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Vipassana means ‘clear’ seeing that is devoid of thoughts. A meditation practice that directly came from Buddha himself and popularized all over the world by Sri SN Goenka involves being non-judgmental to the experiences of pain and pleasure moment to moment. But our natural tendencies to cling to pleasures and rejecting pain is the main cause of suffering. This creates strong likes and dislikes to anything or anyone we encounter in this material world carving deep impressions in the mind. At the time of death, depending on the type of impression, will create a particular vibration and the new life will be according to this vibration. So if one wishes for a smooth trans- migratory experience, Vipassana meditation can become a boon.

Vipassana meditation allow one to change the patterns of unconscious mind with the goal of not to create deep impressions in the mind. According to Buddha there are 4 divisions of the unconscious mind. The Vigyan or the cognition division where the senses brings the information of the outside world to the mind. Even thoughts are also made known to the mind. The Sangya division or the intellect recognizes the objects (sight, sound, touch, taste, smell and thoughts) and makes judgments (good, bad..). The Vedana division creates the feeling of pleasure or pain. The Sanskar division is where the ‘reaction’ happens where the mind creates deep impressions with strong likes and dislikes. This is what accumulates karma and shapes the current and future lives.

As you can see above in the domino analogy, the Sanskar domino is standing strong and the rest are fallen, this means we let the unconscious mind to work in its default mode creating deep impressions through strong likes and dislikes. Deep impressions are like lines chiseled on a rock, hard to get rid off, extreme attachment is one example.

Vipassana meditation is about ‘witnessing’ this whole process of Vigyan, Sangya , Vedana and Sanskar and eventually dissolve the deep impressions in mind and not create new ones. Coming back to the domino analogy, we witness Vigyan, Sangya and Vedana states with equanimity. Sri SN Goenka suggests following practice:

1. Recognize the Vedanas (feelings of pain or pleasure)
2. Recognize that it is transient
3. Then say “Oh, is it transient? lets see, lets see..”

To this end, Vipassana meditation is being in the state of awareness that transcends mind and body and that is devoid of I consciousness. So at the time of death, the mind has only little of Karmas to absorb.