-V-
vācā: 'speech'. On right sp., s. magga (3), sacca
(IV.3). - Low talk, s.
tiracchāna-kathā.
vacī-kamma: 'verbal action'; s. kamma, kamma-kathā.
vacī-saṅkhāra:
'verbal kamma-formation', or
'verbal function'.
(1) For verbal kamma-formation, s. saṅkhāra (
(2) For verbal function (of mind), i.e.
thought-conception and discursive thinking, s. saṅkhāra (
vacī-viññatti:
s. viññatti.
vanishing, Contemplation of: vayānupassanā, is one of the 18 chief kinds
of insight (vipassāna,
q.v.).
vanishing and
reappearing: knowledge of the v.
and r. of beings
according to kamma, is identical with the divine eye (s. abhiññā 5).
vāritta-sīla:
'morality consisting in
avoiding' (evil things), as distinguished from 'morality consisting in
performing' (good things). See caritta-varitta.
vasī: 'mastery'. Vis.M. IV speaks of 5 kinds of m.,
which anyone who wishes to develop the absorptions (jhāna, q.v.) should acquire first of all, with regard to
the 1st absorption, namely: mastery in adverting to it (āvajjana-vasī),
in entering it (samāpajjana-vasī), in determining it (adhiṭṭhāna-vasī), in rising therefrom (vutthāna-vasī), in retrospection (paccavekkhana-vasī).
- (App.).
"If wherever, whenever, and for
whatever duration desired, one enters the 1st absorption, and at one's entering
it, no slowness is experienced, this is called mastery in entering the absorption,
etc. In an analogous way, the 4 remaining kinds are to be explained"
(Vis.M. IV, 131f; XXIII, 27ff.).
vatta: 1. 'round', 2. 'round of rebirths'.
(1) With reference to the dependent
origination (paṭiccasamuppāda,
q.v.), Vis.M. XVII speaks of 3 rounds: the kamma round (kamma-vatta) comprising the kamma-formations and the
kammaprocess (2nd and 10th links); the round of defilements (kilesa-vatta) comprising ignorance, craving and clinging (1st, 8th and
9th links); the round of results (vipāka-vatta) comprising consciousness,
mind and corporeality, 6 bases, impression, feeling (3rd-7th links). Cf. paṭiccasamuppāda
(diagram).
(2) round of rebirth = saṃsāra (q.v.).
vatthu: 'physical base', i.e. the 6 physical organs on
which the mental process is based, are the 5 physical sense-organs and,
according to the Com., the heart (hadaya-vatthu, q.v.) as the 6th. This 6th vatthu must not be confounded
with the 6th āyatana,
which is a collective name for all consciousness whatever. - (App.).
vatthu-kāma: 'objective sensuality', the 5 sense-objects; s.
vavatthāna: 'determining', defining. In its application to
insight meditation, this term occurred first in Pts.M. (I, p. 53); but in a
verbal form, as a past participle, already in M. 111: tyassa dhammā anupada-vavatthitā honti, "these things
(the mental factors) were determined by him (i.e. Sāriputta) successively" (s.
Abh.
For the determining of the 4 physical
elements, s. dhātuvavatthāna.
vayānupassanā:
'contemplation of vanishing',
is one of the 18 chief kinds of insight (vipassanā, q.v.).
vāyo-dhātu:
'wind-element'; s. dhātu.
vāyo-kasiṇa
'wind-kasiṇa', is one of the
kasiṇa exercises (kasiṇa,
q.v.).
vedanā: 'feeling', sensation, is the 2nd of the 5 groups
of existence (s. khandha II).
According to its nature, it may be divided into 5 classes: (1) bodily agreeable
feeling (kāyikā sukhā
-vedanā = sukha); (2) bodily disagreeable
feeling (kāyikā dukkhā-vedanā = dukkhā); (3) mentally agreeable feeling (cetasikā sukhā
-vedanā = somanassa); (4) mentally
disagreeable feeling (cetasikā dukkhā-vedanā = domanassa); (5) indifferent or neutral (adukkha-m-asukhā
vedanā = upekkhā,
q.v.).
