Dream Walker:
Psi Phi:
Craving is the root, what is Craving? Wanting or wishing to have some thing or situation, and the flip-side, wanting or wishing to not have a situation as it is or wanting some thing.
Well that is one way to look at it. I would say that if you are seeing the moment to moment sensations as they are and labeling them as pleasant, neutral or unpleasant I think this would be a fine practice. I would add a little of the 3 C's too.
Psi Phi:
Also, if craving is not let to arise, there is no "self" illusion present either, if there is no wanting something or not wanting something, there doesn't have to be an "I" present either.
Hmmm....don't know about that. Could you explain why you think this?
I tend to think that seeing reality very clearly might be the key to letting go of the layers of selfing processes. Whatever meditation practice that allows you to see very clearly would probably work fine as long as you sprinkle a bit of the 3 C's as well.
So far dukkha translates best to stress in my experience. Anything that is "yours" tends to be hooked up to the defensive center of the brain like the
Fight or Flight center. From wiki-"This response is recognized as the first stage of a
general adaptation syndrome that regulates
stress responses among
vertebrates and other
organisms.
" Seeing reality clearly over and over somehow allows the selfing processes to shut down and then the connction to the stress center is eliminated. This also tends to free up the overall process running in the brain to it's benifit.
There are many definitions of dukkha and beliefs surrounding them. My explanation is just one from my experiences so far and I am sure that there is much more to it.
Good luck
~D
Hmmm, okay seeing the moment to moment sensations as they are and labelling them as pleasant, unpleasant, or neutral.....SCREEECCHHH!!!! Too late, If the mind has gone this far, THEN Investigation of Phenomenon would be prescribed, "sprinkling" the investigation of anicca, dukkha, anatta.
But, what I am trying to point to, is the chance at the pre-emptive strike, proaction, BEFORE Craving arises, BEFORE labelling the sensations, for it seems that if one continually lets all sensations arise to the labelling stage one has missed the train.
So to re-formulate, the phenomenon of a pleasant . unpleasant or neutral sensation occurs, then one just stays with Equanimity, not letting the mind waver and/ or react. This also presupposes that one is training their mind in Right Effort:
First , to abandon an unwholesome state that has already arisen.
Second, to not let unwholesome state arise that has not yet arisen.
Third, to arouse a wholesome state that has not yet arisen.
Fourth, to maintain a wholesome state that has already arisen.
Then, when one has established the fourth effort and maintains the fourth effort, (wholesome state being Brahma Viharas, and Equanimity being Supreme of those)
So, to re-re-formulate, in this way one can cut off craving at the pass, so to speak, and thus dukkhawill not follow, at least from each successful mind moment that is maintained by Bare Attention.
But, that being all said, Investigated with the 3C's investigations and contemplations, or Noting phenomenon, or other methods not as yet mentioned are all excellent to pull the mind from the mud and molasses of craving and clinging. escpecially, since many mental formations, cravings, and clinging patterns, may and do exist pre-dating themselves form time immemorial. But, in order to work on pre-existing craving and clinging fetters, one should STOP the adding to the pre-existing craving and clinging fetters.
I do want to add that establishing Equanimity and noting all sensations and phenomenon as they arise and pass away, is very important. From my view, it seems as if , supposing one is being an objective observer in equanimity, that when phenomenon arises and passes away, it kind of "burns" itself out on the shores of Equanimity.
Noting, the definition of noting, seems to not convey what is actually and eventually needed when observing phenomenon. But, is there a better word in the english language? Noting seems to preclude that one "verbalizes" each phenomenon, this is not so true, but can be a useful tool. Can't "Noting" be , (aware of phenomenon without criticism) or instead of noting, isn't NOTICING a better word?
I have to get to the second part of your post later, but want to add that , yes, exiting out of the craving and clinging trap, overrides the response system involved in the general adaptation syndrome, not kind of like ahacking the system, but mindfulness, (Mind Full of the Present Moment) is definitely and intentionally hacking the system.
Thank you for interacting,
Many Blessings to all,
Bryan