Below are the quotes from the book that I find them inspiring.
The Signless
The word “sign” renders the Pāli and Sanskrit term nimitta which stands for the characteristics mark of things: that which on a way “sign”-als to the perceiver what that thing is, thereby enabling its recognition.
According to this teacher(a young Brahmin teacher), one should just refrain from seeing forms with the eyes and hearing sound with the ears. Yet, the critical reply to this proposal clarifies that the solution is not to pretend to be blind or deaf. Instead, anything happening at a sense door needs to be monitored with mindfulness to avoid any grasping at signs that may cause unwholesome mental repercussion.
Your perception are so vivid and immediate that they compel you to believe that you experience the world as it is, when you actually experience a world of your own construction. Much of what you experience as the outside world begins inside your head.
“In that case, Bāhiya, you should train yourself thus: In what is seen there must be only what is seen, in what is heard there must be only what is heard, in what is sensed there must be only what is sensed, in what is cognized there must be only what is cognized. This is the way, Bāhiya, you should train yourself.
“And since for you, Bāhiya, in what is seen there will be only what is seen, in what is heard there will be only what is heard, in what is sensed there will be only what is sensed, in what is cognized there will be only what is cognized, therefore, Bāhiya, you will not be with that; and since, Bāhiya, you will not be with that, therefore, Bāhiya, you will not be in that; and since, Bāhiya, you will not be in that, therefore, Bāhiya, you will not be here or hereafter or in between the two—just this is the end of suffering.”
Just seeing what is actually being seen, without adding any further elaboration to that. This points to a bare noting of what is being perceived, leaving a sustained pause before taking any other step in the mental realm, in particular avoiding any reification of what is experienced.
[If] on seeing a form one does not grasp its sign,
And the mind conforms to right mindfulness
Craving will not defile the mind with what is detrimental,
And the bandage of attachment will also not arise.
Not giving rise to cravings
For the countless forms that manifest,
Thoughts of lustful desire, ill will, and harming
Will be able to afflict the mind.
Diminishing [what] fosters a host of afflictions,
One gradually draws close to Nirvana.
My body is just like an old cart which, by being expediently patched up and adjusted, reaches the place to which it is going; by expedient strength I can maintain it alive a little [longer], through my own strength and effort, putting up with these painful feelings. When I do not give attention to any signs and enter signless concentration, then my body is at ease and there are no afflictions.
“with the cessation of certain feeling tones, by way of not giving attention to any signs, he dwelled having attained the signless concentration of the mind.”
The mind being well settled in the four establishments of mindfulness or dwelling in concentration on the signless, cultivating it, cultivating it much, bad and unwholesome states will thereby cease and be forever eradicated without remainder.
A particular significant aspect of this indication, found similarly in the Pali parallel, is that this type of practice is not just a temporary remedy, a way of getting out of or avoiding the arising of unwholesome reactions in the mind. Instead, the present passage envisages the eradication of such thoughts, based on the mind being “well settled” in the four establishments of mindfulness (or “well established” according to the Pali parallel) or else by way of cultivating concentration on signlessness.
The Chinese discourse translated above continues by indicating that someone who “cultivates concentration on the signless, having cultivated it, cultivated it much, dwells at the door of the deathless and proceeds to the supreme deathless of Nirvana.”
Cultivate the signless,
Quell the underlying tendency to conceit.
Fully understand conceit,
The end of dukkha/dukkha will be achieved.
In addition to cultivating signlessness, a method to counter conceit, presented in a Pali discourse and its Chinese parallel, is perception of impermanence.
If one mindfully notices that conceit has arisen in one’s physical appearance, a reminder of its impermanence becoming manifest with the onset of old age can help set things into perspective.
The ability to gain signless concentration is not itself a mark of being a liberated person. Evident in Pali and Chinese discourse:
Suppose there is a person who attains signless concentration of the mind. Having attained signless concentration of the mind, they in turn dwell being at ease themselves and do not strive further with a wish to attain what has not yet been attained, with a wish to gain what has not been gained, with a wish to realise what has not been realised.
At a later time, they in turn associate much with secular people, make fun, become conceited, and engage in all sorts of boisterous talk. As they associate much with secular people, make fun, become conceited, and engage in all sorts of boisterous talk, sensual desire in turn arise in the mind. Sensual desire having arisen in their mind, the body becomes in turn heated up[with passion] and the mind becomes heated up[with passion], they in turn abandon the moral precepts and stop[practising] the path.
Although signless concentration can become a powerful tool for accomplishing such removal, it does not ensure freedom from defilements on its own.
In fact , even the Buddha and his fully awakened disciples are on record for having continue their regular practise of meditation. Meditation is not just a means to gain some attainment or other; it is a way of life, and for one who has reached the acme of inner purification this way of life is natural, even inevitable.
There are two causes, two conditions for arousing signless concentration. What are the two? The first is not being mindful of any sign, and the second is being mindful of the element of signlessness.
If not rising up and not sinking down [when being in ] signless concentration of the mind, having become freed, one is stable, and having become stable, one is freed.
The same works explains that the outcome to be expected from such meditation is liberation and the destruction of the influxes, adding that Ananda’s reply served as an encouragement of the nun that she will soon attain lofty goal.
Not leaning forward and leaning backward, concentration it’s reached without exertion by holding in check and restraining. Through being freed, one is stable; through being stable, one is contented; and through being contented, one is not agitated.
Although the early Buddhist meditative path can lead to some extraordinary experiences, progress to liberation requires above all insight into the way perception constructs the world. Even the attainment of the most refined of the four immaterial spheres is subordinate to such insight, which the key factor of leading to liberation.
Because consciousness is not established anywhere, it does not increase; because of not increasing, it is not active anywhere; because of not active anywhere, it is stable; because of being stable, it is contented; because of being contented, it is freed; because of being freed, there is no clinging anything in the whole world; because of not clinging anything, there is no being attached to anything. Because of not being attached to anything, one personally realises Nirvana.
Yet, even consciousness is impermanent, arisen from conditions, and hence to be let go of as well.
“there is no grasping at signs, there is no direction or expectation, the absence of which, existence ceases to appear substantial.”
One reflects: “I am based on the signless concentration of the mind, which is based on being volitionally constructed and based on being intended. What is based on being volitionally constructed and based on being intended, I do not delight in that, do not seek that; I should not become establish in that.”
One reflects: ”Yet, the signless element is constructed and produced by the mind. It is not suitable to delight in what is constructed and produced by the mind, to approve of it, to become attached to it, or to remain attached to it.”
One understands: “Even this signless concentration of the mind is constructed and produced by volition; whatever is constructed and produced by volition is impermanent and of a nature to cease.”
Remaining empty of defilements is the key aspect underlying meditation on emptiness in early Buddhist thought and at the same time also serve as the orientation point for a cultivation of signless concentration.
The practise of signless concentration does not appear to require previous mastery of the absorptions, although the ability to collect the mind will certainly be much benefit. The basic task required to enter and remain in signless concentration is not paying attention to any signs, which thus necessitates a high degree of continuity of mindfulness.
At this point, the tendency of the three root poisons to act as makers of signs has been overcome for good, together with conceit and self-referentiality as other dimensions often activated when the unawakened mind takes up signs.
Cats who teach me to fly... 