Difference between Satipatthana Bhavana and Vipassana Bhavana?

On the cultivation of insight/wisdom
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Gintoki
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Difference between Satipatthana Bhavana and Vipassana Bhavana?

Post by Gintoki »

After looking at this sub forum's subject matter and looking up the definitions of these words I found that Satipatthana Bhavana is the development of the practice of insight and that Vipassana Bhavana is the development of insight. I've also found reference of Satipatthana vipassana Bhavana. I'm confused as to what to focus on as these terms seem redundant. I guess I'm looking for a clearer understanding of all this? I don't know. Anyway, is there a priority to any of these meditations, including the tranquility Bhavana? I'm a little too new to this. :juggling:
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Bhikkhu Pesala
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Re: Difference between Satipatthana Bhavana and Vipassana Bhavana?

Post by Bhikkhu Pesala »

Sati means mindfulness or awareness. Upaṭṭhāna means to set up or establish. So Satipatthana meditation is the practice that aims to establish mindfulness.

Constant mindfulness combined with deep concentration leads to insight, which is vipassanā.

When people refer to Vipassanā meditation they just mean that the aim is to gain insight through establishing mindfulness. So it doesn't really matter what we call it — the practice aims to establish mindfulness leading to insight.

Tranquillity meditation (samatha) initially aims to establish deep concentration. The aim may be to direct that concentration to gain psychic powers, or to gain insight.

See Venerable Ledi Sayādaw's Ānāpānai DīpanI A Manual of Respiration on How to Proceed to Insight (from tranquillity).

See also Chanmyay Sayādaw's explanation of Ānāpānassati: Samatha or Vipassanā?.
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ubeysekaramapa
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Re: Difference between Satipatthana Bhavana and Vipassana Bhavana?

Post by ubeysekaramapa »

What happens when tranquility meditation is practiced? To see this you must watch the mind; it does not rest! Always moves instantaneously form one object to the other. It is the nature of the mind! So, you must calm your mind by watching the FIVE HINDRANCES influencing it. Mind does not rest on one object; it always jumps from one to the other.

Never mind, what has to be done is to see that the mind keeps moving -but staying on the same object.This is SAMATHA or TRANQUILITY MEDITATION.

Yet, you have not seen the true picture- in other words the reality. The reality is 'ever changing' nature. Always ceasing, decaying, unsatisfactory-ness. In this way you will realize that change and decay is inevitable;whether you like it or not. REALITY thus seen is VIPASSANA or insight meditation.

When you expand watching outside (Ajjatta - Bahidda) you will realize that it is THE PHENOMENON.Then you will want to know whether you are subject to any HIGHER BEING's maneuvering. When looked at this change- towards decay it dawns on you that every thing is subject to the principle of causality.Even the so called HIGHER BEING is subject to the same principle (paticca samuppada).

In the end you will see, for yourself, that getting hold of anything is meaning less and you LET GO without grasping as 'me', 'mine' and 'my self' (the "I" making and "MINE" making). EVEN THIS KNOWLEDGE is subject reality of ANATTA.In other words 'NO SELF' nature . That is - in our previous births we have been blindly grasping what ever the sensation.

SATHI PATTANA is the journey towards this realization called NIBBANA.Nothing to grasp only the realization that grasping leads to suffering (DUKKA).
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