Joshua L.:
1. How do you know you're cycling, is it that obvious?
For me it was. Depends on the individual and their sensitivity to the qualities of the nanas, as well as their concentration, etc.
Joshua L.:
2. What's up exactly with hitting a new attainment in terms of progressing through the nanas? I haven't paid enough attention to it before but it seems that after you hit fruition you start from stratch? That doesn't make much sense, wouldn't one have mastery over at least the first two jhanas and in no time hit fruition after fruition, each progressively faster? Yet the opposite is true, they all become more and more difficult..
This is a complicated issue and I'm not actually sure what the case is.
Reckoned by the progress of insight, after you hit fruition you start from A&P.
Reckoned by jhana, after you hit fruition you start from 1st jhana.
Why the discrepancy? I'm not sure; I think that "starting from A&P" is only apparent (one has skin tingles and other A&P experiences, but this is not A&P, just a permanent effect of having attained a path), and one actually starts at Mind and Body. But that's just a quick theory, and I would be interested in hearing what others think, from their own experiences.
Although one restarts in terms of their place in the progress of insight / jhana, one need not lose any concentration, and so (if one continues to build concentration) there can be an increase in momentum over time...though, I have never experienced anything like what you're suggesting (fruition after fruition due solely to momentum).
