Insight Meditation Student FAQs
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: I have a meditation app and find it helpful. Is that enough? A: An app can be a valuable tool to help establish a regular meditation practice. Many Insight meditation teachers offer guided meditations, talks, and courses on these apps. But an app can’t replace the personal guidance of a teacher, the support of a community of like-minded meditation practitioners (the sangha), or a deeper understanding of the Buddhist teachings (the dhamma.) Also, since the app is on the device that is often a great distraction, it can be challenging to sit beside it and not have our attention disrupted by all the useful information and worldly allures it contains. We highly encourage finding a sitting group near you. The next best would be a Zoom group that fits your schedule. By checking the websites of the sanghas on this site, you can find a sitting group that suits you.
Q: Is this the right Buddhist tradition for me? A: There are many schools of Buddhism. They stem from the same root and share the same principles. But because the original teachings traveled from India into other parts of Asia, and then to the rest of the world, there are differences in focus, rituals, and practices. One tradition might suit you better than another. It’s a very personal choice and worth investigating. We can only speak to our tradition, but we encourage you to explore the various Buddhist traditions and find the one that resonates with you. Insight meditation, as practiced by Westerners, is often considered the most secular of all the Buddhist traditions. Teachers may emphasize the psychological benefits of the Buddha’s teachings for living in a wholesome, peaceful, and caring way. The Pali Canon is the guiding ancient text, containing all the Buddha’s teachings. From it, teachers craft modern interpretations to respond to today’s challenges. Compared to other traditions, Insight sanghas tend to have fewer rituals, but you might be expected to remove your shoes before entering the meditation hall. In the hall, maintain respectful silence unless called upon to ask a question or do an exercise. Seating varies, but in most cases, you can sit in a chair or on a cushion (zafu). Erect posture creates the liberation of balance, providing greater ease for the body throughout the meditation. If there is an altar, you are not expected to worship at it. The Buddha said he was not a god, and we take him at his word. Bowing to the altar is a personal choice and could be seen as a sign of respect and a commitment to the practice and the teachings rather than devotion. Although each Insight sangha has its unique character, here are a few commonalities: Vipassana (Insight) meditation cultivates awareness. The meditations are often silent, sometimes beginning with minimal guidance or a brief chant. However, in some instances, the teacher may lead a guided meditation. The teacher usually offers a dharma talk, which may or may not include time for discussion, Q&A, or breakout group exercises. There is often a time for socializing and creating a sense of community (sangha), which is an important part of the experience. The teachings are considered priceless, so traditionally they are offered freely. Teachers and sangha management rely on donations (dana - Pali word for generosity) to continue to gather and share the Buddha’s teachings. Teachers have a wide variety of backgrounds and training. Teachers are to be respected but not revered as masters, nor followed blindly. Some sanghas have only one teacher, some several, and some have a rotation of regular and guest teachers. Each sangha’s website should provide general information about the teacher(s). But only by spending time in the sangha will you discover if the teacher and the style suit you. If this sounds good to you, find a sangha near you in our listings.
Q: How do I know if this sangha is right for me?
What is Pali? Pali is an ancient Indic language, closely related to Sanskrit, in which the sacred texts of Theravada Buddhism were written. The Buddha didn’t teach in Pali but in the local dialects of the people he addressed. After his death, teachings were committed to memory by monastics and passed down orally for about five hundred years before being written down and preserved in the Pali Canon. The translations into English from Pali don’t always capture their full meaning, so learning the Pali terms can deeply enrich the understanding of the teaching. (dhamma.) Committing Pali terms to memory is not required to benefit from the teachings and practice. Even within the Insight tradition, some Pali words are used interchangeably with the often more commonly recognized Sanskrit ones. For example, the word for the teachings is Dhamma in Pali and Dharma in Sanskrit.
Q: Was Siddartha Gautama the only Buddha? A: No. The word ‘buddha’ means awakened, and Gautama was certainly not the only awakened being to have lived. But in this tradition, we are focused on his teachings because they are so clearly delineated. He was a profound explorer of the workings of the human mind and could organize his findings in ways others could understand. He encouraged investigation, leading to insights, and awakening.
The best way to learn more is to find an Insight meditation teacher
who can answer your questions and offer reading recommendations.
