From The Development of Insight by Achaan Naeb

There are in Buddhism two methods of mental development. One is the development of insight (Vipassana), and the other is the development of tranquility (Samatha). The latter aims only at concentration, whereby the individual is constantly conscious of one object, and this concentration is directed along a single channel of one-pointedness until a serene tranquility is reached. This kind of mental development does not bring about an understanding of reality, nor of its cause and effect. It brings only tranquility. The development of insight, on the other hand, calls for an understanding of the 'truth of existence'; or, to put it another way, an understanding of form or matter and mind or mental states. This understanding is the aim of the development of insight.

To begin with, I shall explain what concentration in the development of tranquility is composed of, because the development of concentration according to this method cannot be used at the same time as the development of insight, or vice versa. Please do not misunderstand this point, for one can begin with the development of tranquility, and after having achieved concentration, one may then proceed to the development of insight. But the mixing of these two cannot achieve the desired results of insight.

Tranquility meditation is cultivated by concentrating the mind and holding it one-pointedly on a particular object. The traditional objects through which concentration can be achieved, according to the development of tranquility, are forty in number: the ten colors and elements, ten impurities, ten recollections, four sublime abodes, four boundless meditations, one reflection upon the loathsomeness of food, and the analysis of the four primary qualities— namely, solidity, cohesion, heat, and vibration. Any one of these may be taken as the meditation subject for the development of tranquility.

Concentration upon any one of the forty foregoing objects cannot lead to insight, because insight meditation must have the changing of mental states and matter as its object of meditation. Although concentration can lead to the development of great powers of mind and extraordinary happiness, this great happiness is temporary and still very different from the application of mindfulness which leads to nirvana. Only insight practice brings a permanent end to sorrow.

Before, speaking further about the development of insight, I think that we should first understand what insight is, its function and its usefulness. In brief, insight is wisdom which enables one to see that mental states and matter are impermanent or transitory, unsatisfactory or suffering, and impersonal or non-self. What we regard as 'self' or 'ego' or 'soul' are miscomprehensions arising from a lack of knowledge of absolute truth. In reality, 'self' is but a very rapid continuity of birth and decay of mental states and matter.

Having thus learned that insight is this kind of wisdom, what then is its function? Insight has as its function the destruction of all hidden defilements, craving, and wrong views. With regard to its usefulness, insight will enlighten us to the true nature of mental states and matter. But what is this true nature? It is the understanding that mental states and matter are not lasting, that they are full of suffering and that they are not a personality or soul or self. In other words, development of insight does not create these three characteristics of existence—impermanence, suffering, and impersonality—nor does this kind of development deceive you into perceiving these characteristics. No! These three characteristics of existence are there in nature. Whether or not anyone sees or understands them, they are always present. The reason that we do not see or understand these characteristics is that we use the wrong methods in trying to perceive and analyze them. It is only through cultivating the right methods of development of insight that we can see existence as it really is.

Such is the sole purpose of the development of insight. There is nothing else which can be attributed to this kind of mental development. I have read about people who, having made no study of the development of insight, claim to see heavens and hells while closing their eyes. Others claim they can heal illnesses and that childless parents can have children by development of insight. Still others profess that by means of the development of insight they can see lottery numbers, tell the future of others' lives, or that they can float in the air, walk on water, penetrate the earth, render themselves transparent, or become clairvoyant or clairaudient. All of these performances are not the achievement of the development of insight and have no bearing upon it. These peculiar feats may only be the effects of concentration. The sole function of insight is to destroy the defilements, qualities of mind such as craving, wrong view, and ignorance, which form the basis of the rebirth cycle (samsara). This is the growth of wisdom.

Wisdom has three sources, namely:

1. Wisdom which results from pondering the teachings heard from others.

2. Wisdom which results from one's own considerations ançl reflections, pondering and thinking about the truth of existence, which, during periods of reflection, can temporarily destroy the defilements.

