<p>In a loose sense they are both the same in English rendering. But if you look more critically insight (<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Praj%C3%B1%C4%81_(Buddhism)" rel="nofollow noreferrer">Panna</a>) is the result of practising <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vipassan%C4%81" rel="nofollow noreferrer">Vipassana</a>.</p>
<blockquote>
<p>Etymology</p>
<p>Prajñā is often translated as &quot;wisdom&quot;, but is closer in meaning to &quot;insight&quot;, &quot;discriminating knowledge&quot;, or &quot;intuitive apprehension&quot;.</p>
<p>jñā can be translated as &quot;consciousness&quot;, &quot;knowledge&quot;, or &quot;understanding.&quot;</p>
<p>Pra is an intensifier which could be translated as &quot;higher&quot;, &quot;greater&quot;, &quot;supreme&quot; or &quot;premium&quot;, or &quot;being born or springing up&quot;, referring to a spontaneous type of knowing.</p>
</blockquote>
<p>(Source: <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Praj%C3%B1%C4%81_(Buddhism)" rel="nofollow noreferrer">http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Praj%C3%B1%C4%81_(Buddhism)</a>)</p>
<p>And</p>
<blockquote>
<p>Vipassanā (Pāli) or vipaśyanā (विपश्यना, Sanskrit; Chn. 觀 guān; Tib. ལྷག་མཐོང་, lhaktong; Wyl. lhag mthong) in the Buddhist tradition means insight into the true nature of reality, namely as the Three marks of existence: impermanence, suffering or unsatisfactoriness, and the realisation of non-self.</p>
</blockquote>
<p>(Source: <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vipassan%C4%81" rel="nofollow noreferrer">http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vipassan%C4%81</a>)</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2015-05-26T04:24:14.870Z
2015-05-26T04:24:14.870Z
2020-06-17T09:56:10.877Z
Suminda Sirinath S. Dharmasena
<p>They are synonymous. Insight is in fact the word that is used to translate the word Vipassana.</p>

<p>All schools of Buddhism that talk about meditation talk about Samatha and Vipassana (but of course they'll use the sanskrit names Shamatha and Vipashyana, or their translated terms 止 観 (Chinese Zhi and Guan, Japanese Shi and Kan) or in Tibetan shiné and lhatong. They understand the meanings of these somewhat differently but no one has a monopoly on any of them.</p>

<p>The Vipassana movement is a particular trend of Buddhist meditation that started in Burma in the 1800's and encompases several traditions (Mahasi Sayadaw, Goenka, Pa Auk Sayadaw, etc..) and they are called the Vipassana movement just because that is their primary emphasis. But other traditions have it too, even though they might very well use very different sounding language to talk about it and have different meditation methods.</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2015-05-25T19:21:52.253Z
2015-05-25T19:21:52.253Z
Bakmoon
<p>Is vipassana practice the same as insight practice? Are the terms completely interchangeable? I know there is the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vipassana_movement">vipassana movement</a> but this appears to be Theravadin so it makes me think that vipassana only applies to Theravadin Buddhism? However I'm sure it's broader than that - our <a href="/questions/tagged/vipassana" class="post-tag" title="show questions tagged &#39;vipassana&#39;" rel="tag">vipassana</a> wiki says it is if that is anything to go by.</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2015-05-25T20:24:51.983Z
Just one small point though. To paraphrase my teacher, one doesn't practice vipassana (insight) as that is the goal not the practice. So one practices mindfulness (for example) with the goal of vipassana or insight. :)
Robin111
<theravada><vipassana><terminology><meditation-insight>
Is vipassana practice the same as insight practice?
# Is vipassana practice the same as insight practice?

(Asked by: username_0 on 2015-05-25)

Is vipassana practice the same as insight practice? Are the terms completely interchangeable? I know there is the [vipassana movement](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vipassana_movement) but this appears to be Theravadin so it makes me think that vipassana only applies to Theravadin Buddhism? However I'm sure it's broader than that - our [vipassana](/questions/tagged/vipassana "show questions tagged 'vipassana'") wiki says it is if that is anything to go by.

**Tags:** theravada, vipassana, terminology, meditation-insight

> **Comments:**
> **username_1**: Just one small point though. To paraphrase my teacher, one doesn't practice vipassana (insight) as that is the goal not the practice. So one practices mindfulness (for example) with the goal of vipassana or insight. :)  

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## 2 answers

### Answer by username_3 on 2015-05-25. Score: 8 | Accepted answer

They are synonymous. Insight is in fact the word that is used to translate the word Vipassana.

All schools of Buddhism that talk about meditation talk about Samatha and Vipassana (but of course they'll use the sanskrit names Shamatha and Vipashyana, or their translated terms 止 観 (Chinese Zhi and Guan, Japanese Shi and Kan) or in Tibetan shiné and lhatong. They understand the meanings of these somewhat differently but no one has a monopoly on any of them.

The Vipassana movement is a particular trend of Buddhist meditation that started in Burma in the 1800's and encompases several traditions (Mahasi Sayadaw, Goenka, Pa Auk Sayadaw, etc..) and they are called the Vipassana movement just because that is their primary emphasis. But other traditions have it too, even though they might very well use very different sounding language to talk about it and have different meditation methods.


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### Answer by username_2 on 2015-05-26. Score: 1

In a loose sense they are both the same in English rendering. But if you look more critically insight ([Panna](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Praj%C3%B1%C4%81_(Buddhism))) is the result of practising [Vipassana](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vipassan%C4%81).

> Etymology
>
> Prajñā is often translated as "wisdom", but is closer in meaning to "insight", "discriminating knowledge", or "intuitive apprehension".
>
> jñā can be translated as "consciousness", "knowledge", or "understanding."
>
> Pra is an intensifier which could be translated as "higher", "greater", "supreme" or "premium", or "being born or springing up", referring to a spontaneous type of knowing.

(Source: <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Praj%C3%B1%C4%81_(Buddhism)>)

And

> Vipassanā (Pāli) or vipaśyanā (विपश्यना, Sanskrit; Chn. 觀 guān; Tib. ལྷག་མཐོང་, lhaktong; Wyl. lhag mthong) in the Buddhist tradition means insight into the true nature of reality, namely as the Three marks of existence: impermanence, suffering or unsatisfactoriness, and the realisation of non-self.

(Source: <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vipassan%C4%81>)


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