The Eight Fold Path

Both, the physical structure as well as the mental structure, are impermanent. Sensations produced by these structures are therefore impermanent. It is meaningless to develop craving / aversion towards what is impermanent, substance less, essence-less. Hence just observe the sensations. Do not evaluate, do not have preferences or prejudices. Do not compare one sensation with the other. Due to these you may develop a liking / disliking towards sensations. Thus, develop sanskaras and consequently, miseries / bondage.

Four Noble Truths: There is suffering. Suffering is caused. The causes of suffering can be eradicated. The Eight-Fold Noble Path for eradication of causes of suffering.

The eight-fold path is covered by three categories: Sila

The Mahayana-tradition emphasizes prajna, insight into sunyata, dharmata, the two truths doctrine, clarity and emptiness, or bliss and emptiness.

Although Theravada and Mahayana are commonly understood as different streams of Buddhism, their practice may reflect emphasis on insight as a common denominator:

In the Theravada-tradition Vipassanā is used as one of two poles for the categorization of types of Buddhist practice, the other being Samatha (Pāli; Sanskrit: śamatha). Samatha is a focusing, pacifying, and calming meditation common to many traditions in the world, notably yoga. The use of samatha as necessary stage in the Buddhist practice has been a matter of debate in the development of the Vipassana Movement, which popularized mindfulness as a means to reach insight. According to the contemporary Theravada orthodoxy, samatha is used as a preparation for vipassanā, pacifying the mind and strengthening the concentration in order to allow the work of insight, which leads to liberation.

The contemplation of impermanence is done by watching / witnessing the breath. By observing the breath one becomes aware of the perpetual changes involved in breathing, and the arising and passing away of breath. One can also be aware of and gain insight into impermanence through the observation of bodily sensations and their nature of arising and passing

Sometimes used in the title, the word nirdeśa means ‘instruction/advice’. The sutra teaches, among other subjects, the meaning of non-duality. It contains a report of a teaching addressed to both arhats and bodhisattvas by the layman Vimalakīrti who expounds the doctrine of śūnyatā, or emptiness, to them. This teaching culminates significantly with the wordless teaching of Silence. The sutra features Śākyamuni Buddha teaching the Dharma to a vast assembly of ordained saṃgha, celestial bodhisattvas, laity, and various devas and other non-human beings in the Amra Gardens in the city of Vaiśālī in northeastern India. Vimalakīrti, a wealthy Buddhist lay bodhisattva who is considered a paragon of Buddhist virtue, is feigning illness. When the ruler of the region and various officials and others visit him, he takes the opportunity to expound Dharma (Dhamma in Pali) teachings.

When Śākyamuni Buddha learns of the situation he asks each of his ten major monk disciples to visit Vimalakīrti during his illness, but each in turn declines to do so, each citing a past incident during which he was reproved by Vimalakīrti for some deficiency in his understanding of the Dhamma. The same is repeated with various great bodhisattvas, until Mañjuśrī, the bodhisattva of wisdom, finally