vipassana craziness

[tiltbillings]

Tilt, Anapanna is not bringing the gross level impurities to the surface. I think that that is a misrepresentation of what is happening.

Says you, but the reality is, whether you want it to or not, that sort of stuff happens.

[tiltbillings]

Tilt, Anapanna is not bringing the gross level impurities to the surface. I think that that is a misrepresentation of what is happening.

A couple of thing. The mindfulness of breathing that the Goenka people do is not the highly structured practice of MN 118, but mindfulness of breathing can and does allow for things to pop up. It is the nature of the beast.

[daverupa]

Maybe the problem is the metaphor: perhaps consider anapanasati to be like calming the surface of a turbulent pond, allowing one to see the bottom. Rather than saying it brings things to the surface, perhaps say that it allows things to be seen with greater clarity - impurities and purities alike. It's the same thing, but sometimes metaphors have connotations which cause confusion.

"Suppose there were a pool of water — clear, limpid, and unsullied. A man with good eyesight standing there on the bank would see shells, gravel, & pebbles, and also shoals of fish swimming about and resting. Why is that? Because of the unsullied nature of the water. In the same way, that a monk with an unsullied mind would know his own benefit, the benefit of others, the benefit of both; that he would realize a superior human state, a truly noble distinction of knowledge & vision: Such a thing is possible. Why is that? Because of the unsullied nature of his mind."

[Ben]

Maybe the problem is the metaphor

Well said, Dave.

[Mr Man]

Maybe the problem is the metaphor

Yes, in my opinion there is definitely a problem with the metaphor or if it is even meant as a metaphor.

[Monkey Mind]

Tilt, Anapanna is not bringing the gross level impurities to the surface. I think that that is a misrepresentation of what is happening.

You seem really fixated on that quote from the OP, so I'll just offer that I don't think that statement is consistent with how Mr. Goenka teaches. I don't know if the OP is mistaken, or received a convoluted message from an assistant teacher. The "technique" is pretty straight forward, but during the retreats there is a lot of information presented in the Dhamma talks. I think it is easy for someone (myself included) to misunderstand the point of the information presented during the talks.

[nibbuti]

Nibbuti, that's wise advice indeed. I have most of that in check but could certainly do with dropping the caffeine and certain foods. I will begin a conscious detox as of today, thanks.

Hi seahorse

You're welcome. Also, Venerable Dhammavuddho explains some "vipassana craziness" here:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZE6UOQfAafE

[Mr Man]

Monkey Mind, thank you for the comment, I don't mean to be fixated but some times it is easy. If it is inconsistent with how Mr. Goenka teaches that is certainly relevant.

I have experience of the U Ba Khin tradition through doing retreats with Mother Sayama / Saya U Chit Tin but that is going back some 30 years now so possibly some of my perceptions have been weathered by time and possibly some things have changed.

[Ben]

I have experience of the U Ba Khin tradition through doing retreats with Mother Sayama / Saya U Chit Tin but that is going back some 30 years now so possibly some of my perceptions have been weathered by time and possibly some things have changed.

As a matter of interest, where was that retreat held?

[Mr Man]

I have experience of the U Ba Khin tradition through doing retreats with Mother Sayama / Saya U Chit Tin but that is going back some 30 years now so possibly some of my perceptions have been weathered by time and possibly some things have changed.

As a matter of interest, where was that retreat held?

They were held at Splatts House in the UK.