What is the Mahasi method?

On the cultivation of insight/wisdom
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Jhana4
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What is the Mahasi method?

Post by Jhana4 »

I've seen the term "Mahasi method" around. Googling it doesn't give a clear, short description of what it is about.

Would anyone care to post 3-4 lines giving the gist of it?
In reading the scriptures, there are two kinds of mistakes:
One mistake is to cling to the literal text and miss the inner principles.
The second mistake is to recognize the principles but not apply them to your own mind, so that you waste time and just make them into causes of entanglement.
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mikenz66
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Re: What is the Mahasi method?

Post by mikenz66 »

Hi Jhana4,

Hmm 4 lines to summarize everything? Simply, the Mahasi method is what Sayadaw Mahasi and his students teach....

You can find a lot of information at:
http://aimwell.org/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
e.g. http://aimwell.org/Books/Mahasi/Fundame ... ntals.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

or
http://buddhanet.net/insight.htm" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
where this is the sort of short summary you're probably looking for:
http://buddhanet.net/imol/wrkshp.htm" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

:anjali:
Mike
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tiltbillings
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Re: What is the Mahasi method?

Post by tiltbillings »

This from a footnote of some book, I know not which, but it neatly give the Mahasi Sayadaw rationale of teaching:
Cf. Mahasi 1990:PP.17and 21:"the actual method of practice in vipassana meditation is
to ... observe ... the successive occurrences of seeing, hearing, and so on, at the six
sense doors. However, it will not be possible for a beginner to follow these on all successive
incidents as they occur, because his mindfulness, concentration and knowledge
are still very weak. ... A simpler and easier form of the exercise for a beginner is
this: With every breath there occurs in the abdomen a rising-falling movement. Abeginner
should start with the exercise of noting this movement." Mahasi 1992: P.7S:
"we used to instruct the yogi whose powers of concentration have strengthened to
extend this method o fmeditation to noting all that happens at his six sense doors." Ba
Khin 1985=P.94: "in fact one can develop the understanding of anicca through any of
the six organs of sense. In practice, however, we have found that ... the feeling by
contact of touch ... is more tangible than other types of feeling and therefore a beginner
in Vipassana meditation can come to the understanding of anicca more easily
through bodily feelings .... This is the main reason we have chosen the body feelings
as a medium for the quick understanding of anicca. It is open to anyone to try other
means, but my suggestion is that one should have oneself well established in the
understanding of anicca through bodily feelings before an attempt is made through
other types of feeling."
>> Do you see a man wise [enlightened/ariya] in his own eyes? There is more hope for a fool than for him.<< -- Proverbs 26:12

This being is bound to samsara, kamma is his means for going beyond. -- SN I, 38.

“Of course it is happening inside your head, Harry, but why on earth should that mean that it is not real?” HPatDH p.723
Jhana4
Posts: 1331
Joined: Sat Feb 05, 2011 5:20 pm
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Re: What is the Mahasi method?

Post by Jhana4 »

That is pretty much what I wanted, a thumbnail sketch of what those people actually do when they sit down to practice.

Thanks much.
In reading the scriptures, there are two kinds of mistakes:
One mistake is to cling to the literal text and miss the inner principles.
The second mistake is to recognize the principles but not apply them to your own mind, so that you waste time and just make them into causes of entanglement.
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