I'd like to start a new sanbox thread here.  The concept is that of using the DhO as a "sandbox" (credit to CJMacie for that term) to play with ideas and experiences, rather than trying to set things in stone, be overly formal/traditional, etc.

I'll try to keep it leaner than my old one, as has been my approach to posting as of late.  The underlying premise here is that playing with ideas is actually an element of spiritual practice.  To me this deals with at least two faculties of the mind: the imaginative and the intentional, amongst others.

An Integrated Map

Background: The purpose of this map is to reconcile different training experiences I have had on the path.  Specifically, I worked with a Vipassana teacher for about 2 years before he "graduated" me from his system, which used perceptual criteria to assess progress along the Wisdom axis.  After inquiring with him about further progress, he referred me to an advanced Mahaudra student who presented further stages along the Wisdom axis (this was backed up by contact with 2 other Mahamudra practitioners).  I have also been studying with a teacher from the Thai Forest Tradition who follows the 10 Fetter Model by measuring behavioral and emotional conditioning more so than perception.  

Explanation of Wisdom Axis: The unconditioned or Nirvana, lies beneath a finite strata of mind, which are experienced as we habitually interrupt mind patterns and drill down into the strata.  This interruption causes various displays to occur, dependent upon which level one is experiencing (i.e. the nanas and jhanas).  The unconditioned is always a non-experience.  

However, it leaves an imprint on the mind.  The quality and quantity of these contacts deepen this imprint over time.  The first two, major contacts cause positive side effects but do not establish continuous, peripheral contact.  These are Technical 1st and 2nd Path aka MCTB 1st and 2nd Path.  .

Then a deepening occurs through the recognition of mind-patterns, or displays, in increasingly intricate ways (nana-fractals/cycle-fractals).  This phase of imprinting allows the mind to peripherally sense the unconditioned all the time (Technical 3rd and 4th Path aka MCTB 2.25 and 2.5).  

In the beginning phases, the imprinting process occurs across all mind functions.  Later on, the functions begin to be transformed separately.  These can be thought of as doors opening up inside.  The first, major door to be permanently opened is usually the one which pertains to the movement of attention itself, aka The Thought Door.  The opening of the thought door is synonymous with Technical 4th Path, and produces a feeling of “doneness” because it naturally solves every investigation in the process of investigating itself.

When all the major doors are open, this is MCTB 3rd Path, aka Nondual Awareness in Mahamudra.

Despite the mind functions having been fully imprinted upon by the unconditioned, there is still conditioned duality in the way they relate or resonate with each other (not subject - object, but between different subjective processes).   The dissolution of the walls between them through a more subtle imprinting process creates one, vast container of awareness, called Awakened Awareness in Mahamudra, aka MCTB 4th Path.  

Awakened Awareness is total, nondual perception whose intensity can fluctuate throughout the day.  Trekcho is used to foster Groundless Ground, which is when nondual perception is not only complete, but also constant.


I can not even theorize about what happense after this, but I do understand that there is a general layout, which includes Thogal visions, other powersy/energetic work, and some sort of Karmic exhaustion.


**Credit to Dream Walker and others for the meat of the ideas here, credit the weak parts to me**


Explanation of 10 Fetter Axis:  The horizontal axis measures Morality training, going from the worst possible Sila to the best.  The 10 Fetter Model is a diagonal axis, involving a measurement of the synergy between Wisdom (perceptual attainments) and Morality.  There are 3 main elements to the 10 Fetter Axis: 1) the preconditioning of individual characteristics, 2) the input of meditation techniques, 3) the output of positive side effects from perceptual shifts.  All three of these elements feed into each other.  

Morality can be thought of as a scaffolding: while the main building is being vertically constructed, a temporary wooden structure is created alongside it horizontally to add materials on top.  Without the scaffolding, the structure could not get taller.  Without the structure, the scaffolding would have nothing to lean on for support.  


For example, one might get positive habits, which lower stress and increase energy for meditation.  This causes the next perceptual shift, which in turn affects mental talk and emotional fluidity, causing the development of better habits, etc.  The result is the global increase in happiness and functioning that leads to an actual reduction or uprooting of fetters.  This can not be achieved with just Morality or Wisdom alone, although it is possible to advance along either axis independently.  


In general, the 10 Fetters are the same in every human being.  However, they manifest differently in everyone.  Therefore, they are to be worked on in whatever order makes sense for a given person.  Thus the Sutta definitions of specific fetters being uprooted at specific stages may be more symbolic than literal, in nature.  Also, each fetter has multiple layers or ways that it expresses.  Uprooting the fetter of doubt, for instance, could manifest both faith in the Dhamma (the commonly mentioned aspect), and conventional egoic confidence (less commonly attributed).  

Classifying Meditation States

Any meditation state can be classified best on the following criteria:
     1) Disembedded/Vipassana/Nana vs Embedded /Samatha/Jhana
     2) Hard vs Soft 
     3) Stratum of mind/ Level of jhana or nana

They can be thought of as compatible x, y and z axis'.  Thus any state could be plotted on this 3D graph.  This idea could also encompass the different types of Jhana (i.e. Ayya Khema's version vs Pa-Auk's version or Culadasa's 3 types in The Mind Illuminated).  In this case, 1st Jhana in each type might be the same x and y value, but vary hugely in terms of z.  

The Imaginative Faculty

I love this talk by Hokai Sobol (http://www.hokai.info/2015/08/notes-to-imaging-buddha/), in which he discusses the often overlooked, but important role imagination has to play in Buddhism.  I have longed searched for a way to explain how I have found law-of-attraction practices to speed up my insight progress.  Unfortunately, law-of-attraction gets bad press through its association with new-age unrealism.  What I am talking about is something very technical and specific, called the Spiritual Mind Treatment (http://www.cslsr.org/about-us/what-we-believe/67-about-us/what-we-believe/1150-five-steps-of-spiritual-mind-treatment).  Other examples of imaginative methods would include Michael Beckwith's Visioning process (http://www.cslsg.org/Visioning%20Manual.pdf), Christian prayer, Chaos Magick (http://ultraculture.org/blog/2015/01/12/psychonaut-field-manual-cartoon-guide-chaos-magick/) or other Western Esotericism, Tibetan Guru Yoga, amongst others.

The reason any of this has to do with 'imagination' is because it involves believing that you can do it, and having some sense of how it might be to experience the next stage of your journey.  Creativity comes in with how one has that sense, as it could be through any sense door theoretically.  'Intention' also comes into play via the goal orientation.  Finally 'devotion' is also involved because you have to be willing to surrender to a force more powerful than yourself (secular folks can call this a deeper part of their own mind).  

Most people in pragmatic dharma understand the amount of high-quality, high-quantity effort necessary.  But they do not necessarily understand how to use the imaginative faculty.  Getting past self-defeating storylines via active methods is probably more effective than doing only choiceless awareness on these insecurities.  It is about learning how to trust the process of your mind, but also nudging that process along by actively providing hints to your subconscious.