AI Commentary on "Vipassana Meditation"
Vipassana is one of India's most ancient meditation techniques, rediscovered by Gautama Buddha more than 2,500 years ago. It is derived from Theravada Buddhism. The word Vipassana is from the Pali language and means “insight," "clear seeing,” or "to see things as they really are.” It's a type of meditation that involves focusing on the breath and physical sensations to develop a clear awareness of reality. It is a non-sectarian, universal practice of self-observation aimed at the total eradication of mental impurities and the resulting highest happiness of full liberation. It is often described as an "art of living."
At its core, Vipassana is a process of deep self-purification through self-observation. The primary goal is not just to calm the mind or reduce stress, although those are often positive side effects. The ultimate aim is to dismantle the deep-seated mental habit patterns of craving and aversion, which are considered the root causes of all suffering.
What are the benefits of Vipassana meditation?
Improved focus
Vipassana meditation can improve focus, mental clarity, and overall cognitive function.
Reduced distractions
Vipassana meditation can help practitioners filter out distractions more effectively.
By observing reality within yourself exactly as it is, you begin to understand three fundamental truths of existence (known in Buddhism as the Three Marks of Existence):
1. Anicca (Impermanence): Everything is in a constant state of flux; nothing is permanent.
2. Dukkha (Suffering/Unsatisfactoriness): Craving for things to be different than they are, or clinging to things that are impermanent, inevitably leads to suffering.
3. Anatta (Non-Self): There is no permanent, unchanging "I" or "self." What we call "self" is just an ever-changing combination of physical and mental components.
By experiencing these truths directly, not just intellectually, the practitioner learns to stop reacting blindly, leading to a more balanced, peaceful, and liberated mind.
What does Vipassana meditation involve?
Mindfulness: Vipassana meditation emphasizes mindfulness and self-awareness.
Self-observation: Vipassana is a way of self-transformation through self-observation.
Focus on the breath: Vipassana meditation involves focusing on the breath and physical sensations.
Observe thought patterns: Vipassana meditation involves observing thought patterns to gain insight into why we think the way we do.
The Technique: How It's Practiced
Vipassana is taught systematically, most famously in 10-day silent residential courses. The technique is broken down into three main parts:
1. Sila (Moral Conduct): Before you can begin to work with the mind, you must first calm your actions. Participants in a course agree to follow five precepts:
Abstaining from killing any living being.
Abstaining from stealing.
Abstaining from all sexual misconduct (celibacy during the course).
Abstaining from telling lies.
Abstaining from all intoxicants.
This moral foundation helps to quiet the mind enough to proceed with the practice.
2. Anapana (Concentration of Mind): For the first three days of a typical course, practitioners focus on sharpening and concentrating the mind. This is done by observing the natural, normal breath as it enters and exits the nostrils.
You are not regulating the breath or doing any breathing exercises.
You are simply developing awareness by focusing your attention on a small area below the nostrils, feeling the sensation of the breath. This practice, called Anapana meditation, serves to sharpen the mind like sharpening a knife, making it sensitive and precise enough for the work of Vipassana.
3. Vipassana (Insight and Equanimity): Beginning on the fourth day, the actual practice of Vipassana is introduced.
With the now-sharpened mind, you begin to systematically move your attention through your entire body, from head to toe and back again.
As you do this, you observe whatever physical sensations arise on the surface of the body—heat, cold, tingling, itching, pressure, pain, pulsation, numbness, or even the absence of sensation.
The crucial instruction is to remain equanimous (Upekkha). You do not react to the sensations. You don't crave the pleasant ones or develop aversion to the unpleasant ones. You simply observe them objectively, understanding their impermanent nature. You see them arise and pass away.
This practice of observing sensations with equanimity breaks the unconscious habit of reaction. You learn at the deepest level that you don't have to react to life's ups and downs with craving and aversion.
The 10-Day Course
The most common way to learn Vipassana in the tradition of S.N. Goenka is through a 10-day silent residential course.
These courses are intensive and highly structured.
Noble Silence: For the first nine days, students maintain "Noble Silence"—no speaking, gesturing, or eye contact with other students. This helps to create an environment of deep introspection.
