Changes in daily life after 1st to 4th path!

The only way you can deal with that doubt, is to either note the hell out of it and all other phenomena that take centre stage in the momentary experience of "Max" and see the results and/or set it aside and work your arse off by noting every moment of your waking life till you get what we, as well as Mahasi Sayadaw, call here Stream Entry. This was the only way I came out of the doubt that I had. THE ONLY WAY! If you keep asking questions about what our lives are like and how we have benefited from all this and do not note the hell out of every momentary experience of "Max", you will continue to doubt, doubt, doubt, doubt! There is no escaping the fact that the ONLY WAY to verify what we say is to practice like many, many, many yogis have done in the past, not just us KFD yogis.

People keep coming here not because of some guru worship, or to be part of a cool goup of people, but to gain instruction to practice and progress on the very same path that Buddha pointed to. They keep coming back because THEY ARE PROGRESSING and seeing actual tangible results. Just like I myself saw when I put my doubts aside and just practiced. And WHEN those yogis get it done too, THEN and ONLY THEN will they have their own doubt washed away as well.

Note EVERYTHING!!! And worry about jhanas AFTER stream entry. They are easier to access after the fact.
So now you know what to do. Whatever I tell you about my life can be seen in my practice notes thread. I have been pretty honest about how it has affected my life in all parts of it. Read it!

Bhante, practice your arse off, believe it can be done, gain a momentum in your practice, NO GAPS!!! and you wont be able to doubt no longer. There is no other way to know but to practice the noting technique till you pop!!!!!!

Namo tassa bhagavato arhato sammasambuddhassa

Max,


My skype name is nickhalay.
I'd love to chat one day.

Nick

I'd been aware of and an off and on practioner of theravada and zen techniques for about 35 years when I first heard Daniel on Buddhist Geeks.
It's weird thinking about it now, but I don't think I ever really doubted him and Kenneth. And, I am a very doubtful, sceptical person all the way. Have been my whole life.
But, based on what I already knew, what they said just sounded exactly right. It just HAD to be as simple as really seeing the three Cs in everything and the fact that there were maps and stages that were predictable and repeatable for all humans just had to be right as far as I was concerned.
I'd always suspected that everything I'd been exposed was just too complicated and literary and mythical and the real way to true intimacy had to be a simple simple simple thing.

Also I think the fact that both Daniel and Kenneth never seemed like power hunger guru types to me made a big difference as well in my faith

'But, based on what I already knew, what they said just sounded exactly right. It just HAD to be as simple as really seeing the three Cs in everything and the fact that there were maps and stages that were predictable and repeatable for all humans just had to be right as far as I was concerned'
- Telecaster

I have to agree completely with Mike. When I stumbled on this site I just new this is exactly what I had been looking for all my life. The results from this practise came very quickly: I made more progress in one month than during the past 10 years.

Antero.

Garyth:
Exactly! It's a tuff job. Pain in the a'¦
I just visited my venerable grandfather. I asked him directly how my recently received reward is called. I didn't like (and still don't like it) to hear his answer and elaboration.

I already stopped practicing a few days ago because I felt since a couple of days 'I am done'. I saw no reason to continue and join the group practice instead I was hungry for dharma/ data/ answers/ terms/conversations/ '¦ . I started again to read books listened to dharma talks asked people who seemed to have received some rewards watched constantly what happens in myself started to explore the web again, learned from day to day sth fascinating new '¦ had a very joyful time overall!! 'I know I see' what I read heard etc. made me even more believe I am done.
'The raff defilements are now out of the way but there are more - the fine and subtle ones.' In the end now it makes sense because beside of this feeling 'I am done/ nothing can harm me anymore' there are constantly wondering thoughts how this is called. If I compare my experiences etc. so far with the descriptions of that reward I have to admit that it matches (sadly from the standpoint out that I thought I am done). Many things start to make sense. I can also not deny that the finer defilements are present (nivarana). I know also the meditation states were they are 'switched out' for a period of time (yes can also not deny that this is much more peaceful). Especially because I am right now sick. It seems the sickness has some connection with some unskillful actions recently.

So said I guess I have to make again a break here in order to check what my venerable grandfather said.

