VIPASSANA MEDITATION

Megan Lounsbury
Magic, Witchcraft, and Religion
September 28, 2015

A particular practice of Theravada Buddhist is Vipassana Meditation. Theravada

Buddhism is one of many branches and types of Buddhism. The focus of Buddhism, is to reach
enlightenment and ultimately the goal is Nirvana. Vipassana Meditation is claimed to help one
reach the state of Nirvana and it is practiced by Theravada Buddhists. This practice requires
complete silence, and discourages group sharing of mediation experiences; as a result, value is
put in extreme silence and privacy (Pagis 2010:309). Vipassana Meditation is a way to reach a
total eradication of mental impurities and result in the highest happiness of full liberation or
Nirvana through ones own introspection and experiences (Vipassana). Through this practice, it
is claimed that the individual will have true insight and true vision, which will lead to the
reaching of Nirvana (Vipassana). Michal Pagis, a postdoctoral fellow at the department of
Sociology and Anthropology, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Israel, has conducted an
ethnography study of this particular Theravada Buddhism practice and is offering some insight to
the practice and how it helps to maintain a group culture (Pagis 2010: 328).
Vipassana Meditation, is usually set in a period of ten days, where students come from
many different regions and countries to partake in the practice. There are designated places all
over the world where practicers of meditation and Buddhism can go to partake in this practice.
The most significant area is known as the meditation hall, where students can spend up to 11
hours a day in mediation (Pagis 2010: 316). In the mediation hall, there are numbered cushions
laid out in rows, each student is assigned a number and side of the hall, based on their experience
and sex (Pagis 2010: 317). The more experienced mediators are closer to the instructor at the
front, and males are always separated from females (Pagis 2010: 317). The practice, while being
a component of Theravada Buddhism, is open to anyone who wishes to join because the focus of

Vipassana mediation is on the practice itself, rather than the scholarly teachings and readings.
However, there are nightly lectures of the Buddhas teachings that reinforce the practice of
meditation as a way of introspection and finding inner peace (Pagis 2010: 316). Students are
only allowed a small period of time to ask their instructors questions during this practice,
however, the answers to their questions are usually very vague and are only meant to refocus the
individual on their own experience rather than the experience of others (Pagis 2010: 316). The
whole practice is to focus on the actual meditation and reflect on ones own experience rather
than the others experience; this is shown in the discouraged communication and the teachers
attempts to offer reassurance that whatever experience the student has had, it is normal (Pagis
2010: 315).
Michal Pagis is analyzing the effectiveness of a practice of Theravada Buddhism that
discourages verbal communication and how that discouraging of communication effects those
who partake in this religious practice. The authors central form of analysis of this practice is a
micro-social analysis which is the complex experience cultivated in the micro levels of
existence, from social interactions to individuals minds (Pagis 2010: 314). Pagis claims that
when two or more individuals share the same space and time and have the same object of
attention they produce a community of space and time, a temporal alignment that leads to the
joint flow of experiences (Pagis 2010: 314). Through this argument, Pagis is making the
claim, that even though this practice doesnt necessarily seem like it would be a socially building
aspect of Theravada Buddhists, there is a sense of communication taking place. She is stating
that nonverbal communication can be just as effective as verbal communications; one form of
communication being discouraged, doesnt mean that communication isnt actually taking place.

Pagis uses an example, of an opportunity of communal noise being opened up by a movement or

noise of an individual in the practice: where one feels more inclined to move or make a noise, if
someone opens that door for them, and it becomes an attunement to others (Pagis 2010: 319).
This opportunity of communal noise is the communication of If you move, I can move too; if
you are silent, I should be silent as this silent agreement between these students (Pagis 2010:
319). It is this communal acceptance of the silence, but also the taking of opportunities of
making noise when someone else does the same which results in a type of social monitoring.
One may not be silent only because it is discouraged to be silent, but also because of the
acceptance by the other students; it results in this elaborate chain of staying within the accepted
cultural norms of this area. Pagis further elaborates that even when no one is moving or making
noise, there is still a presence of tracking one another and acting to make themselves trackable
(Pagis 2010: 320). Pagis is arguing that even through a practice that promotes silence and
privacy, individuals still interact and communicate with each other, making it a social practice.
This meditation creates a type of culture in the meditation halls or other facilities where
this practice is taking place. Due to the students and teachers accepting of the ways of this
practice (silence, no verbal contact, and extreme privacy), there is a culture of the group that is
reflected in that communal acceptance. The assumption that Pagis is making is that the
motivator of this practice is the culture as a group theory. The acceptance of the silence and
non verbal communication creates a type of culture of this group of students. This is shown in
Pagis account of her own experience in his fieldwork where, upon arrival, no one introduced
themselves or gave her the opportunity to introduce herself and the rest of the meditation went in
complete silence (Pagis 2010: 310). It is the cultural practice of these students, that what they

