16 Stages of Insight

[acinteyyo]

Yesterday I visited a meditationgroup nearby. I was there two or three times before. The owner of the house where the group meets is a satipatthana-vipassana "fan". He gave me a text about the 16 Stufen der Einsicht (16 Stages of Insight). It's from a german handout called "Lotusblätter". In general this is quite similar.
Is there any refrence of such stages in the nikayas or is it completely the experience of vipassana meditation teachers?
I wonder about it, because I find it strange that I've never read about those stages.
What did the Buddha say about it? And if he didn't say something about it, why?
What do you think?

best wishes, acinteyyo

[Bhikkhu Pesala]

I am surprised you have not heard of this before.

See the Mahāsī Sayādaw's Progress of Insight. The subject is dealt with in detail in the Visuddhimagga.

In the Pāli Canon you will find the seven purifications in the Rathavinita Sutta

[cooran]

Hello acinteyyo, all,

A summary here: "The Seven Stages of Purification" and "The Sixteen Insight Knowledges"
http://www.leighb.com/7sop16ik.htm

The above is taken principally from MN 24 - Ratha-vinita Sutta (The Relay Chariots Sutta) and from Ven. Matara Sri Nañarama Mahathera's book The Seven Stages of Purification and the Insight Knowledges.
The details of the first 2 Stages of Purification can be found in the Graduated Training which occurs many times thruout the suttas.
The last 5 Stages - the 16 Insight Knowledges are briefly sketched in many places in the suttas as
Disenchantment
Dispassion
Calm, Tranquility
Higher knowledge
Insights [of the higher stages of the Path]
Nibbana

The most detailed exposition of the Insight Knowledges found in the suttas is in SN 12.23 - Upanisa Sutta (Transcendental Dependent Arising).
And finally, these Seven Stages form the outline for the Visuddhimagga (Path of Purification), the commentary from about 500 AD. Each stage is discussed in detail and the Insight Knowledges (the last 5 Stages) are dicussed quite excellently in Chapters 18 - 23.

metta
Chris

[acinteyyo]

I am surprised you have not heard of this before.

See the Mahāsī Sayādaw's Progress of Insight. The subject is dealt with in detail in the Visuddhimagga.

In the Pāli Canon you will find the seven purifications in the Rathavinita Sutta

Greetings Bhante,

thank you very much. It's a bit funny. I remembered the Sutta not until the part came with the seven relay chariots. I must have forgotten it.

@ Chris,

thank you, too. I already downloaded "The Seven Stages of Purification" and "The Sixteen Insight Knowledges". I'll take a look at it later. I heard it is a good summary...

But all things considerd, I think I'll stick to the four satipatthana mentioned in DN22/MN10. I don't consider knowledge of those 16 stages as helpful for my practice.

best wishes, acinteyyo

[mikenz66]

Hi acinteyyo,

But all things considerd, I think I'll stick to the four satipatthana mentioned in DN22/MN10. I don't consider knowledge of those 16 stages as helpful for my practice.

There are clearly pros and cons about reading this sort of information. If you have a teacher they should be able to advise you on whatever come up. Where reading may be helpful is when you are practising without a teacher and odd stuff starts to happen... Then having a map could be very useful.

Metta
Mike

[bodom]

http://www.vipassanadhura.com/sixteen.html

[Ben]

But all things considerd, I think I'll stick to the four satipatthana mentioned in DN22/MN10. I don't consider knowledge of those 16 stages as helpful for my practice.

Sadhu, Acinteyyo, Sadhu!
Maintain your focus on practice, bhavana. But keep in mind that in time the value of the sixteen insight knowledges will become manifest to you. But right now, continue with your good work.
metta

Ben

[acinteyyo]

http://www.vipassanadhura.com/sixteen.html

I already posted this link in the openingpost.

[...] when you are practising without a teacher and odd stuff starts to happen... Then having a map could be very useful.

yeah, this sounds plausible to me.

Sadhu, Acinteyyo, Sadhu!
Maintain your focus on practice, bhavana. But keep in mind that in time the value of the sixteen insight knowledges will become manifest to you. But right now, continue with your good work.

Thank you Ben, for your encouragement.

best wishes, acinteyyo