With regard to the 6 senses, one
distinguishes 6 kinds of feeling: feeling associated with seeing, hearing,
smelling, tasting, bodily impression and mental impression. The textual wording
of it is 'feeling arisen through visual contact' (cakkhu-samphassajā vedanā; S. XXII, 55; D. 22),
etc.
Feeling is one of the 7 mental factors
inseparably associated with all consciousness whatever, s. nāma. In the formula of the dependent
origination (paṭiccasamuppāda,
q.v.), feeling is the condition for the arising of craving (taṇhā). The
above-mentioned 5 kinds of feeling are enumerated amongst the 22 faculties (indriya, q.v.). - See M. 59;
Contemplation of Feeling (Vedanā Saṃyutta), by Nyanaponika Thera (WHEEL 303/304).
vedanānupassanā:
'contemplation of feeling', is
one of the 4 foundations of mindfulness (Satipaṭṭhānaq.v.).
Vehapphala is the name of a class of heavenly beings in the
fine-material world; s. deva.
verbal action:
vacī-kamma;
s. kamma.
verbal functions of
mind: vacī-saṅkhāra;
s. saṅkhāra.
vesārajja: 'self-confidence' of a Buddha is fourfold. He is
confident: 1. to have attained to a
perfect Enlightenment of which it cannot be said that it omits anything
essential to it; 2. to have destroyed all cankers (āsava), leaving none that can be said to be undestroyed by
him; 3. that what were declared by him as obstacles to liberation are
undeniably such; 4. that his teaching fulfils its purpose of actually leading
to final liberation from suffering. See A. IV, 8; VII, 58; M. 12.
vibhajja-vāda:
'analytical or discriminating
doctrine' is an early name for the original Buddha doctrine, called Theravāda. - The term vibhajja-vādī occurs in
M. 99 and A. X, 94, though not in the sense of a separate school, but as a
characteristic of the Buddha himself: "Now, by blaming what is blamable
and praising what is praiseworthy, the Blessed One is a 'discriminating
teacher' (vibhajja-vādī ) and is not
one-sided in his teaching" (A. X, 94).
Buddhaghosa, in the introduction to his
Com. on the Kathāvatthu, says
that in Asoka's time, when the Saṃgha
prospered, many heretics took ordination as Buddhist monks but continued to
spread their wrong doctrines. For purifying the Saṃgha, Asoka, together with the venerable Moggaliputtatissa, summoned assembly of
the bhikkhus. When each of the assembled was individually questioned by the
king about what the Buddha taught, those who said that he was an eternalist (sassata-vadī), etc. were
expelled. The genuine bhikkhus replied that the Buddha was a vibhajja-vadī, an 'analyst' or 'discriminating teacher'; and when,
on the king's question, Moggaliputtatissa
confirmed that this was the correct view, those monks were admitted to the
Uposatha (q.v.) assembly of the Saṃgha,
and from their midst the participants of the 3rd Council at Pataliputta were
selected. - See Mahāvaṃsa,
tr. by Wilh. Geiger, Ch. V, v. 268f.
vibhava diṭṭhi
= uccheda-diṭṭhi; s. diṭṭhi.
vibhava-taṇhā:
'craving for non-existence', or
for self-annihilation; s. taṇhā.
vicāra: 'discursive thinking'; s. vitakka-vicāra.
vicikicchā : 'sceptical doubt', is one of the 5 mental
hindrances (nīvaraṇa, q.v.)
and one of the 3 fetters (saṃyojana,
q.v.), which disappear for ever at Stream-entry, the first stage of holiness
(s. ariya-puggala). As
a fetter, it refers to sceptical doubt about the Master (the Buddha), the
Teaching, the Saṃgha, and the
training; about things past and future, and conditionality (Dhs. 1004; cf. A .
