Derek A Cameron:
April V:
Even so, there was a clear sense that I am not able to make a progress. The given goal to ,,clear out some sankharas'' did not convince me
April, I wonder if you'd share with us what you attribute the lack of progress to? Was the stated goal not correct, or was the method ineffective for reaching the goal? Or is the method appropriate for some but not for others?
Thought I'd give my 2 cents worth.
I was immersed in the Goenka tradition as well for many years and only when i switched to noting did I make fast progress to Stream Entry.
The object of Vipassana is to objectify / dis-embed from / dis-identify from / generate dispassion for / be completely equanimous with / not cling to ALL phenomena, mental and physical. That includes all sensations and their tones (pleasant/unpleasant/neutral), mind states, emotions, thoughts, images...ALL OF IT!! The sense of self is made up of thoughts, mind states, sensations and images too. So you can objectify it too. In my opinion the noting method will do this most effectively. The Sweeping method with just bare awareness focuses purely on the sensations. A yogi may ignore the other phenomena. A big mistake. But you could still have bare awareness of all phenomena without noting it.
Noting should be preceded by "noticing". That means "being aware" of phenomena as it arises and passes away. Mentally noting re-enforces the objectification of the phenomena once it has been noticed. There is a danger of observing and noticing phenomena but still being "embedded in" and "clinging" to it at the same time if there hasn't been a good deal of concentration developed. Lot's of concentration is needed to remain dis-embedded from phenomena without noting. This is where, in my opinion, a lot of yogis in the Goenka tradition get stuck. They get "lost" or embedded in certain phenomena instead of dis-identifying / dis-embedding from it and don't get to escape velocity.
When you notice phenomena and then mentally note it, even verbally noting it out loud, you have immediately objectified that phenomena. You have DIS-EMBEDDED from that phenomena. Whatever you note is not "I". It is not the self. You dis-embed from all phenomena including the sense of self, and....POP--------> Stream entry!
Within the Goenka tradition there is the belief that one must "eradicate" sankharas/formations. What a misunderstanding!!! You dont eradicate sankharas. You see them for what they truly are, particularly in the 11th ñana with equanimity. There is no eradicating of them, but a shedding of light on them and a releasing of the clinging to them. An eradication of the "stickiness" if you will. Not of the sankharas themselves as they still can occur at 4th path. Just without the clinging. With the belief that one must eradicate sankharas there is also the belief that it will take a yogi a bloody longtime to eradicate ALL of the sankharas they seem to have. And seeing as "I" am so full of sankharas, It will take lifetimes to do it. So there is this non-negotiable mindset formed within that tradition that Stream Entry is not something that can be attained quickly. Sorry for saying this but it is my true sentiment... What a load of utter bullshit!!
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sa%E1%B9%85kh%C4%81ra (Ignorance is what is eradicated. Not sankharas!!! It is the clinging to them that causes misery.Without clinging, they arise and pass away like all phenomena)
My 2 cents.
Nick