Vimuttidhamma: From Chakra to Dhammachakra Piyadhassi Bhikkhu

[Tibetan_Ice]

Quite an interesting perspective on marrying the kundalini with the Theravada jhanas.

 

http://vimuttidhamma.org/Vimuttidhamma%20From%20Chakra%20to%20Dhammachakra%20by%20Piyadhassi%20Bhikkhu.pdf

 

Here are some excerpts from that book.

Celestial state

“Pray, Master Gotama, of what sort is that high, broad couch celestial which the worthy Gotama gets here and now as he pleases without toil and trouble?’

“In this case, Brahmin, when I am living dependent on a certain village or suburb, I get myself robed in the forenoon, and taking bowl and outer robe I enter that village or suburb to beg. When I return from my alms-round and have eaten my meal, I make for the edge of a forest. There I gather together whatever grasses or leaves there are into one place and sit down cross-legged, holding my body straight and setting mindfulness in front of me. Thus aloof from sense-desires, aloof from unprofitable states of mind, I enter on the first [jhāna]... second [jhāna]... third [jhāna]... fourth [jhāna], free of pain and free of pleasure, a state of perfect purity of balance and equanimity.

“Now, Brahmin, when I have reached such a state, if I walk up and down, at such time my walking is to me celestial. If I stand, at such time my standing is to me celestial. If I sit, my sitting is to me celestial. If I lie down, celestial is the high, broad couch I lie on. That, Brahmin, is what I mean when I speak of the high, broad couch celestial which I get as I please without toil and trouble.”36

 

Power over the Mind

“Monks, endowed with seven things, a monk makes the mind turn according to his wish and turns not by the mind’s wish.What seven?

“Herein, monks, a monk is skilled in concentration, skilled in attaining it, skilled in maintaining it, skilled in emerging from it, skilled in the well-being of it, skilled in the range of it, skilled in applying it.

“Verily, monks, endowed with these seven things a monk makes the mind turn according to his wish and turns not by the mind’s wish.”37

 

Wisdom generated from Concentration

“Wise and mindful, you should develop immeasurable concentration.38 When, wise and mindful, one has developed immeasurable concentration, five realizations arise right within one’s self. Which five?

“The realization arises right within oneself that ‘This concentration is blissful in the present and will result in bliss in the future.’

“The realization arises right within oneself that ‘This concentration is noble and not connected with the baits of the flesh.’

“The realization arises right within oneself that ‘This concentration is not obtained by base people.’

“The realization arises right within oneself that ‘This concentration is peaceful, exquisite, the acquiring of serenity, the attainment of unity, not kept in place by the fabrications of forceful restraint.’

 

...

 

The awakening of kuṇḍalinī. At the bottom of the spinal cord, a mass of energy emerges. Warmth from this energy gradually permeates throughout the body. One can clearly feel the rising bodily temperature. This energy is kuṇḍalinī. Finally, it is awakened!

 

Svādhistāna and access concentration.

Though the breath becomes very subtle, the one-pointedness of mind can still feel it and can clearly sense the in and out movement of the breath. The mind moves from mūladhāra up to the heart and then down to svādhistāna.

 

The movement of kuṇḍalinī.

The mind moves from the heart down to svādhistāna. The whole body (specifically the trunk and neck) suddenly straightens automatically. Kuṇḍalinī energy moves from mūladhāra up to svādhistāna through the middle channel (suṣumṇa nāḍī).

The breath becomes more and more refined, the shining light brighter and brighter. The one-pointedness increases, predominating the mind and fixing it firmly at svādhistāna.

 

The level of one-pointedness in access concentration is about 90% of that of absorption concentration.

 

 

Edited May 1, 2016 by Tibetan_Ice

[Tibetan_Ice]

More from the same book:

 

The mind in this state is unwavering, very firm yet relaxed, and remains neutral to any rising-falling phenomena. This is the wisdom at the level of saṅkhārupekkhā ñāṇa (“equanimity towards all formations” - see p. 121 above). One should enhance it, develop it and turn it into an instrument for observing the endless series of rising and falling patterns. This is the mental state leading to enlightenment.

The rising-falling waves emerge one after another and the mind moves into the path of absorption concentration (appanājavanavithī) of the first jhāna. In the first jhāna, the one-pointedness of mind arises and remains for a period of time. Then the mind moves on to observe the rising-falling occurrence of the sixteen mental concomitants that co-arise with the first jhāna

 

Gee, neutrally watching the rising and falling of mental events sure sounds like the main Dzogchen practice to me..

resting in the natural state, letting what comes come, not grasping or pushing away... Neutral..

[Tibetan_Ice]

http://www.dhammawheel.com/viewtopic.php?t=10479

 

Actually, it is a very good book. The reference to kundalini is more incidental than the main theme. The book walks through the basics, like the four noble truths, the noble eight fold path, the jhanas and ends with two chapters of the personal events during the final stages before enlightenment.

[Tibetan_Ice]

From that book:

Major Dhamma

the one thing

“There is, Ānanda, one thing which, when developed and cultivated, fulfills four things; and four things which, when developed and cultivated, fulfill seven things; and seven things which, when developed and cultivated, fulfill two things.

“Concentration by mindfulness of breathing, Ānanda, is the one thing which, when developed and cultivated, fulfills the four establishments of mindfulness. The four establishments of mindfulness, when developed and cultivated, fulfill the seven factors of enlightenment. The seven factors of enlightenment, when developed and cultivated, fulfill true knowledge and liberation.”131

“Therefore, if a monk wishes ‘May I enters and dwell in the first...,second...third...and fourth jhāna... if a monk wishes ‘May I completely transcend the [realm of boundless] space... the [realm of boundless] consciousness...the realm of nothingness... enter and dwell in the realm of neither-perception-nor-non- perception...then completely transcend it, this same concentration by mindfulness of breathing should be closely attended to.”132

 

Mindfulness of breathing

Highly acclaimed by the buddha

 

“Monks, this concentration by mindfulness of breathing, when developed and cultivated, is peaceful and sublime, an ambrosial pleasant dwelling, and it disperses and quells right on the spot evil unwholesome states whenever they arise.

“Just as, monks, in the last month of the hot season, when a mass of dust and dirt has swirled up, a great rain cloud out of season disperses it and quells it on the spot, so too concentration by mindfulness of breathing, when developed and cultivated, is peaceful and sublime, an ambrosial pleasant dwelling, and it disperses and quells on the spot evil unwholesome states whenever they arise.”133

 

“If anyone, monks, speaking rightly could say of anything: ‘It is a noble dwelling, a divine dwelling, the Tathāgata’s dwelling,’ it is of concentration by mindfulness of breathing that one could rightly say this.

 

“Monks, those monks who are trainees, who have not attained their mind’s ideal, who dwell aspiring for the unsurpassed security from bondage: for them concentration by mindfulness of breathing, when developed and cultivated, leads to the destruction of the taints. Those monks who are arahants, whose taints are destroyed, who have lived the holy life, done what had to be done, laid down the burden, reached their own goal, utterly destroyed the fetters of existence, those completely liberated through final knowledge: for them concentration by mindfulness of breathing, when developed and cultivated, leads to a pleasant dwelling in this very life and to mindfulness and clear comprehension.”134

 

...

 

Rāhula, that is how mindfulness of breathing is developed and cultivated,

so that it is of great fruit and great benefit.

When mindfulness of breathing

is developed and cultivated in this way,

even the final in-breaths and out-breaths are known as they cease, not unknown.

 

 

Edited May 10, 2016 by Tibetan_Ice