<p>Every sensation leads to latent tendency. Missing a sensation means this give the chance of certain latent tendency to arise as awareness of a sensation gives us the chance to stop the sensation progressing to latent tendencies (quoted below) and unwholesome Roots (<a href="http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2010/02/31.1-Pahana-S-s36.3-piya.pdf" rel="nofollow noreferrer">Pahāna Sutta</a> below) among other negativities like craving (<a href="http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/5.16-Dependent-arising-piya.pdf" rel="nofollow noreferrer">Dependent Origination</a>), concept proliferation (<a href="http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/6.14-Madhupindika-S-m18-piya.pdf" rel="nofollow noreferrer">Madhu,piṇḍika Sutta</a>), etc.</p>

<blockquote>
  <p>(1) the latent tendency to lust reinforced by being attached to pleasant feelings;</p>
  
  <p>(2) the latent tendency to aversion reinforced by rejecting painful feelings;</p>
  
  <p>(3) the latent tendency to ignorance reinforced by ignoring neutral feelings;</p>
</blockquote>

<p><a href="http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2010/02/31.1-Pahana-S-s36.3-piya.pdf" rel="nofollow noreferrer">Pahāna Sutta</a></p>

<blockquote>
  <p>And what is the latent tendency of beings?</p>
  
  <p>There are the seven latent tendencies:</p>
  
  <p>(1) the latent tendency of sensual lust;</p>
  
  <p>(2) the latent tendency of aversion;</p>
  
  <p>(3) the latent tendency of conceit;</p>
  
  <p>(4) the latent tendency of wrong view;</p>
  
  <p>(5) the latent tendency of doubt;</p>
  
  <p>(6) the latent tendency of lust for existence;</p>
  
  <p>(7) the latent tendency of ignorance.</p>
  
  <p>That which in the <strong><em>world is pleasant and likable, there the tendency to sensual lust of beings
  lies latent</em></strong>.</p>
  
  <p>That which in the <strong><em>world is unpleasant and unlikable, there the tendency to aversion of beings
  lies latent</em></strong>.</p>
  
  <p><strong>Thus in these two states, ignorance continuously occurs, and so too conceit, wrong view and doubt.</strong></p>
  
  <p>This is the latent tendency to beings.</p>
</blockquote>

<p>Introduction to <a href="http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2010/02/31.1-Pahana-S-s36.3-piya.pdf" rel="nofollow noreferrer">Pahāna Sutta</a>. Found in Sangīti Sutta, Cha,chakka Sutta, Anusaya Sutta, Patisambhida,magga, Vibhanga.</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2020-04-28T00:48:50.860Z
2020-04-28T03:39:53.543Z
2020-04-28T03:39:53.543Z
Suminda Sirinath S. Dharmasena
<p>I have the following question regarding Vipassana:</p>

<p>From time to time I get unpleasant emotions.  And instead of diving into them, I find a place to sit and concentrate on the sensation that this feeling causes.  After some time, there is no trace of a negative feeling :)</p>

<p>The question is:
Is it ok at such moments not to shift attention all over the body, but simply to focus on a certain sensation? Does it violate the technique?</p>

<meditation><vipassana><practice><lay-practices>
Is it Vipassana?
# Is it Vipassana?

(Asked by: username_0 on 2020-04-27)

I have the following question regarding Vipassana:

From time to time I get unpleasant emotions. And instead of diving into them, I find a place to sit and concentrate on the sensation that this feeling causes. After some time, there is no trace of a negative feeling :)

The question is:
Is it ok at such moments not to shift attention all over the body, but simply to focus on a certain sensation? Does it violate the technique?

**Tags:** meditation, vipassana, practice, lay-practices


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## 1 answers

### Answer by username_1 on 2020-04-28. Score: 0

Every sensation leads to latent tendency. Missing a sensation means this give the chance of certain latent tendency to arise as awareness of a sensation gives us the chance to stop the sensation progressing to latent tendencies (quoted below) and unwholesome Roots ([Pahāna Sutta](http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2010/02/31.1-Pahana-S-s36.3-piya.pdf) below) among other negativities like craving ([Dependent Origination](http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/5.16-Dependent-arising-piya.pdf)), concept proliferation ([Madhu,piṇḍika Sutta](http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/6.14-Madhupindika-S-m18-piya.pdf)), etc.

> (1) the latent tendency to lust reinforced by being attached to pleasant feelings;
>
> (2) the latent tendency to aversion reinforced by rejecting painful feelings;
>
> (3) the latent tendency to ignorance reinforced by ignoring neutral feelings;

[Pahāna Sutta](http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2010/02/31.1-Pahana-S-s36.3-piya.pdf)

> And what is the latent tendency of beings?
>
> There are the seven latent tendencies:
>
> (1) the latent tendency of sensual lust;
>
> (2) the latent tendency of aversion;
>
> (3) the latent tendency of conceit;
>
> (4) the latent tendency of wrong view;
>
> (5) the latent tendency of doubt;
>
> (6) the latent tendency of lust for existence;
>
> (7) the latent tendency of ignorance.
>
> That which in the ***world is pleasant and likable, there the tendency to sensual lust of beings
> lies latent***.
>
> That which in the ***world is unpleasant and unlikable, there the tendency to aversion of beings
> lies latent***.
>
> **Thus in these two states, ignorance continuously occurs, and so too conceit, wrong view and doubt.**
>
> This is the latent tendency to beings.

Introduction to [Pahāna Sutta](http://www.themindingcentre.org/dharmafarer/wp-content/uploads/2010/02/31.1-Pahana-S-s36.3-piya.pdf). Found in Sangīti Sutta, Cha,chakka Sutta, Anusaya Sutta, Patisambhida,magga, Vibhanga.


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