3. Wisdom which results through personal experience that enables one to see the truth of the three characteristics: impermanence, suffering, and impersonality. This experiential aspect is insight wisdom. It is the tool by which the defilements can be destroyed completely and permanently.

After we are well versed in the wisdom of teachings, this in turn can give birth to consideration. This right understanding of the teachings leads then to right awareness and the results of right awareness lead to the birth of insight wisdom. This insight wisdom is dependent upon the other two aspects of wisdom.

No worldly wisdom compares. Only these three kinds of wisdom serve to destroy progressively the conditions of rebirth. They are cultivated until the three characteristics of existence become clear. This perception is the main aim of the development of insight. This was the purpose of the Buddha's propagating his teachings, to enable all beings to appreciate and realize the Dharma, the truths of nature.

Next it should be understood just what prevents us from realizing the three characteristics of existence. Factors obscuring impermanence, suffering, and impersonality, the three characteristics known by wisdom, were explained by the Buddha. That which masks impermanence is continuity, which refers to rapid change in all formations; that is, mental states and matter are constantly and very rapidly arising and falling away. This process happens so quickly that we are unable to perceive the arising and falling away of mental states and matter; thus it seems to us that mental states and matter are permanent. This is how continuity hides impermanence. In order to illustrate this, let us take seeing a movie as an example. Although continuous movement appears on the screen, it is not the projection of only one picture but actually hundreds of them. The rapidity of the change from one type of matter to another gives us the impression that there is only one matter instead of separate matters. Similarly, as we cannot see the many individual pictures making up a movie, we cannot see that in reality there are many kinds of mental states and matter. Moreover, mental states and matter arise and fall away far more rapidly than the individual pictures which go into the making of a movie. This is why it is extremely difficult for us to perceive the changes. When we cannot perceive this truth, the delusion which claims impermanence as being permanent arises.

What is it that obscures suffering? The Buddha said that it was the lack of consideration upon the bodily positions. Not paying attention to the body, we do not realize that mental states and matter are painful, and that suffering is oppressing us at all times.

When we do not realize this truth, then wrong view occurs, and we see our life, mental states, and matter as good and bringing happiness. Following this, the craving for happiness arises, leading to greater suffering.

What is it that obscures impersonality? Before answering, let us talk a little about this characteristic. Impersonality is the heart of Buddhism and it is a doctrine different from other philosophies and religions. In other religions, there must be one fundamental thing to act as the foundation, or a supreme leader, or else a permanent or sacred thing which is held on to or depended upon. But in Buddhism, we find that everything is impersonal; there is no soul or self; there is no 'Powerful One'. Thus all existence has the characteristic of impersonality. Now, what is it that prevents us from realizing impersonality? The Buddha said that it is the massing together of compounded perceptions of mental states and matter. This gives us the opinion that mental states and matter are one whole solid mass or entity which is permanent. We then add the notions that mind and matter are wholesome and important; that the five aggregates (form, feelings, perceptions, mind objects, and consciousness) are good. Although wemay have heard that the five aggregates arise and fall away very rapidly, we are not able to see the separation of each mental state or each of the five aggregates and thereby realize its true characteristics. This inability to separate them is the reason why we do not realize impersonality. This lack of realization creates the illusion of solidity, or personality, that is to say, the belief that there is a permanent 'I' or 'self'. When this happens, the illusion of personality becomes the mental factor causing desire. Desire, in turn, will cause one to think that both mental states and matter are lasting and can bring happiness. It is necessary to correct this misperception to understand the three characteristics of existence and become liberated.

There are many varieties of mental states and matter. We, as ordinary people, are not able to analyze them and shall never be able to do so unless we (1) develop insight, (2) understand the principles which govern this kind of development, and (3) acquire right purpose. Only with right purpose will we be able to overcome the obstacles to enlightenment. Otherwise we will succumb to the influence of cravings and whimsical fancies (or wrong judgments), which lead to the perpetual cycle of birth and death.

