21 – THE THREE CHARACTERISTICS – 3rd Insight Stage

The three characteristics of

impermanence, unsatisfactoriness, and no-self become predominant,

which is good, as these are the basis for insight,

except this stage is one of the hard ones and can really throw people.

It becomes more obvious that all the constituents of our experience

are quickly arising and passing, somewhat jarring, and

not particularly in our control or to be identified with as “me”.

Further,

as these sensations are all observed,

including the crude mental impression that follows them (“consciousness”),

it becomes clear

the whole of the mind and body process is not a separate self;

it is merely a part of the interdependent world.

~~~

These characteristics become clearer and clearer, as well as faster and faster,

as the meditator diligently pays careful attention to

exactly what is happening at each moment.

For those doing noting practice,

at this stage your speed and precision may get so fast

that you cannot note every sensation you experience.

Move to more general noting, monosyllabic noting

(such as “bip” for each sensation experienced regardless of what it was),

or

drop the noting entirely and

stay with noticing bare sensation come and go.

If one is noting,

then dropping noting during this stage will allow some to get much faster,

but others will get sloppy, so watch for this,

particularly around unpleasant sensations,

and start noting again if you start to stagnate or regress.

At this stage,

practice really begins to take off even though

this stage tends to be physically unpleasant, with what is called “hard pain”

being a classic hallmark of this stage.

This stage can also cause many dark emotions

and a sense of wanting to renounce the world

and do only more practice.

As the mind gains speed at seeing each of the sensations of the mind and body come and go,

the jerkiness from Cause and Effect

can become very quick and pronounced.

These physical movements and spasms seem to help break up the physical tension

that may sometimes accompany this stage,

and are a sign of progress and should be allowed if possible.

as meditation begins to take on a life of its own,

we enter the second vipassana jhana…

Arising and Passing Away

This article was Inspired by

Buddha’s step by step instructions to obtain Enlightenment

as refined by The Arahant Daneil M. Ingram.

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