..续本文上一页ature of mental phenomena.
Place the repulsive image of the body in front of you as usual and watch as it retracts into the mind. Then place the image back in front of you and start again, observing carefully how the image merges into the mind. Do this exercise repeatedly until the mind becomes very skilled at it. Once proficiency is achieved, the image will ebb away as soon as the mind focuses on it and merge with the knowing presence inside. Upon reaching the stage where one clearly understands the basic principles underlying sexual attraction, the next step is to train the mind with this purely mental exercise. Sexual attraction is no longer a problem—it has been cut off for good. There is no way that it can reappear as before. But, although most of it has been eliminated, it has yet to be completely destroyed. A small portion still remains: like bits of dross or patches of rust adhering to the mind.
At the stage where external perceptions merge totally with the citta”s own inner image, we can say that at least fifty percent of the investigation of kamaraga has been successfully completed. The final, most advanced stage of the path of practice has been reached. The subtle portion of sensual desire that remains must be gradually eliminated, using the training exercise mentioned above. Relentlessly refining the contemplation and the mental absorption of asubha images will increase wisdom”s skill level. As wisdom”s proficiency strengthens, a higher and higher percentage of sexual attraction is totally destroyed. As wisdom”s mastery gathers pace, so too does the speed at which the images recede into the mind. Eventually, as soon as one focuses on it, an image will rush into the mind, merge with it and simply vanish. With constant practice, the speed at which this occurs will rapidly increase. At the highest level of skillfulness, the image will vanish the moment it”s absorbed into the mind. This investigative technique is fundamental to progress in the final stage of the path, the stage where a vanquished kamaraga is in full retreat. Soon every vestige of it will be destroyed.
Once the meditator attains the final stage, once the real source of ugliness and beauty is seen with crystal clarity, kamaraga will never rear its head again. Its hold over the mind has been broken—and this condition is irreversible.
Notwithstanding that, further work is still needed to destroy all traces of sensual desire. The task is time consuming. This part of the investigation is complex and somewhat chaotic with images of the body arising and vanishing at a furious pace. The most intense effort is required to root out every last vestige of kamaraga. But the meditator knows instinctively what to do at this stage. So, the investigation quickly develops its own natural momentum without prompting from anyone.
Mindfulness and wisdom are habitual—they work in unison with extraordinary speed and agility. By the time that these investigations reach their dénouement, no sooner does an image of the body appear than it vanishes instantly. It doesn”t matter whether these images merge into the citta or not, their appearance and disappearance is all that is known. Arising and passing images happen so quickly that perceptions of external and internal are no longer relevant. In the end, images flutter on and off, appearing and disappearing from awareness so rapidly that their forms are no longer sustainable. After each disappearance, the citta experiences a profound emptiness—emptiness of imagery, emptiness of form. An extremely refined awareness stands out within the citta. As each new image flashes on and disappears, the mind feels the resulting emptiness more profoundly. Due to its subtle and manifest strength at this stage, the citta”s know…
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