Insight meditation on the 3 characteristics?

[rowyourboat]

Hi Rick,

There are clear methods of vipassana which will take you to the heart of the matter. It will be helpful to read this:

http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/auth ... gress.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Yes, impermanence is at the heart of the practice and leads to the understanding of dukkha and anatta. But it must be done in a certain way otherwise anatta can be difficult to understand. The method i mention above is one of the best internationally known (ie there are others) methods to do this IMO (having seen students from various traditions).

Here's another method (very simplified)

breath (is matter)+skin in nostril (is matter-rupa) and the observing mind (is mind-nama)
watch how matter (cause) gives rise to mind (effect) (the breath+skin must be there for a mind which perceives the breath to arise)
watch the intention (nama) before each in breath and each outbreath (rupa) (you are in control of the breath so there is an intention preceeding these actions- and you can see it if you slow it down and watch closely)
the intention to breath in/out is the cause (hethu) for the effect of the action of breathing in/out (phala)

without the cause there is no effect

now extrapolate this to everything you perceive in the external world from all the 6 senses

..and think of the breathing that you do without conscious effort..

Good luck on the path..

with metta

RYB

[DNS]

RYB

Hi RYB,

I just logged in and see that there are 20,000 posts! We have only been around since Jan. 1, 2009. I went to "view new posts" and see that you made the 20,000th post!

A cake will be sent, via electronic means, . . .

[DNS]

Rubik's cube cake!

[rowyourboat]

well that takes the cake!
well done for all who started this forum
may it be a source of good dhamma for many years to come!