Vipashyana, Vipaśyanā, Vipasyāna: 7 definitions
Introduction:
Vipashyana means something in Buddhism, Pali, Hinduism, Sanskrit. If you want to know the exact meaning, history, etymology or English translation of this term then check out the descriptions on this page. Add your comment or reference to a book if you want to contribute to this summary article.
The Sanskrit term Vipaśyanā can be transliterated into English as Vipasyana or Vipashyana, using the IAST transliteration scheme (?).
In Buddhism
Mahayana (major branch of Buddhism)
1) Vipaśyanā (विपश्यना) refers to “expanded vision”, according to the Gaganagañjaparipṛcchā: the eighth chapter of the Mahāsaṃnipāta (a collection of Mahāyāna Buddhist Sūtras).—Accordingly, “The great vehicle (mahāyāna) is made with four wheels (cakra), namely with the means of attraction, the spokes (ara) are well fitted as the roots of good have been transformed with intention (āśaya), [...] it is carried on by a yoke yoked with the team of insight and expedient means, it is fastened in the holes of peaceful meditation and expanded vision (śamatha-vipaśyanā), it is powered by the power of understanding four holy truths (catuḥsatya), it has the power of a thousand well-bred horses, [...]”.
2) vipaśyana (शमथ) refers to “transcendental analysis”, according to the Gaganagañjaparipṛcchā: the eighth chapter of the Mahāsaṃnipāta (a collection of Mahāyāna Buddhist Sūtras).—Accordingly, “Then, the Lord went on to speak these verses: ‘[...] (46) The morality pacifies [minds], pacifies afflictions (kleśa), brings to the completion of the mental quiescence and transcendental analysis (śamatha-vipaśyana), 431 and guides to the ultimate [liberation]. [...]’”.
Mahayana (महायान, mahāyāna) is a major branch of Buddhism focusing on the path of a Bodhisattva (spiritual aspirants/ enlightened beings). Extant literature is vast and primarely composed in the Sanskrit language. There are many sūtras of which some of the earliest are the various Prajñāpāramitā sūtras.
Tibetan Buddhism (Vajrayana or tantric Buddhism)
Vipaśyanā (विपश्यना) (Sanskrit; in Tibetan: lhag mthong) — (lit. “Superior insight”) — One of two crucial attainments in Buddhist meditation, the other being tranquil abiding . Superior insight involves a penetrating realization of the nature of reality, whether articulated in terms of the four noble truths, no-self, or emptiness . Though based on intellectual analysis, superior insight is only effective in uprooting delusions if conjoined with tranquil abiding
Tibetan Buddhism includes schools such as Nyingma, Kadampa, Kagyu and Gelug. Their primary canon of literature is divided in two broad categories: The Kangyur, which consists of Buddha’s words, and the Tengyur, which includes commentaries from various sources. Esotericism and tantra techniques (vajrayāna) are collected indepently.
General definition (in Buddhism)
Vipashyanā (vipaśyanā), Skt. (Pali, vipassanā); insight, clear seeing; intuitive cognition of the three marks of existence, namely, the impermanence (anitya), suffering (duhkha), and egolessness (anātman) of all physical and mental phenomena. In Mahāyāna Buddhism, vipashyanā is seen as analytical examination of the nature of things that leads to insight into the true nature of the world—emptiness (shūnyatā). Such insight prevents the arising of new passions. Vipashyanā is one of the two factors essential for the attainment of enlightenment; the other is shamatha (calming the mind).
Languages of India and abroad
Sanskrit dictionary
Vipaśyanā (विपश्यना).—(Sanskrit vi-paśyati plus -anā), correct insight: [Page491-b+ 71] with other virtues Lalitavistara 415.7 (°na, verse); °na-vāyu-samā Lalitavistara 414.11 (verse), like the wind in (penetrating) insight, so Tibetan, lhag mthoṅ rluṅ (daṅ) ḥdra; °na-vidyu-mālī Rāṣṭrapālaparipṛcchā 45.5 (verse; in all these °na m.c.); °nāyāṃ śikṣec ca Udānavarga vi.9; śama-śīla-°nā-balair Divyāvadāna 44.24 (verse); but almost always closely associated, often [compound], with a preceding śamatha; compare Abhidharmakośa LaV-P. vi.301. n. 2, ‘la pensée parfumée par le śamatha (calme) peut obtenir par la vipaśyanā (intelli- gence; elsewhere vision, contemplation) la vimukti’; another definition Bodhisattvabhūmi 260.11-14 tatra yā bodhisattvasyaiṣā dharmāṇām evam avikalpanā (see vikalpana), so 'sya śamatho draṣṭavyaḥ. yac ca tad yathābhūtajñānaṃ pāramārthikaṃ, yac ca tad apramāṇavyavasthānanayajñānaṃ dharmeṣu, iyam asya vipaśyanā draṣṭavyā; in Mahāvyutpatti 1678 vi° (Tibetan lhag mthoṅ) follows śamatha 1677, and forms a tetrad with it and yogaḥ, yoniśo-manasikāraḥ; śamatha-°nā- vihārin Divyāvadāna 95.13; 124.12; 264.27—28; Avadāna-śataka i.16.10; 283.2; °nā-vihāra-vihārin Gaṇḍavyūha 471.21; otherwise [compound] or associated with śamatha, Lalitavistara 128.3; 181.19; 183.7; Mahāvastu i.120.10; Avadāna-śataka ii.140.10; Śikṣāsamuccaya 260.12; 261.2; Kāśyapa Parivarta 154.5; Bodhisattvabhūmi 83.8; 109.9, etc. (Pali vipassanā; compare prec. and next.)
