Pleasant sensations

On the cultivation of insight/wisdom
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befriend
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Pleasant sensations

Post by befriend »

I was just meditating and I had a good awareness going. I noticed when there was a pleasant feeling there was a sense of dissatisfaction while it was happening because I knew that it was going to go away. is this a correct insight?
Take care of mindfulness and mindfulness will take care of you.
befriend
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Re: Pleasant sensations

Post by befriend »

I've always heard Dukkha as when your pleasant experience is over. But I saw Dukkha in the pleasant experience. I wasn't doing Mahasi I was just being mindful of the body and sensations.
Take care of mindfulness and mindfulness will take care of you.
paul
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Re: Pleasant sensations

Post by paul »

befriend wrote: Wed Aug 08, 2018 1:13 am I noticed when there was a pleasant feeling there was a sense of dissatisfaction while it was happening because I knew that it was going to go away. is this a correct insight?

It’s not an insight, it’s a distraction. Step 13 focusses on inconstancy, but first the practitioner should consolidate pleasure to establish the balance between serenity and insight.
[3] “He trains himself, ‘I will breathe in sensitive to the entire body’. He trains himself, ‘I will breathe out sensitive to the entire body.”
[…]
[6] “He trains himself, ‘I will breath in sensitive to pleasure’. He trains himself, ‘I will breathe out sensitive to pleasure.’ —-MN 118

“What stands out most prominently in this list of steps is the amount of willed, proactive activity they involve. Steps 3 through 16 are all described as acts of self-training, in which you set the intention to breathe in a particular way and— while consciously breathing— to pay attention to a particular topic with the purpose of developing it in a particular direction.” —-“Right Mindfulness”, Thanissaro.
Last edited by paul on Wed Aug 08, 2018 5:57 am, edited 2 times in total.
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Crazy cloud
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Re: Pleasant sensations

Post by Crazy cloud »

Off course, it's an insight, and who else then yourself is "best judge"?

One can also see that before a pleasant arising, there is a small bit of dhukka right before pleasant feeling manifest. Which tells me that any disturbance good or bad is dhukka

my humble and so on ... :heart:
If you didn't care
What happened to me
And I didn't care for you

We would zig-zag our way
Through the boredom and pain
Occasionally glancing up through the rain

Wondering which of the
Buggers to blame
And watching for pigs on the wing
- Roger Waters
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mikenz66
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Re: Pleasant sensations

Post by mikenz66 »

befriend wrote: Wed Aug 08, 2018 1:13 am I was just meditating and I had a good awareness going. I noticed when there was a pleasant feeling there was a sense of dissatisfaction while it was happening because I knew that it was going to go away. is this a correct insight?
Certainly, the culmination of the path involves dispassion and disenchantment/disillusionment:
viewtopic.php?t=11701
I say that this knowledge of ending [of the defilements] has a vital condition, it doesn’t lack a vital condition. And what is it? You should say: ‘Freedom.’ I say that freedom has a vital condition, it doesn’t lack a vital condition. And what is it? You should say: ‘Dispassion.’ I say that dispassion has a vital condition. And what is it? You should say: ‘Disillusionment.’ I say that disillusionment has a vital condition. And what is it? You should say: ‘Truly knowing and seeing.’ I say that truly knowing and seeing has a vital condition. And what is it? You should say: ‘Immersion.’ I say that immersion has a vital condition.

And what is it? You should say: ‘Bliss.’ I say that bliss has a vital condition. And what is it? You should say: ‘Tranquility.’ I say that tranquility has a vital condition. And what is it? You should say: ‘Rapture.’ I say that rapture has a vital condition. And what is it? You should say: ‘Joy.’ I say that joy has a vital condition. And what is it? You should say: ‘Faith.’ I say that faith has a vital condition.

And what is it? You should say: ‘Suffering.’ ...

https://suttacentral.net/sn12.23/en/sujato#sc2
This sort of thing sometimes manifests as a kind of weariness. For example, in a retreat situation it can become clear that food, for example, is pleasant, and necessary, but also a burden...

