Yes I believe this 100 times over. I have read maybe 25 books related to mediation on Buddhism in last last year. I never read the original sources like you cite, not yet, but more accessible things. I don't think I've really learned a thing from books. I have maybe, but by far the most valuable changes are in awareness. I cannot tell if the books contribute to that or if it's just meditation. Mainly with books I find myself just recognizing stuff as "true" or "not true" and enjoying books with a lot of truth in them. But I cannot say I've learned a lot.
Attention becomes stronger and stronger. The step you describe is not a really strong attention, so you have probably not experimented dhamma vicaya which appears when attention is strong. This experience would answer to your question i guess.
Ananapanasati Sutta (extract)
"And how are the four frames of reference developed & pursued so as to bring the seven factors for awakening to their culmination?
"[1] On whatever occasion the monk remains focused on the body in & of itself — ardent, alert, & mindful — putting aside greed & distress with reference to the world, on that occasion his mindfulness is steady & without lapse. When his mindfulness is steady & without lapse, then mindfulness as a factor for awakening becomes aroused. He develops it, and for him it goes to the culmination of its development.
"[2] Remaining mindful in this way, he examines, analyzes, & comes to a comprehension of that quality with discernment. When he remains mindful in this way, examining, analyzing, & coming to a comprehension of that quality with discernment, then analysis of qualities as a factor for awakening becomes aroused. He develops it, and for him it goes to the culmination of its development.
"[3] In one who examines, analyzes, & comes to a comprehension of that quality with discernment, persistence is aroused unflaggingly. When persistence is aroused unflaggingly in one who examines, analyzes, & comes to a comprehension of that quality with discernment, then persistence as a factor for awakening becomes aroused. He develops it, and for him it goes to the culmination of its development.
"[4] In one whose persistence is aroused, a rapture not-of-the-flesh arises. When a rapture not-of-the-flesh arises in one whose persistence is aroused, then rapture as a factor for awakening becomes aroused. He develops it, and for him it goes to the culmination of its development.
"[5] For one enraptured at heart, the body grows calm and the mind grows calm. When the body & mind of a monk enraptured at heart grow calm, then serenity as a factor for awakening becomes aroused. He develops it, and for him it goes to the culmination of its development.
"[6] For one who is at ease — his body calmed — the mind becomes concentrated. When the mind of one who is at ease — his body calmed — becomes concentrated, then concentration as a factor for awakening becomes aroused. He develops it, and for him it goes to the culmination of its development.
"[7] He carefully watches the mind thus concentrated with equanimity. When he carefully watches the mind thus concentrated with equanimity, equanimity as a factor for awakening becomes aroused. He develops it, and for him it goes to the culmination of its development.
(Similarly with the other three frames of reference: feelings, mind, & mental qualities.)
"This is how the four frames of reference are developed & pursued so as to bring the seven factors for awakening to their culmination.
Clear Knowing & Release
"And how are the seven factors for awakening developed & pursued so as to bring clear knowing & release to their culmination? There is the case where a monk develops mindfulness as a factor for awakening dependent on seclusion, dependent on dispassion, dependent on cessation, resulting in relinquishment. He develops analysis of qualities as a factor for awakening... persistence as a factor for awakening... rapture as a factor for awakening... serenity as a factor for awakening... concentration as a factor for awakening... equanimity as a factor for awakening dependent on seclusion, dependent on dispassion, dependent on cessation, resulting in relinquishment.
"This is how the seven factors for awakening are developed & pursued so as to bring clear knowing & release to their culmination."
That is what the Blessed One said. Gratified, the monks delighted in the Blessed One's words.
It is to be aware of it, not to think about it or to consider it intellectually.
Yes I believe this 100 times over. I have read maybe 25 books related to mediation on Buddhism in last last year. I never read the original sources like you cite, not yet, but more accessible things. I don't think I've really learned a thing from books. I have maybe, but by far the most valuable changes are in awareness. I cannot tell if the books contribute to that or if it's just meditation. Mainly with books I find myself just recognizing stuff as "true" or "not true" and enjoying books with a lot of truth in them. But I cannot say I've learned a lot.
Books can mislead you. I believe but it is just my belief, that suttas cannot mislead you if you read some of them regularly while practising a lot.
If you read some suttas and then practice and don't read anymore suttas but think about it, developing concepts from it, which is difficult to avoid if you don't regularly read Buddha's words, it can mislead you.
Same if you don't really practice the eightful path completely, regularly, reading suttas will consist on mind game and philosophy.
Suttas are more simple than any books you can read about buddhism, they are not philosophy but instructions to meditation for the main part, and so do require practice to be fully apprehended (i can only suppose, because i am not in the case of reading them without practising)
Some of them are very short, some are very long.
They are always refreshing mind. A must before meditation session!
Buddha's speech. Very brilliant
