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TEACHINGS | EASTERN HORIZON 499
In fact, if we always pay close attention to listen to the Insight at the supramundane level means the point of
Dharma and contemplate deeply on what the Buddha breakthrough, the moment of awakening when one
taught, we can definitely experience the wisdom of glimpses or experiences the ultimate reality of Nibbāna,
impermanence, dependent origination, and selflessness the stilling of all constructions. The deeper the glimpse
without formal meditation. or experience of Nibbāna, the more defilements will be
uprooted.
Geshe Dadul: During the time of the Buddha, most of
his disciples were the fortunate ones who were laden Ven Min Wei: No doubt, the ultimate reality in Buddhism
with rich spiritual predispositions from the past. Thus, is ‘Enlightenment’. But, regarding the capacity of the
the generation of insight and other attainments would practitioners, we need to use different methods in
not have required as much effort as is required of us accordance with one’s spiritual ability to achieve one’s
in our time. Relatively speaking, the time and place goal. Though we have only one reality but there are
of Buddha’s appearance coincided with the presence many ways of cultivation to achieve it.
of people who would resonate easily with his life and
message due to their predispositions. In fact, that is As Maitreya states from the principle of thusness
exactly the reason why a Buddha in the Wheel Turning (tathatā), hearing the Dharma, and the various
Supreme Emanation Body appeared where, when, meditations such as śamatha and vipaśyanā are the
and how he did. Not only that, the first 500 years of same without difference for acquiring understanding
the Buddha’s Mahāparinirvāṇa were considered the and ultimate truth.
Period of Fruits, in that people continued to attain high
spiritual levels at a relatively fast and easy pace. If we Geshe Dadul: The nature of ultimate reality, i.e.
are as fortunate from our past efforts, or if we make as emptiness, is identical across bases, yet one can speak
much efforts now, we may also develop insights before of emptiness of the body, emptiness of the mind and so
long. forth. Though these instances of emptiness attached
with their bases are mutually exclusive, their emptiness
If insight means seeing ultimate reality, why are are the exact same nature, of one ‘taste’. Likewise, one
there different types of insight, e.g. the first level can speak of the insight of sotāpanna, the insight of
of insight of the sotāpanna (Skt. Śrotāpanna), the the arahant, and the insight of the Buddha without
insight of the arahant (Skt. Arahat), and the insight contradiction, even if we presume that they are all
of the Buddha? Isn’t there just one insight into always immersed into the same ultimate reality.
ultimate reality?
Of the two exhaustive categories of meditation, viz.
Ven Aggacitta: Indeed there are different types of analytical meditation and placement meditation,
ultimate realities at the mundane and supramundane vipaśyanā belongs to the former whereas śamatha
levels and therefore different types of insights. belongs to the latter. As its category suggests, vipaśyanā
is a mental skill of undertaking a focused probe into
At the mundane level, insights are spontaneous, non- any given topic or area. In a Buddhist context, these
intellectualized events of understanding “things as topics could include impermanence, suffering, non-self
they had occurred (yathābhūta)”, in varying degrees of and others, not just the ultimate reality of emptiness.
profundity. From the Buddhist perspective, this means Even practices of compassion, loving-kindness, and
actually experiencing that all constructions (saṅkhāras) gratitude involve a focused analysis and thus belong
arise and pass away due to multiple causes and to a vipaśyanā type meditation. The goal of training in
conditions and are therefore impermanent, suffering, these other types of insights, however, is to eventually
and not-self. This is insight into mundane ultimate generate insight into the ultimate reality.
realities, which has to be repeated and deepened until it
is matured enough for the leap into the supramundane.