I have had difficulty understanding the progress of insight until now when I have I found Ron Couch's web site. I posted about it in another thread but am creating a thread for it because I think it deserves one. I find searching the forums difficult but I was unable to find a simlar thread but there may be one. Anyway here is my post from the other thread.


https://www.dharmaoverground.org/discussion/-/message_boards/message/21614790#_19_message_21614790

I'm glad you found a way to access the old pages, those are very good, aren't they? I was going to link to those, but like you said, the links were dead (or maybe the links were corrupted by some malware -- my virus checker was giving me a warning). 

Since you like Ron's stuff, you would also like Kenneth Folk's "Contemplative Fitness" writings which are also somewhere on the net. 

Now here's a fun fact: Ron Crouch, Chris Marti, and Shargrol all hung out together in Chicago and we all worked with Kenneth Folk for part of our practice history. Ahh, memories! 

I also found Ron Crouch's text on the stages of insight tremendously informative – probably the single text among the many hundred pages on this subject that I have read that made most sense to me. Luckily it has been preserved in pdf-format (together with Kenneth Folk's excellent take on the same subjekt). Other good stuff can be found there as well:

https://atrahhdis.github.io/

Is there anything that explains 2nd, 3rd, 4th paths? I am not clear on why the stages repeat multiple times. Is there anything on-line that explains that?

Thanks

https://www.mctb.org/mctb2/table-of-contents/part-iv-insight/36-beyond-first-path-what-next/


https://shargrolpostscompilation.blogspot.com/p/blog-page.html   (see middle and higher paths section)

Is there a name it for when you combine high equanimity vibrations with jhana meditation?

there might be an answer, say more. how are you characterizing high equanimity vibrations (versus vibrations in other nanas) and how are you characterizing jhana meditation in this question.

My question was hypothetical. What might be the answer?

Thanks for posting these. Reading these descriptions of the path from various practicioners is always comforting in reminding me that I am not crazy.

Just FYI, I checked this morning, and the links you posted are included in the Ron Crouch PDF from the https://atrahhdis.github.io/ link that Niels posted. You can download it as an ebook or pdf if you'd rather not rely on the wayback machine. Really great stuff.

Well, my hunch was that you were asking a bullshit question, honestly.

Don't waste people's time, okay?

I'm sorry you feel that way. I had a reason I didn't want to make the question personal. 

Seriously.

Don't. waste. people's. time.

Especially Shargrol's.

samathayanika:

https://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/gunaratana/wheel351.html

There is a diagram showing parallel paths of samatha jhanas and stages of insight. I suppose for some people, it might work well for them to cross over at some point from one to the other.


http://static1.squarespace.com/static/5037f52d84ae1e87f694cfda/t/506fcc5c84aefb9a79a610b3/1349504092518/Pathways.jpg

Jim, Daniel talks about and explains that diagram in detail in this video:


https://vimeo.com/69475208

Yes, Jim, investigating the jhanas is a valid path. It might involve letting go of one's view of them. Do you think you're prepared to do that?

Not to toot my own ego horn too much, but here is my take on paths -

A Framework of Awakening

https://www.dharmaoverground.org/discussion/-/message_boards/message/5800908

It is a work in progress.....
~D