VIPASSANA

WHAT IS VIPASSANA
• Vipassana is called insight or mindfulness meditation. The
term comes from the Sanskrit vi, meaning “intense” or
“powerful,” and passana, meaning “seeing.” Vipassana is a way
of self transformation through self observation
• It is to "see things as they are" or "insight". This is important to
Buddhism because Buddhism is all about experiencing reality and the
experience of reality is known in Buddhism as wisdom
• It is a logical process of mental purification
• It focuses on the deep interconnection between mind and body
 ORIGIN OF VIPASSANA
• It comes from Buddhists tradition-Theraveda.
• It was written by Buddhghosa in 500 CE
• It has been used as a manual meditation teachers for 1500
years
• In early 20th century Myanmar’s Buddhists leaders revived
this technique in an attempt to save local culture
• Burmese vipassna movements is credited with reinventing
this meditation technique
• Mahasi Sayadaw, who introduced the new Burmese
Satipatthanda method greatly popularized it during 20th
century.
HISTORICAL BACKGROUND —VIPASSANA MEDITATION

• Vipassana is one of the world’s most ancient meditative techniques. It was practiced 25
centuries ago by Goutama the Buddha, who said he had rediscovered a much older
practice. After his enlightenment in 528 BCE, the Buddha spent the remaining 45 years of
his life teaching the way out of suffering. Vipassana is the essence of what he taught. The
Buddha’s teaching is known by the general term Dhamma (Sanskrit: Dharma).
• For five centuries Vipassana helped millions of people in India, the Buddha’s homeland.
This era saw the matchless reign of the great Emperor Asoka (273-236 BCE) who united
India and initiated a golden age of peace and prosperity. Asoka also sent ambassadors of
Dhamma to all the neighboring kingdoms (including what has become Myanmar in modern
times), thereby spreading both the practice and the words of the Buddha.
• After about 500 years the practice of Vipassana had disappeared from India. Fortunately it
was maintained by a continuous chain of meditation teachers in the neighboring country of
Myanmar (Burma) until the present day.
• The interest in meditation was re-awakened in Myanmar (Burma) in
the 18th century by Medawi (1728–1816), who
wrote vipassana manuals. The actual practice of meditation was re-
invented in Theravada-countries in the 19th and 20th centuries and
simplified meditation techniques, based on the Satipatthana sutta,
the Visuddhimagga, and other texts, emphasizing satipatthana and
bare insight were developed.
• In the 19th and 20th century the Theravada traditions in Burma,
Thailand and Sri Lanka were rejuvenated in response to western
colonialism. They were rallying points in the struggle against western
hegemonism, giving voice to traditional values and culture.
• But the Theravada-tradition was also reshaped, using the Pali
scriptural materials to legitimize these reforms.
• Lay participation in Theravada countries grew strongly in the 20th
century, and eventually also reached the west. Most influential in
this renewed interest was the "new Burmese method"of Vipassana
practice, as developed by U Nārada (1868–1955) and popularized
by Mahasi Sayadaw (1904–1982).

• Ultimately, this practice aims at stream entry, with the idea that this
first stage of the path to awakening safeguards future development
of the person towards full awakening, despite the degenerated age
we live in.This method spread over South and Southeast Asia,
Europe and America, and has become synonymous
with Vipassana.
How to practice Vipassana meditation 

• Schedule 10 to 15 minutes. Choose a distraction-free location where you may practice in

comfort and peace.
• Take a seat at ease on the ground. Breathe normally, but be mindful to every breath.
• It's not necessary to keep track of your breaths, visualise anything, or have any particular
idea. Keep your body's surrounding sensations and your mind's ideas in mind.
• Recognize them as they appear and let them go without trying to interpret or evaluate
them. The rest of the meditation will be spent doing this exercise while concentrating on
inner consciousness.
• If a diversion occurs, simply be aware of it without getting caught up in it before
returning to your breath.
PURPOSE OF VIPASSANA

• It dissolves mental impurities,

resulting in a balanced mind full of
love and compassion
• It aims at total eradication of
mental impurities and the resultant
highest happiness of full liberation
• Not merely curing diseases but the
essential healing of human
suffering , is its purpose