user609: I have heard that there are 8 attainments or stages of insight in the progression of Vipassana, can anyone explain? I'm familiar with the 8 stages of jhana but I believe this is in reference to vipassana specifically. 

user295: This is 7 purification and 16 stages of insight. See:

The Progress of Insight
Transcendental Dependent Arising
Relay Chariots
7 Stages of Purification & The Insight Knowledges
A Map of the Journey (Very readable book)
The Development of Insight
The Sixteen Stages of Insight

NB: Don't get too engrossed in the stages. Many of the naturally manifest them self. You cannot force the development or crave for it to come. Either way you are regressing.

609: <p>I have heard that there are 8 attainments or stages of insight in the progression of Vipassana, can anyone explain? I'm familiar with the 8 stages of jhana but I believe this is in reference to vipassana specifically. </p>
 295: <p>This is 7 purification and <a href="http://www.vipassanadhura.com/sixteen.html" rel="nofollow">16 stages of insight</a>. See:</p>

<ul>
<li><a href="http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/mahasi/progress.html" rel="nofollow">The Progress of Insight</a></li>
<li><a href="http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/bodhi/wheel277.html" rel="nofollow">Transcendental Dependent Arising</a></li>
<li><a href="http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.024.than.html" rel="nofollow">Relay Chariots</a></li>
<li><a href="http://www.buddhanet.net/pdf_file/bm7insight.pdf" rel="nofollow">7 Stages of Purification &amp; The Insight Knowledges</a></li>
<li><a href="http://www.buddhanet.net/pdf_file/mapjourney6.pdf" rel="nofollow">A Map of the Journey</a> (Very readable book)</li>
<li><a href="http://www.buddhanet.net/imol/develop.htm" rel="nofollow">The Development of Insight</a></li>
<li><a href="http://www.vipassanadhura.com/sixteen.html" rel="nofollow">The Sixteen Stages of Insight</a></li>
</ul>

<p>NB: Don't get too engrossed in the stages. Many of the naturally manifest them self. You cannot force the development or crave for it to come. Either way you are regressing.</p>
