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44 EASTERN HORIZON | TEACHINGS

The Many Faces of Insight

The word insight in the context of Buddhism usually refers describe the development of insight while in dhyāna.
to seeing the true nature of reality, i.e. impermanence, According to the Sūtra of Perfect Enlightenment (Yuanjue
suffering, and non-self in the Theravāda tradition; while Jing), dhyāna meditation is clearly distinguished from
in the Mahāyāna and Vajrayāna traditions, it will also the standard definitions of śamatha and vipaśyanā,
include seeing both emptiness and our Buddha nature. being a third type of meditation which both combines
The word insight is derived from the Pāli vipassanā (Skt. and transcends the other two. The Buddha responds
vipaśyanā) which literally means “special seeing”. We by teaching three types of meditation practice, which
ask our three Forum panelists – Venerable Aggacitta, are defined by the Sanskrit terms śamatha, samāpatti
Venerable Min Wei, and Venerable Geshe Dadul Namgyal and dhyāna, understood as techniques applicable to
- about the term vipassanā and its wider meaning in practitioners of varying inclinations.
relation to tranquillity (samatha) and mindfulness (sati)
meditation in each of their respective traditions. Thus, dhyāna as calmness is the basis for vipaśyanā
or wisdom to arise, which when properly cultivated,
In the Pāli Canon, the word vipassanā is rarely used in turn, helps to deepen the calm, and so on. The four
compared to the word jhāna. For instance, when the dhyānas then emerge again in a later stage in the
Buddha asked his monks to mediate, he would say, cultivation of the path, arising in direct connection
“go do jhāna” instead of “do vipassanā”. Are these with insight, when they are regarded as supramundane
two words interchangeable? What about in the dhyānas.
Mahāyāna and Vajrayāna traditions?
Geshe Dadul: Whenever we speak of vipaśyanā, we
Ven Aggacitta: No, they are not. Used as a noun, jhāna must understand its relationship with śamatha. In the
means a specific state of meditation associated with ideal sense of the two representing separate milestones
composure; but as a verb “to meditate” in general. in a person’s spiritual (not necessarily religious)
Vipassanā can be translated as “special seeing” or cultivation, śamatha marks the achievement of the
“distinct seeing” and is insight into the true nature mental skill to one-pointedly sit stably with a single
of constructions (saṅkhāras), arrived at by directly object uninterrupted by distraction and lack of clarity
observing them as they have occurred. for as long as one wishes. According to one method,
the process of cultivating śamatha is marked by nine
Ven Min Wei: In the Chinese Buddhist tradition, the term progressive stages that could take a couple of months
dhyāna was originally transliterated with Chinese as or more with strict and arduous discipline, if one is
chánnà and shortened to just chán in common usage, successful. Vipaśyanā, on the other hand, is the mental
which is also normally used as a general term for ability to conduct focused probing into a chosen topic,
meditation. again uninterrupted by distraction and lack of clarity for
as long as one wishes, but with śamatha as its basis. So,
With regards to the relationship between insight attainment of vipaśyanā is preceded by the attainment
and dhyāna, the discourses in the Chinese Āgama of śamatha. Technically speaking, jhāna or dhyāna
say nothing about emerging from a dhyāna for the meditation begins only after attaining śamatha, and in
development of insight, but the Chinese Vimuttimagga the course of pursuing a particular dhyāna, most likely
suggests that one develops insight after dhyāna. the first of the eight, going through its preparatory
However, the Yogācarabhūmi and the Mahāvibhāṣā stages culminating in the actual dhyāna, one could