X, 71 ) . It also applies to uncertainty whether things are wholesome or not,
to be practised or not, of high or low value, etc. According to Vis.M. XIV,
177, vicikicchā is the lack of desire to think (things out
i.e. to come to a conclusion; vigata-cikicchā, desiderative to √cit, to think); it has
the nature of wavering, and its manifestation is indecision and a divided
attitude; its proximate cause is unwise attention to matters of doubt. It is
associated with one of the 2 classes of unwholesome consciousness rooted in
delusion (Tab. I, No. 32). - See also
kaṅkhā.
view, right:
sammā-diṭṭhi;
s. diṭṭhi, magga 1, sacca IV, 1. - For wrong view, s. diṭṭhi.
vigata-paccaya: 'disappearance', is one of the 24 conditions (paccaya, q.v.).
vihāra: 'abode' There are 3 abodes: the heavenly abode (dibba-vihāra), the divine
abode (brahma-vihāra,
q.v.), the noble abode (ariya-vihāra). See A. III, 63; D.
33.
vijjā: '(higher) knowledge', gnosis. For the 3-fold k.,
s. abhiññā and te-vijjā. Cf. foll.
vijjā-caraṇa:
knowledge and conduct'. This
expression occurs in those passages in the Suttas
where the qualities of a Buddha are described, namely: Truly, the Blessed
One is holy, is fully enlightened, perfect in knowledge and conduct..."
According to Vis.M. VII, 1 and D. 3, knowledge (vijjā) refers here either to the 3-fold knowledge (s. te-vijjā), or to the
8 kinds of knowledge, namely: the 6 higher spiritual powers (abhiññā, q.v.), insight (vipassanā, q.v.), and magical
power (iddhi, q.v.); whilst
conduct (caraṇa) refers
to 15 things: moral restraint, watching over the sense-doors, moderation in
eating, wakefulness, faith, moral shame, moral dread, great learning, energy,
mindfulness, wisdom and the 4 absorptions.
vikkhambhana-pahāna:
'overcoming by repression' (or
'suspension'), is one of the 5 kinds of overcoming (pahāna, q.v.).
vikubbanā-iddhi:
the 'power of transformation',
is one of the magical faculties (iddhi,
q.v.).
vimamsā: 'investigation, inquiry, pondering', is one of
the 4 roads to power (iddhi-pāda,
q.v.) and one of the 4 factors of predominance (s. paccaya, 3).
vimokkha: 'liberation' (deliverance). I. the 3; II. the 8.
I. The 3 liberations are: 1. the
conditionless (or signless) liberation (animitta
-v.), 2. the desireless liberation (apanihita-v.), 3. the emptiness (or void) liberation (suññatā-v. ). They are also
called 'the triple gateway to liberation' (vimokkha-mukha; Vis.M. XXI, 66ff), as they are three different
approaches to the paths of holiness. - See visuddhi
VI, 8. Cf. Vis XXI, 6ff, 121ff; Pts.M. II.
Vimokkha-kathā.
1. "Whosoever being filled with
determination (adhimokkha, q.v.),
considers all formations as impermanent (anicca), such a one attains the conditionless liberation. 2.
Whosoever being filled with tranquillity, considers all formations as painful (dukkha), such a one attains the
desireless liberation. 3. Whosoever being filled with wisdom, considers all
formations as without a self (anattā),
such a one attains the emptiness liberation" (Vis.M. XXI, 70 = Pts.M.
II, p. 58).
(1) and (2) are mentioned and explained
in M. 43, under the name of deliverances of mind (ceto-vimutti, q.v.). - (2) and (3) appear in Dhs. (344ff,
353ff) in the section on supermundane consciousness (see Aṭṭhasālinī Tr., p. 299ff).
II. The 8 liberations (attha vimokkha) occur frequently in the texts (A. VIII, 66; D. 16,
etc.) and are described as follows:
"There are 8 liberations, o monks.
Which are these?
(1) ''Whilst remaining in the
fine-material sphere (rūpī),
one perceives corporeal forms: this is the first liberation.
(2) "Not perceiving corporcal
forms on one's own person, one perceives corporcal forms externally: this is
the 2nd liberation.
(3) ''By thinking of the beautiful, one
is filled with confidence: this is the 3rd liberation.
(4) "Through the total ovcrcoming
of the corporeality-perceptions, the vanishing of the reflex-perceptions, and
the non-attention to the multiformity-perceptions, with the idea 'Unbounded is
space', one reaches the sphere of unbounded space (ākāsānañcāyatana) and abides therein: this
is the 4th liberation.
