INSIGHT MEDITATION-VIPASSANA

Buddha and His Teachings in the Mudra of Turning the Dharma Wheel

Insight Meditation (Vipassana) is used to penetrate into the reality of physical appearances and mental delusions. This method of meditation is the Buddhist method of eradicating the three poisons (greed, anger, and delusion). It cannot be found in other Indian traditions of meditation.

The highly concentrated mind obtained in Calm Meditation is applied further to contemplate on the ever changing of phenomena, including physical appearances and mental manifestations. As a result, practitioner realizes that those phenomena are impermanent and that longing for them to remain unchanged is a delusion and the cause of unhappiness. Then one will no longer attach to them. Detaching from them, especially the delusion about a permanent self, one becomes awakened or enlightened.

The path for achieving awakening through Vipassana Meditation covers the four excellent fruitions, namely Stream Entry, One Return, Non-Return, and Arhat.

At the levels of the Stream Entry and One Return, greed and anger, the first two of the three poisons, are only weakened. At these levels, practitioners can retain their inner peace and happiness longer. However, greed and anger can still disturb their peace.

Only at the level of the Non-Return, greed and anger are eradicated.

Then, at the level of an Arhat, delusion, the last of the three poison, is completely eradicated.

Practitioners can always verify themselves to see how far they have advanced on the path. Everyone knows better of their own greed and anger!