anupaśyanā (Sanskrit, contemplation; Pāli, anupassanā). A process of investigation or analysis designed to help overcome habitual and erroneous perception. For example, instead of regarding phenomena as stable and permanent one trains the mind to see that their true nature is to be impermanent; instead of regarding them as causing happiness, one comes to see them as a cause of suffering (duḥkha), and so forth. The ultimate goal is to see things as they really are (yathā-bhūta) rather than how they appear to be. A sevenfold list of such exercises is commonly found.

A Dictionary of Buddhism, Oxford University Press, 2003, 2004 (which is available in electronic version from answer.com)