(5) "Through the total ovcrcoming
of the sphere of unbounded space, and with the idea 'Unbounded is
consciousness', one reaches the sphere of unbounded consciousness (viññāṇañcāyatana)
and abides therein: this is the 5th liberation.
(6) "Through the total overcoming
of the sphere of unbounded consciousness, and with the idea 'Nothing is there',
one reaches the sphere of nothingness (ākiñcaññāyatana)
and abides therein: this is the 6th liberation.
(7) "Through the total overcoming
of the sphere of nothingness, one reaches the sphere of
neither-perception-nor-non-perception (n’eva-saññā-nāsaññāyatana)
and abides therein: this is the 7th liberation .
(8) "Through the total overcoming
of the sphere of neither-perception-nor-non-perception, one reaches the
extinction of perception and feeling (s.
nirodha-samāpatti):
this is the 8th liberation.
These, o monks, are the 8 kinds of
liberation."
For (1-3), s. abhibhāyatana; for (4-7), s. jhāna; for (8), s. nirodha-samāpatti.
By (3) is meant the attainment of the
fine-material absorptions (jhāna,
q.v.) by means of concentrating the mind on perfectly pure and bright
colours as objects of the kasiṇa (q.v.). According to Pts.M. this mental state
is produced also by concentrating the mind on the 4 sublime states, i.e.
all-embracing kindness, compassion, sympathetic joy and equanimity, in
consequence of which allbeings appear perfectly pure and glorified, and thus the
mind turns to the beautiful.
See Pts.M. II, Vimokkha-kathā; Aṭṭhasālinī
Tr., p. 255; App.
vimutti: 'deliverance', is of 2 kinds: deliverance of
mind (ceto-vimutti, q.v.) and
deliverance through wisdom (paññā-vimutti, q.v.).
'Deliverance of mind', in the highest
sense, is that kind of concentration (samādhi)
which is bound up with the path of Arahatship (Arahatta-magga); 'deliverance through wisdom' is the knowledge
(ñāṇa) bound up with
the fruition of Arahatship (Arahatta-phala).
Cf. A. V, 142.
There are also 5 kinds of deliverance,
identical with the 5 kinds of overcoming (pahāna, q.v.).
vinipāta: 'world of suffering', is another name for the 4
woeful courses (duggati; s. gati) of existence, and
for the 4 lower worlds (apāya,
q.v.).
The Stream-Winner (Sotāpanna, q.v.) is no longer
subject to rebirth in them (avinipāta-dhamma).
viññāṇa:
'consciousness', is one of the
5 groups of existence (aggregates; khandha,
q.v.); one of the 4 nutriments (āhāra,
q.v.); the 3rd link of the dependent origination (paṭiccasamuppāda, q.v.); the 5th in the sixfold
division of elements (dhātu,
q.v.).
Viewed as one of the 5 groups (khandha), it is inseparably linked
with the 3 other mental groups (feeling, perception and formations) and
furnishes the bare cognition of the object, while the other 3 contribute more
specific functions. Its ethical and karmic character, and its greater or lesser
degree of intensity and clarity, are chiefly determined by the mental
formations associated with it.
Just like the other groups of
existence, consciousness is a flux (viññāṇa-sotā,
'stream of c.') and does not constitute an abiding mind-substance; nor is
it a transmigrating entity or soul. The 3 characteristies (s. ti-lakkhaṇa), impermanence,
suffering and no-self, are frequently applied to it in the texts (e.g., in the Anattalakkhaṇa Sutta,
S.XXII, 59). The Buddha often stressed that "apart from conditions, there
is no arising of consciousness' (M 38); and all these statements about its
nature hold good for the entire range of consciousness, be it "past,
future or presently arisen, gross or subtle, in oneself or external, inferior
or lofty, far or near" (S. XXII, 59).
According to the 6 senses it divides
into 6 kinds, viz. eye- (or visual) consciousness (cakkhu-v.), etc. About the dependent arising of these 6 kinds
of consciousness, Vis.M. XV, 39 says: 'Conditioned through the eye, the visible
object, light and attention, eye-consciousness arises. Conditioned through the
ear, the audible object, the ear-passage and attention, ear-consciousness
arises. Conditioned, through the nose, the olfactive object, air and attention,
nose-consciousness arises. Conditioned through the tongue, the gustative object,
humidity and attention, tongue-consciousness arises. Condlitioned through the
body, bodily impression, the earth-element and attention, body-consciousness
arises. Conditioned through the subconscious mind (bhavaṅga-mano), the
mind-object and attention, mind-consciousness arises."
