Sharing Knowledge about Vipassana and Jhana

[smokey]

Please share your tips and tricks about Vipassana and Jhana. What have you learned from your teachers?

[retrofuturist]

Greetings Smokey,

Regarding vipassana, I have learned this from my teacher.

MN 10: Satipatthana Sutta
http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka ... .than.html

Metta,
Retro.

[tiltbillings]

"Keep it simple and easy."

[Moggalana]

I basically stick to Ajahn Brahm's method. At least up to point 5 (Full sustained attention on the beautiful breath). I haven't encountered any visual nimittas yet (at least not as described by Ajahn Brahm), and I'm not exactly sure what to think about them. Ajahn Sona's article, The Mystery of the Breath Nimitta, the discussion here on Dhamma Wheel about tactile Nimittas, and some other posts by IanAnd and other people here have been pretty helpful. Just recently, I have been able to prolong my meditation sessions beyond the 20-30 min barrier and that has been very benificial.

Tips and tricks? Persistence! I'm working on that myself, but I'm pretty convinced that that's the key

[smokey]

Thank you Retrofuturist, Tiltbillings and Moggalana.

[Reductor]

Other than suttas, my main influence has been Ajahn Lee and his seven steps.

I attain jhana before I attempt any kind of insight. That's my own preference, and so I've spent much of my study learning how it is done. Best tip: know the seven factors of enlightenment well. They work for anything, really, jhana or not jhana. But when you apply these factors to one object, like the breath, and keep the mind open and relaxed, then jhana comes. Just, when you start to notice the body and feelings more and more, don't try to stop it, and don't lose the breath by getting distracted by them.

When in jhana you can back off from the object and explore the state with a great deal of ease. Any one of the four frames from MN 10 can be used then with great result.

[Kenshou]

Lee is quite a good one: http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/thai ... ml#method2

I'm also fond of Thanissaro's interpretation, which is getting at pretty much the same thing: http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/auth ... 3.html#pre

The state of concentration gotten through this method can definitely be used for vipassana. The mind is stilled to a large extent, but to the degree that focus and clarity are unobscured, not to the point of immobilization. Quite nifty. You can work on satipatthana or aggregate contemplation or mindfulness of the 3 characteristics or whatever, and if your mind gets dull you can take a moment off to rest in the tranquility of it.

One of the more important things I've found in establishing concentration is to really relax, but, you have to gauge how much relaxation is appropriate depending on your starting state of mind. You want relaxation that is conductive to mindfulness and alertness, not dullness. When the mind and body are really comfortable and unworried, palpably infused with ease, like the feeling you might get when you sit down in a comfy chair after a long day, it's a great foundation for deeper concentration.

Also I'll add, in the Mystery of the Breath Nimitta article Moggallana linked to, at the bottom of it there's a little summary going over the initial stages of anapanasati. I find that for me, things happen exactly as he states. Give it a try.

( also, here's a good little composition on jhana that might be useful: http://www.forum.websangha.org/viewtopi ... d78a309451 )

[Brizzy]

Please share your tips and tricks about Vipassana and Jhana. What have you learned from your teachers?

I know that one of the most "amazing" breakthroughs I had, was the realisation of enjoyment. I know its obvious really, but if you can generate a real interest/joy in what you are doing it becomes a lot easier. Even now I have to periodically remind myself to be "happy" and generate an interest in the meditation.

[PeterB]

Its certainly easy to fall into "Clenched Teeth and Bootstraps " syndrome..
As always its the middle way isnt it ?