Vipaśyana (विपश्यन):—[=vi-paśyana] [from vi-paś] n. (or f(ā). ) right knowledge, [Buddhist literature]
[Sanskrit to German]
Sanskrit, also spelled संस्कृतम् (saṃskṛtam), is an ancient language of India commonly seen as the grandmother of the Indo-European language family (even English!). Closely allied with Prakrit and Pali, Sanskrit is more exhaustive in both grammar and terms and has the most extensive collection of literature in the world, greatly surpassing its sister-languages Greek and Latin.
Nepali dictionary
Vipasyāna (विपस्यान):—n. discomment; insight; correct perception/view;
Nepali is the primary language of the Nepalese people counting almost 20 million native speakers. The country of Nepal is situated in the Himalaya mountain range to the north of India.
See also (Relevant definitions)
Partial matches: Pashyana, Vi.
Starts with: Vipashyanakaushalya, Vipashyanasambhara.
Full-text (+70): Pi bo, Pi bo she na, Pi po she na, Vipashyanakaushalya, Samatha, Pi po pi po she na, Vipashyanasambhara, Shamathavipashyana, Nibbicikiccha, Sixteen Contemplations, Vipashyan, Vipassanayutta, Munisattama, Battimsavinnana, Vippayuttaggahana, Zhi guan fa men, Vidyuta, Dhammasandosa, Shamathavipashyanaviharin, Guan.
Relevant text
Search found 23 books and stories containing Vipashyana, Vi-pashyana, Vi-paśyana, Vi-pasyana, Vipaśyanā, Vipasyana, Vipaśyana, Vipasyāna; (plurals include: Vipashyanas, pashyanas, paśyanas, pasyanas, Vipaśyanās, Vipasyanas, Vipaśyanas, Vipasyānas). You can also click to the full overview containing English textual excerpts. Below are direct links for the most relevant articles:
Maha Prajnaparamita Sastra (by Gelongma Karma Migme Chödrön)
Bhūmi 7: the far-gone ground (dūraṃgamā / dūraṅgamā) < [Chapter XX - (2nd series): Setting out on the Mahāyāna]
IV. Silence of the Śrāvakas on the dhāraṇis < [Part 4 - Obtaining the gates of recollection and concentration]
II. Synonymity of the three words < [Part 2 - Understanding dharmatā and its synonyms]
Guhyagarbha Tantra (with Commentary) (by Gyurme Dorje)
Text 5.14 (Commentary) < [Chapter 5 (text and commentary)]
Text 13.8 (Commentary) < [Chapter 13 (Text and Commentary)]
Advayavajra-samgraha (Sanskrit text and English introduction) (by Mahamahopadhyaya Haraprasad Shastri)
Chapter 3 - Tattvaratnavali < [Sanskrit texts of the Advayavajra-samgraha]
Chapter 16 - Mahayana-vimshika < [Sanskrit texts of the Advayavajra-samgraha]
Preksha meditation: History and Methods (by Samani Pratibha Pragya)
Bibliography III: Other Literature
Bibliography II: Terāpantha-Literature including Mahāprajña’s Literature on Prekṣā-Dhyāna
7. Prekṣā and Vipassanā: Goenkā’s 1974-75 Vipassanā Camp < [Chapter 3 - The History of Meditation in Terāpanth]
The Great Chariot (by Longchenpa)
Part 2b.2 - The two individual explanations of shamatha and vipashyana < [B. The teaching of the three factors of immovable samadhis]
Part 1 - Those of the highest powers < [B. The gradation of powers of those who meditate into high, middle, and low]
Part 2b.1 - The main means of practice, shamatha and vipashyana < [B. The teaching of the three factors of immovable samadhis]
Shurangama Sutra (with commentary) (English) (by Hsuan Hua)
Conclusion: manifestation of pure dharmas < [Chapter 2 - The Bodhisattva Stages]
The honored ones of the past < [Chapter 7 - Concluding Instructions]
Specific indication of the subtle demonic events < [Chapter 1 - The Origin of Demonic States]