Are levels of achievement and experiences useful in awakening?

Q.  Hi Gary


      What do you think about levels for achievement and experiences?  Are they useful in awakening?


G.  

      

       Levels, experiences and achievements are very captivating to most folk.  Over the 3 million or so years we have been evolving, receiving pleasurable rewards is clearly Darwinianly/evolutionarily preferred.  we get a shot of reinforcing, pleasure-inducing neurotransmitters like dopamine, norepinephrine or endorphins every time we have a pleasurable event.  In actuality, the neurotransmitters ARE the pleasurable event.  

Logically, the more frequently we get rewards, the more we will attempt to replicate that behavior or experience, whatever it is.   Additionally, in making choices, the brain's evolutionarily-evolved "choosing" formula overweights recent results as a million years ago the future was likely to be very similar to what had just occurred.  This favors a short term perspective and pleasures and experiences similar to recent ones.  

Spindle neuron cells

Higher primates are "group" beings w/a highly complex social structure.  For propagation of genes, and even survival, individuals needed to belong to a group.   Consequently, we developed special neuroanatomy and neurochemistry to increase our empathy with our group, so we would not get chased away, and hopefully excel and move up the dominance hierarchy.  Special neurons, spindle and mirror, developed which are believed to  "mirror" and allow interpretation of others' behaviors and actions.  These special neurons are found in higher primates, dolphins, elephants and some  "higher" whales. 

As our groups got larger and more hierarchical, differentiation between behaviors became more important to establish who was dominant and who was less so.    

Our frontal cortex also developed and evolved to deal with the higher complexity of problem solving, planning and analysis, increasingly important as groups got larger and more complex.  The evolution of a secondary/symbolic consciousness about 100,000 years ago gave us the "I/me/my" to "do" it.  This capacity subsequently led to the desire for activities that stimulate the intellect and engage the ego.

Therefore, an evolutionarily attractive model for a spiritual practice would have the following attributes:

       a)  frequent, and repeatable pleasurable experiences

       b)  acceptance by others

       c)  enough complexity to engage intellectual analysis

       d)   high frequency of "doing" something

       e)   something that could be learned easily from others

        f)   opportunity to advance up a hierarchical structure  

This would fit most of the 4, 6, 8, 9, or 10 level approaches with which i am familiar.  Some may quibble with this complete analysis, but IMHO, the individual elements are correct as we know them currently.

Many of these approaches are widely practiced by, and are understandably popular with many folk.  Most are set in a "religious" context.  The most popular meditation technique in the US currently is Theravadin Buddhism, colloquially better known as mindfulness meditation.  It has some wonderful teachers, texts, centers, etc. and its purposely secular program, Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction (MBSR), is broadly researched in peer-reviewed work as providing desirable stress and health-related outcomes.  The Yale work in which i am involved is focused on Theravadin meditation techniques and practitioners.

Richard Brown

However, there is no focus on "awakening" or "ending thought" in mindfulness.  One of the popular books "Mindfulness in Plain English" doesn't even mention it.  Courses at the largest eastern US center, the IMS, attendees have told me, never mention it.  A recent comparative religion text said of Theravada Buddhism doctrine, "Almost impossible to achieve enlightenment as a layperson...".   Dr. Richard Brown, teacher of teachers @ Naropa Institute said of my "thoughtless state", "we don't do that @ Naropa".

As i focused on ending the "tyranny" of my thought-based mind, and knew, somehow, since i was a little kid, that enlightenment was not only possible, but the only thing that mattered in "this life", (despite the fact that it was "heretical" in my Christian background), these approaches were just not useful.  

Ramana Maharshi

Consequently, i did the "direct path" of non-duality, focusing on awakening with "no thoughts" as its goal.  my practices were meditative inquiry, Rinzai Zen Buddhism, yoga, advaita and Ramana Maharshi's teaching.   There were no stages or levels, nor any value placed on experiences.  Experiences were a distraction;  attachment to them an obstacle to dissolving the "self", and reaching a non-dual, all is One, awakened state.  Surrender was a key element.

As discussed above, this approach is almost directly contradictory to what is "evolutionarily selected".  The ancient texts predict this as well; the Bhagavad Gita, for example, in verses VII, 3 and 19 discusses the odds of success, and how few will take up this path.  we haven't changed in 2500 years.

IMHO, there are problems with levels of experiences.  Attempting to replicate another's experiences which are transcendental is problematic, as it is with common experiences.  Describe your taste of ice cream, or the smell of a rose, to someone and then grade them on their ability to accurately replicate it and report on it. How does one do that?

Are these levels fundamentally "real", or are they just mental constructs?  Why are there systems with 

Dogen Zenji

4, 8, 9, and 10 levels?   Telling folk what is experienced at a given level is common.  The surprising thing is the pride some teachers feel that students report exactly that as they advance them. This happens in universities; it is not surprising that it occurs in spiritual work. 

IME, there is distortion and manipulation with hierarchical levels, as well as pride, jealousy, anger, craving, etc.  Advancing someone explicitly or implicitly, for sex, money, support/power, etc. has occurred over the ages.   

How can a process with extensive "doing" of exercises to achieve higher levels in a hierarchical system, ever dissolve the doer, the ego?

Who is it that needs these levels, experiences and advancement?  

you will be drawn to whichever path you are drawn to and whatever path you take is not in your control, just as it was not for "me"; just be aware of what occurs on your path

stillness