Defilements of insight (vipassanā upakkilesa)
Meditation / Meditation/Results / Defilements of insight 
5 excerpts, 12:29 total duration

Thanksgiving Retreat 2010, Session 8 – Nov. 27, 2010

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22. “Following the rapture/bliss of realization of deep insight of the sort the questioner posed last night, ther inevitably seems to follow a ‘spiritual narcissism’ and other vipassanā defilements. Perhaps these are the same old obstructions, just repackaged, but they seem more insidious. Any special advice or experience to share working through these?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Rapture] [Insight meditation] [Conceit] [Defilements of insight] // [Suffering]


Thanksgiving Retreat 2012, Session 7 – Nov. 23, 2010

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4. “With age, contentment and gratitude and even joy come swiftly and easily to my meditation. I’ve good reasons for them. They can also seem like roadblocks to mindfulness, slowing my mind, which is still proliferating and not investigating. What should I do when I feel this?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Contentment] [Gratitude] [Happiness] [Proliferation] [Mindfulness] [Defilements of insight] // [Equanimity] [Protective Meditations]


Abhayagiri Monastic Retreat 2013, Session 7 – Nov. 29, 2013

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19. “One practice is to cultivate joy, happiness...But if these are ‘defilements of insight,’ I feel empty. Any comment.” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Gladdening the mind] [Happiness] [Insight meditation] [Defilements of insight]


Readings from The Island, Session 38 – Mar. 4, 2025

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1. Reflection by Ajahn Pasanno: The contrast between the vipassanūpakkilesa (defilements of insight) and the vipassanāñāṇa (insight knowledges). [Insight meditation] [Defilements of insight] [Knowledge and vision] // [Perception of light] [Characteristics of existence]


Q&A with the Chithurst Community – Aug. 30, 2025

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6. “How do you find it best to differentiate between true insights and insight defilements?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno and Ajahn Cittapālā. [Insight meditation ] [Defilements of insight] // [Tranquility] [Relinquishment] [Simplicity]

Quote: “A really true insight—you don’t get anything from.” — Ajahn Pasanno.