The object of vipassana practice is to learn to see the truths of impermanence, unsatisfactoriness, and selflessness of phenomena. We think we are doing this already, but that is an illusion. It comes from the fact that we are paying so litte attention to the ongoing surge of our own life experiences that we might just as well be asleep. We are simply not paying enough attention to notice that we are not paying attention. It is another Catch-22.
Through the process of mindfulness, we slowly become aware of what we really are, down below the ego image. We wake up to what life really is. It is not just a parade of ups and downs, lollipops and smacks on the wrist. That is an illusion. Life has a much deeper texture than that if we bother to look, and if we look in the right way.
Vipassana is a form of mental training that will teacy you to experience the world in an entirely new way. You will learn for the first time what is truly happening to you, around you, and within you. It is a process of self-discovery, a participatory investigation in which you observe your own experiences while participating in them.
[...from Mindfulness in Plain English by Bhante Henepola Gunaratana, pg. 31-32]
That's a very good description of vipassana, especially the focus on learning to observe and also experience your own sensations and feelings.
I was trained in vipassana meditation, and although my interest and readings have moved heavily towards Zen, my daily practice is still vipassana.
Posted by: gene | Sunday, 08 March 2009 at 03:21 PM
Hello gene...
I agree... I really appreciate Bhante G. The entire book is a great quote IMHO.
bows,
chalip
Posted by: chalip | Tuesday, 10 March 2009 at 07:10 PM