Q1-20130628-Larry_Rosenberg-IMSRC-retreat_closing-19835

Talk: 2013-06_28 Retreat Closing.json Start_time: 00:41:07 Display_question: Can you speak about the difference between receptivity and concentration in vipassana practice? Keyword_search: IMS, shamata vipassana, receptive, mind, concentration, relaxation, alertness, Ajahn Mahabua, Burmese, Thailand, Thich Nhat Hanh, kilesas, Asia, samadhi, Cambridge, jhanas Question_content: Questioner: When I come to IMS, the emphasis seems to be the emphasis is on concentration, but on Wednesday night, in your talk, by the time you got to the third stage, it sounded way more like vipassana is receptive. Larry: Yeah, but you can't fully be receptive, until the mind is stable. So, you see, I understand, in other words, Shamata vipassana. But the first one is more… in other words, the mind does get more calm, and concentrated. Here's a view of concentration. Very focused, a lot of effort. In, out, in, out. That's one approach to it. The approach we're taking, if I understand your question, is you still have to maintain a steadiness of attentiveness, but there's no force in it. It is a different style. You're quite right. And in this style, relaxation and alertness are primary. Break_line: And there are other styles, like some of the Burmese teachers, who came here when I practiced with, Ajahn Mahabua, in Thailand. You got to cut the head off the kilesas, take no prisoners. I felt I was in the military again. And then you go to Thich Nhat Hanh, embrace your kilesas, love them. There are different styles, and the language varies. But in both cases, we're enabling the mind to be, steady, and clear, so that it can see, insightfully. Now, this separation, between shamata and vipassana, it's somewhat artificial. They really are…we make that up. It's sort of expedient for teaching, and it can be useful. But many teachers later on, and very powerful ones, as it moved throughout Asia, taught shamata vipasana, simultaneously. Some of that is what we're doing. Break_line: Look, even in Thailand, which is more like what you're talking about, with Mahabua, some people were just not drawn to being very concentrated. He said, fine, start with vipassana. You have to be… in other words, they were very interested in the way their mind behaved, or the way the bodily condition. But they couldn't stay with one object, either a mantra, or breath or whatever. So, he would say, fine, start with vipassana. Well, how can you start with it? The reason they had a natural samadhi, because they were more interested in it. And as the mind became more concentrated, not by officially doing concentration, those are just words. Then they said, okay, now go back to the samadhi practice. And then it was easier for them. And some people get stuck in samadhi, and they get very powerful samadhi. There was one yogi in Cambridge. She was practicing maybe six months, and she was already into the jhanas, naturally, it just came to her. And I said, okay, now it's time to open up, and get to know yourself. Oh, no. It took years. She just did not want to look at her stuff. And the day came when finally, it just started to break in on her. It's not as if it wasn't there, but she was using it, in a sense, as a very high-class form of repression. But what's in back of your question? Questioner: Well, just for me, receptivity is more natural. The concentration almost blocks that ability, to receive what is there. Larry: Okay, it may be a word problem, but what I'm more interested in is that it's working for you. Then keep doing that. Sure. Yeah. End_time: 00:44:56