Vipassana and the 12 links

A discussion on all aspects of Theravāda Buddhism
alan
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Re: Vipassana and the 12 links

Post by alan »

Best to understand the word akaliko and see how it is used in context. That alone might answer your questions.
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retrofuturist
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Re: Vipassana and the 12 links

Post by retrofuturist »

Greetings householder,
householder wrote:I'm quite uncertain and confused.
The works of Bhikkhu Nanananda provide good insight on nama-rupa in the context of dependent origination, and its relationship to consciousness.

Metta,
Retro. :)
"Whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things."
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Nibbida
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Re: Vipassana and the 12 links

Post by Nibbida »

Hi Sacha,

My favorite explanation of this is Christina Feldman's article: http://www.dharma.org/ij/archives/1999a/christina.htm

One of the ways that vipassana plays into the 12 links is that it can nip the process in the bud. Without mindfulness, feeling turns into craving, which turns into clinging/attachment. But mindfulness can allow us to watch that process and let it dissipate instead of progress.
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Assaji
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Re: Vipassana and the 12 links

Post by Assaji »

Hi Sacha,
Sacha G wrote:As I understand vipassana, it's a recognition of the three characteristics within the compounded phenomena. Now this is based on observation of the arising and vanishing of the five aggregates. And this allows to obtain right view.
But, I don't see any condition between this and the fact of understanding paticcasamuppada, all the more as the classical explanation runs on 3 lives, and that this cannot be observed, unless you get the divine eye. :coffee:
Therefore I would like to know if you have any idea about this?
The essential part of paticcasamuppada is directly observable in this life:

http://dhamma.ru/lib/paticcas.htm" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

and there's a number of suttas with instructions on what to observe:

http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka ... .than.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka ... .than.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka ... .than.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka ... .than.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka ... .ntbb.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka ... .than.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

The best place to start is the link between feeling and craving:
http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka ... .than.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Such contemplation can help to obtain right view, but to change the mind deeply, the vipassana has to be supplemented with samatha. Samadhi helps to deal with things that happen rarely (like birth and death), and may not be observable in the present moment.

Metta, Dmytro
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