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Just Note Gone 2.0 - A Technical Guide | Shinzen Young

What if I were only allowed to teach one focus technique and no other? Which technique would I pick? Hard choice. But I think it would be the technique I call “Just Note Gone.” - Shinzen Young

I. The Primacy of Cessation (Nirodha)

  • "Just Note Gone": The paramount technique for rapid enlightenment
    • Rectifying the imbalance between awareness of sensory arising (samudaya) and passing (nirodha)
    • Universally applicable across contemplative traditions (Śūnyatā, Fanā', Nihil, etc.)

II. Implementation Protocol

  • Discerning the moment of sensory experience dissolution (bhaṅga)
    1. Precisely noting the disappearance of auditory, visual, and somatic phenomena
    2. Employing the "Gone" label at the exact instant of transition
  • Unwavering attentiveness to cessation (nirodha-samādhi)
    1. Abiding in the absence of dissolution
    2. Noting the cessation of thoughts pertaining to absence

III. Profound Transformative Outcomes

  • Liberation amidst the most intense suffering (dukkha-dukkha)
    • Reorienting awareness to impermanence (anicca) as the ultimate refuge
  • Accelerated progress via the equanimity (upekkhā) positive feedback loop
    1. Upekkhā at arising facilitating accurate detection of passing
    2. Enhanced detection of passing further deepening upekkhā at arising
  • Micro-nirodha to macro-nirodha transition through mastery of:
    1. Discernment of vanishing phenomena (Sensory Clarity)
    2. Unwavering attentional stability on cessation (Concentration Power)
    3. Non-reactive allowing of the flux of experience (Inner Equanimity)
  • Auxiliary benefits
    1. Pervasive tranquility (śamatha) and serene repose (passaddhi)
    2. Resting in the absolute stillness of the source (Purusha, Drashtri, Makom)
    3. Direct realization of the plenitude of emptiness (Nirvana)
    4. Effortless arising of bodhicitta through recognition of the shared groundless ground (ātman/anātman)

IV. Progression to Subtle States

  • Nirodha as the exclusive object of unwavering meditative absorption (nirodha-samāpatti)
    • Vanishing gap between moments of cessation (bhanga-ñāṇa)
  • Emptiness (Śūnyatā) as the immovable ground (gzhi); self and world as ephemeral arisings
  • Returning to "Gone" as the hallmark of true practitioners

V. Skillfully Navigating Potential Pitfalls

  • Severe disorientation, aversion, or despair (Dark Night, Pit of the Void, dukkha-nanas)
  • Resolution strategies:
    1. Inclining the mind to subtle positive qualities
    2. Deconstructing negative reactivity through precise mindfulness (sati)
    3. Systematic cultivation of the Four Immeasurables (brahmaviharas)
  • Vital importance of continuous support from spiritual friends (kalyāṇa-mittatā)

VI. Guided Practice

  • Preparation
    1. Assuming a posture that embodies dignity and wakefulness
    2. Relinquishing all expectations and striving
  • Noting "Gone"
    1. Directing mindfulness (sati) to the field of sensory experience
    2. Precisely noting "Gone" at the instant of each sensory event's disappearance
    3. Resting in readiness during periods of non-dissolution, noting any thoughts about absence
  • Sustaining Practice
    1. Persisting in noting "Gone" with each vanishing event
    2. When disorientation, aversion, or despair arises, skilfully applying antidotes:
      • Inclining the mind to subtle positive qualities
      • Deconstructing negative reactivity through precise mindfulness
      • Systematically cultivating the Four Immeasurables
    3. Persevering with patience (khanti) and compassion (karuṇā), supported by spiritual friends
  • Mastery and Beyond
    1. With practice, cessation (nirodha) becomes the primary object of meditative absorption
    2. Remaining open and receptive to the profound transformative impact of "Just Note Gone"
    3. Fearlessly surrendering to the limitless depths of joy (pīti) and liberation (vimutti)

VII. Glossary of Terms

  • Ātman: The true self or soul in Hinduism, often contrasted with anātman in Buddhism.
  • Anicca: The Buddhist concept of impermanence, one of the three characteristics of existence.
  • Anātman: The Buddhist doctrine of non-self, rejecting the notion of a permanent, unchanging soul.
  • Bhanga: The knowledge of dissolution, a stage of insight in Buddhist meditation.
  • Bodhicitta: The aspiration to attain enlightenment for the benefit of all sentient beings.
  • Brahmaviharas: The four immeasurable qualities of loving-kindness, compassion, empathetic joy, and equanimity.
  • Cittavrittinirodha: The cessation of mental fluctuations, a central goal in Yoga.
  • Drashtri: The witness consciousness in Yoga, the true seer behind all experiences.
  • Dukkha: The Buddhist concept of suffering or unsatisfactoriness, one of the three characteristics of existence.
  • Dukkha-dukkha: The suffering of painful experiences, one of the three types of suffering in Buddhism.
  • Dukkha-nanas: The knowledge of suffering, a set of challenging experiences in Buddhist meditation.
  • Fanā': The concept of annihilation or dissolving of the ego in Sufism.
  • Gzhi: The ground or base in Tibetan Buddhism, the fundamental nature of mind.
  • Kalyāṇa-mittatā: Spiritual friendship, the companionship of those who support one's spiritual practice.
  • Karuṇā: Compassion, one of the four brahmaviharas.
  • Khanti: Patience or forbearance, a key virtue in Buddhist practice.
  • Makom: The place or omnipresent source in Kabbalah.
  • Nibbāna: The ultimate goal in Buddhism, the extinction of suffering and release from the cycle of rebirth.
  • Nihil: Nothingness or emptiness, a concept found in various contemplative traditions.
  • Nirodha: Cessation, a central concept in Buddhism and Yoga.
  • Nirodha-samādhi: The meditative absorption in cessation.
  • Nirodha-samāpatti: The attainment of cessation, a profound state of meditative absorption.
  • Pīti: Rapture or bliss, a factor of enlightenment in Buddhism.
  • Purusha: The true self or witness consciousness in Yoga.
  • Samādhi: Meditative absorption or one-pointed concentration.
  • Samudaya: The arising or origin of phenomena, particularly in the context of the Four Noble Truths.
  • Sati: Mindfulness, the practice of present-moment awareness.
  • Śamatha: Calm abiding, the practice of stabilizing the mind through single-pointed concentration.
  • Śūnyatā: Emptiness, the lack of inherent existence in all phenomena.
  • Upekkhā: Equanimity, one of the four brahmaviharas and a factor of enlightenment.
  • Vimutti: Liberation or release from suffering and the cycle of rebirth.

The path to mastery is forged through unwavering commitment, diligence, and resolute practice. Trusting in the process, staying open and curious, and allowing direct experience to be the ultimate guide. The fruits of this practice are truly beyond measure, transcending even our most sublime imaginings.

Gate gate pāragate pārasaṃgate bodhi svāhā

Gate gate pāragate pārasaṃgate bodhi svāhā