jcsuperstar wrote:in one of her books ive read she seems to take a swipe a the mahasi method, something to the effect of directing attention at the abdomen isn't mindfulness of breathing or something like that.
Here are some quotes.
Buddhism in Daily Life
http://www.zolag.co.uk/bdlfinal.pdf" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
It is extremely difficult to be mindful of breath in the right way
so that there can be true calm, freedom from lobha, dosa and
moha. It may happen that one takes for breath what is not breath,
the rúpa conditioned by citta. Some people follow the movement
of the abdomen and they erroneously take this for mindfulness of
breath. If one has no accumulations for mindfulness of breath,
one should not force oneself to take up this subject. There are
many other subjects of meditation which can condition calm.
This is not actually a criticism of Mahasi meditation, since the Mahasi school does not classify observing abdominal motion and sensations to be "mindfulness of breathing".
See here:
http://www.dhammawheel.com/viewtopic.ph ... 311#p18145" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
U Pandita wrote:It has been said that by noting the rising and falling of the abdomen, meditators are distancing themselves from the teachings of the Buddha. The answer to this is a firm and definite “no.” Quite apart from the success that meditators have achieved by noting rising-falling, there is much solid evidence in the Buddhist scriptures, such as Salāyatana Vagga Samyutta, to show that the method is very much a part of the Buddha’s teachings regarding mindfulness of the body, mindfulness of the elements (dhātu), and mindfulness of the five aggregates (khandhas).
Further on there is this answer to a question, where her interpretation seems completely standard (and, of course, compatible with the Mahasi school):
Question: I heard of people who concentrate on the movement
of the abdomen. They say that sometimes there is awareness of
the arising and falling of rúpa and sometimes there is awareness
of the knowing of the arising and falling of rúpa. Is this the right
way of developing awareness?
Nina: What we call abdomen is in reality many different kinds
of rúpa. Sati can be aware of only one characteristic of rúpa at a
time. For example, through the bodysense we can experience the
characteristics of hardness, softness, heat, cold, motion and pressure,
but we can experience only one of these characteristics at a
time.
Here is more about mindfulness of breathing:
http://www.zolag.co.uk/bpath.rtf" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
We cling to breath since our life depends on it. Breathing stops when our life comes to an end. When this subject is developed in the right way, it has to be known when there is clinging to breath or to calm; it has to be known when there is akusala citta and when kusala citta. Otherwise it is impossible to develop calm with this subject. It is difficult to know the characteristic of breath, one may easily take for breath what is not breath. Following the movement of the abdomen is not mindfulness of breathing. Some people do breathing exercises for the sake of relaxation. While one concentrates on one’s breathing, one cannot think of one’s worries at the same time and then one feels more relaxed. This is not mindfulness of breathing, which has as its aim the temporary release from clinging. Mindfulness of breathing is extremely difficult and if one develops it in the wrong way, there is wrong concentration, there is no development of wholesomeness. For the development of this subject one has to lead a secluded life and many conditions have to be fulfilled.
Here is some more about vipassana, with some key points hightlighted.
Buddhism in Daily Life
http://www.zolag.co.uk/bdlc.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
Question: So, seeing things as they are is the practice of vipassana, insight. Most people think that it is a complicated form of meditation which can be learnt only in a meditation centre. That is the reason why most people will not even try it. But from our conversation it appears that vipassana is seeing the things of our daily life as they are. Do you find that one has to have much theoretical knowledge before one starts the practice of vipassana?
Nina: The word meditation frightens many people; they think that it must be very complicated. But in reality one does not have to do anything special. If one wants to develop vipassana one needs some theoretical knowledge. One does not have to know about all physical elements and mental elements in detail, but one should know that the body is made up of physical elements and that these are different from mental elements. There are many different physical elements and these elements are continually changing. One should know that there are many different mental elements: one citta arises and falls away, then the next citta arises and falls away. Cittas arise and fall away successively, one at a time. Seeing is one citta, hearing is another citta, thinking is again another citta, they are all different cittas.
Developing vipassana does not mean that one has to be aware of all those different elements at each moment; that would not be possible. Nor does one have to do anything special; one can perform all the activities of ones daily life. One gradually begins to understand that there are only physical phenomena and mental phenomena and one begins to be aware of these phenomena quite naturally, without having to force oneself, because they are there all the time.
When we understand that these phenomena can be known as they are only through direct awareness of them, awareness will arise by itself little by little. We will experience that awareness will arise when there are the right conditions. It does not matter if there is not a great deal of awareness in the beginning. It is important to understand that awareness is not self either, but a mental phenomenon which arises when there are the right conditions. We cannot force awareness to arise.
In understanding more about physical phenomena and mental phenomena, and in being aware of them in daily life, wisdom will develop. Thus there will be more wholesomeness and less unwholesomeness.
That it is not possible to force awareness or sati to arise is a common theme. However, I don't think that disagrees with what the Mahasi school (or any other competent meditation approach) teaches. Rather, it disagrees with some cartoonish views of the teachings... Whether Nina is taking the cartoon view is not something I would like to speculate about.
Metta
Mike
Mike