Gil Fronsdal of the Insight Meditation Center (IMC) gives this dharmette, a brief dharma talk. It asks what "clear seeing" means, the usual translation of the word Vipassana, and how clarity differs from calm.
Sometimes the word “Vipassana” is translated as Clear Seeing. The “passana” part is to see, and the “Vi” is taken to be emphasis, so seeing in a special way. Seeing with strength.
So what does it mean to be clear in our seeing?
Some people associate meditation with becoming calm, and many people go to meditation because they’re stressed out, too anxious or agitated, so they’re looking for calm. But the calm by itself can make the mind dull, whereas Vipassana, the goal is to make the mind sharp or clear.
What is clarity? As the mind becomes quiet (we are not swept away in thoughts, concepts and ideas) those do not create the filter or barrier from us to see what’s happening. And many people don’t realize how much their thoughts shape how they view the world.
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