Buddhist Wisdom

[huageeng]

The Progress of Insight
(Visuddhiñana-katha)
A Modern Treatise on Buddhist Satipatthana Meditation
by
The Venerable Mahasi Sayadaw
Translated from the Pali with Notes by
Nyanaponika Thera

Contents
Translator's Foreword
Introduction
I. Purification of Conduct (sila-visuddhi)
The Method of Insight in Brief
II. Purification of Mind (citta-visuddhi)
III. Purification of View (ditthi-visuddhi)
1. Analytical Knowledge of Body and Mind (nama-rupa-pariccheda-ñana)
IV. Purification by Overcoming Doubt (kankha-vitarana-visuddhi)
2. Knowledge by Discerning Conditionality (paccaya-pariggaha-ñana)
3. Knowledge by Comprehension (sammasana-ñana)
4. Knowledge of Arising and Passing Away (udayabbaya-ñana) in its weak stage, involving the Ten Corruptions of Insight
V. Purification by Knowledge and Vision of What Is Path and Not Path (maggamagga-ñanadassana-visuddhi)
VI. Purification by Knowledge and Vision of the Course of Practice (patipada-ñanadassana-visuddhi) (including mature Knowledge of Arising and Passing Away)
5. Knowledge of Dissolution (bhanga-ñana)
6. Awareness of Fearfulness (bhayatupatthana-ñana)
7. Knowledge of Misery (adinava-ñana)
8. Knowledge of Disgust (nibbida-ñana)
9. Knowledge of Desire for Deliverance (muncitu-kamyata-ñana)
10. Knowledge of Re-observation (patisankhanupassana-ñana)
11. Knowledge of Equanimity about Formations (sankhar'upekkha-ñana)
12. Insight Leading to emergence (vutthanagamini-vipassana-ñana)
13. Knowledge of Adaptation (anuloma-ñana)
14. Maturity Knowledge (gotrabhu-ñana)
VII. Purification by Knowledge and Vision (ñanadassana-visuddhi)
15. Path Knowledge (magga-ñana)
16. Fruition Knowledge (phala-ñana)
17. Knowledge of Reviewing (paccavekkhana-ñana)
18. Attainment of Fruition (phalasamapatti)
19. The Higher Paths and Fruitions
Conclusion
Notes
The Venerable Mahasi Sayadaw

Note:

My experience from the practice:
first three are theory with strong faith for this path.
4. Knowledge of Arising and Passing Away (udayabbaya-ñana) in its weak stage, involving the Ten Corruptions of Insight

This stage seeing the Mind give rise to thought and passing away of thought of all phenomena,
example bell rang Mind and sound match and vibration.
so the rest of the six sense base are the same function.

5. Knowledge of Dissolution (bhanga-ñana)

Mind come into contact with an object it's dissolve, meaning no continuity for further value into the brain.
This stage normally operate at heart level before reaching the Brain.
Due to dis-solution of, all memory will be affected.
Only known present moment, so the object were be without name, just emptiness.
Many thing just can't remember, just like hard disk can't be store.
Only can write now or save in the computer hard disk for ref.


6. Awareness of Fearfulness (bhayatupatthana-ñana)

After some time of practice, as impermanent and dissolution, it create a stage of fear of all this impermanent and dissolution.

7. Knowledge of Misery (adinava-ñana)

This stage the Misery come into effect due to impermanent thus suffer misery.
It itch all over the body, as those is in the blood. Also see doctor for medicine to apply for itch.

8. Knowledge of Disgust (nibbida-ñana)

This stage of disgust to all thing, want to vomit during walking meditation, if stop then vomit also stop.

9. Knowledge of Desire for Deliverance (muncitu-kamyata-ñana)

With all the above,  Desire for Deliverance, practice every hard without fail , any minute and every second, even don't go to sleep just want to practice.

10. Knowledge of Re-observation (patisankhanupassana-ñana)

Just Re-observation continue in all stage.

11. Knowledge of Equanimity about Formations (sankhar'upekkha-ñana)
This stage just very peaceful, equal in all thing,
non dualism. Foe few hour no though arise, just blank, just remain mindful at heart level, no brain activity.

13. Knowledge of Adaptation (anuloma-ñana)
After some time it Adaptation, to all impermanent or dissolution or other, which is no problem,

14. Maturity Knowledge (gotrabhu-ñana)

It will reach Maturity, as vipassana samadhi reach it maximum level of Maturity.
As sound rang vibrate the mind cause the heart pain , each sound pain each time, until it reach Maturity,
it were release in anti clockwise direction.

