The Practice Which leads to Nibbana - A Buddhist Library

w 161Which means:A person whose vehicle is pure insight or a person whose vehicleis serenity, but who wishes to begin insight practice by discerningrèpas instead of nŒmas, should discern the four elements in briefor in detail in one of the various ways given in the chapter XI on thedefinition of the four elements. (vsm. XVIII, 4)According to these instructions of the Visuddhimagga a personwho wishes to proceed directly to the practice of insight without anyjhŒnas as a foundation, or a person who has attained one or all of theeight jhŒnas, but who wishes to begin vipassanŒ by discerning matterfirst, must begin by discerning the four elements in brief, in detail,or both in brief and in detail.VipassanŒ is made up of two sections; contemplation of rèpa andcontemplation of nŒma. These two are also called rèpa pariggaha,discernment of rèpas, and arèpa pariggaha, discernment of nŒmas.The majjhima commentary and the abhidhamma commentarysay:Tattha bhagavŒ rèpa kammaÊÊhŒna× kathento saºkhepamanasikŒravasena vŒ vitthŒra manasikŒravasena vŒcatudhŒtuvavatthŒna× kathesi. (abhi.com.2.p.252; m.com.1.p.280)Which means:Of these two, rèpa kammaÊÊhŒna (contemplation of rèpa) refersto the defining of the four elements by paying attention in thebrief way or the detailed way.These instructions found in the commentaries concerning themethod of discerning rèpas in vipassanŒ show that the Buddha hastaught that a suddha vipassanŒ yŒnika, or a samatha yŒnika whowishes to begin by discerning rèpas, must begin by discerning thefour elements in brief or in detail. If a meditator practises according