Recent from talks
Vipassana movement
Knowledge base stats:
Talk channels stats:
Members stats:
Vipassana movement
The Vipassanā movement refers to a branch of modern Burmese Theravāda Buddhism that promotes "bare insight" (Sukkha-Vipassana) meditation practice to develop insight into the three marks of existence and attain stream entry. It has gained widespread popularity since the 1950s, including through its Western derivatives, which have been popularised since the 1970s, giving rise to the more dhyana-oriented mindfulness movement.
The Burmese Vipassana movement has its roots in the 19th century, when Theravada Buddhism came to be influenced by Western modernism, and some monks tried to restore the Buddhist practice of meditation. Based on the commentaries, Ledi Sayadaw popularised Vipassana meditation for lay people, teaching samatha and stressing the practice of satipatthana to acquire Vipassana (insight) into the three marks of existence as the main means to attain the beginning of awakening and become a stream-enterer. It was greatly popularised in the 20th century in traditional Theravada countries by Mahasi Sayadaw, who introduced the "New Burmese Satipatthana Method". It also gained a large following in the West, due to Westerners who learned Vipassana from Mahasi Sayadaw, S. N. Goenka, and other Burmese teachers. Some also studied with Thai Buddhist teachers, who are more critical of the commentarial tradition and stress the joined practice of samatha and Vipassana.
In the United States, the approach has been dubbed the American Vipassana or Insight Meditation Movement. This includes institutions like the Insight Meditation Society and contemporary American Buddhist teachers such as Joseph Goldstein, Tara Brach, Gil Fronsdal, Sharon Salzberg, Ruth Denison, Shinzen Young, and Jack Kornfield. Most of these teachers combine the strict Burmese approach with the Thai approach, and also other Buddhist and non-Buddhist ideas and practices, due to their broader training and their critical approach to Buddhist sources. Although the New Burmese Method is strictly based on the Theravāda Abhidhamma and the Visuddhimagga, Western teachers also tend to base their practice on personal experience and on the suttas, which they approach in a more textual-critical way.
A recent development, according to some Western non-monastic scholars, is the understanding that jhana, as described in the nikayas, is not a form of concentration-meditation, but a training in heightened awareness and equanimity, which forms the culmination of the Buddhist path.
According to Buswell, by the 10th century Vipassana was no longer practiced in the Theravada tradition, due to the belief that Buddhism had degenerated, and that liberation was no longer attainable until the coming of Maitreya. According to Braun, "the majority of Theravadins and dedicated Buddhists of other traditions, including monks and nuns, have focused on cultivating moral behavior, preserving the Buddha’s teachings (dharma), and acquiring the good karma that comes from generous giving." Southern Esoteric Buddhist practices were widespread in the whole Theravadin world before being replaced by the Vipassana movement.[citation needed]
The interest in meditation was re-awakened in Myanmar (Burma) in the 18th century by Medawi (1728–1816), who wrote Vipassana manuals. The actual practice of meditation was re-invented in Theravada countries in the 19th and 20th centuries and simplified meditation techniques, based on the Satipatthana Sutta, the Visuddhimagga, and other texts, emphasising satipatthana and bare insight were developed.
In the 19th and 20th century the Theravada traditions in Burma, Thailand and Sri Lanka were rejuvenated in response to Western colonialism. They were rallying points in the struggle against Western hegemonism, giving voice to traditional values and culture. But the Theravada tradition was also reshaped, using the Pali scriptural materials to legitimise these reforms. Ironically, the Pali canon became widely accessible due to the Western interest in those texts, and the publications of the Pali Text Society. A major role was also being played by the Theosophical Society, which sought for ancient wisdom in Southeast Asia, and stimulated local interest in its own traditions. The Theosophical Society started a lay-Buddhist organisation in Sri Lanka, independent from power of conventional temples and monasteries. Interest in meditation was awakened by these developments, whereas the main Buddhist practice in temples was the recitation of texts, not of meditation practice.
Lay participation in Theravada countries grew strongly in the 20th century, and eventually also reached the West. Most influential in this renewed interest was the "New Burmese Method" of Vipassana practice, as developed by U Nārada (1868–1955) and popularised by Mahasi Sayadaw (1904–1982). Ultimately, this practice aims at stream entry, with the idea that this first stage of the path to awakening safeguards future development of the person towards full awakening, despite the degenerated age we live in. This method spread over South and Southeast Asia, Europe and the Americas, and has become synonymous with Vipassana.
