metta.

Andrew

People in the Integral movement routinely take shots at 'the traditions' and describe them as worn-out relics that need to be abandoned. While they sometimes will throw in that we need to 'preserve the essence of the wisdom traditions,' the basic message often seems to be that traditions like Theravada Buddhism are inadequate for our present age.

The Integral folks sometimes point to longtime western meditators' general lack of progress as evidence of the inadequacy of the traditions: Theravadins, in particular, are 'ascenders' who reject the body and 'disown' their shadow sides. Their developmental progress has been stultified, not because of the mushroom culture and an approach to meditation in which the role of samadhi is not properly understood, but because they have failed to take Integral perspectives and do Body, Mind, Spirit and Shadow practices outlined in books like Integral Life Practice or on the Web site IntegralLife.com.

I have also heard Integralists, such as those involved in the 'waking down' movement, fault traditional meditators for being 'hypermasculine': They refuse to surrender and stop 'doing,' thus they are stultified.

My own hypothesis is that the Integralists are correct that many of us need to do more developmental work with Body, Mind, Spirit and Shadow, but that their view and practice of meditation is straight mushroom culture, in most cases.

[continued...]

[Continued from above]
When I was at the University of Georgia in the early 1990s, I had a journalism professor who had been a war correspondent during the Vietnam War. He described standing not far from a Buddhist monk who had decided to self-immolate in protest of that conflagration. I'll never forget the look on his face as he said to our class, 'By God, that man burned away to nothing'”and he never flinched. There are things in this world that we just don't understand.'

Do we in the West really understand Buddhism, after 50 years of non-monastic practice by a tiny percentage of the population? Can we really afford to ditch the traditions and pretend that we have already mastered practices and ways of being that have been in place in Asia for millennia?

I guess what I'm asking for, Kenneth, is a defense of the Theravada tradition'”a defense that anticipates and addresses some of the sophisticated, dismissive and frankly arrogant criticisms that are likely to continue as the Integral movement, which I think is quite interesting in many respects, gains more adherents.

Not sure whether any of this would be appropriate for the book you have in mind'¦

Write the book that you wish you could have read:
a. 25 years ago
b. 15 years ago
c. 5 years ago
d. 5 years from now

I am so happy that you are working on a book, Kenneth! Your teaching, your unique style, and the wisdom of your high attainment need to shared with as many people as possible.

There have been so many useful and insightful replies to your request for topics to cover, that I don't see much need for me to say anything about the content of your book. You've got more than enough suggestions already for at least 3 books! What I would like to add, however, are some thoughts about format and structure.

Many people are visual learners. They gain more insight from images than from words alone. The diagrams that you have added to this website are very helpful for such folks. In a book, you might consider providing even more images -- even some cartoons -- explaining "tips and tricks" for 1st Gear practices. In 2nd Gear and 3rd Gear, more abstract conceptual diagrams could be helpful.

Among the many fine suggestions given by others, I would particularly emphasize the "story" aspect: your personal narrative and those of teachers and other advanced practitioners whom you know. People love a good story. Many lessons can be conveyed that way.

The 3 Gears in Great detail... ...with stories... ...and funny bits.... ...and as you do so well, pointing out of areas of where the proponents of one gear do not necessarily see eye to eye with proponents of the other gears, and why... ...and Tons of Shamanism! ...

When can we expect this book? [and may I add its about bloody Time!]

Awesome!
Seth

Not just the 'how' but the 'why'. What motivated your search? What you were hoping to find in the beginning? How did it differ from what you actually found along the way? What is it like to be as you are now? Is it everything you had hoped for? In what way is it better, worse or different from where you started, and from what you had hoped for in the beginning?

I think this would nicely supplement the practice-oriented parts of the book because it's interesting to know exactly what problem(s) a practice attempts to solve, and exactly what problem(s) it actually does(n't) solve.

Robert

Hi Kenneth

funny, I just thought a few days ago "why is this guy not writing a book?". Cool that you do it!

I myself must say that I´m one of the beginners here if it comes to jhana/nana and technique. What I would love to hear is your knowledge about the progress:
- Dharma diagnosis. How do certain experiences fit to maps
- When to apply samatha, when vipassana
- Common mistakes in meditation. "If I only had known x or y before!"
- "Doing meditation" vs. "being" meditation. Technique vs. shikantaza/allowing everything to be
- What meditation is not
- Why people don´t progress
- The 20 Strata of course!!!

This is all just ad hoc stuff that comes to my mind!

