Evolution of Insight Meditation in the West

Insight meditation, as discussed in the podcast, traces its modern roots to the Burmese monk, Lady Sayadaw, who adapted the practice to make it more accessible to lay people. His emphasis shifted towards insight into the three marks of existence - suffering, impermanence, and non-self - rather than deep meditative absorption states (jhana). This approach gained popularity globally and influenced insight traditions like Vipassana.