Hub AI
Vipassana movement AI simulator
(@Vipassana movement_simulator)
Vipassana movement
The Vipassanā movement refers to a branch of modern Burmese Theravāda Buddhism that promotes "bare insight" (Sukkha-Vipassana) meditation practice to develop insight into the three marks of existence and attain stream entry. It has gained widespread popularity since the 1950s, including through its Western derivatives, which have been popularised since the 1970s, giving rise to the more dhyana-oriented mindfulness movement.
The Burmese Vipassana movement has its roots in the 19th century, when Theravada Buddhism came to be influenced by Western modernism, and some monks tried to restore the Buddhist practice of meditation. Based on the commentaries, Ledi Sayadaw popularised Vipassana meditation for lay people, teaching samatha and stressing the practice of satipatthana to acquire Vipassana (insight) into the three marks of existence as the main means to attain the beginning of awakening and become a stream-enterer. It was greatly popularised in the 20th century in traditional Theravada countries by Mahasi Sayadaw, who introduced the "New Burmese Satipatthana Method". It also gained a large following in the West, due to Westerners who learned Vipassana from Mahasi Sayadaw, S. N. Goenka, and other Burmese teachers. Some also studied with Thai Buddhist teachers, who are more critical of the commentarial tradition and stress the joined practice of samatha and Vipassana.
In the United States, the approach has been dubbed the American Vipassana or Insight Meditation Movement. This includes institutions like the Insight Meditation Society and contemporary American Buddhist teachers such as Joseph Goldstein, Tara Brach, Gil Fronsdal, Sharon Salzberg, Ruth Denison, Shinzen Young, and Jack Kornfield. Most of these teachers combine the strict Burmese approach with the Thai approach, and also other Buddhist and non-Buddhist ideas and practices, due to their broader training and their critical approach to Buddhist sources. Although the New Burmese Method is strictly based on the Theravāda Abhidhamma and the Visuddhimagga, Western teachers also tend to base their practice on personal experience and on the suttas, which they approach in a more textual-critical way.
A recent development, according to some Western non-monastic scholars, is the understanding that jhana, as described in the nikayas, is not a form of concentration-meditation, but a training in heightened awareness and equanimity, which forms the culmination of the Buddhist path.
According to Buswell, by the 10th century Vipassana was no longer practiced in the Theravada tradition, due to the belief that Buddhism had degenerated, and that liberation was no longer attainable until the coming of Maitreya. According to Braun, "the majority of Theravadins and dedicated Buddhists of other traditions, including monks and nuns, have focused on cultivating moral behavior, preserving the Buddha’s teachings (dharma), and acquiring the good karma that comes from generous giving." Southern Esoteric Buddhist practices were widespread in the whole Theravadin world before being replaced by the Vipassana movement.[citation needed]
The interest in meditation was re-awakened in Myanmar (Burma) in the 18th century by Medawi (1728–1816), who wrote Vipassana manuals. The actual practice of meditation was re-invented in Theravada countries in the 19th and 20th centuries and simplified meditation techniques, based on the Satipatthana Sutta, the Visuddhimagga, and other texts, emphasising satipatthana and bare insight were developed.
In the 19th and 20th century the Theravada traditions in Burma, Thailand and Sri Lanka were rejuvenated in response to Western colonialism. They were rallying points in the struggle against Western hegemonism, giving voice to traditional values and culture. But the Theravada tradition was also reshaped, using the Pali scriptural materials to legitimise these reforms. Ironically, the Pali canon became widely accessible due to the Western interest in those texts, and the publications of the Pali Text Society. A major role was also being played by the Theosophical Society, which sought for ancient wisdom in Southeast Asia, and stimulated local interest in its own traditions. The Theosophical Society started a lay-Buddhist organisation in Sri Lanka, independent from power of conventional temples and monasteries. Interest in meditation was awakened by these developments, whereas the main Buddhist practice in temples was the recitation of texts, not of meditation practice.
Lay participation in Theravada countries grew strongly in the 20th century, and eventually also reached the West. Most influential in this renewed interest was the "New Burmese Method" of Vipassana practice, as developed by U Nārada (1868–1955) and popularised by Mahasi Sayadaw (1904–1982). Ultimately, this practice aims at stream entry, with the idea that this first stage of the path to awakening safeguards future development of the person towards full awakening, despite the degenerated age we live in. This method spread over South and Southeast Asia, Europe and the Americas, and has become synonymous with Vipassana.