VII. Purification by Knowledge and Vision (ñanadassana-visuddhi)

Acquire special skill of Purification by Knowledge and Vision.
Wisdom were naturally come.

17. Knowledge of Reviewing (paccavekkhana-ñana)

Reviewing were be at the finger tip, as this is always repeating.

18. Attainment of Fruition (phalasamapatti)

Until mutuality,  Attainment of Fruition (phalasamapatti)
once attain, there is bliss and tranquility.

19. The Higher Paths and Fruition

From lower to the higher Paths and Fruition, this may be difference in each stage.
 

[Jhanananda]

The Progress of Insight
(Visuddhiñana-katha)
A Modern Treatise on Buddhist Satipatthana Meditation
by
The Venerable Mahasi Sayadaw
Translated from the Pali with Notes by
Nyanaponika Thera

Sadly, neither Mahasi Sayadaw nor Nyanaponika were able to demonstrate that their understanding of the Buddha dhamma was illuminated by any fruitful attainment (phala).  Since most Theravadan priests, monks and meditation teachers think Insight (vipassana) is just a meditation technique, and none of them have demonstrated experiential knowledge of the 8 absorption states (samadhi), or intuitive, revelatory insight, then we have had to conclude that they are just a priesthood preserving Buddhism as an aspect of cultural identity and not as a vehicle to enlightenment. 

The point is Insight (vipassana) is not a method or technique.  It is an attainment (phala).  Not understanding the essential difference between practice (magga) and attainment (phala) is typical of priests with no attainment.  Thus we cannot support Mahasi Sayadaw's nor Nyanaponika's interpretation of the dhamma.

My experience from the practice:
first three are theory with strong faith for this path.
4. Knowledge of Arising and Passing Away (udayabbaya-ñana) in its weak stage, involving the Ten Corruptions of Insight

This stage seeing the Mind give rise to thought and passing away of thought of all phenomena,
example bell rang Mind and sound match and vibration.
so the rest of the six sense base are the same function.

5. Knowledge of Dissolution (bhanga-ñana)

Mind come into contact with an object it's dissolve, meaning no continuity for further value into the brain.
This stage normally operate at heart level before reaching the Brain.
Due to dis-solution of, all memory will be affected.
Only known present moment, so the object were be without name, just emptiness.
Many thing just can't remember, just like hard disk can't be store.
Only can write now or save in the computer hard disk for ref.

Your description here is heavily tainted with highly technical terms that come from the Vissudhimagga and the writing of Mahasi Sayadaw nor Nyanaponika, since they knew nothing of what meditation leads to, then we can conclude they really did not understand the practice of meditation.  However, buried under all of this Therevadan techno-speak is evidence of some experience of jhana.  Without placing the experiences that can come from skillful meditation practice within the context of the religious experience we cannot understand where we are at, and where we need to go, which might explain why the Therevadan priests resort to tenchno-speak, because they have no idea where they are or where they are going.

However, when your record refers to emptiness, loss of memory, and seeing an object without the mind supplying its meaning, then it is possible that you wandered into the second or third jhana, which is the stilling of the mind. 

I have found from spending about 4 decades with a still mind, that the more time I spend with a still mind, the less memory I can have for the present moment.  I know I am mindfully self-aware when I practice meditation, but if I spend an hour there, then I am not likely to be able to recover the whole of that hour's experience, but I know I will be able to recall with clarity the last few minutes.

I have also found when I spend time in the 3rd jhana that I can hear the outside world, but my mind no longer provides an explanation for sounds. So, for instance, a garbage truck might go down the alley behind the meditation hall.  I will notice that it is a loud sound, but until I pull myself out of the stage of the 3rd jhana, I will not recognize the sound as a garbage truck driving down the alley behind the meditation hall.

6. Awareness of Fearfulness (bhayatupatthana-ñana)

After some time of practice, as impermanent and dissolution, it create a stage of fear of all this impermanent and dissolution.

7. Knowledge of Misery (adinava-ñana)

This stage the Misery come into effect due to impermanent thus suffer misery.
It itch all over the body, as those is in the blood. Also see doctor for medicine to apply for itch.

8. Knowledge of Disgust (nibbida-ñana)

This stage of disgust to all thing, want to vomit during walking meditation, if stop then vomit also stop.

