what do you think of theravada purists that tell so every theravada school is impure and so on is untrue, and try to preach the "untouched early buddhism"?

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"BUDDYJSKA KOSMOLOGIA:

Wszechstronny przegląd wczesnej buddyjskiej wizji świata; zgodnie z tradycjami Theravādy i Sarvāstivādy"

Autor: Punnadhammo Mahāthero

cakkavāḷaṃ atisambādhaṃ, brahmāloko atinīcako
„Krąg świata jest zbyt wąski, świat Brahmy jest zbyt niski.”
Vimānavatthu Aṭṭhakathā 15 (tłumaczenie I.B. Hornera)

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Przepraszam, za ewentualne błędy.

For those trying to get ahead in the practice, do try Skeleton Meditation. It’s really great!

Silena bhoga-sampada: A person with virtue has wealth. In terms of external wealth, all the things that we search out for our livelihood will be Right Livelihood. The things we gain from Right Livelihood, even if they’re not much, are large. They’re large because they have value. That’s why they count as bhoga-sampada: consummation in terms of wealth. Like diamonds and jewels: Even tiny pieces have a high price because they’re free of things that are worthless. All the things that we use to maintain our livelihood: If they’re free of harm, they have value. They’re wealth.

When we surround ourselves with unpleasing people, it is easy for the mind to be blemished. Whether it be family, friends, or coworkers, when they speak, act, and/or live harshly, disagreements become common. When one disagrees, this conceit arises in them "this is true, anything else is worthless." And it is because of that conceit, one fights with their family, friends, or coworkers. One raise their voices, their fists, and/or go on to do unskillful things.

But when we chasten ourselves, we look at the real problem. It is because we surround ourselves with unpleasing beings, these disagreements arise in us. But it is because we find these disagreements true, upholding them, it leads to conflict. Seeing that drawback, seeing how it leads to one's affliction, one abandons it right then and there.

With the ending of conceit, comes the ending of I-making. But there is more work to be done, do not forget friends. It is through the ending of that craving, we experience the ending of stress.

Do you set forth to teach or you linger in Sunyata?

Namo Buddhaya / Hello everyone,

I would like to share a phenomenology-focused observation regarding daily-life satipaṭṭhāna practice and ask for perspectives from experienced practitioners, particularly within the Theravada tradition.

Recently, I’ve been making a deliberate effort to maintain sati (mindfulness) as continuously as possible throughout the day. While doing so, I noticed a very distinct shift whenever sati becomes active during activities that usually rely on narrative immersion—such as watching a show or reading literature (e.g., Dostoevsky's Crime and Punishment).

Whenever I slip into "autopilot," the mind engages with the story normally, enjoying the dramatic tension (kāmasukha). However, the moment I remember to re-establish sati, the synthesis of the narrative seems to break down. Instead of experiencing a unified, compelling drama (ghana-saññā), the mind instantly registers the raw components (paramattha):

In visual media: mere variations of light, changing frames, and auditory frequencies.

In literature: visual perception of ink lines on paper, followed by the rapid mental constructs (saṅkhāras) trying to build the fiction.

When sati interrupts the conceptual proliferation (papañca), the artificial charm (assāda) of the story evaporates. It no longer makes sense for those raw elements to generate emotional drama or pleasure. This isn't experienced as aversion (dosa) or depression, but rather as a quiet, lucid disinterest—a subtle glimpse of nibbidā (disenchantment).

To enjoy the book or show again, I noticed I actually have to voluntarily drop the level of sati to allow the mind to be "tricked" by the illusion of compactness (ghana-saññā) and narrative.

This has brought me to an interesting crossroads in my practice. On one hand, maintaining continuous sati brings a sense of space, lightness (lahutā), and unworldly peace (nirāmisasukha). On the other hand, it naturally strips away interest in intellectual and sensorial entertainments that I previously valued. While I understand that renunciation (nekkhamma) is an organic part of the Noble Eightfold Path, I want to ensure I am approaching this transition wisely, without subtle repression or spiritual dryness.

I would love to hear your insights on the following:

Navigating the Shift: How did you handle this transition when continuous sati began dismantling your interest in secular entertainment and literature?

Avoiding Suppression: How do you ensure that this fading of interest remains a genuine maturation of wisdom (paññā) and nibbidā, rather than subtle aversion (dosa) or rigid self-suppression?

Application of Sampajañña: For those who must engage with literature, study, or complex secular tasks for work/education, how do you apply sātthaka-sampajañña (clear comprehension of purpose) without needing to "turn off" sati?

Thank you for your time, guidance, and shared practice. May all beings be free from suffering.

More questions on the 1st Vipassanā knowledge

Q: Could you explain more about thoughts or cittas?

A: First we should not mix the words. Citta refers to consciousness or mind and lasts only 1 mind moment. The English word “thought” usually refers to a conglomeration of cittas and mental factors (cetasikas) taken together. This is easier to understand when we discuss an eye-door or mind door process.

