RE: Life after Stream Entry

René López, modified 3 Years ago at 2/21/21 9:33 PM
Created 3 Years ago at 2/21/21 9:33 PM

Life after Stream Entry

Post: 1 Join Date: 1/4/21 Recent Posts
Hi! This is my first post here. After looking around this seemed like the best place to ask these questions about life after stream entry.

How weird is life after Stream Entry? Does the joy of seeing everything arising and passing away settles at some point or you get used to it somehow? Do events like perceiving everything to stop for a moment fade eventually, or you stop paying attention to them as they become the new "normal"? Or maybe this kind of things increase in frecuency as time passes.

I would thank anyone who cares to share their personal experience about this, or even your theories.
thumbnail
Ni Nurta, modified 3 Years ago at 2/24/21 5:32 PM
Created 3 Years ago at 2/24/21 5:32 PM

RE: Life after Stream Entry

Posts: 1072 Join Date: 2/22/20 Recent Posts
Stream Entry can be defined in various ways you know.
Typical for "pragmatic dharma" communities definition of SE is experiencing the so called "fruition" once but which is typically followed by rapid cycling and more fruition. This is as good definition as any but especially good because it is not unattainable like some other definitions.
In this case the way things are seen depends on current Nana, so stage of process of insight and they kinda go in circles on few levels so there is like many ways with different ways perception work, some better (eg. A&P and EQ) and some worse (eg. 3C, DN).
This rapid cycling may be distracting at first but then it kinda becomes the norm and especially when practice is made less intense (eg. you stop doing anything completely emoticon ) then it just slow down to almost a halt, though it still takes a lot of time.
This fruition is more useful when it is learned how it works and how to do it without cycles of insight going to the end but that is much higher skill/understanding level than just having it from time to time. I would even say that to satisfy "one does not enter animal, hungry ghosts and hell realms" this is the proper level to start talking about 1-st path.

And then you have other events with different changes and effects that some people experience but which are not related to fruition/cessation. People claim different paths with these with no general consensus on these things. Kinda separate stuff, kinda not really separate, kinda unrelated but at the same time very relevant. Chaos.

Then you have models like what I like to use where each path/bhumi is Stream Entry and just bar goes higher and higher. In fact I strongly believe that true Stream Entry is equal to attaining full Buddhahood. "Getting used" to this kind of SE is one path later after attaining Buddhahood and it does take some time. The "wow" of it never fades though. It also never fades for the so called "fruition" so for let's say lesser stream that you can enter.

As for lesser paths, I would say there is not so much to get used to. These other effects which bring some changes which are not really paths are what require getting used to. They might happen when meditating/practicing and might make impression they are needed or have anything to do with enlightenment when in reality they are just side effects and should not be taken too seriously. Of course all such mind states should be investigated, how they work, what they allows, what are the limitations and how they came to be and how to go out of them to other mind states, including something more normal. BTW. Cycles of insight/Nanas are such irrelevant mind states.
Tim Farrington, modified 3 Years ago at 2/25/21 2:21 AM
Created 3 Years ago at 2/25/21 2:20 AM

RE: Life after Stream Entry

Posts: 2464 Join Date: 6/13/11 Recent Posts
Hi! This is my first post here. After looking around this seemed like the best place to ask these questions about life after stream entry.

How weird is life after Stream Entry? Does the joy of seeing everything arising and passing away settles at some point or you get used to it somehow? Do events like perceiving everything to stop for a moment fade eventually, or you stop paying attention to them as they become the new "normal"? Or maybe this kind of things increase in frecuency as time passes.

I would thank anyone who cares to share their personal experience about this, or even your theories.

Hola, Rene, y bienvenido a DhO!

I can't tell whether you are asking about stream entry because you're wondering if the weirdness of your life right now is post-stream-entry weirdness, or if you're trying to prepare for it, or what. What is your current practice? And I'd be very interested in your story, how in the world you got yourself to a place like this, asking about a thing like that. I guess I'm saying I would thank you if you care to share your personal experience about this, or even your theories, lol.

Again, welcome! It takes courage to jump in, and I'm glad you did. I hope you find this sangha helpful and supportive.

Breadcrumb