Insight is already present within us, yet it requires causes and conditions in order to arise or be noticed as insight. The causes include:
- your inquiry into an emotion or thought, the arising of a feeling or craving, as well as curiosity about meaning or purpose or the interconnections of things
- openness of mind to “receive” a response from the inquiry; space in the mind for understanding to arise
- non-judgement and interest. This is actually a form of inner alignment. Whether the response is “true” or not will prove itself through the heart’s resonance and in time.
- genuineness.
All but the first point are shamatha established in the practitioner off the cushion in one’s life. With these attributes in place, one will enjoy the in-the-moment ah hah of vipashyana and benefit from the spontaneous application of it throughout the day.
You see, tranquil abiding (all that includes) and vipashyana are inseparable. They are a conjoined unity. Insight requires equanimity first, then insight’s arising furthers one’s neutrality. Seeing things as they are requires luminous transparency, a natural lucidity of mind-awareness. At the same time, luminous transparency reveals the same transparency of everything that our mind participates in.
Play with these two and experience these features for yourself.