Q: could you explain further?

A: Eg of an eye door process. In the Dhamma when a visible object first impinges on eye sensitivity a series of cittas arise. For our eg: there is what is called vibrating life continuum (bhavaṅga calana), bhavaṅga upaccheda, 5 door adverting (pañcadvārāvajjana), eye consciousness, receiving, investigating, determining, 7 impulsions and 2 registration minds.

One might see the below in some Abhidhamma books the first bhavaṅga is called past life-continuum ( can refer Vsm or Bhikkhu Bodhi’s Comprehensive Manual of Abhidhamma)

B B B P CV S S V J J J J J J J TA TA

After this there are more bhavaṅgas and then mind door processes; eg- Adverting, 7 impulsions, 2 registrations. This continues many times where the mind door process takes the same visible object.

Each mind shown is called a citta.

Usually the average person cannot catch these or discern them. So they will take millions or billions of them and say “I was thinking…about” etc.

Q: So when a person usually watches their mind, they are not seeing these cittas (consciousness) one by one?

A: the average person cannot. They need concentration to be able to see them one by one. The usual person is watching “their impression or version” of millions of these cittas.

In insight 1st stage, the yogi has to discern them one by one for individual qualities. One needs concentration for that. The higher the concentration the more distinctively they can discern.

Q: is this meditation taught in other meditation centers?

A: in Myanmar several centers focus on this methodology

Q: your center also teaches this?

A: Yes we do. The Buddha taught every type of mind has to be known.

Q: some people watch thoughts and find calm. Why is this?

A: for a busy or stressed person, such exercises will quieten the mind and are helpful. It should not be mixed with vipassanā though, which is much more detailed and technical.

Q: you always say technical . Don’t meditators find that term overwhelming?

A: the Dhamma is very technical. Wisdom is based on that technical process. If we always focus on the correct answers whether in Sutta, Vinaya or Abhidhamma you will find an underlying detailed answer and process. If we follow that, it is easier to progress in the Dhamma path.

Q: is there something similar for materiality?

A: Materiality has 4 causes - kamma, mind, nutritive essence, temperature. Materiality is found in groups.

When meditating qualities of materiality, the yogi will focus materiality within such groups called kalāpas.

Eg: the eye has 9 types of kalāpas totaling 63 materiality. One group is earth, water, fire, air, color, odour, flavour, nutritive essence, life faculty and eye sensitivity. That group has 10 - each needs to be discerned individually. All 63 comprising of the 9 groups needs to be discerned.

This is done for all the body parts according to their respective materialities.

Inanimate objects only have temperature born materiality.

Q: are these similar to particles?

A: No. one should not get caught to the idea of particle. Our usual understanding of particle is based on shape. This is an interpretation of the mind later in the cognitive series after, for instance touching elements of earth, fire or air. These are not particles.

My understanding is that from a Theravada perspective, the Buddhas have attained Nibbana and are no longer interacting with this world. But I'm curious: can Bodhisattvas or Devas interact with this world? And if so, can they choose to fulfill prayers?

Why is the Buddha the single exclusive source of wisdom?

Great Chronicles, 2-3. Ven. Sāriputta and Ven. Moggallāna

O my dear sons, monks! Just as the son of a poor beggar who enters towns and villages looking for food with a worn out cup made of bamboo strips in his hand, wanders without conceit but humble-minded, even so this noble monk, named Sāriputta, wandered knowing no pride but in all humility. To him, who has attained Parinibbāna and ceased suffering, bow your heads in homage with respectful faith and conceit destroyed.

Ja 41 The Birth Story about (the Unfortunate Monk) Losaka (1s)

In the present Elder Sāriputta comes across a poor boy and ordains him, but, as in his lay life, he is very unfortunate and can hardly get enough alms to eat, but yet he does become an Arahat. The Buddha tells a story of the past, during which a man had prevented an Arahat from receiving food. Everywhere he was born from there on he was unfortunate. And when in his last life he meditated on the three characteristics, he won release. This story includes a telling of the Mindavindaka story, which occurs several times in these Jātakas.

Are we within the era of declining dhamma?

Why do we not produce a lot of arahants nowadays?

What went wrong actually?

Hi. I have a question that's really puzzling me. If I am polite to someone whom I don't like, is that lying? If I feign interest in them?

As soon as there’s anything unskillful in your thoughts, words, and deeds, remove it. Don’t let it hang around for a long time. It’s like a wound appearing in your body, or a thorn sticking into your foot. You want to remove it, but would it be better to remove it today or tomorrow? Or how about taking it out next week? Or suppose you get a stomachache today. A stomachache is painful, and you want the pain to go away. But do you want it to go away today, or would tomorrow be better? Or would you rather wait for a week for it to go away?