Take care
Sven

When I first found this site I knew it was going to really affect me and so I went through it all, printed it out etc. It was quite hard to get my head around it, nana this and stage that etc.

Ideally, if I was reading this as a book, then a mind map of ... 'the map' at the front would be great. In an ideal world, colour with some simple icons/pictures to make it less intimidating. I don't know if you're into mind maps, I made one of the notes I'd taken, just a simple think in Linux, when I first took the notes. I'm not sure if I can find it now. But level one 'branches' ...

I'VE FOUND IT!

I put it on my website. It's here:

followyourstar.zxq.net/growing/awakening/folk1.jpg

OK, so it's a bit rubbish, but it helped me get my head around the very new (to me) and complicated ideas on the site. Perhaps it could be done much better/simpler?

If not, then the pure basic information, gear one, gear two could be laid out nicely in a table in the front. That way, as the reader goes through, if they get lost they could just refer to the map/table and get an anchor of what it's talking about. A bit like when you're reading an academic book, there's a glossary in the back so you can refer to each time you get lost or forget what something means.

"Ideally, if I was reading this as a book, then a mind map of ... 'the map' at the front would be great. In an ideal world, colour with some simple icons/pictures to make it less intimidating. I don't know if you're into mind maps, I made one of the notes I'd taken, just a simple think in Linux, when I first took the notes. I'm not sure if I can find it now. But level one 'branches' ...

"

Lifemagic, I like the initial attempt at your schematic. Many of us think in visual terms and I think this could be helpful. The danger, of course, is that people get fixated on a "blueprint" as opposed to opening up to what we don't know...

Kenneth: Interest in the book is obviously high. Don't want to put unnecessary pressure on the author, but how about an update on the status?

Great idea, Kenneth! In my humble opinion, best would be to:

- keep it simple and practical;

- stick to the general frame of Theravada Buddhism to avoid mixing up various systems and paradigms, as it tends to generate confusion and anxiety;

- try to define each term as precisely as possible, especially when it comes to experiences like 'emptiness in real time', 'cessation', the '2nd Pure Land Jhana' or 'the insight knowledge of mind and body' to name a few. Readers may wish to know how these states feel from the advanced yogis point of view;

- since Daniel Ingram already gave a rich and precise description of the steps leading to stream entry, it would be interesting to spend more time describing the path as a whole. In this respect, it seems that the simplest models are the most accurate;

- finally, I would touch the subject of modernity, lay life, as well as Internet tools such as forums, Skype, or videos posted on YouTube, used as practical teaching tools for people who may not be able to leave their jobs and/or families to attend long retreats in foreign states or countries, but are nevertheless able to master this material with nothing more than a zafu and a laptop computer.

"I think that a discussion of your experiences leading up to "the Elephant," similar to your narrative about your path in the Buddhist Geeks interview would be a great intro to the book. -JeanV"

I strongly agree. In my experience, if you couch even the most abstract and difficult material into a personal narrative, then almost anyone has something to hold on to. That way not only folks like us could use it, but newbies could follow along and have something to hold on to.

All the things we talk about here are so "unreal" to most people. It is important that it be rooted in a "story" that helps others make sense of it all. And what better story than your own? It is what got me to this site and got me connected to you after than interview on Buddhist Geeks. So, don't be shy. Share your own story, because that is important for understanding in real grounded way.

"I think that a discussion of your experiences leading up to "the Elephant," similar to your narrative about your path in the Buddhist Geeks interview would be a great intro to the book. "

I'm not sure that I would agree about wanting to have it in a story form. Infact, I disagree. One of the reasons why CH5 of the Manual of Insight is off the charts is because it has absolutely none of that whatsoever. I can only speak for myself, but I am much more interested in learning how to work with my own experiences than in hearing about someone elses.

Lots of people can write stories and naratives about their own lives and experiences, but how many can do what Mahasi Sayadaw did in the Manual of insight? I think Kenneth is someone who actually could write something like that. (It's just my opinion) but I think it's better to spend time helping a few people who are ready to hear it, than to waste time entertaining multitudes who are not.

I have to second AugustLeo's advice to put bare truth in there, whether or not anyone will like it, even if you have to bury it somewhere hidden and stick a warning in front of it. It needs to be there. Though I suspect you'd put it there whether or not anyone suggested it.

It would be nice to see some fleshing out of the technical aspects of meditation, like how to identify the "feel" of shamatha and vipassana (to use first gear as an example) using tricks such as the changes in bodily posture, in the attitude towards the meditation subjects, and the position of the eyes.