No Distractions: There is no reading, writing, listening to music, or using a phone. All outside contact is cut off.
Rigorous Schedule: The day begins at 4:00 AM and ends around 9:30 PM, with over 10 hours of meditation sessions interspersed with breaks and meals.
Free of Charge: Courses are run solely on a donation basis. There is no charge for the teaching, food, or accommodation. They are financed by donations from past students who have completed a course and wish to give others the same opportunity.
Key Distinctions and Misconceptions
It is not a religion or a cult. Although its roots are in Buddhism, Vipassana is taught as a universal, non-sectarian technique that anyone can practice, regardless of their faith or background. It does not involve prayer, dogma, or conversion.
It is not a relaxation technique. While relaxation is a byproduct, the practice can be very hard work. Facing your own mental patterns and observing unpleasant sensations can be challenging and uncomfortable. It is not a holiday retreat.
It is not an intellectual or philosophical exercise. The understanding comes from direct, personal experience, not from accepting theories or beliefs.
It is not an escape from reality. It is the opposite: a method for facing reality, exactly as it is, within the framework of your own body and mind.
In summary, Vipassana is a profound journey of self-exploration and purification. It is a practical method that teaches you to observe the reality of your own mind-body phenomenon to gain wisdom, break free from suffering, and live a more peaceful and harmonious life.
My experience at a Vipassana retreat
Vipassana meditation is based on the Satipatthana Sutta/ Foundations of Mindfulness. The goal of Vipassana meditation as taught at Dhamma Pasava - Intermountain Vipassana Meditation Center (https://pasava.dhamma.org/) is "purification of the mind" (every day there was an evening discourse and they were an excellent compliment to the meditations). "Taming the monkey mind" and observing and experiencing sensations and thoughts as impermanent and fleeting helps us understand how clinging and aversion to impermanent phenomena are sources of misery/suffering/dissatisfaction/dukkha.
Related book- The Art of Living, Vipassana Meditation as taught by S.N. Goenka, William Hart (Amazon link)
(Udemy link for Vipassana meditation- if not discounted, put in wishlist and wait for discounted price)
Vipassana meditation as I understood and practiced it there during a 10 day retreat is as follows (adapted for self practice):
Stepwise progression
1- breath awareness
Breathe through the nose naturally (no counting, verbalizations, mantras, visualizations, etc.- this is to prevent concentrating on the numbers, etc., rather than the actual sensation). The focus area initially is a “triangle” that includes your nose and the skin between your nose and upper lip. If air enters one nostril stronger than the other or one is blocked, simply observe it, don't try to manipulate it, just focus on the breath and the sensations associated with the air coming in and out of the nostrils and the focus area. When the mind wanders, just notice this nonjudgmentally and calmly bring your awareness back to the breath and the sensations in the region. Spend a couple days or longer doing this and when you can focus this way for a minute or more with little to no mind drifting, move to step 2.
2 – more focused breath awareness
Start with step one to calm the mind then focus on the smaller region between your nose and lips. Focus on the sensations in this smaller area. It could be anything- air movement, itching, numbness, tingling, any and all sensations, simply focus on that area and experience the sensations as they come and go, nonjudgmentally; when you do sense something, sharpen the focus further- "dissect and dissect."
If your mind gets distracted, just bring awareness back to the area and start again. Breath is the anchor, and every time you feel you get distracted, simply return to the breath, nonjudgmentally (this applies to all stages). Practice this stage for a few days or more. When you feel you can easily find sensation and keep your awareness for a minute or longer, move to step 3.
3 – scan from head to toes
This is considered the start of actual Vipassana meditation.
