Seven Steps to Awakening

7) Apperception (Upekkhā) 

Once in the first ecstasy, the process gradually flows into the second, the third, and the fourth ecstasy. At the fourth ecstasy the mind is unified and focused within on the process of perception (upekkhā-ekaggatā). The Seven Steps to Awakening began with introspection (satipaṭṭhāna) and ended in apperception (upekkhā). This resulting in a paradigm shift from existence to experience (abhiññā). As we mentioned earlier, introspection (satipaṭṭhāna) is looking within, and apperception (upekkhā) is seeing what is within. What is within is not the object perceived but the process of perception. This focus of attention on the process of perception instead of the object perceived is what we call apperception. Apperception is a shift from an awareness of the object perceived, to an awareness of the process of perception. It is a withdrawal of attention from the external object perceived, and focusing attention on the internal process of perception. 

Once the attention is focused on the process of perception, a paradigm shift occurs. This paradigm shift is started by apperception, but ends in Super-perception (abhiññā). The paradigm shift is a shift from an awareness of existence to an awareness of experience. This paradigm shift is also known as the Release from Existence (bhava nirodha). The experience of this paradigm shift makes one a spiritually emancipated Breaker of Bonds (Arahat).

The Paradigm Shift (nirodha samāpatti)