images/header.jpgInsight meditation
Vipassanā means “seeing things as they really are.” It is the practice the Buddha taught for developing insight into impermanence, unsatisfactoriness and non-self.
Vipassana trains steady, non-judging attention on what is happening in body and mind, moment by moment. With continued practice, the meditator sees directly that every experience arises and passes away. This seeing loosens craving and aversion, and the mind becomes calmer and kinder.
At the center we follow the Satipaṭṭhāna method, the Four Foundations of Mindfulness, practised in three postures: standing, sitting and walking. Mindfulness carries from one posture to the next, so the whole day becomes practice.
Stand upright and still, feet slightly apart, hands lightly joined in front. Feel the whole body standing and the weight resting on the soles of the feet, noting “standing… standing.” Standing practice often begins and ends each session of walking.
Sit cross-legged on a cushion or mat with the back upright and hands resting in the lap. Rest attention on the rise and fall of the abdomen, noting “rising… falling.” When the mind wanders, note “thinking,” then return to the breath.
Walk slowly along a straight path, eyes lowered, hands joined. Know each step as it happens: lifting, moving, placing. At the end of the path, stop, stand, turn mindfully, and begin again.
images/vipassana-walking.jpgHistory
Vipassana is not a modern technique. It comes from the Buddha's own teaching and has been handed down from teacher to student for about 2,500 years.
5th century BCE
In northern India, the Buddha teaches the Four Foundations of Mindfulness. His instructions are preserved in the Satipaṭṭhāna Sutta, which calls mindfulness “the direct path” to the end of suffering.
3rd century BCE
Mahinda, son of the Indian emperor Ashoka, brings the Theravada teaching to Sri Lanka. There the Buddha's words are written down as the Pali Canon in the 1st century BCE.
5th century CE
The scholar-monk Buddhaghosa writes the Visuddhimagga in Sri Lanka, a detailed guide to ethics, concentration and insight that teachers still use today.
11th–14th centuries
Theravada Buddhism becomes the main tradition of Burma, Thailand, Laos and Cambodia, carried by monks and supported by kings and villages alike.
Late 19th – 20th century
Teachers in Burma bring meditation, once practised mainly by monks, to ordinary lay people. The noting method used on this page (“rising, falling”, “lifting, moving, placing”) comes from this movement.
1950s onward
Wat Mahathat in Bangkok invites teachers trained in the Burmese method, and insight meditation centers open in temples across the country. Alongside them, the Thai forest tradition keeps its own strong line of meditation masters.
Today
Vipassana is taught in Thailand, across Asia and in meditation centers on every continent, in Thai, English and many other languages.
A scholar monk who wrote clear guides to the Dhamma and was among the first to teach insight meditation widely to lay people.
Developed the noting method of mindfulness, labelling each experience as it arises. His approach spread to Thailand and around the world.
Revived the Thai forest tradition, living and meditating in remote forests and caves. Most forest masters of the 20th century trained under him or his students.
A student of the forest tradition known for simple, direct teaching. He founded Wat Nong Pah Pong and Wat Pah Nanachat, a monastery for monks from other countries.
Founded Suan Mokkh in southern Thailand and taught that the Dhamma should be lived in everyday life, not only in the temple.
Abbot of Wat Phra That Si Chom Thong in Chiang Mai, who taught the Satipaṭṭhāna noting method to thousands of Thai and foreign meditators.
A lay teacher and his student whose 10-day silent courses carried Vipassana to more than 90 countries.
Our center follows this long line of practice. Phra Ajahn Bunchuay teaches in the Thai Theravada tradition, combining the noting method with the simple, disciplined life of the forest monasteries.
| 04:00 | Wake-up bell |
| 04:30 – 06:30 | Prayer chanting and meditation |
| 07:00 | Breakfast |
| 09:00 – 11:00 | Standing, walking and sitting meditation |
| 11:30 | Main meal (no food after noon, per the Eight Precepts) |
| 14:00 – 16:00 | Standing, walking and sitting meditation |
| 17:00 | Tea and rest |
| 18:00 – 21:00 | Evening prayer chanting, meditation, and a talk or lecture by Phra |
| 21:00 | Rest |
Retreatants keep the Eight Precepts, wear white, and observe noble silence. Adjust these times to your center's schedule.
Life at the center is deliberately plain. Retreatants set aside the comforts of home and live with only what they need. This is part of the training, not a hardship to be endured.
Vipassana asks us to see clearly how the mind reacts to every experience. Comfort hides those reactions; simplicity brings them into the open where they can be observed.
Many retreatants find that the first days feel difficult, and that the difficulty soon softens into calm. They often return home with a new appreciation for ordinary things, and a clearer sense of how little is needed to be at peace.
Begin with 5 minutes of standing, 15 minutes of walking and 15 minutes of sitting each day, following the instructions above. Move from one posture to the next slowly, staying aware of the body as it changes. Increase the time gradually as practice settles.
The abbot's introductory talks on the Dhamma talks page give full instructions.