Chipping Away at Consciousness: Vipassana Practice
Chipping Away at Consciousness: Vipassana Practice
Vipassana meditation, a practice of diligently chip away at the wall of consciousness, one day at a time, in a quest for self-discovery and ultimate liberation.
Vipassana is often understood as the practice of developing “Insight” by cultivating awareness and understanding of the nature of phenomena happening in the present moment.
The term “Concentration” or “calm abiding” can be translated as Samatha, which refers to a state of focused attention where the mind is brought to rest, centred on a single object to avoid distraction and achieve a state of single-pointedness. When single-pointedness is attained, a deep sense of relaxation permeates the body and mind, leading to a state of calm that must be experienced to be truly appreciated (Sayadaw, 2016; Shankman, 2015).
In Vipassana meditation, the practitioner utilizes this focused attention as a tool, where they directly apply this concentration to their own consciousness, using it to penetrate the veil of delusion that separates them from the true nature of reality (Shankman, 2015).
Vipassana involves a gradual and progressive development of insight into the inner workings of the mind over the course of several years (Nairn, Choden, & Regan-Addis, 2019). The student’s attention is guided towards an intensive examination of specific aspects of their own life.
Vipassana is revolutionary in its approach, as it involves an ever-deepening understanding of the fundamental workings of life itself (Hart & Goenka, 2011). This process takes time, and the practitioner diligently chips away at the wall of consciousness, one day at a time, until it crumbles into nothingness.
When this is achieved, it is believed that the practitioner’s sense of self dissolves, enlightenment is realized, and one attains permanent freedom from the cycle of samsara (Gethin, 2002).
It is worth noting that while the ultimate goal of all Buddhist meditation practices is liberation, Vipassana practice is not the only path to achieve this freedom from suffering, as there are other methods and approaches available to practitioners (Gethin, 2002; Lingpa, Rinpoche, & Mahapandita, 2006; Snelling, 1991).
Vipassana is considered to be one of the oldest practices in the Buddhist meditation tradition attributed to the Buddha himself, with its methodology derived directly from the Satipatthana Sutta (Mindfulness Foundations) (Analayo, 2004). At the beginning of this discourse, the Buddha is quoted said to have said,
“Monks, this is the direct path for the purification of beings, for the surmounting of sorrow and lamentation, for the disappearance of dukkha and discontent, for acquiring the true method, for the realization of Nibbāna." (Analayo, 2004, p. 3)
Ultimately within Vipassana practice, the meditator is trained to observe their own lived experience with increasing clarity, to engage more fully with our senses, to smell more acutely, to touch more deeply, and to genuinely pay attention to the ever-changing nature of phenomena around us.
It is a method of training the mind, involving a series of techniques aimed at cultivating a greater sense of mindfulness and understanding of life. It is about listening attentively, seeing attentively, and carefully investigating our own experiences. Through this practice, we learn to observe our own thoughts without becoming entangled in them.
Finally, the ultimate goal of Vipassana meditation is to develop the ability to perceive reality as it is, recognizing that the phenomena within our perception are impermanent, unsatisfactory, and not inherently related to a fixed sense of self.
References
Analayo. (2004). Satipatthana: The direct path to realization. Cambridge: Windhorse Publications.
Gethin, R. M. (2002). The Buddhist path to awakening (2nd Revised ed.). London: Oneworld Publications.
Hart, W., & Goenka, S. N. (2011). The art of living: Vipassana meditation as tought by S.N. Goenka. London: HarperCollins Publishers.
Lingpa, J., Rinpoche, P., & Mahapandita, G. (2006). Deity, mantra, and wisdom: Development stage meditation in Tibetan Buddhist tantra. (Dharmachakra Translation Committee, Trans.) Ithaca, NY: Snow Lion Publications.
Nairn, R., Choden, & Regan-Addis, H. (2019). From mindfulness to insight: Meditations to release your habitual thinking and activate your inherent wisdom. Boston, MA: Shambala Publications Inc.
Sayadaw, M. (2016). Manual of insight. Somerville, MA: Wisdom Publications.
Shankman, R. (2015). The art and skill of Buddhist meditation: mindfulness, concentration, and insight. Oakland, CA: New Harbinger Publications.
Snelling, J. (1991). The Buddhist handbook: A complete guide to Buddhist schools, teaching, practice, and history. New York, NY: Barnes & Noble Inc.