Buddha Abhidhamma - Ultimate Science - BuddhaNet

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here as they are mentioned in most popular books.
Actually these meanings can be misleading. The word
‘contemplation’ itself is misleading.
‘Contemplation’ implies ‘deep thought’ or ‘to be
in a thoughtful state’. In vipassanà-meditation there is
no place for thinking or for being thoughtful. With the
help of concentration (samàdhi), one penetrates into the
ultimate realities and sees with one’s own mind-eye
the real nature of these realities – that is the three
characteristic marks of nàma and råpa.
By observing the incessant arising and dissolving of the
ultimate nàma and råpa, one understands the impermanent
nature as well as the unsatisfactory nature of mental and
corporeal formations. To be subject to incessant dissolving itself
means suffering. Since the body and mind are made up of five
aggregates and all these aggregates are incessantly forming and
dissolving, leaving no single entity as permanent, one realizes
that there is no self nor soul.
Thus in vipassanà-bhàvanà, one actually sees the ultimate
things and knows their nature. This ultimate nature cannot be
known by mere contemplation.
In aniccànupassana, one concentrates on the impermanent
nature of the ultimate nàma and råpa, and note repeatedly “anicca,
anicca, anicca…” for ten to thirty minutes at a stretch.
Then one takes up dukkhànupassana.
In dukkhànupassana, one concentrates on the unsatisfactory
nature of the ultimate nàma and råpa and notes repeatedly
“dukkha, dukkha, dukkha,… ” for ten to thirty minutes at a stretch.
Then one proceeds with anattànupassana.