are doing is focusing on their own experiences and not sharing with others. The instructors also
enforce this culture as a group aspect by addressing a students question of wether or not their
experiences were strange, or abnormal, by simply stating that whatever they are feeling is normal
(Pagis 2010: 315). These practices are motivated by the group acceptance. As stated above,
much of the actions is based on the observance of what everyone else is doing; If you move, I
can move too; if you are silent, I should be silent (Pagis 2010: 319). Its this way of maintaining
the culture of this group that motivates these actions. Many other Buddhism practices involve
divulging and sharing experience, knowledge, and their own feelings on the aspect of the
religion, but in this aspect of Theravada Buddhism, its very much the opposite (Pagis 2010: 310).
The school of thought for the author can be interpreted as a sociological explaination of
this particular practice. The sociological aspect of assumes that groups create collective
representations; broken down, this simply means that through a collective effort, group
participation creates the culture or religion. Through these Vipassana Meditation courses, the
promotion of meditation and buddhism practices are further reinforced. The author is claiming
that through a silence sense of intersubjectivity and community, the religion of Theravada
Buddhism is being created and passed around to other individuals. In summary, Pagis is stating
that through, the silence and intersubjectivity of this religious practice, the community is
building because of the silent, nonverbal communication of tracking each others minds.
Using Steadmans and Palmers general definition of religious behavior, we can describe
the practice of Vipassana meditation. As stated above, Vipassana meditation is a meditation
practice that is said to help the individual reach enlightenment or Nirvana. This is a religious
behavior, according to Steadman and Palmer, because it is a claim that is unverifiable by the

senses, the communication of the claim being true by an individual, and the acceptance of that
claim by more than one person. The claim that Vipassana meditation is a practice that would
help an individual reach Nirvana is unverifiable by the senses, one cant actually see Nirvana
being reached. We also cant prove that Nirvana is actually reached even if the claim is made.
However, regardless of the unverifiable claim being made, there are still individuals that will
communicate the claim as true. The communication of that claim is also accepted by a multiple
of other individuals. The practice, while it may not be as widely accepted as Christianity, still
has a substantial amount of participants who claim that the practice helps them get closer to
reaching enlightenment.
Due to these three elements, Vipassana meditation is considered to be a religious
behavior. The claim that this meditation practice actually allows the individual to become closer
and eventually reach enlightenment cant be scientifically tested, making it unverifiable by the
senses. One cannot see or prove the existence of Nirvana, we cant actually prove that though
this practice, an individual will reach Nirvana. Another aspect is the communication by an
individual that this claim is true. Teachers of this practice, and students of this practice
communicate and believe that this practice will help a student reach Nirvana. To take this
further, the communicated acceptance of this claim, and the acceptance of the influence of the
person making this claim as true is another aspect that makes this practice a religious behavior
through Steadman and Palmers definition.
The functionality of this religious behavior, through Pagis argument is to build social
connections through nonverbal communication (Pagis 2010: 310). Pagis makes the claim, that
even though there is a discouragement of verbal communication, there is also a social building

aspect of this process that is still taking place (Pagis 2010: 310). This non-verbal communication
happens in a multiple of different ways, according to Pagis. The acceptance of the typical
behaviors of the practice is one of the ways that this happens; this is show through Pagis
observations of the students mindset of If you move, I can move too; if you are silent, I should
be silent (Pagis 2010: 319). This also happens through the way the teachers address the
students and where they all work together to refocus the student back on their own individual
experiences rather than everyone elses (Pagis 2010: 316).
Through Steadmans and Palmers definitions of function of religious behavior, the
proximate function would work to keep a community of mindful people, a community that is
focused on reaching Nirvana through a peaceful method. The ultimate function would likely be
reciprocal cooperation. Taken that this practice is part of the Buddhism religion, which promotes
helping others while also becoming more mindful and reaching Nirvana, it would be sensible to
place reciprocal cooperation as the ultimate function. This is due to the nature of the religion
itself, through meditation and studies of the Buddhism religious writings, the individual is
working on becoming more mindful and becoming compassionate to the people around them.
Therefore it would be safe to argue that the benefit of the individual depends on their own
cooperation with others.
In terms of a test of a specific type of religious behavior as outlined by Steadman and
Palmer, I feel that sacrifice would be the best way to describe this religious behavior. While this
behavior could also potentially be included in other types of religious behavior, sacrifice seems
to be the most fitting in this case. Steadman and Palmer define sacrifice as the acceptance of
encouraged suffering for purposes that are unidentifiable (Ziker 10/5/15). It may seem strange