I hope you could post here your experience with these 'finer' defilements (the subtle ones later).

A quote from a pali dictionary.
'nivarana: 'hindrances', are 5 qualities which are obstacles to the mind and blind our mental vision. In the presence of them we cannot reach neighbourhood-concentration (upacāra-samādhi) and full concentration (appanā-samādhi), and are unable to discern clearly the truth. They are:
1. sensuous desire (kāmacchanda),
2. ill-will (byāpāda),
3. sloth and torpor (thīna-middha),
4. restlessness and scruples (uddhacca-kukkucca), and
5. skeptical doubt (vicikicchā ; q.v.).
The overcoming of these 5 hindrances by the absorptions is, as already pointed out, a merely temporary suspension, called 'overcoming through repression' (vikkhambhana-pahāna). They disappear forever on entering the 4 supermundane paths (s. ariyapuggala), i.e. skeptical doubt on reaching Sotāpanship; sensuous desire, ill-will and mental worry on reaching Anāgāmiship; sloth, torpor and restlessness on reaching Arahatship.'

Kenneth what do you think about this? I know you are the most experienced one here.

Nick telecaster etc.
Against your expectations i nowadays believe that people are getting enlightened if they apply this practise here. I know this practise works. I am only not yet sure about the degree. seems in order to be sure there is only one way like nick already said.
Do the practise, check it by yourself. After come into dialogue compare.

max

Hi Max!
i don't mean to intrude on your thread, but I thought I'd just chime in with my impression that you are brave to explore a new approach. It is certainly difficult trying to bridge the traditional and pragmatic approaches to dharma, and I commend you and all the other posters here for your good will and patience. It sounds like you are benefiting from this dialogue and I think everyone else here will too as long as we all make efforts to understand each other. We are dealing with both a language barrier and a cultural gulf between traditional and post-modern pragmatic dharma. this requires sensitivity, patience, compassion and open mindedness. Here's to us all for participating in this spirit.
--Jake

Jake:
I hope i do not sound too classic but: "Sadhu sadhu sadhu!"

With such an approach "mission completed" is just a matter of time!

"...dissatisfaction with conditional states..."

Quite familar to me. Saw whatever came into focus is unstable uncontrolable and unsatisfying (to the degree i couldn't stand it anymore/ was fed up i wanted to escape from it/stop it but didnt know how - so i visited my venerable grandfather and he told me just a few things like that all that conditioned stuff and the knower are seperated things. Why do i (the knower) bother it/suffer because of it/get involved/identify with it? It just comes and goes and comes again... Tears shot out my eyes in a manner like never before. I mean i even did not know why i cried. Something happen subconciousness. I had (and still have;)) no control about what happened. I didnt felt very happy or crying sad. So the tears seemed somehow strange. Inside there was a heavy discussion. "Thats this and that!" "No, where is the firework the lights and this and that. Nothing special. You just cry!" and so on. So I just watched that situation without being able to make a decision whats the case. later nature should answer by itself in form of the "transformation" which could be observed. ))

Yesterday he said that being fed up (know - see - let go) or seeing the nature of anything is called "nibbida nana". But he added i do not yet really see (and so detach!?) the finer and subtle defilements.

I just had a look in your profile cause i recently read also some other quite sharp/wise/clear posts if you allow me to say that.

you're very kind Max
I've benefitted from my practice over the past year including Kenneth's generous guidance and my other friends on this forum. I might need to update that profile!

Curious to hear about your further experiences/insights.

One indicator that one is not done is that everything seems now very delicious and joyful and light etc.. Suffering seems to get no grip on one (through knowing them to be seperated). Many or the most get stuck there he said! "i know i see" thats a new virus!
I am going to check that but it actually never felt perfect/clear/stable/100% peaceful. I still wavered a lot but just not so long as before. So it feels very releasing.

this sore throat now is also quite interesting... It has something to do with that recently frequent "throat closing" "getting no air" thing. Seems the subconciousness what to make some stuff conciousness. Like an natuaral indicator/teacher. The occurance of this symtom seems somehow related to morality issues (old unskillful habits). Needs to be observed further.