Having downed some wine, I thought I would finally post an update to DhO . I have been practicing quite intensely as of late and think I am currently working on third path. I have been primarily working with the alternative instructions for 1st->2nd that Tarin used to make relatively quick progress.
OK, so are you saying you've already achieved third path? Or that you're currently working towards it. The diagnosis is easy, third path is the mastery in the faculty of samadhi, one's effort, mindfulness and concentration are unfaultering. Also one is no longer bound by the sense fetters, which emanate from a deeper existential yearning which should be met by the anagami.
Either way congrats on your progress.
The main result since the baseline shift that I consider to be second path is that throughout the daytime the dreamlike nature of waking reality seems to take prominence and it becomes very clear that there no self to be found anywhere. The main difference from before is that whereas previously it would become clear that various sensations (such as any pressure within the head or spinal area) were not self, now intuitively it becomes clear that there is no self to be found anywhere in the field of experience at all. I also often have the sensation that I am actually the entire field of experience (this is especially prominent in the subway when waiting for the trains as the passing by trains feel like large objects moving through my mind). I have been playing around throughout the day with trying to "penetrate the dream" as I call it and wake up.
OK, the sensations that make up the 'self' when delved into, are diffused at third path. They are totally dissolved and seen to be not-solid, impermanent, painful and not-self. This is a very existential, effort, concentration based game. It has nothing to do with intellectual understanding, but working with 'being' itself (the aggregates).
If you are a third pather, your meditation should be complete, the next goal is to train on Wisdom.
However, I'm very thrilled that I've reached this point as I feel like it has deeply reoriented my practice - now I see that if I can just somehow coax the mind to stop liking/disliking I will be able to reach a really profound kind of peace. This is a particular relief from the subtle anxiety I've been experiencing (dark night-ish, not depressing but just an out of focus / out out phase feeling) and the worry that I was lost somewhere in some weird recursive set of insight stages.
OK, was this experience of the upekkha bojjhanga contrived? Or did it occur by accident?
If it occurred through effort, mindfulness and concentration then you're on the right path, but if it's just a luck accident then don't dwell on it too much. The whole goal is to work with the existential yearning and eliminate it, it's thirst, ride it out.
As a second pather (referring to you as a second pather and also most aryans/sekhas in general), you should feel a 'pull', this pull is in the direction of cessation. Seek out this pull, and follow it to the end.
I guarantee you non-return if you can do that. Else arahatship.
Good luck!