Sixteen Insight Knowledge

Sixteen levels of Insight Knowledge occur to those who practice Vipassana Meditation. From the first to the last, it is equivalent to Paths, Fruits and Nirvana. 

1. Knowledge of Mind and Matter is to realize that dhammas such as Five Aggregates or mind and matter, are impermanent, suffering and non-self. Realization of the true nature of mind and matter is Purification of View, the purity in seeing clearly the three characteristics. Purification of View is a direct realization, after which the mind is no longer deluded by mind and matter.

2. Knowledge of Discerning Conditionality is to realize the causes of mind and matter.

• Ignorance, craving, clinging, Karma and food are the conditions giving rise to matter.
• Ignorance, craving, clinging, Karma and contact are the conditions giving rise to feeling, perception and volition.
• Ignorance, craving, clinging, Karma, and mind and matter are the conditions giving rise to consciousness.

When the meditator understands the causes and conditions of mind and matter by developing this knowledge, he or she will cross over doubt about the three periods of existence.

The knowledge, which crosses over doubt about the three periods of existence is called Purification by Overcoming Doubt (Kaïkhavitarana-Visuddhi).

3. Knowledge of Investigation is to examine mind and matter or Five Aggregates as having the Three Characteristics of impermanence, suffering and non-self. When the meditator reaches this knowledge, he or she gains Purification of Knowledge and Vision of What Is Path and What is Not path and knows what is right path as opposed to the impurities associated with insight, which are not the right path. 

4. Knowledge of Arising and Passing Away is to overcome the impurities associated with insight. Insight then continues its course towards better understanding of the Three Characteristics. Thus, when reaching this stage, the meditator must continue to put  effort into examining the Three Characteristics according to the Six divisions:

1. The impermanence of the Five Aggregates,
2. Characteristics of impermanence: Arising and passing away, continually becoming different, and ceasing to exist,
3. Suffering: The Five Aggregates,
4. Characteristics of suffering: Not enduring and being constantly afflicted,
5. Non self: The Five Aggregates,
6. Characteristics of Non-self: Being powerless [One cannot control them].

5. Knowledge of Dissolution is to examine the dissolution or ceasing of all conditioned things. It is the wisdom of seeing the passing away of objects and understanding their impermanence, suffering and non-self. When the meditator examines this, he or she will abandon pleasure, lust and craving and in the end, will abandon clinging to conditioned things.

6. Knowledge of Terror is to see conditioned things as fearful because they all cease. When the meditator has developed clear Knowledge of Dissolution, he or she will gain Knowledge of Terror.

7. Knowledge of Danger is to see the danger of conditioned things. When one develops knowledge of Terror, one will naturally see the danger, and lack of satisfaction or pleasure in conditioned things as well as the suffering they bring. Conditioned things will appear like a house on fire. Then the Knowledge of Danger arises.

8. Knowledge of Disenchantment is to see and feel the disenchantment of possessing and manage the Five Aggregates. When one sees the danger of conditioned things, one will become disenchanted with them. This is the arising of Knowledge of Disenchantment which is like the Knowledge of Terror and Danger in meaning.

Note: The Knowledge of Disenchantment has to be achieved prior to the attainment of the wisdom of the four paths. As it is stated that ‘nibbida pañivedhapañña’ (wisdom of the four paths arises from disenchantment and the realization of the four truths). The five faculties of Faith, Effort, Mindfulness, Concentration and Wisdom needs to be developed to acquire the energy for the attainment of realization.

9. Knowledge of Deliverance is ardent desire for deliverance from unsatisfactory conditioned things like a trapped animal desires freedom. When one no longer feels pleasure [in compounds] and becomes wearied [with the Five Aggregates], one will feel the ardent desire to escape and so Knowledge of Deliverance arises.

10. Knowledge of Contemplation of Reflection is to re-examine conditioned things seeking an escape. When one makes an effort to escape from conditioned things, one  reviews them again as having the Three Characteristics, looking for a way out, and Knowledge of Contemplation of Reflections arises.

