Over at Numinous Nonsense, Vince Horn has written a great post on The Spiritual Map of the Elders.
Here is the introduction to the article:
The Spiritual Map of the Elders
Every map that describes the territory of awakening will have its strengths and weaknesses. Maps, in general, are only as good as the map-makers who’ve made them. They are also only, and always, mental representations of a place which one must explore for themselves. No amount of studying an idea about what a place will be like, or even studying what the path to that place will be like, can replace the actual journey. That being said, if one is going to take the journey to enlightenment, having a good map can do wonders!A good map can point out the quickest route to your destination. It can also give you vivid descriptions of the landmarks along the way—and perhaps most importantly the pitfalls you may face. Knowing the landmarks along the route to enlightenment, especially when they are reached, provides a tremendous boost of faith & commitment to the journey itself. Also, having an idea of what obstacles one might encounter, and when these might arise, can save the spiritual practitioner years of confusion and stuckness. And in many cases it can keep one from falling off the path altogether. Good maps, again, are absolutely crucial with respect to making the daunting journey toward awakening.
One such map, which I was originally exposed to by Daniel Ingram, is called “the progress of insight.” It dates back to one of the first and most authoritative commentaries in the Theravada tradition, the Visuddhimagga. It is a detailed description of 16 stages on the way from a total novice at meditation to the 1st stage of enlightenment (a key landmark on the path toward full enlightenment). The description in the Vishuddhimagga is interesting and somewhat helpful, but it was really the expansion of this map by Mahasi Sayadaw, in his book The Progress of Insight, and then the further refinement by Daniel Ingram that has made it such an invaluable resource.
While I’m not trying to add to what has already been written on this subject, I do think it’s worthwhile to share a brief overview of this map here. Keep in mind that much of what this particular map describes are possible patterns of experience. The particulars will vary from individual to individual, and are highly dependent on a number of factors, including: One’s practice conditions, concentration abilities, choice of meditation technique, and interpretive frameworks, to name a few. That being said, these patterns tend to surprisingly accurate and highly predictable for almost everyone.
Read the whole article - and see also The Stages of Enlightenment - A Revised Version.
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