Development of Right Wisdom

Insight Meditation or Vipassana practice aims at development of Right Wisdom with regard to the Five Hindrances, Five Aggregates, the Four Noble Truths, and the twelve links of Dependent Origination. It consists of contemplation of physical body, feeling, mental functions and phenomena (dhamma).

I have collected the following information from the scriptures, along with the rendering of the famous commentator, Acariya Phra Buddhaghosa, whom we believe to be a Noble One. His interpretations of Lord Buddha’s Teachings have become the texts for Pali study in Thailand, from the elementary to the advanced level. Other materials presented here are collected from the Dhammakayateachings of Luang Phor Wat Paknam, the Most Venerable Chao Khun Phra Mongkol-Thepmuni, and his disciples.

All of this information I am very sure is valid and leads directly to the Supra-mundane state of Nirvana, the ultimate goal in practicing Buddhism. Some words may be a bit difficult to understand, especially for beginners in the study of Buddhism. I will try my best to make them clear by using simple explanations.

Vipassana practice can be divided into two levels: mundane Right Understanding of compound phenomena (Sankhara), which is called Anupassana or Preliminary Insight and Supra-mundane Right Understanding of non-compound nature (Visankhara) or Surpa-munane Insight. The first level focuses on mindfulness of the Five Hindrances to wisdom and helps develop Right Understanding of the impermanence of compound phenomena such as the Five Aggregates of our body-mind complex. However, this level cannot remove cravings permanently; the meditator must proceed to Supra-mundane Insight practice to develop Right Understanding regarding the Four Noble Truths and the twelve links of Dependent Origination (Paticcasamuppada).

Dhammakaya Meditation is especially effective for bringing meditators beyond the mundane to the Supra-mundane. In the Dhammakaya Meditation, practitioners learn not only by studying, listening and reading texts, but also by seeing and feeling for themselves. As their minds become purer and purer, meditators come to see that they have Dhammakaya within themselves. This is very efficient as it develops Right Understanding and Right Wisdom through direct experience as well as learning from scriptures. It is not just imagination as some critics suppose.