Start for a few minutes with the breath as above, then after you feel relaxed and focused:
Focus on the top of your head, an area a few inches wide, and start scanning the top of your head, similar to what you did in the last stage, but this time you don't stay for long, your awareness is moving like a wave, from the tip of your head down the back of the head
Scan and focus on the forehead, then eyebrows, eyes, nose, lips, mouth, chin, jaw, ears
Scan the back of the head
Scan the back of the neck, then the front of neck/throat
Left shoulder, left upper arm, left elbow, left lower arm, left wrist, left hand, left fingers (can do each finger individually or as a group but I do each individually for long scans)
Right shoulder/arm downwards
Upper back, middle back, lower back
Chest, heart, abdomen
Hips/legs (start with one then move to the other)- hips, upper leg, knee, lower leg, ankle, heel, feet, toes (can do each toe individually or as a group)
For those new to body scanning, a scan typically takes 10-15 minutes (over time, one can do faster, flowing scans). The idea is to feel every part of your body, observe the sensations without judgment, and move on, keeping in mind the concepts of impermanence (the sensation will be different or gone when you get back to that region), and awareness of any craving or aversion that may be associated with the sensations. Simply observe everything and how it changes or dissipates naturally- this will carry over into non-meditative time as you can observe sensations throughout your body from a variety of inputs without mindlessly reacting and potentially perpetuating negativity, cravings, aversions, etc.
Notice gross sensations or subtle sensations (temperature, clothing, air movement, pressure, contact with surfaces, discomfort, etc.) or no sensation at all. If you don’t feel any sensation, don’t beat yourself up, calmly move to the next area- over time your focus and perception will grow stronger. If you like, start at the surface then go deeper or scan superficial and deep. You may sense solidification (heavy, brick like) or even dissolution or other sensations. Simply notice whatever is there, always keeping in mind impermanence and the changing nature of all sensations. Stay with each region for a few moments or a little longer for no sensation or subtler sensations then move on. If the mind gets distracted, just notice the distraction nonjudgmentally then resume where you were or, if necessary, start over with a breath focus at the nostrils then scanning from top of head. And the breath can always be used as the sole focus for a meditation anytime ("calm abiding" meditation).
4 – both directions
Scan in both directions, from head to toes then toes to head.
5 – symmetrically scan
Instead of scanning each arm and leg individually, scan symmetrically down then up.
6- whole body
Once you’ve established a good flow from head to toe and back, see if you can sense the whole body and the subtlest sensations.
If you experience "dissolution" of body parts, simply observe this, continue the scanning, and see where it takes you. If you experience whole body dissolution, simply sit in that awareness and, again, see where it takes you. Never strive for any results, simply observe in the context of impermanence. And be wary of clinging to particular outcomes/ experiences- this is still a craving that can lead to dukkah.
At the retreat, there were ~10 hours of meditation time for 10 days. The recommended time for continuing practice (Goenke) after the retreat is a 1 hour session in the morning, a 1 hour session in the evening, and a 5 minute session before bed (as well as attending a 10 day retreat once a year). With that said, I am not aware of studies to support that this much time is necessary to achieve good results with respect to changing brain patterns and reactivity to inputs. Studies have reported 20-30 minutes per day for 8 weeks is sufficient to see changes in one's brain similar to experienced meditators. If you can sit for the recommended times, great, but don't feel pressured to do that much. Along with others, I'm not sure there's a lot of marginal benefit after 20-30 minutes per day of good meditation. And, one's informal practice throughout the day (awareness of/ practice of the four foundations of mindfulness, mindful walking, mindful eating, short snippets of meditation or breath awareness, practicing the Eightfold Path, etc.) may be as important (or possibly more important).
Excerpts from “Guidelines For Practicing” (https://www.dhamma.org/en/osguide)
A Vipassana course is truly valuable only if it makes a change in your life, and a change will come only if you keep practicing the technique on a daily basis. The following outline of what you have learned is offered with best wishes for your continued success in meditation.
Sila (morality)
In daily life this is practiced by following the Five Precepts:
to abstain from killing any being,
to abstain from stealing,
to abstain from sexual misconduct,
to abstain from wrong speech,
to abstain from all intoxicants.
Anapana
Practice this if the mind is dull or agitated, if it is difficult to feel sensations or difficult not to react to them. You can begin with Anapana and then switch to Vipassana or, if needed, continue observing the breath for the entire hour. To practice Anapana, keep the attention in the area below the nostrils and above the upper lip. Remain aware of each breath as it enters or leaves. If the mind is very dull or very agitated, breathe deliberately and slightly harder for some time. Otherwise, the breathing should be natural.