The Abhidhamma literature distinguishes 89 crasses of consciousness,
being either kammically wholesome, unwholesome or neutral, and belonging either
to the sense-sphere, the fine-material or the immaterial sphere, or to
supermundane consciousness. See Table I.
viññāṇa-kicca:
'functions of consciousness',
as exercised within a process of consciousness or cognitive series (cittavīthi). In the Abhidhamma Com. and Vis.M. XIV the
following functions are mentioned: rebirth (paṭisandhi), subconsciousness (bhavaṅga), advertence (āvajjana), seeing, hearing, smelling, tasting,
body-consciousness; recciving (sampaṭicchana),
investigating (santīraṇa),
determining (voṭṭhapana),
impulsion (javana), registering
(tadārammaṇa),
dying (cuti).
A single unit of sense-perception (e.g.
visual consciousness), being conditioned through a sense-organ and its
corresponding object, forms in reality an extremely complex process, in which
all the single phases of consciousness follow one upon another in rapid
succession, while performing their respective functions, e.g.:
"As soon as a visible object has
entered the range of vision, it acts on the sensitive eye-organ (cakkhu-pasāda), and
conditioned thereby an excitation of the subconscious stream (bhavaṅga-sota) takes place.
"As soon, however, as
subconsciousness is broken off, the functional mind-element (s. Tab. I, 70),
grasping the object and breaking through the subconscious stream, performs the
function of 'adverting' the mind towards the object (āvajjana).
"Immediately thereupon there
arises at the eye-door, and based on the sensitive eye-organ, the
eye-consciousness, while performing the function of 'seeing' (dassana).... Immediately thereafter
there arises the mind-element (Tab
I, 39, 55) performing the function of
'receiving' (sampaṭicchana)
the object of that consciousness....
''Immediately thereafter there
arises... the mind-consciousness-element (Tab. I, 40, 41, 56), while
'investigating' (santīraṇa)
the object received by the mind-element...
"Immediately thereafter there
arises the functional, rootless mind-consciousness-element (Tab. I, 71),
accompanied by indifference, while performing the function of 'determining' (voṭṭhapana) the
object......
"Now, if the object is large, then
immediately afterwards there flash forth 6 or 7 'impulsive moments' (javana-citta),
constituted by one of the 8 wholesome, or 12 unwholesome, or 9 functional
classes of consciousness (Tab. I, 1-8; 22-23; 72-80).
''Now, if at the end of the impulsive
moments, the object at the five-sense doors is very large, and at the mind-door
clear, then there arises, once or twice, one of the 8 root-accompanied,
kamma-resultant classes of consciousness (Tab. I, 42-49) of the sense-sphere,
or one of the 3 rootless kamma-resultant mind-consciousness-elements (Tab. I,
40, 41, 56).... Because this consciousness after the vanishing of the impulsive
moments, possesses the faculty continuing with the object of the
subconsciousness, taking the object of the subconsciousness as its own object,
therefore it is called 'registering' (tadārarmmaṇa,
lit. 'that object', or 'having that as object')" (Vis.M. XIV, 115ff).
If, however, the sense-object is weak,
then it reaches merely the stage of 'impulsion' (javana), or of 'determining' (voṭṭhapana); if very weak, only an excitation ot
the subconsciousness takes place.
The proeess of the inner or
mind-consciousness, i.e. without participation of the 5 physical senses, is as
follows: in the case that the mind-objeet entering the mind-door is distinct,
then it passes through the stages of 'advertence at the mind-door' (manodvārāvajjana), the
'impulsive stage' and the 'registering stage', before finally sinking into the
subconscious stream. - (App.:
citta-vīthi).
Literature: Aids to
the Abhidhamma Philosophy, by Dr.
