Graphing the Progress of Insight

Christian Calamus, modified 11 Years ago at 2/7/13 5:33 AM
Created 11 Years ago at 2/7/13 5:15 AM

Graphing the Progress of Insight

Posts: 88 Join Date: 10/23/10 Recent Posts
I suppose someone may have done this already, but anyway, here is a plot of the progress of insight as desrcibed in the MCTB chapter on the Vipassana Jhanas. I obtained the graph by following the instructions given on p. 226, and added a quote from that page and some markers for jhana territories.

This may be not the most intuitive way of mapping the progress of insight, but at least for me, the model fits very nicely with experiential data emoticon

I like it that in this graph, the progress of insight is presented as a continuum, in contrast to the various distinct stages that are presented in the MCTB and the Mahasi literature. Appreciating the continuum while still being able to discern the various stages (or vice versa) seems to be one important step toward mastering this territory.

[edited to fit plot on page]
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Nikolai , modified 11 Years ago at 2/7/13 5:29 AM
Created 11 Years ago at 2/7/13 5:29 AM

RE: Graphing the Progress of Insight

Posts: 1677 Join Date: 1/23/10 Recent Posts
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Nikolai , modified 11 Years ago at 2/7/13 5:38 AM
Created 11 Years ago at 2/7/13 5:38 AM

RE: Graphing the Progress of Insight

Posts: 1677 Join Date: 1/23/10 Recent Posts
And interesting attempt at mapping Kenneth Folk's Dharma

http://followyourstar.zxq.net/growing/awakening/folk2/index.html#id2476154
Christian Calamus, modified 11 Years ago at 2/7/13 5:42 AM
Created 11 Years ago at 2/7/13 5:42 AM

RE: Graphing the Progress of Insight

Posts: 88 Join Date: 10/23/10 Recent Posts
Nikolai, thanks for adding the second graph, that one's very fancy indeed ;) Still, i find it's more elegant to place fruition at the same y-level as "baseline" consciousness, but further along the x-axis. The idea of continuous ascent through the insight stages may be appeling and give motivation, but ist also has a frustrating side at times when no apparent progress is made (while cycling), which after 2nd path seems to be almost constant.

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