Given the different learning styles, it could be cool to see each set of instructions for meditation described in auditory/verbal terms, visual/spatial terms (in addition to images), descriptions of how things feel in the body, and descriptions of mental sensations/occurrences associated with correctly following the instructions. Perhaps you could even give imagery and other sensations associated with incorrectly following the instructions. To continue using 1st gear as an example, you might decide to compare and contrast correct shamatha practice and a near enemy (like a pleasant-but-useless hypnagogic state) using those multiple styles of teaching.

I like how you give the multiple descriptions of access concentration, describing sensations in the body, and sounds, and you also have the image of the meditator first being bothered by distractions, then being isolated from them. That's the exact sort of thing I would love to encounter in the book.

Perhaps this could even be applied to pointing-out instructions for 3rd gear. Some are visual, some are kinesthetic, etc. But it would be awesome if your book used all of those methods to point it out. (Even if the best instruction is "just effing surrender openly.")

Who would the target audience be, Kenneth?

Kenneth-
Something I've really enjoyed about this forum and website is the useful little illustrations and visual representations that are sprinkled around. I find these are extremely useful tools for quick reference, something to hold in the mind more easily than just raw text, and have therefore benefited my practice quite a bit. So that would be my suggestion for what to include in a book: even simple charts to compile or summarize can streamline the stickiest technical language in a very effective way!
All the best,
G.

"I'm not sure that I would agree about wanting to have it in a story form... I think it's better to spend time helping a few people who are ready to hear it, than to waste time entertaining multitudes who are not."

I think I may have chose my words poorly. I am not suggesting a story only, or an autobiography. But I do think that the most successful teaching begins simple and concrete and goes to the complex and abstract. All the Buddhist suttas work that way. In Narrative therapy the technique is called going from the "experience-near" and guiding to the "experience far." Meet people where they are, not just us as we are on this forum, but "us" as we were when we were trying to find this place.

The point is this, write something that empowers people who aren't as far along as us. Include the detail that folks in our position crave, but don't forget what it was like when you had that first spiritual opening and started rooting through books to find out what it all meant. Back then, if you had run across a technical manual of states and stages, would it really have sunk in? What did sink in? It was hearing from another person, a real down-to-earth person, that this thing called enlightenment is real and it is like this...

"

The point is this, write something that empowers people who aren't as far along as us. "

I´d like to read that too!

"I think I may have chose my words poorly... ...I am not suggesting a story only, or an autobiography. But I do think that the most successful teaching begins simple and concrete and goes to the complex and abstract."

Fair enough. However it looks I'm sure that we both have confidence that Kenneth will come up with something truely worthwhile. Honestly, if I was going to describe my ideal dharma book it would just be straight forward how to's

An explanation of the Strata of mind, jhanas and nanas, and how to travel the landscape.
Noting using the Four Foundations of Mindfulness.
and good discription of the 3 Speed Transmission.

"Who would the target audience be, Kenneth? "

Kenneth has said his target audience is the chronic yogi--people who have had some initial awakening but are stuck and don't know how to progress. Obviously, his audience would have to be people who are less interested in tradition-for-its-own-sake, spiritual entertainment, inspiration, etc., and more interested in getting it done.

"Kenneth has said his target audience is the chronic yogi--people who have had some initial awakening but are stuck and don't know how to progress."

hehe, now comes the hard part: we need to figure out a way to get every chronic yogi in the land to realize that they are a chronic yogi. If we can just do that the book will be a million seller!

Ha! that could be a whole book in itself - "The Chronic Yogi: A Field Guide to Endless Frustration"

Still, there is something to that. I could imagine a "note to the reader" or preface at the beginning aimed at explaining what a chronic yogi is and encouraging some dharma diagnosis...

How about a survey that puts things into a numerical perspective?
What happens to people at various stages, paths etc in a valid statistical way?
I assume that even people with a scholastic/scientific background could be interested in that.
Cheers
Sven

Quite a few people have asked for a story of personal experience. The danger is that, it sets up expectations, and people really have very different experiences.

Of course, the upside is the faith/confidence that it gives. I first heard about all of this from the interview on Buddhist Geeks, the one about being a musician and falling that low etc. etc. and then what happened, and that was really inspiring for me.

So, I think as long as it's stressed that everyone's experience is different, then the personal story at the beginning could be good. Perhaps start with a 'hook', that this 'mysterious enlightenment' is actually possible for real, ordinary people. Then the story, visual map of the territory, instructions - The End.

btw, if any of these ideas get used, do we get royalties?

Just kidding!



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