Right purpose is understanding that the importance of insight is to destroy the painful cycle of birth, old age, ill health, and death, and all the lesser sufferings which occur in daily life. If we want to practice because we think that we will gain merit, or because we wish to create some supranormal happenings, or to achieve something extraordinary, we do not have the correct understanding of the basic principles.

Up to now I have been talking about the effects of the development of insight and as yet have not dealt with the practice itself. During the actual development of insight we must continually be aware of mental states and matter so that we may perceive their characteristics. Only after we have thoroughly understood mental states and matter can we deepen the development of awareness of them. Such mental development must follow the sequence outlined in the Buddha's discourse, Application of Mindfulness. In this text are found four classifications of objects for development of insight, namely, the physical body, feelings, consciousness, and Dharma. These can be boiled down to mental states and matter.

After we have understood the basic theory of insight meditation, we must begin to actually develop insight by being aware of the four fundamental positions of the body and the attendant mental states. Please keep in mind that the purpose in being aware of the position of the body is to see the inherent suffering and misery clearly. In other words, the requirement is to be conscious constantly of every position and movement of the body. If we are not so aware, we will never realize the true extent and nature of suffering. We must exercise awareness on each movement of the body as it is taking place, as when we move to sit down, to lie down, to stand, or to walk; we must be aware of every such movement.

While we are sitting, standing, lying, or walking, we shall be mindful of this position as matter. The walking position is the movement of the body and not the feet touching the floor. It is the same with the sitting position. We must be careful that we are mindful of the whole sitting position and not just the portion of the body which is touching the object we are sitting on. The matter which is touched and the sitting position are different. Sometimes the practitioner intends to be mindful of the sitting position but, instead, is mindful of the touching. He therefore is unaware of the sitting position. If the practitioner is mindful of the touching, then he must be mindful when he is touching. If he is mindful of the sitting position, he has to be mindful right at the time when he is sitting. The touching and sitting positions have different characteristics and they are different matter and have different doorways of recognition. They are different in all aspects. Whenever we want to see any matter we have to be mindful of the correct object.

We must also be aware of all the kinds of mental states and physical actions in a particular position, as to whether we are doing something or thinking about things. Suppose we take the sitting position as an example. We should be conscious and aware of the sitting position, and we must realize that the sitting position is matter and the awareness of that position is a mental state. We must separate the matter from the mental state. While we are looking at a mental state or at matter, we also have to realize which type of mental state or which type of matter it is. By understanding that there are different positions, we will then know that each experience of matter is different. If we do not know that matter is 'sitting matter' at a given moment, or if we know only that it is just matter, we are not practicing the correct method. Because if we merely know that it is only matter and fail to perceive the separation or change of matter, we will mistakenly think that there is only one continuous matter; and that that 'one' continuous matter sits, stands, walks, etc. When we see only unchanging matter, then wrong view, belief in an unchanging self, arises. Therefore, while practicing insight, we have to be aware at all times of precisely what type of matter or what type of mental state we are looking upon. As soon as we begin to consider any one form of existence, we will be able to determine, little by little, whether it is a mental state or matter.

The situation is the same as when we began learning how to write. At first we had to learn what the letter was, whether it was an orb. We had to study and remember the shape of each letter. If we didn't remember the shape of each letter, then we could not read. Some children have no difficulty in saying the ABCs, but if you ask them to point out any one letter, they are unable to do so because they did not learn the shape of each letter. In the same way, if the practitioner of development of insight does not realize the characteristic of, for example, the sitting position, but just says or thinks to himself, sitting, sitting, he is not practicing correctly. Practicing insight without understanding the different types of mental states and matter is like trying to read the ABCs without having learned the shape of each letter, or looking at a row of letters without being able to read. For this reason, we have to try to be aware of the position of matter and each type of mental state in order to know the particular characteristic of each and how it differs from the others, since each has its own characteristic. We will then be able to see the constant change of these states. If we cultivate wisdom in this way, we shall realize the true characteristics of mental states and matter.