Vipassana
Move your attention systematically from head to feet and from feet to head, observing in order each and every part of the body by feeling all the sensations that you come across. Observe objectively; that is, remain equanimous with all the sensations that you experience, whether pleasant, unpleasant or neutral, by appreciating their impermanent nature. Keep your attention moving. Never stay for more than a few minutes at any one place. Do not allow the practice to become mechanical. Work in different ways according to the type of sensations you experience. Areas of the body having different gross sensations should be observed separately by moving the attention part by part. Symmetrical parts, such as both arms or both legs, having similar subtle sensations, may be observed together simultaneously. If you experience subtle sensations throughout the physical structure, you may at times sweep the entire body and then again work part by part.
At the end of the hour relax, letting any mental or physical agitation subside. Then focus your attention for a few minutes on subtle sensations in the body, and fill your mind and body with thoughts and feelings of goodwill for all beings.
Outside of Meditation Periods
Give your full and undivided attention to any important tasks before you, but check from time to time whether you are maintaining your awareness and equanimity. Whenever a problem arises, if possible be aware of your breath or sensations, even for a few seconds. This will help you to remain balanced in various situations.
Dana
Share whatever good you have acquired with others. Doing so helps to eradicate the old habit of self-centeredness. Meditators realize that the most valuable thing they have to share is Dhamma. Not being able to teach, they do what they can to help others learn the technique. With this pure volition they donate toward the expenses of other students.
This dana is the sole source of funding for courses and centers around the world.
In General
Progress comes gradually. Mistakes are bound to be made-learn from them. When you realize you have made an error, smile and start again!
It is common to experience drowsiness, agitation, mind-wandering and other difficulties in meditation, but if you persevere you will be successful.
Real wisdom is recognizing and accepting that every experience is impermanent. With this insight you will not be overwhelmed by ups and downs. And when you are able to maintain an inner balance, you can choose to act in ways that will create happiness for you and for others. Living each moment happily with an equanimous mind, you will surely progress toward the ultimate goal of liberation from all suffering.
The three trainings:
Sila-morality
samadhi-concentration, mastery of the mind
panna-wisdom, insight that purifies the mind
The Triple Gem:
Buddha-anyone who is fully enlightened
Dhamma-the law of nature; the teaching of an enlightened person; the way to liberation
Sangha-anyone who has practiced Dhamma and has become a pure-minded, saintly person
The three roots of all mental defilements:
raga/lobha- craving
dosa- aversion
moha- ignorance
The Noble Eightfold Path:
right speech
right action
right livelihood
right effort
right awareness
right concentration
right thought
right understanding
nibbana-the unconditioned, the ultimate reality which is beyond mind and matter (Sanskrit nirvana)
The three kinds of wisdom:
wisdom gained by listening to others
intellectual, analytical understanding
wisdom based on direct personal experience
The three characteristics of phenomena:
anicca- impermanence
anatta- egolessness
dukkha- suffering
kamma-action; specifically, an action one performs which will have an effect on one's future (Sanskrit karma)
The Four Noble Truths:
the fact of suffering
the origin of suffering (craving)
the cessation of suffering
the path leading to the cessation of suffering
The five aggregates of which a human being is composed:
matter; the physical body composed of subatomic particles
consciousness, cognition
perception, recognition
sensation
reaction; mental conditioning
The four material elements:
earth (solidity, weight)
water (fluidity, cohesion)
air (gaseousness, motion)
fire (temperature)
The five hindrances or enemies:
craving
aversion
physical sloth and mental torpor
agitation and worry
doubt, uncertainty
The five strengths or friends:
confidence
effort
awareness
concentration
wisdom
The four causes for the arising of matter:
food
environment/atmosphere
a present mental reaction
a past mental reaction
The four qualities of a pure mind:
selfless love
compassion
sympathetic joy
equanimity
Satipattana- the establishing of awareness; synonym for Vipassana
The four satipatthanas are:
observation of the body
observation of bodily sensations
observation of the mind
observation of mental contents
The ten parami or mental perfections:
renunciation
morality
effort
tolerance
truthfulness
strong determination
wisdom
equanimity
selfless love
generosity; donation
Vipassana Meditation
(and my experience at a Vipassana retreat)