C.B Dhammasena (with colour chart of the Cognitive Series; WHEEL 63/64). - The
Psychology and Philosophy of Buddhism, by Dr. W. F. Javasuriya (Buddhist
Missionary Socy., Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia).
viññāṇañcāyatana:
'sphere of boundless consciousn
is a name for the 2nd meditiative absorption in the immateria sphere (s. jhāna, 6).
viññāṇa-ṭṭhiti:
'abodes or supports of
consciousness'. The texts describe 7 such abodes (e.g. A. VII, 41):
(1) "There are beings who are
different in body and different in perception, such as men, some heavenly
beings, and some beings living in states of suffering (s. apāya). This is the 1st abode of consciousness.
(2) "There are beings who are
different in body but equal in perception, such as the first-born gods of the
Brahma-world (s. deva II).
This is the 2nd abode of consciousness.
(3) "There are beings who are
equal in body but different in perception, such as the Radiant Gods (ābhassara-deva). This is the 3rd abode of consciousness.
(4) ''There are beings who are equal in
body and equal in perception, such as the All-illuminating Gods (subhakiṇha-deva). This is the
4th abode of consciousness.
(5) "There are beings ... reborn
in the sphere of boundless space. This is the 5th abode of consciousness.
(6) "There are beings ... reborn
in the sphere of boundless consciousness. This is the 6th abode of
consciousness.
(7) There are beings... reborn in the
sphere of nothingness. This is the 7th abode of consciousness"
About the 3 last-named spheres, s. jhāna (5-7). Cf. sattāvāsa.
In D. 33 there are mentioned 4 viññāṇa-ṭṭhiti,
apparently in the sense of 'bases' of consciousness, namely: corporeality,
feeling, perception, mental formations, which in S. XXII, 53 are further
explained.
viññatti: (lit. 'making known') 'intimation', is an Abhidhamma term for bodily expression (kāya-viññatti) and verbal
expression (vacī-viññatti), both
belonging to the corporeality-group. They are produced by the co-nascent
volition, and are therefore, as such, purely physical and not to be confounded
with kamma (q.v.), which as such is something mental. Cf. Kath. 80, 100, 101,
103, 194 (s. Guide V). - (App.).
"One speaks of 'bodily
expression', because it makes known an intention by means of bodily movement,
and can itself be understood by the bodily movement which is said to be
corporeal.
" 'Verbal expression' is so called
because it makes known an intention by means of a speech-produced noise"
(Vis.M. XIV).
vipañcitaññu: 'one who realizes the truth after explanation.'
Thus is called one who realizes the truth only after detailed explanation of
that which already had been said to him in a concise form. Cf. ugghaṭitaññu.
vipāka: 'kamma-result', is any kammically (morally)
neutral mental phenomenon (e.g. bodily agreeable or painful feeling, sense-consciousness,
etc. ), which is the result of wholesome or unwholesome volitional action
(kamma, q.v.) through body, speech or mind, done either in this or some
previous life. Totally wrong is the belief that, according to Buddhism,
everything is the result of previous action. Never, for example, is any
kammically wholesome or unwholesome volitional action the result of former
action, being in reality itself kamma. On this subject s. titthāyatana, kamma, Tab. I; Fund II. Cf. A.
III, 101; Kath. 162 (Guide, p. 80).
Kamma-produced (kammaja or
kamma-samuṭṭhāna)
corporeal things are never called
kamma-vipāka,
as this term may be applied only to mental phenomena.
vipāka-paccaya:
'kamma-result condition' is one
of the 24 conditions (paccaya, q.v.).
vipallāsa: 'perversions' or 'distortions'. - ''There are 4
perversions which may be either of perception (saññā-vipallāsa),
of consciousness (citta v.)
or of views (diṭṭhi-v.).
And which are these four? To regard what is impermanent (anicca) as permanent; what is painful
(dukkha) as pleasant (or
happiness-yielding); what is without a self (anattā) as a self; what is impure (ugly: asubha) as pure or
beautiful'' (A. IV, 49). - See Manual of Insight, by Ledi Sayadaw (WHEEL 31/32). p.5.