11. Knowledge of Equanimity about Conditioned Things is to feel equanimity towards conditioned things in the same way as a man feels indifferent towards a former wife that he has divorced. When one first begins to desire escape, one reflects on a way of escape by examining the conditioned things as having the Three Characteristics. Later, one just feels indifferent towards them and Knowledge of Equanimity arises. Knowledge of  Desire for Deliverance, Contemplation of Reflections and Equanimity are similar. Knowledge of Equanimity is considered the peak of Insight Knowledge. 

12. Knowledge of Conformity with Truth is to examine the Four Noble Truths. This knowledge arises as the mind contemplates mental objects, cutting subliminal consciousness. The Noble Path (Ariyamagga) arises when Knowledge of Equanimity is complete. As the meditator repeatedly develops the Knowledge of Equanimity, faith and confidence increase powerfully and effort is well supported. Mindfulness becomes stable and the mind is more concentrated. Knowledge of Equanimity about Conditioned Things develops into Knowledge of Conformity with Truth which arises after the Knowledge of Equanimity is completed.

Insights four through twelve, Knowledge of Arising and Passing away through Knowledge of Conformity with Truth are called Nine Insight Knowledge (Vipassanañana 9). [Completing these nine is called Purity of Knowledge and View (Pañipadañanadassanavisuddhi). Then with Right Practice, the Noble Path is born.]

13. Knowledge of Change of Lineage is the transformation state where the meditator leaves behind the status as a worldly being and joins the Ariya lineage of Noble Ones. In the Pañisambhida-magga, it is called “Reversal Knowledge” because one leaves behind the external compound world (Saïkhara). A mind in the Gotrabhå State, called Gotrabhå Mind, can reach and hold on to Nirvana emotionally [Note that there is no emotion in Nirvana.]. When it visualizes Nirvana [which has no sign or Nimitta], it is far away from the compound world. This brings about cessation, which suppresses all defilements and reaches Nirvana. Then, the meditator just naturally transcends the Gotrabhå state, transcends the worldly being state and transcends the compound world, progressing to reach and become a Gotra-Ariya, transcendent and worthy of being called Noble. Note, however, that this state is not yet counted as part of the Noble Path to Nirvana, it is only on the way to the path. Nevertheless, it is counted as Vipassana since it falls into the stream of Vipassana.

14. Knowledge of Path is knowledge of  the Four Noble Paths leading to Nirvana. Its obligations are to determine suffering, to eliminate suffering, to penetrate the cessation of suffering and to develop the Noble Eightfold Path. Then, it develops to the attainment stage (Appana-Bhavana). [This means that the meditator attains stable concentration such as attainment of the first Jhana.]

The Knowledge of the Four Noble Paths to Nirvana is called Purity of Supra-mundane Knowledge and View. When the mind is equipped with Maggañana which is born during Gotrabhå-ñana, it is considered Supra-mundane wholesome. When Maggañana is born, it will hold on to Nirvana emotionally to penetrate the Four Noble Truths and complete one’s obligations regarding them. Then, it destroys all defilements including greed, anger, delusion and the first three lower     Fetters completely. This Maggañana appears only once and then falls away. It attains Noble Fruition (Phalañana) immediately.

15. Knowledge of Fruit is hold onto Nirvana emotionally. It is born during Maggañana. 

16. Knowledge of Reflection is to review and reflect upon one’s current status, attainment progress, remaining tasks and current penetration of Nirvana. One examines: (1) Path, (2) Fruit, (3) Abandoned Defilements, (4) Remaining Defilements and (5) Nirvana.

Each of the Five Reflections are repeated at each of the four Noble Disciple levels: Stream-enterer, Once-returner, Non-returner, and Arahant. But for the Arahant, there is no examining remaining defilements because one has abandoned all defilements.

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