You need not be familiar with the teachings of the Buddha to make use of Insight Meditation practice, although such knowledge can help to clarify any personal understanding you may develop through meditation. The purpose of Insight Meditation is not to create a system of beliefs, but rather to give guidance on how to see clearly into the nature of the mind. In this way one gains first-hand understanding of the way things are, without reliance on opinions or theories -- a direct experience, which …