"Of the perversions, the following
are eliminated by the 1st path-knowledge (Sotāpatti): the perversions of perception, consciousness
and views, that the impermanent is permanent and what is not a self is a self;
further, the perversion of views that the painful is pleasant, and the impure is
pure. By the 3rd path-knowledge (Anāgāmitā)
are eliminated: the perversions of perception and consciousness that the impure
is pure. By the 4th path-knowledge (Arahatta)
are eliminated the perversions of perception and consciousness that the painful
is pleasant" (Vis.M. XXII, 68).
vipariṇāmānupassanā:
'contemplation of change' (of
all things), is one of the 18 chief kinds of insight (vipassanā, q.v.).
vipassanā: 'insight', is the intuitive light flashing forth
and exposing the truth of the impermanency, the suffering and the impersonal
and unsubstantial nature of all corporeal and mental phenomena of existence. It
is insight-wisdom (vipassanā-paññā)
that is the decisive liberating factor in Buddhism, though it has to be
developed along with the 2 other trainings in morality and concentration. The
culmination of insight practice (s. visuddhi
VI) leads directly to the stages of holiness (s. visuddhi VII).
Insight is not the result of a mere
intellectual understanding, but is won through direct meditative observation of
one's own bodily and mental processes. In the commentaries and the Vis.M., the
sequene in developing insight-meditation is given as follows: 1. discernment of
the corporeal (rūpa), 2.
of the mental (nāma), 3.
contemplation of both (nāmarūpa;
i.e. of their pairwise occurrence in actual events, and their interdependence),
4. both viewed as conditioned (application of the dependent origination, paṭiccasamuppāda),
5. application of the 3 characteristics (impermanency, etc.) to
mind-and-body-cum-conditions.
The stages of gradually growing insight
are described in the 9insight- knowledges (vipassanā-ñāṇa), constituting the 6th stage of
purification: beginning with the 'knowledge of rise and fall' and ending with
the 'adaptation to Truth'. For details, see visuddhi VI and Vis.M. XXI.
Eighteen chief kinds of
insight-knowledge (or principal insights, mahā-vipassanā) are listed and described in Vis.M. XXII, 113:
(1) contemplation of impermanence (aniccānupassanā),
(2) of suffering (dukkhānupassanā),
(3) of no self (anattānupnupassanā),
(4) of aversion (nibbidānupassanā).
(5) of detachment (virāgānupassanā),
(6) of extinction (nirodhānupassanā),
(7) of abandoning (paṭinissaggānupassanāā),
(8) of waning (khayānupassanā),
(9) of vanishing (vayānupassanā),
(10) of change (vipariṇāmānupassanā),
(11) of the unconditioned (or signless,
animittānupassanā),
(12) of desirelessness (apaṇihitānupassanā),
(13) of emptiness (suññatāupassanā),
(14) insight into phenomena which is higher wisdom (adhipaññā-dhamma-vipassanā),
(15) knowledge and vision according to reality (yathā-bhūta-ñāṇadassana), (16)
contemplation of misery (or danger,
ādīnavānupassanā),
(17) reflecting contemplation (paṭisaṅkhānupassanā),
(18) contemplation of turning away (vivaṭṭanānupassanā).
Through these 18, the adverse ideas and
views are overcome, for which reason this way of overcoming is called
'overcoming by the opposite' (tadaṅga-pahāna,
overcoming this factor by that). Thus (1) dispels the idea of permanence. (2)
the idea of happiness, (3) the idea of self, (4) lust, (5) greed, (6)
origination, (7) grasping, (8) the idea of compactness, (9) kamma-accumulation,
(10) the idea of lastingness, (11) the conditions, (12) delight, (13)
adherence, (14) grasping and adherence to the idea of substance, (15)
attachment and adherence, (17) thoughtlessness, (18) dispels entanglement and
clinging.
Insight may be either mundane (lokiya, q.v.) or supermundane (lokuttara, q.v.). Supermundane
insight is of 3 kinds: (1) joined with one of the 4 supermundane paths, (2)
joined with one of the fruitions of these paths, (3) regarding the extinction,
or rather suspension, of consciousness (s.
nirodha-samāpatti).
See samatha-vipassanā, visuddhi, III-VII.
Literature: Manual of Insight, by Ledi Sayadaw (WHEL 31/32). Practical
Insight Meditation, Progress of Insight, both by Mahāsi Sayadaw (BPS). The
Experience of Insight, by Joseph Goldstein (BPS).
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