Vipassanā — Insight

This is part 20 of a course going through the similes and metaphors of the Buddha. Course home 1: Introduction to Imagery in the EBTs2: Taṇhā — Craving3: Rāga — Passion4: Vyāpāda — Hatred and Aversion5: Thīnamiddha — Sloth and Torpor6: Uddhaccakukkuca — Restlessness and Worry7: Vicikicchā — Doubt8: Vedanā — Feelings9: Vedanānupassanā — Investigating Feelings10: Sukha — Happiness11: Upekkhā — Equanimity12: Yathābhūtañāṇadassana — Knowledge and Vision of the Way Things Are13: Vimutti — Liberation14: Upādāna – Grasping15: Sakkāyadiṭṭhi - Self View16: Sammādiṭṭhi - Right View17: Saṅkhāra — Activity18: Vitakka — Thought19: Yoniso Manasikāra — Wise Attention20: Vipassanā — Insight21: Samatha & Vipassanā — Tranquility & Insight22: Samādhi — Immersion23: Viveka — Seclusion24: Vossagga — Letting Go25: Suññatā — Emptiness26: Conclusion

Illustration by Ayya Vimalayani aka "Ven Yodha"

Insight, or literally "clear seeing," is a result of paying close attention to reality as it actually is. The impermanent, uncontrollable, and unsatisfying nature of experience becomes obvious and the mind lets go of all that which is just the cause of suffering.

Textbook

Read Chapter 7 of:

From Grasping to Emptiness: Excursions into the Thought-world of the Pāli Discourses Volume 2 – Bhikkhu Anālayo (.pdf)

Suttas

SN 22.122 Sīlavanta Sutta: An Ethical Mendicant (.pdf)

SN 7.6 Jata Sutta: The Tangle

SN 22.57 Sattaṭṭhāna Sutta: Seven Cases (.pdf)

SN 48.54 Pada Sutta: Footprints (.pdf)

Iti 111: Perfect in Virtue (.pdf)

Similes

Hecker similes: 38, 68, 71 and 83.

Reflection

Vipassana has good PR these days. Did anything surprise you about its presentation in the Canon, as opposed to modern portrayals?

Continue to Part 21, Samatha & Vipassanā — Tranquility & Insight

...or go back to part 19