wylo .:
It seems that every instruction Ive read over the past nearly 3 years that Ive been into enlightenment points to the same thing, which is simply to concentrate on all your senses, as often as you possibly can. If someone was to simply read that instruction and only that instruction and practice that with great disciple over a long period of time do you think they could achieve the same as any other person who knows all the ins and outs of intricate practices and philosophies etc?
They would achieve supreme Buddhahood while the other was still arguing on DhammaWheel or DhO over some obscure aspect of some esoteric practice or pondering over which type of Buddhahood would be most appropriate for them.
There are actually a number of approaches: visualization, koans, noting, body scanning, jhana, chanting, self inquiry and probably many more. I think the common denominator is staying in the present moment. In that sense, being very present with sensations is just one method of achieving that.
By staying in the present moment you keep the mind from doing its wandering thing. Of course, you are always in the
present moment so that isn't exactly it. You stop the mind from getting caught up in thoughts - day dreaming, worrying, and other such activities which are its basic world-building skills.
I suspect any of these methods carry some karmic baggage that will have to be worked out on the downhill side. It's ok. I think really wanting to know the truth and having the insight that that must take place within is more important than a given methodology.