[DesautocaD]

Since this manual is often considered the meditation guide par excellence (within Theravada, anyway), that it contains mistaken views is troubling, to say the least...

the Buddha said, when one searches the whole world, one finds no-one more loveable than oneself

similarly, when one searches the whole world, one finds nothing more troubling than one's own ignorance & delusion

as for the Vissiddhimagga, i can only say, its views on meditation are far superior & practical to those you have posted on this forum

the Vissuddhimagga does OK with the 1st, 2nd & 4th tetrads albeit not par excellence

but then your personal views on Anapanasati are way off the mark

you seem to be asserting the same false premises as Sujato, in declaring adherence to the suttas

the Vissiddhimagga is also an attempt to offer detailed explanation of the brevity of the suttas

to declare adherence to misunderstood suttas is not grounds for par excellence

regards