Part 3 - Vipassanā Bhāvanā (Insight Meditation)—Introduction

Insight Meditation (Vipassanā bhāvanā) is one of the most ancient meditation techniques in India. It was re-discovered about 2500 years ago by Gotama the Buddha and taught by him as a universal remedy for universal disease.^[1] During the Buddha’s time, large numbers of people in northern India were freed from the bonds of suffering by practicing Vipassanā bhāvanā, which allowing them to attain the highest levels of attainment in all spheres of life. “The term ‘Vipassanā̓ is derived from vi + dis-to see, literally, means perceiving in diverse ways, which is impermanency (Anicca), un-satisfactoriness (Dukkha), and soullessness (Anattā). It is rendered by ‘insight’, contemplation’, ‘intuition’, ‘introspection’. The main object of Vipassanā is to see things as they truly are, in order to gain one’s Emancipation”.^[2] The term ‘passanā’ which means “seeing”, the ordinary sort of vision with the eyes, but Vipassanā has a special meaning of vision: the observation or inquire the reality within oneself, the entire reality of body and mind. According to Bhikkhu Bodhi, “Vipassanā is explained as seeing in diverse ways (vividhākārato dassana), through direct meditative perception of phenomena in the terms of three characteristics of impermanence, suffering and non-self”.^[3]

The whole meaning of the word ‘Vipassanā’ is looking into something with clarity and precision, seeing each component as distinct and separate. Vipassanā meditation is the personal purification of the mind by eradicating all craving and attachment. It is mentioned that the essence of Vipassanā is Anupassanā, which means to see the things (Dhammas) as they are. And such Anupassanā is practiced by the discipline called “Satipaṭṭhāṇa”, the ‘Foundation of Mindfulness’.^[4] During the training, the trainers have to concentrate on only one task-the battle with own ignorance (Avijjā). The teacher is simply a well-wisher pointing the way. Those followers of the path are released from the bonds of Māra.^[5]

The foremost among such qualities is the complementary pair of faith (Saddhā) and right view (Sammā-diṭṭhi) for the practice of the Buddhist path. Traditionally, the faith (Saddhā) is placed at the beginning of the Buddhist training, which is the prerequisite for the later stages comprised in the triad of virtue (Sīla), concentration (Samādhi), and wisdom (Paññā). The second pillar that supports to practice of insight meditation is the cognitive counterpart of faith, namely, right view (Sammā-diṭṭhi). Right view (Sammā-diṭṭhi) initially means right belief or understanding. Although Lord Buddha did admonish that one should not accept his doctrine blindly but should inquire into their meanings and attempt to realize the truth by oneself.^[6]

By practicing Vipassanā, the Buddha penetrated wisdom; by the light of wisdom he uprooted all the cankers of greed hatred and ignorance. He discovered the law of dependent origination (Paṭiccasamuppāda), the chain of cause and effect conditioning the universe. “Whatever arises due to a cause; when the cause is eradicated there can be no resulting effect. He knows the cause of suffering which is nothing but the craving and attachment but having realization the truth, he penetrated the illusion of solidity in mind and matter, dissolved the tendency of his mind to cling and crave, and realized the unconditioned truth”.^[7] The darkness of ignorance was dispelled and the light of wisdom (Paññā-dīpa) shone forth in all its brilliance. The subtlest defilements of his mind were washed away. All the shackles were broken. No craving remained for the future; his mind became free from all attachments. With the experience of total liberation the following words of joy (Udāna) came forth.^[8] “Through countless births I wandered in Saṃsāra, seeking, but not finding, the builder of the house (life). Repeatedly taking birth is indeed misery! O builder of the house, you are now seen! You cannot build this house again. All the rafters and the ridgepole are shattered. The mind is free from all the Saṅkhārā. I have attained the destruction of craving”.^[9]

Vipassanā, as insight, does not note denote insight in general, but insight into the specific nature of three characteristics (Tilakkhaṇa) of the phenomenal world, namely, impermanence (Anicca), suffering (Dukkha) and nonself (Anattā). Moreover, it is not to be understood as mere intellectual appreciation, or conceptual knowledge of, these characteristics, but as a direct personal and indubitable experience of them, obtained and mastered through repeated meditation on the objects singled out for the cultivation of insight (Vipassanābhāvanā).

Footnotes and references:

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[1]:

William Hart, The Art of Living (Igatpuri: VRI, 1987), p. 146.

[2]:

Nārada, A Manual of Abhidhamma, p. 440-441.

[3]:

William Hart, The Art of Living, p. 91.

[4]:

Harcharan Singh Sobti, Vipassanā: The Buddhist Way, p. 85.

[5]:

Dhammapada Weragoda Sarada, P.1118. The māra of defilements (Kilesa māra), the māra of aggregates (Khandhā māra), the māra of kamma-formation (Abhisaṅkhāra māra), the māra as a deity (Devaputtā māra) and the māra of death (Maccu māra). “Tumhehi kiccaṃ ātappaṃ akkhātāro Tathāgatā; Paṭipannā pamokkhanti jhāyino mārabandhanā”.

[6]:

Bhikkhu Bodhi, Two Styles of Insight Meditation. BPS Newsletter Cover Essay, No. 45 (Kandy: BPS, 1998), p. 3.

[7]:

Ācariya Buddharakkhita, The Wheel of Life (Bangalore: BVT, 2005), p. 29.

[8]:

Dhammapada Weragoda Sarada, p. 654-657.“Anekajātisaṃsāraṃ sandhāvissaṃ anibbisaṃ, gahakāraṃ gavesanto dukkhā jāti punappunaṃ. Gahakāraka diṭṭhosi puna gehaṃ na kāhasi, sabbā te phāsukā bhaggā gahakūtaṃ visaṅkhitaṃ, visaṅkhāragataṃ cittaṃ taṇhānaṃ khayamajjhagā”.

[9]:

According to the commentary, these verses are the Buddha’s “Song of Victory”, his first utterances after Enlightenment. Here the house-builder represent as craving; house as saṃsāric existence; rafters as passions; ridgepole as ignorance. See also, Guṇaratana’s. A Critical Analysis of the Jhānas in Theravāda Buddhist Meditation. p. 145.