Hi all,

What are your experiences on the best ways to schedule samatha and vipassana?

As far as I can see, there are at least four possibilities -
1) Do them both equally, e.g. an hour of each every day
2) Dedicate a block of some days/weeks/months to concentration, then a block to insight, and alternate like that
3) Keep them both on the go, but shift emphasis, e.g. do 80% concentration, 20% insight for a while, then when your insight needs more work, shift to 70% insight, 30% concentration, or any other combination.

Is there any generally accepted advice on how to schedule the two? How do they work it in monasteries?

Namaste,
Conor

4) Do them both at the same time.

Listen to "The Breath as a Vehicle for Liberation" for one approach among many.

One thing to keep in mind is that you get access to the first eight jhanas (in case you didn't have them before) during the review ñana just after the first path and easy access to much stronger and clearer jhanas after getting second path. One efficient option is to do 100% vipassana to get the first and then second path and then spend a lot of time getting good at samatha, which should be easier at that point. It's really a matter of whether or not you enjoy that approach.

Also, practicing nothing but samatha during the equanimity ñana can be fun and useful. I tend to do it as a kasina practice rather than focusing on the breath.

[quote=Conor O'Higgins]Hi all,

What are your experiences on the best ways to schedule samatha and vipassana?

As far as I can see, there are at least four possibilities -
1) Do them both equally, e.g. an hour of each every day
2) Dedicate a block of some days/weeks/months to concentration, then a block to insight, and alternate like that
3) Keep them both on the go, but shift emphasis, e.g. do 80% concentration, 20% insight for a while, then when your insight needs more work, shift to 70% insight, 30% concentration, or any other combination.

Is there any generally accepted advice on how to schedule the two? How do they work it in monasteries?

Namaste,
Conor

There's some general confusion here, because "samatha" does not mean "concentration", it means "calm" or "tranquility". You're not going to get very far in any meditation - including vipassana - if you can't calm the mind down sufficiently.

Same goes for concentration, though concentration tends to arise and improve naturally as you're working on vipassana. It's not a simple either/or. They work together organically.

My recommendation is to put all your energy into vipassana, like the Mahasi noting practice or Kenneth's first gear practice. If you practice that diligently and follow the instructions to a T, all the other factors of enlightenment, including tranquility and concentration, will join the party on their own without having to set any time aside specifically for them. I know this, because I've done it, and I've seen the same thing play out for countless other yogis.

Good luck.

Ok, now I'm confused. You're telling me I should do insight to help concentration, but lots of people say that you need the stabilization from concentration to make your insight practise work.

I can see how these can both be true, but I'm not sure of the implications for practise.

[quote=Conor O'Higgins]Ok, now I'm confused. You're telling me I should do insight to help concentration, but lots of people say that you need the stabilization from concentration to make your insight practise work.

I can see how these can both be true, but I'm not sure of the implications for practise.
Feel free to correct me if I'm wrong, but...

From what I understand, all you need in order to start the insight practices is to achieve the first concentration jhana. Once you learn to stabilize your mind a bit, then you can use that as a "base" to investigate the nature of experiences.

When they say "do both", it's that you are, of course, working on upping your concentration as you do noting practices... and, from my own experiences, the boundaries that separate the two are not always that clear. But if you are noting your butt off, then chances are you are doing insight practices properly. And if you have the concentration to do so and stay on the sensate level, then you shouldn't worry too much about the other details. The concentration jhanas should all fall into place naturally as you progress.

Does that make sense?

[quote=Conor O'Higgins]Ok, now I'm confused. You're telling me I should do insight to help concentration, but lots of people say that you need the stabilization from concentration to make your insight practise work.

I can see how these can both be true, but I'm not sure of the implications for practise.

There are different schools of thought on this subject, admittedly, but what you will find is that there are a goodly number of folks here who have made significant progress through the stages of insight WITHOUT having previously mastered the jhanas. It just isn't necessary.

Daniel has stated that what you need to start vipassana is to get into 1st vipassana jhana territory, which isn't as hardcore as the super absorbed concentration 1st jhana [seeing the nimitta, becoming absorbed into it, getting the bliss, etc.].

Kenneth Folk has stated that all you really need to so is be able to count the breath 1-10 without losing track 3 times in a row, and you are already in first vipassana jhana territory and therefore ready to start vipassana.

Daniel has stated in similar themed posts that he realizes that there has been some confusion on this subject based on his statement in MCToB that you need first jhana to start vipassana, or something like that, but he meant vipassana jhana and plans to clarify this in his follow up MCToB 2, or Remastering the Core Teachings of thee Buddha.

Yes, if you can quiet the mind and focus to a reasonable degree, then vipassana practice itself develops concentration. For instance, when you start to notice subtle sensations, you can focus on them and try to see their nuances, and by doing this and focusing really hard, you build your concentration. If you are able to notice 1 sensation, try simultaneously noticing 2, and then 3, and then 4, etc, and then whole bunches at a time. Eventually, via the process of vipassana, you deepen you concentration.

My advice to you? Start doing vipassana