Daniel Ingram - Mastering the Core Teachings of Buddha - An Unusually Hardcore Dharma Book

more durable this effect will be. Thus, I would not recommend attaining this immediately before entering into situations that require high-speed decisions or actions. The texts say that one inclines to solitude or quiet after attaining this state, and in general I agree.

I mention this attainment because it is one more of those things that is found today but has often been relegated to the realm of myth and legend or has been forgotten entirely. It is not that Nirodha is necessary, but it definitely is a good and useful thing to be able to attain. In fact, I have not yet spoken with anyone who had attained it who didn’t consider it among the absolute King Daddy of meditation attainments other than arahatship, as the depth of its afterglow never fails to impress and amaze. Hopefully, mentioning it will raise the standard to which people feel they can reasonably aspire, which is basically the whole goal of this book.

One more little morsel for you brave adventurers… I have noticed that the easiest time to attain Nirodha is usually a few weeks after attaining a path, when the vipassana jhana aspect of the progress of insight is becoming clear and a nice degree of mastery has been attained in that Review phase. However, it has this nice/nasty habit of helping to precipitate a new progress cycle, as the level of clarity gained in its wake is impressive. Thus, one may go from the best highs of a Review phase and Nirodha’s glorious afterglow to the 3rd ñana, A&P and the Dark Night quickly. In fact, this seems to be a very natural part of many cycles of anagamis who also know the samatha jhanas and formless realms.

Best of luck and practice well,

Daniel

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Index

INDEX

1.A&P Event..........................................238

of the unfinished operation..............201

as minimum attainment for teaching

the boulder and the hill......................69

....................................................344

anaolgy.........................................................

difficulty obtaining Fruition after.....255

of Agean Stables...............................126

mimicking enlightenment................248

angels...........................................................

sorting out from Fruition.................240

visions of..........................................145

A&P/A&P Event....................................179

anger......................................................120

abandonment...............................................

compassion in..................................121

of altered states...................................12

arahat.....................................219, 329, 353

of morality..........................................12

arahat...........................................................

absorption..............................................133

and ego.............................................276

acceptance....................................................

below buddhahood..........................329

exploration with.................................21

master of ultimate............................331

access concentration..........................9, 139

revised model...................................282

foundation of insight practices.........171

taking bochisattva vows....................331

near enemy of first jhana..................141

traditional definition.........................274

Achaan Chah...............................................

two types...........................................283

on arahats.........................................341

Wisdom Eye....................................282

advanced practitioner..................................

arahats..........................................................

example of practice..................129, 130

knowing the Three Kayas................308

afterglow.......................................................

limited action models.......................285

of enlightenment..............................213

still think...........................................309

aftershocks...................................................

technically enlightened.....................288

of Fruition........................................212

vs. buddhas.......................................330

agendas......................................................3

which bhumi?...................................330

for Morality..........................................6

arahatship.....................................................

altered states............................9, 13, 52, 53

defilements and................................275

abandonment of.................................12

arrogance.....................................................

insights beyond...................................12

and ego.............................................275

ordinary practice and.......................116

as map side effect.............................170

severe...............................................115

of arahats..........................................275

sleep deprivation and.......................115

of the Mahayana...............................218

anagami........................................................

ascetics.........................................................

anagami............................................274

neurotic..............................................62

mature..............................................281

astral plane.............................................148

analogy.........................................................

attachment...............................................62

of a racecar driver..............................22

and suffering door............................242

of confetti...........................................24

seeing clearly....................................197

of Damnitall.....................................232

to rights and rituals.............................96

of dog chasing own tail.......................63

attention.......................................................

of horse trainer...................................42

focus of...................................................

of Shootin' Aliens...............................42

in 8th jhana

of the candle.....................................315

..................................................

of the cart...........................................34

163

of the Ferrari....................................237

in first jhana

of the hill (and fractals)....................225

..................................................

of the stinking drunk........................201

140

of the toothless dog..........................195

of the two waves...............................309

Index

in fourth jhana

in the Dark Night.............................201

..................................................

blinking..................................................208

143

bliss..............................................................

in the 7th jhana

of third jhana....................................142

..................................................

vs. insight..........................................111

162

Bliss Models..........................................307

in second jhana

bliss-junkie...................................................