that a practice that is considered to be a method that can help with relaxation and calming of the
mind is considered to be a type of religious behavior that is associated with suffering. Yet, if we
take into account of the discouraged verbal communication and the fact that these students sit in
meditation for up to eleven hours each day during this ten day period. This sacrifice of their
time, their comfort (sitting for long periods of time, especially for beginners, can be very difficult
and stressful on the body), and their lack of verbal communication with other students, can all be
seen as sacrifices that these students are giving up in order to fully participate in this behavior
that is claimed to lead to Nirvana.
This aspect of sacrifice works in favor of this religious behavior in a couple of ways; a
proximate and ultimate. Proximate function of sacrifice is defined as the behavior that
communicated a willingness to accept the guidance of those who are encouraging the sacrifice,
to suffer for them, to endure pain, loss, and restrain individual desires for others (Ziker,
10/5/15). Vipassana Meditation fits the proximate function of sacrifice, because students are
taking on the guidance of the teachers, they are taking in their advice and looking to them for
insight on the practice and about their experiences. They are also accepting of the advice and
guidance they receive, and thus continue to sacrifice their time, sacrifice the verbal
communication with others, and to sit in meditation for long periods of time (Pagis 2010: 316).
The students of this practice are willing to sacrifice their time and energy because of their
acceptance of the teachers and leaders advice and guidance.
The ultimate function is defined as the behavior that fosters social relationships through
a demonstration of willingness to suffer for others and encourages such self-depreciating
behaviors in others (Ziker 10/5/15). Vipassana mediation also fits the ultimate function of

sacrifice because through the students willingness to sacrifice their own individual desires, others
are also influenced to do the same. This is shown in Pagis analysis of If you move, I can move
too; if you are silent, I should be silent aspect of the meditation (Pagis 2010: 319). Its a
communal influence that is passed on through the social relationships of those who partake. It
builds a sense of community, which is shown in Pagis interviews with one of the students, who
immediately asked if she had taken a meditation course because it would be impossible to have
this conversation with someone who had never taken a meditation course further implying the
fostering of social relationships between a group of people who have made the same sacrifices
(Pagis 2010: 322). This element of sacrifice and restrain on individual desires creates a sense of
community of people who have all sacrificed in the same way, thus meeting that requirement of
social relationships that encourages the same type of suffering (Ziker 10/5/15).
At first thought, one may think that a religious practice, that doesnt obviously work to
create social relationships, is a little strange. This lack of obvious communication between the
practicers of this religion is due to the claimed personal benefit of the practice itself; its the
claim that through ones own introspection and focus on their own experiences can lead to
Nirvana, the ultimate goal of Buddhism. Yet, regardless of the lack of verbal communication
between the students in this practice, there is still a social communication taking place. Through
the acceptance of the silence, through the acceptance of the influence of others around them and
the matching of their behaviors, one can spot a non verbal communication taking place. Even
though there isnt a clear social interaction taking place, there is still a form of communication.
In Steadman and Palmers book: The Supernatural and Natural Selection: The Evolution of
Religion, they make the claim that religious behavior is based off of an acceptance of an

unverifiable claim, that is accepted by a person and further accepted by a multiple of other
people (Steadman and Palmer 2008: 14). One can test this definition with Vipassana meditation
to determine that this practice is a religious behavior. This can be further defined as a religious
behavior that is based off of sacrifice: sacrifice of time, comfort, and normal modes of
communication for long periods of time. This religious behavior works to maintain a willingness
to sacrifice for others, while also fostering social relationships.

Bibliography

Pagis, Michal. "Producing intersubjectivity in silence: An ethnographic study of

meditation practice." Ethnography 11, no. 2 (2010): 309-328.
Steadman, Lyle B., and Craig T. Palmer. The Supernatural and Natural Selection: The Evolution
of Religion. Boulder: Paradigm Publishers, 2008.
"Vipassana." Meditation. Accessed October 2, 2015.
Ziker, Dr. John "Concept Maps 3." Lecture, Boise State, Boise.