| | Dominik,
This is a good question that I have also considered some, lately. There are a few different ways that I consider this question - maybe some of them would speak to you.
1) First, MCTB discusses the stage of equanimity, which is before stream entry. So there is a recognition that moving up past the dark night stages allows one to grasp equanimity short of the 'goal' (preliminary goal?) of stream entry. And then one likely obtains more equanimity after stream entry, so in a sense, these teachers are all pointing in the same direction.
2) I have understood MCTB, on this point, to be making a distinction between "meditation as a striving for awakening" and "meditation as self-performed psychotherapy". Perhaps what Ingram is talking about in the quote you pull, is that many people turn vipassana meditation into some sort of psychotherapy or "talk therapy" for their problems. I think this is a common tendency in more popular meditation/buddhism books, when the authors start throwing in sort of palliative "chicken soup for the soul" type discussion instead of it being really a proper dharma talk.
3) This used to be a huge confusion in my mind. The book "Thoughts without a Thinker" addresses this problem at some length. One way the problem manifested for me, was me essentially controlling breath, controlling thoughts, and having inner dialogue (beyond noting) about my daily stresses and anxieties. I understand MCTB as basically saying that vipassana meditation is about awakening and insight into the three characteristics, and not just a forum where you tell yourself "damn I have to stop stressing about this problem at work, because you know, it's 'just work' and I have to 'keep it in perspective'"
4) In the end, I see this as really sticking to a set of proper meditation instructions (for me, Mahasi Sayadaw's noting instructions). If I am sticking to the instructions, I might note "thinking, thinking" but then come back to the anchor of "stepping, stepping" etc. When discursive thought/self help talk comes in, that is just "thinking, thinking".
5) Finally, if you have some sort of tangible, daily problem, then it is best to work on that in addition to meditation. I get stressed sometimes from work, so I do yoga or workout for that. I don't (any longer) try to use vipassana as a sort of "self-therapy" for dealing with mundane work stress, at least in any way other than a longer term view of awakening in some way. |