| | The mode of perception that causes a Fruition +/- a new path is the mode of experience that comprehends the field of experience at the level of formations.
If you perceive the formations that include space and those things that area part of it, those qualities together as a package, as a formed, complete, merged, volumetric thing, and comprehend the Three Characteristics of those formations, then that is how the Three Doors arise.
As one first perceives formations, then finally, if skilled, comprehends effortlessly the truth of them, then this is the level of "On ignorance depends volitional formations. With the cessation of ignorance, volitional formations cease."
Those who have stream entry or above who also have a clear understanding of the shifts in perceptual threshold that allowed that to occur (which is a much smaller subset), and, if they have them, subsequent Fruitions to occur, and, if they have them, subsequent paths to occur, will know what that level of perception is like, the level of exactly how things are in the three or four rapid moments before the Fruition occurs, and will know how, in those moments, things come together, converge, are unified, and happen effortlessly, in a way that shows clearly that it is due to ignorance that we believe that the elements that before we though were separate and partly in the control of something are, in fact, part of the same fluxing, transient, empty, ephemeral, volition-free, causal, complete whole, and on their ending, we know: Ah! That is wisdom. For that moment, ignorance ceased! Comprehension was in Conformity with the way things are! There was true and perfect mindfulness born of Equanimity that naturally knew the truth of things. More of that, please!
This is what I mean when I say "Formations", and it is that coming to complete and comprehensive (both meanings meant) Equanimity regarding them that causes deep wisdom.
Thus, I believe this definition is not at all unique to me, or, if it is, then it is only because I am the only person that knows it, which I hardly believe, or perhaps the only one who has articulated it this formally and this completely, which I also doubt very much, and is more likely the relative ignorance of those who either haven't been exposed to the words of those who also understood these things and articulated them, or they didn't understand it when they were exposed to it.
This whole old, confused, tired "MCTB Formations" debate is based on people not paying attention, not reading carefully, buying spin and distortion without examining things for themselves to confirm or deny them, not comprehending things with the blazing force of a bright and clear mind, not recognizing when they actually knew things as they were, not remembering how that was, not coming to the conclusion, "Ah ha! That is how it all fits together! How elegant! How skillful the teaching of the Buddha! How remarkable the commentaries! How profound the Abhidhamma! How nice to see this comprehensively explained and confirmed by my own clear comprehension of the stages of insight and the entrance to Fruition!", and in general due to weak phenomenology and weak scholarship, says I.
Daniel |