Search found 84 matches

by practitioner
Sun Feb 12, 2017 3:04 am
Forum: General Theravāda discussion
Topic: Insights from my 21 years of practising Goenka style
Replies: 169
Views: 37959

Re: Insights from my 21 years of practising Goenka style

Not clinging any view. Just that I have seen many jump into body scan without having done research to find one that best suits them. They end up wasting years and decades then give up. There is a tendency for them to think there is only one type of vipassana. Vipassana modeled after satipatthana is ...
by practitioner
Sat Feb 11, 2017 3:56 am
Forum: General Theravāda discussion
Topic: Insights from my 21 years of practising Goenka style
Replies: 169
Views: 37959

Re: Insights from my 21 years of practising Goenka style

Nimitta is from concentration meditation, anapanasati. It is a sign that one has attained access concentration. Little longer meditation would lead one into jhana. With access concentration or better jhana, one then practice vipassana. Of course, ATs at Goenka retreat knows very little about dhamma ...
by practitioner
Fri Feb 10, 2017 5:29 am
Forum: General Theravāda discussion
Topic: Insights from my 21 years of practising Goenka style
Replies: 169
Views: 37959

Re: Insights from my 21 years of practising Goenka style

Energy flow is not something Goenka is aware of. It is not something Buddha talked about. It exists. Chinese call it Qi. Indian call it Prana. Wilhelm Reich calls it Orgone. It is a matter of fact. Upon awareness of my hands I feel sensation of Qi. When I meditate, with hands in mudra position and r...
by practitioner
Thu Feb 09, 2017 2:28 am
Forum: General Theravāda discussion
Topic: Insights from my 21 years of practising Goenka style
Replies: 169
Views: 37959

Re: Insights from my 21 years of practising Goenka style

No, the way you have mentioned above is not really correct, because one will look at the body part by part only when the mind is "not calm enough", there soon comes a state where the mind is calm enough, and the sensations in the body becomes "a flow", then the scan is rather, l...
by practitioner
Wed Feb 08, 2017 1:10 am
Forum: General Theravāda discussion
Topic: Insights from my 21 years of practising Goenka style
Replies: 169
Views: 37959

Re: Insights from my 21 years of practising Goenka style

Passive vipassana is equanimity and observation of 3Cs in one sitting, so more efficient. Further, it is awareness without the inducement from an active mind. In passive vipassana, you observe sensation arising, changing condition, and disappearing. In body scan, you sense your ear is there then you...
by practitioner
Tue Feb 07, 2017 12:39 am
Forum: General Theravāda discussion
Topic: Insights from my 21 years of practising Goenka style
Replies: 169
Views: 37959

Re: Insights from my 21 years of practising Goenka style

You have concluded what I have told people what body scan is - equanimity training. It is not vipassana. It is equanimity training. True vipassana is to observe passively whatever is the sensation arising from wherever such that the mind has no expectation or anticipation from where it may arise. On...
by practitioner
Mon Feb 06, 2017 5:16 am
Forum: General Theravāda discussion
Topic: ignorance avijja origin
Replies: 7
Views: 2107

Re: ignorance avijja origin

Origin cannot be known. That is why Buddha said the origin of universe cannot be known.
by practitioner
Sun Feb 05, 2017 8:51 pm
Forum: General Theravāda discussion
Topic: Alternatives to "moments"
Replies: 64
Views: 9379

Re: Alternatives to "moments"

Abhidhamma says consciousness is discrete. Every sense contact involves X number of conscious moments.

Yes, consciousness is not continuous. Citta arise with cetasika and then disappear. Each arising of citta and cetasika is one conscious moment.
by practitioner
Sun Feb 05, 2017 3:59 pm
Forum: General Theravāda discussion
Topic: Insights from my 21 years of practising Goenka style
Replies: 169
Views: 37959

Re: Insights from my 21 years of practising Goenka style

I am open minded, so will someone find the Sutta that supports Goenka's claim that awareness of bodily sensation is the release of sankhara. If one doesnt create new sankhara then one is liberated. Therefore, Goenka wants you to scan your body block by block sp you dont miss put any bodily sensation...
by practitioner
Sat Feb 04, 2017 3:59 pm
Forum: General Theravāda discussion
Topic: Insights from my 21 years of practising Goenka style
Replies: 169
Views: 37959

Re: Insights from my 21 years of practising Goenka style

There are more than one vipassana techniques. The one you practiced does not meet the 4 foundations of mindfulness. I quit after doing 2 months of body scan. Something about the technique didn't sit well with me. I practiced Mahasi mental noting of thoughts 10 months prior to Goenka retreat. 3 month...
by practitioner
Mon Oct 31, 2016 1:10 am
Forum: General Theravāda discussion
Topic: Did the Buddha teach we have choice? (aka The Great Free Will v Determinism Debate)
Replies: 988
Views: 340867

Re: Free will vs determinism in Buddhism?

When I write "he", it is merely short hand convention for the being. The 5 aggregates contain volition as 1 of the 5 components. Volition can be free choice or slaved choice depending if that choice has been programmed as a reaction to feeling. There is no separare "me", but bein...
by practitioner
Mon Oct 31, 2016 1:02 am
Forum: Connections to Other Paths
Topic: What do you think of "Liberation Unleashed"
Replies: 37
Views: 15989

Re: What do you think of "Liberation Unleashed"

LU is dogmatic in imposing their concept. I pointed out to the owner That this can only lead to conscious awareness but it doesnt cause the subconscious mind to release the attachment to self. Every arising thought has a cause, but the primary condition is grasping of self. So thoughts still arise b...
by practitioner
Wed Sep 28, 2016 3:55 pm
Forum: Introductions
Topic: Howdy from Texas!
Replies: 11
Views: 3227

Re: Howdy from Texas!

A digital sangha is my best bet at the moment. This is true for most of us. With dhamma PDFs and audios, there really is no need to go to a temple either. We are neither atheists nor theists. We know what we know. We don't let concepts and assumptions color our vision. Whatever is to be known will ...
by practitioner
Wed Sep 28, 2016 3:47 pm
Forum: General Theravāda Meditation
Topic: I am stuck in my meditation practice. Any suggestions?
Replies: 9
Views: 2562

Re: I am stuck in my meditation practice. Any suggestions?

You can do few things until you have time to go to a long retreat and this will prepare you well for the retreat as well: 1. Whenever you are alone and have a thought, mental note this activity with "wandering, wandering' or "thinking, thinking". Choose whatever or make up your own. T...
by practitioner
Sat Sep 24, 2016 9:50 pm
Forum: General Theravāda discussion
Topic: Did the Buddha teach we have choice? (aka The Great Free Will v Determinism Debate)
Replies: 988
Views: 340867

Re: Free will vs determinism in Buddhism?

Free will is having the ability to choose. Does a gambler have free will? Though he doesn't want to gamble anymore but he cannot stop himself from gambling. Because he doesn't want to stop bad enough. But then when he hits rock bottom and finally wants it bad enough, he stops. That is not true. Man...