This heightened awareness of fear, suffering and disgust is typical of the spiritual crisis that precedes the third jhana.  I have found when a subject develops the stilling of the mind, and spends some time in it, then he or she may go through a period of hypersensitivity, which many subjects find so distracting that it keeps them from going deeper into meditation until the develop greater equanimity.  When the subject develops greater equanimity, then the subject will finally enter the 3rd jhana and there cultivate very deep equanimity.

9. Knowledge of Desire for Deliverance (muncitu-kamyata-ñana)

With all the above,  Desire for Deliverance, practice every hard without fail , any minute and every second, even don't go to sleep just want to practice.

In English we call this desire of deliverance, 'aspiration.'  Aspiration is different from desire.  Desire is for the things of this world.  Aspiration is longing for the things of the spiritual dimension.

10. Knowledge of Re-observation (patisankhanupassana-ñana)

Just Re-observation continue in all stage.

11. Knowledge of Equanimity about Formations (sankhar'upekkha-ñana)
This stage just very peaceful, equal in all thing,
non dualism. Foe few hour no though arise, just blank, just remain mindful at heart level, no brain activity.

I agree that the stage of Equanimity is a non-dual experience. If more Buddhist priests had genuine attainment, then they would recognize this.

13. Knowledge of Adaptation (anuloma-ñana)
After some time it Adaptation, to all impermanent or dissolution or other, which is no problem,

14. Maturity Knowledge (gotrabhu-ñana)

It will reach Maturity, as vipassana samadhi reach it maximum level of Maturity.
As sound rang vibrate the mind cause the heart pain , each sound pain each time, until it reach Maturity,
it were release in anti clockwise direction.

The concept of 'vipassana samadhi' comes from the Abbhidhamma, it is not a term that appears in the suttas.  Using this erroneous interpretation of the suttas the Vissudhimagga described 32 stages of jhana. Those who meditate deeply find only 8 stages of the religious experience, and insight to be intuitive and revelatory experience into the nature of things, and comes as a product of experiencing the 8 stages of samadhi on a regular basis.

VII. Purification by Knowledge and Vision (ñanadassana-visuddhi)

Acquire special skill of Purification by Knowledge and Vision.
Wisdom were naturally come.

17. Knowledge of Reviewing (paccavekkhana-ñana)

Reviewing were be at the finger tip, as this is always repeating.

18. Attainment of Fruition (phalasamapatti)

Until mutuality,  Attainment of Fruition (phalasamapatti)
once attain, there is bliss and tranquility.

19. The Higher Paths and Fruition

From lower to the higher Paths and Fruition, this may be difference in each stage.

So, huageeng, is the above description something you experience every day, or is it something you observed during one or more meditation retreats?

[huageeng]

For the above:
Not in the retreat, i can experience it if i choose to.
I just quite the mind, watching every moment,
rise and falling, for instant at stomach area.
the brain start to going into dis-activity of the brain,
sleepy and not sleepy, there were be a shock of mind and object gluing each other,
going into un-conscious mind for a second or so.
There by create a tranquility of the whole body with bliss energy.
Can notice the mind is in a free stage, peaceful and still, just relax, don't known any thing or no though.

[Jhanananda]

This is really excellent, huageeng, that you can experience the stilling of the bliss of mind, and equanimity whenever you want to.  So, how often do you do this?  Do you do it several times a day, or daily, or Weekly, or Monthly, or a few times a year, or every so many years?

[huageeng]

This time more often, as i have more time when i stay in Thailand,
3 time a week depend on condition.

As i told you without still of the mind, during normal time,

i have no memory as to name, easily forget,

right now i have a very simple mind,

can't think of future,

maybe lost the direction, if i go into samadhi often, very afraid of it.

after coming out of concentration, may lost for 30 min, than come back to normal function,

if i want to think, then i can think.

[Jhanananda]

This time more often, as i have more time when i stay in Thailand,
3 time a week depend on condition.

As i told you without still of the mind, during normal time,

i have no memory as to name, easily forget,

right now i have a very simple mind,

can't think of future,

maybe lost the direction, if i go into samadhi often, very afraid of it.

after coming out of concentration, may lost for 30 min, than come back to normal function,

if i want to think, then i can think.

If you take up a daily meditation practice, then you will find samadhi much easier to get to, and perhaps your fear of it will fall away as you spend more time in it.  You can also read more of what Michael and I write about samadhi, because we begin and end every day in samadhi.