My misconceptions

[Tommy]

I have read so many people ask about phases or steps or levels of advancements. The thinking is that when one spends more time than others in practice or meditation then they are further advanced. Like taking a university course, the more time spent passing courses will eventually bring one the diploma. Except here it is of enlightenment. So, is it my misconception that there really is no levels of advancement. No phases that one goes thru to reach enlightenment. It is nothing like taking a college course?

 

My misconception that it depends on whether a person is readily able to accept the impetus to be pushed beyond this mind. For some it may take years of practice before this state. Others are near and have had experiences they are not ready for. Thus thinking they may be crazy. That is until they meet a real teacher.

 

Sometimes I see a person who spouts rhetoric and sayings from whatever they have recently read. Maybe even someone who has had experienced Kensho but has no idea how to move forward. Then there is the one up man. Must always be one up on the next person. There are so many different people. Am I wrong to think there is no phases or levels? That it is mostly a hodge podge of people in different areas. All trying to find their way?

 

Sorry, I am not very smart. Just a simple person. I have many misconceptions. But, I am willing to learn?? Maybe??

[stirling]

19 minutes ago, Tommy said:

I have read so many people ask about phases or steps or levels of advancements. The thinking is that when one spends more time than others in practice or meditation then they are further advanced. Like taking a university course, the more time spent passing courses will eventually bring one the diploma. Except here it is of enlightenment. So, is it my misconception that there really is no levels of advancement. No phases that one goes thru to reach enlightenment. It is nothing like taking a college course?

 

It isn't a cognitive skill or conceptual understanding. What you really need to know is fairly simple, and in fact, too much reading on the topic can cause more damage than good. As far as phases, it depends on your intention for your practice.

 

20 minutes of sitting a day will improve the quality of your life, make you less reactive, calmer and often more joyful and accepting. This is the beginning benefit - it improves your life as a "self". Some never go beyond that... which is fine. 

 

Beyond that, if you keep up or better still intensify your practice, work on your attachment and aversion, sit for 40 minutes (ish) a day, those benefits deepen. If you are fortunate a teacher will help you use your meditation to demonstrate "emptiness" to you, and you can then learn to allow it to well up during your day, and recognize that it does so naturally and always has. 

 

Perhaps one day there is the simple recognition that "self" and all other appearances are "empty" and always have been. This is "awakening", or "stream entry". This is the part where you are in college, but what you must come to study is where you are stuck... what you are clinging or averse to, and how you construct your own reality. You must learn to become adept at dropping how you contrive the events in your life and become an expert at how to surrender to the reality of how things are. This practice deepens your understanding of the emptiness. Eventually this way of seeing becomes predominate and you are never again fooled by your delusions.

 

19 minutes ago, Tommy said:

My misconception that it depends on whether a person is readily able to accept the impetus to be pushed beyond this mind. For some it may take years of practice before this state. Others are near and have had experiences they are not ready for. Thus thinking they may be crazy. That is until they meet a real teacher.

 

Some aren't interested don't care to try. That's fine - it's not important that anyone wake up. Others will want understand the nature of reality, or even stop the suffering that their mind causes them. They will take this pursuit quite seriously. Either way, practice creates results, and having a teacher who can help you understand what happens is VERY beneficial.

 

19 minutes ago, Tommy said:

Sometimes I see a person who spouts rhetoric and sayings from whatever they have recently read. Maybe even someone who has had experienced Kensho but has no idea how to move forward. Then there is the one up man. Must always be one up on the next person. There are so many different people. Am I wrong to think there is no phases or levels? That it is mostly a hodge podge of people in different areas. All trying to find their way?

 

Yes, seekers come in different flavors. Some are confused and lost conceptual ideas about how they think it all works. Some might think it is some kind of competition, but there is only one metric - are you awakened or not. Can you see emptiness in all appearances in this moment, always. Rest assured that there is no greater suffering than lying or exaggerating your understanding. 

[Lairg]

The central precondition to first stage enlightenment is control of the personality.

 

That means control of physical desires, control of emotional desires and control of thoughts

 

Men tend to achieve in that order.  Women can sometimes control the heart before the mind

 

Control of the personality allows stillness

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited 33 minutes ago by Lairg