1) My first question is this: given where I've been how should I best practice to attain stream entry? Assuming I am correct in my diagnosis is it feasible to start ramping up my practice in the week or two leading up to retreat (say three plus hours a day) and achieve stream entry in the initial ten day retreat? If I fail, how should I best keep whatever progress I've made alive and sustained during the service period so I can get the most out of the next ten day retreat period?
Just continued practice at all times. Don't let the craving for stream entry over power you. Note it and move on. Have your resolution there but also balance it wth wisdom. Be aware of everything that is experienced including the sensations of "I". Momentum is the key. Sayagi U Ba Khin had a quote, he said getting up to equanimity of formations, falling back down, cycling back up, falling back down...was all like swinging on a rope to get across a river. You have to keep swinging back and forth, each time gaining some more height until you have enough to let go and reach the other side. That is what you are doing. Just swinging back and forth. Let the process get you there. Dont crave it! Note the craving and keep swinging, noting either with bare attention of sensations and other phenomena or noting them mentally mahasi style. I found noting them mahasi style objectifies them much easier and progress was faster for myself. But if you have a problem with that, just make sure you are aware of EVERYTHING that makes up the experience of "I"...I mean everything, even the subtlest and hard to spot states of mind, like anticipation, boredom, space, confusion etc Note them all. Objectify them all with awareness of the three characteristics.
2) I am worried that I might have just passed into A&P and not actually made it to Equanimity. What is the best way to differentiate between the two?
Read the chapter on A/P over and over in Daniel's book and keep meditating. If it was the A/P stage, dukkha nanas are on its heels so no mistaking where you were. If it was equanimity, just keep meditating making sure everything that is experienced is seen with equanimity and objectified, whether you do it via the goenka method or mahasi's noting. The advice for both stages is KEEP PRACTICING. You will eventually get a feel for both stages.
3) This is expressly forbidden in the 'Rulebook for Servers'. Should I sneak in 'illegal dharma' to consume during the serving periods?
You can either be truthful about what you do and probably get asked to leave or keep it to yourself and just do what you need to do. It's your moral dilemma to solve. I didnt let it bother me and I still got across the line.
4) Again, this is a Goenka retreat. Should I continue to body-scan (the given technique) or should I start Mahashi style noting? Many members here have remarked that body-scanning is an excellent way to adhieve A&P but may not be as effective at achieving stream entry. Any thoughts on this?
I found a combination of both was extremely powerful. The sweeping method got me to at least mid equanimity but I never knew what to do in it and got bored and fell back down in reobservation. Once I got to equanimity of formations I was noting every phenomena experienced, mental and physical as fast as I could including the mental images and sensations that made up the "I".
5) Lastly does anyone have any general advice for what I'm trying to do, perhaps particularly geared towards a Goenka retreat? I see a lot of advice on ten day retreats but not much for longer-term stays at a Goenka center. Does anyone have experience with this?
Keep practicing as much as you can to keep the momentum going. Noting can be taken anywhere. Sweeping the body is difficult when doing other things. Get your concentration skills up. They seemed to be key in getting stream entry quickly. I started using kasinas a year before the course. But seeing as you are going to be living there, use the anapana method to get you into jhana territory if possible or just to strengthen it as much as possible. If you dont get jhana, it doesnt really matter, once you get 1st path they can become extremely easy to access. Note everything when sitting. I mean even the sensations and mental images that make up the "I". Become aware that the sum of these sensations and images blip in and out of any bare sensate experience creating the illusion of "I". When you can see this, you are then able to objectify the "I" and see it for what it really is, an impermanent flow of sensations and mental images. You can't get rid of those sensations that make up the "I", they will arise regardless. The goal is to see them for what they really are...just sensations. Objectify the "I"!!!
Hope this helps.
Nick