:heart:
Mike
paul
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Re: Pleasant sensations

Post by paul »

The four groups (tetrads) of meditation subjects in the Anapanasati sutta (MN 118) including the body (first tetrad), feelings including pleasure (second tetrad), the state of mind (third), and mental contents including impermanence (fourth), should not be taken as a linear progression, but rather as an exercise regimen to develop strengths in either serenity or insight. For example focus on the body and pleasure would contribute to developing tranquility, whereas focus on impermanence would develop insight. But due to the balance necessary as the practice progresses, only when the practitioner has developed sufficient serenity to keep the hindrances in check should they turn their mind to insight.

"Even though a disciple of the noble ones has clearly seen as it actually is with right discernment that sensuality is of much stress, much despair, & greater drawbacks, still — if he has not attained a rapture & pleasure apart from sensuality, apart from unskillful mental qualities, or something more peaceful than that — he can be tempted by sensuality. But when he has clearly seen as it actually is with right discernment that sensuality is of much stress, much despair, & greater drawbacks, and he has attained a rapture & pleasure apart from sensuality, apart from unskillful mental qualities, or something more peaceful than that, he cannot be tempted by sensuality."---MN 14
pegembara
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Re: Pleasant sensations

Post by pegembara »

befriend wrote: Wed Aug 08, 2018 1:13 am I was just meditating and I had a good awareness going. I noticed when there was a pleasant feeling there was a sense of dissatisfaction while it was happening because I knew that it was going to go away. is this a correct insight?
Yes.
Known to him they arose, known to him they remained, known to him they subsided. He discerned, 'So this is how these qualities, not having been, come into play. Having been, they vanish.' He remained unattracted & unrepelled with regard to those qualities, independent, detached, released, dissociated, with an awareness rid of barriers. He discerned that 'There is a further escape,' and pursuing it there really was for him.

"Furthermore, with the complete transcending of the dimension of neither perception nor non-perception, Sariputta entered & remained in the cessation of feeling & perception. He discerned that 'There is no further escape,' and pursuing it there really wasn't for him.

https://www.dhammatalks.org/suttas/MN/MN111.html
And what is right speech? Abstaining from lying, from divisive speech, from abusive speech, & from idle chatter: This is called right speech.
Spiny Norman
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Re: Pleasant sensations

Post by Spiny Norman »

befriend wrote: Wed Aug 08, 2018 1:13 am I was just meditating and I had a good awareness going. I noticed when there was a pleasant feeling there was a sense of dissatisfaction while it was happening because I knew that it was going to go away. is this a correct insight?
I get that when the ice-cream is running out. :toilet:
Buddha save me from new-agers!
JohnK
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Re: Pleasant sensations

Post by JohnK »

befriend wrote: Wed Aug 08, 2018 1:13 am...I noticed...there was a sense of dissatisfaction while it was happening because I knew that it was going to go away. is this a correct insight?
Good replies already.
Falling back on the second noble truth, the dissatisfaction (dukkha) was probably caused by some clinging to the pleasant sensation. Being able to see it is a good thing.
I think the Insight (with a capital "I") would be the knowing in your bones (based on the accumulation of such specific moment-by-moment seeings of such dissatisfaction) that all clinging to pleasant sensations results in dukkha -- not to mention all clinging period (that is, to any of the khandhas).
Those who grasp at perceptions & views wander the internet creating friction. [based on Sn4:9,v.847]
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Crazy cloud
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Re: Pleasant sensations

Post by Crazy cloud »

Any disturbance of a still mind is dhukka ...

:buddha1:
If you didn't care
What happened to me
And I didn't care for you

We would zig-zag our way
Through the boredom and pain
Occasionally glancing up through the rain

Wondering which of the
Buggers to blame
And watching for pigs on the wing
- Roger Waters
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