Mastering the Core Teachings of the Buddah. Book.

[Christer]

Hi, everyone!

And thanks for reading the post.

 

I have been going through the first chapter of this book three times now. This book is profound, and I will greatly reccomend it to those who is after the Core of Enlightenment, no bullshit. You`ll also be happy to see that it requires fundemental pillars from different aspects of your effort to support the above ones. After reading the first part, I experienced frustration during the practices, but also it illuminated how insanely sharp and precice your meditations have to be. Like a cross-fire machine gun sharp. 

Yet there are some questions I can`t find answer to, which is making my meditation confusing. I hope you can answer these :-) 

 

In the insight practice "noting", where you "note" all physical sensations and also the thoughts as the sixth, this is not specified to note it with you "inner dialogue" or as in "experience it" and get conscious of it. You have to note f.ex. Pain, sound, and warmth. So one individual experience I could have is, I feel a physical sensation (note as feel), it`s warm (note as warm), then back to my breath (note rising) and then we are to note every sensation of rising we experience, which is a damn lot. Drrrrrrrrrrrr, haha. 

So, hopefully my problem is clear here. 

I`ve started with the dialogue but I can`t even speak that fast up there, which tossed me out of focus. And made me trying to focus for the sensations instead of letting them arise naturally. 

Also, when doing concentration exercices, do I use the "Three Characteristics" when stearing down the object like a rabid dog? 

 

Thank you all for reading my post, and have a great day :-)

[Leo Gura]

You should distinguish between noting and labeling.

• Noting: noticing a sensation with your awareness.
• Labeling: giving the sensation a name like "see", "hear", "feel".

Noting must always happen in this practice. Labeling is optional but highly recommended.

Keep your labeling simple! Don't go creating 10 different labels. 3 is sufficient.

You do NOT note/label EVERY arising sensation. That is impossible. There are dozens of sensations arising each second. Rather, you select just ONE and note/label it.

It's not a lot. It's 1 note/label every 2 to 10 seconds. You can linger your awareness on a sensation for as long as 10 seconds if you want. Try various speeds until you find one which you like.

Keep this whole practice very simple. Don't over-complicate it.

[BuddhaTree]

What are your thoughts on this book Leo? I've heard there was a new version coming out, but it's really expensive, like $40 last time I saw.

I'm also more into yogic teachings than Buddhists, so dunno... Thanks. 

[Rinne]

9 hours ago, Christer said:

And thanks for reading the post.

Thanks for creating it!

[kieranperez]

Ingram made a 2nd edition to this book btw. It's like 800+ pages now. Thought I'd share

[Christer]

Thank you so much for taking your curiosity over here, guys. 

I really love how you explain me this exercise Leo, which motivates. Thank you.

 

In the book, he say that noting 1-5 times pr second is a start, and that is not actually fast! I like your approach better for obvious reasons. I thought I had not built up enough concentration yet, and that`s why i failed. Though we all could need more.

He explains that the noting should be on cutting edge, constantly pushing it faster and more precise. He continues to emphasize that to "see" reality you have to be able to ping-pong this insanely fast, like a rainshower. Cause the true Truth flickers, in and out of existence, from sensation, consciousness, noting, mental image. And this happens at a machinegun`s speed, and this is what we are training our minds to acually percieve. Can you please give me some thoughts on this?  And the three "notes" you use? 

I know the way to awakening is through ridiculous many ways, and we`ve have to master patience to find practices that`s fitting for you. I find asking "Who am I?" very powerful through contemplation, since the ego here is so visibe through many many years of pain and downwards self talk, so clearly I can sense it`s not truly me.

This book is saturated, for those who would like to "get it" through a western mind.

Edited August 20, 2018 by Christer

[Leo Gura]

1 hour ago, Christer said:

He explains that the noting should be on cutting edge, constantly pushing it faster and more precise. He continues to emphasize that to "see" reality you have to be able to ping-pong this insanely fast, like a rainshower. Cause the true Truth flickers, in and out of existence, from sensation, consciousness, noting, mental image. And this happens at a machinegun`s speed, and this is what we are training our minds to acually percieve. Can you please give me some thoughts on this?  And the three "notes" you use?

There are many ways to skin the same cat.

Going so fast is not necessary. I actually find a lot of value in slowing down the labeling, so you can really feel into every sensation fully.

The labels I use are: see, hear, feel.

Although I don't do this practice much any more. These days I focus on yoga.

[Christer]

Thank you for your time and advice, and have a nice day :-)

 

Also, for future readers of this post; please share your experience, thoughts and insights during your practices.

I got this book from Ebay, after seeing it on Leo`s booklist. Which I advice you to get, cause you need knowledge. It gives glasses with various lenses.

Edited August 20, 2018 by Christer

[Dovahkiin]

On 8/20/2018 at 4:51 AM, BuddhaTree said:

What are your thoughts on this book Leo? I've heard there was a new version coming out, but it's really expensive, like $40 last time I saw.

I'm also more into yogic teachings than Buddhists, so dunno... Thanks. 

He put the book online for free at mctb.org.

 

On the noting/labeling discussion, also probably worth mentioning that the pace and names you’re using can change. You could be going at a fast clip and then a particular pain in your back is really predominant for a long time. So you go deeply into it, and you might note “pain... pressing... pressing... pulling” to pay attention to the particular nature of the pain and how it might change. 

[Christer]

Nice, thanks!

 

I do have a "knot" that always appears right under the shoulder blades on the right of the spine. If I follow it, it leads to a pressure point on the right side of my lungs (makes me aware that I can`t proper take in full air as I breathe), then it goes up to my right shoulder, up the right side of the neck, and then it goes in a fine line around my skull down to my jaws on the left side. This sensation can really take me out of the noting.

Edited August 21, 2018 by Christer