excerpt from my new book: The Complete Mindfulness Training Toward Liberation: The Union of Satipaṭṭhāna (Foundational Mindfulness) and Anussati (Higher Mindfulness)
Within Buddhist meditation traditions, two broad paths of training are often described. Both aim at liberating wisdom, yet they differ in how concentration and insight relate during practice. One proceeds from mindfulness directly into insight; the other develops deep concentration first and then applies insight. Here is a comparison of structure and emphasis for both.
1. The Sati–Vipassanā Approach
In this model, practice begins with sati (mindfulness or awareness) applied immediately to world experience. From this grounding, vipassanā (clear seeing) unfolds through continuous attention to the four domains described in the Satipaṭṭhāna framework:
- body Kāya-anupassanā,
- feeling Vedana-anupassanā,
- mind-heart Citta-anupassanā and
- mental contents (dhamma), Dhamma-anupassanā
Here sati mindfulness and anupassanā/vipassana insight are not separate stages. The act of sustained awareness already includes investigation. As attention stabilizes, understanding deepens naturally.
Anu here carries its original semantic meaning of “higher,” “supreme,” “foremost,” or “leading” — implying an elevated vantage above ordinary perception, although later it evolves to following (the lead), tracking. Anupassanā is therefore higher seeing: direct, structural, immersive, and penetrating.
Structure of practice
- Establish attention on present experience
- Maintain continuous awareness
- Recognition clarifies phenomena, such as kāye kāyānupassī viharati “abides higher seeing body in body” etc.
- Understanding develops within the same observation, such as Yāvadeva ñāṇamattāya paṭissatimattāya anissito ca viharati, na ca kiñci loke upādiyati. “To the extent necessary for knowing and mindfulness, he dwells independent (anissito ca viharati) awareness, and does not cling to anything in the world (na ca kiñci loke upādiyati).”
Everyone is born with certain level of concentration; this approach uses the natural born concentration or psychic abilities to develop vipassanā (supreme/higher seeing) directly through mindfulness of worldly phenomena, without needing full jhāna or prolonged Samatha/samadhi practice. A minimal level of concentration (often called “momentary concentration” or “access concentration”) arises naturally for average person, sufficient for this insight practice.
- Insight arises from direct, sustained observation of worldly phenomena.
- Natural born concentration is used. Jhāna or Samadhi contration training is not required.
- The practice of satipaṭṭhāna (four foundational mindfulness) is called “dry insight” (sukkha-vipassaka) or “bare insight,” where insight develops without the “vehicle” of jhana or samadhi.
Modern representatives include Mahasi Sayadaw and his lineage (noting method), S.N. Goenka (body sensations scanning), and related reform movements in 20th-century Burma. These teachers emphasize that the suttas (e.g., Satipaṭṭhāna Sutta) describe insight arising directly from mindful observation, without mandating jhāna or samadhi first.
The fruit of this practice is not Liberation or enter the realm of Nibbana. As this elevated seeing matures, the mind ceases to depend upon or attaches to the world for identity or support. This is anissito. The sutta repeatedly expresses this culmination:
Yāvadeva ñāṇamattāya paṭissatimattāya anissito ca viharati, na ca kiñci loke upādiyati.
A direct rendering:
“To the extent necessary for knowing and mindfulness, he dwells independent (anissito ca viharati), and does not cling to anything in the world (na ca kiñci loke upādiyati).”
Here the purpose of Satipaṭṭhāna becomes clear.
The mind does not disappear, nor does awareness become ownerless; rather, the citta with awareness no longer identifies with the worldly or worldly attachments. This practice of Sati-Anupassanā/Vipassana proves the citta with awareness stands anissito — independent of the world. This proof provides the foundation (paṭṭhāna ) of Gautama Buddha’s liberation teaching, that the citta with awareness is indeed possible to be liberated from the world. That’s why this sati-anupassanā practice is called foundational mindfulness (Satipaṭṭhāna ).
How to liberate this citta with awareness (sati) from the world, and where this liberated citta go, are not covered in this 4 foundational mindfulness practice (Satipaṭṭhāna). They are covered in the 10 Anusati training. Anusati here is the same as in anu-passanā, it means higher and supreme. Specially among the 10 Anusati trainings are the two, Kayagatasati and Anapanasati, that lead to Samadhi and Jhana, which then lead to Samatha–Vipassanā practice for the end of clinging (na ca kiñci loke upādiyati), the purification of citta, and the realization of Nibbāna-dhātu — the Deathless realm characterized by Amata (Deathless), Ajara (Ageless), Dhuva (Stable), Sukha (Blissful), Suddha (Pure), and Santi (Peaceful).
2. The Samatha–Vipassanā Approach
In this model, training proceeds in two intentional phases:
samatha or samadhi → vipassanā
First, the practitioner cultivates samatha (samadhi or jhāna), aiming at strong concentration lifting the mind out of the sensory field of this physical world that the mind is normally dwelling in. After the mind is well established in a higher dimensional realm, vipassanā or higher seeing begins.
Structure of practice
- Develop stable concentration
- Enter concentrated mind states, stabilize in a higher realm
- Apply insight to the broader reality the mind is perceiving
- Derive understanding for the liberation teaching of Gautama Buddha
Here concentration is deliberately developed before insight practice of higher seeing is undertaken.
This approach holds that strong concentration (samādhi or jhāna) must be developed first to provide a stable, extra-ordinary mind. Only with this foundation can vipassanā (higher seeing the broader multidimensional realities and understanding for the liberation teaching of Gautama Buddha) arise effectively and lead to true liberation.
Key points of this view:
- World transcending concentration suppresses hindrances (nīvaraṇa) and creates a bright, pliable mind suitable for penetrative insight for a broader multidimensional realities.
- Vipassanā practiced without sufficient samādhi risks being unstable, superficial, or limited.
- Jhānas (especially the four fine-material jhānas) are emphasized as the ideal basis for higher seeing the rupa-realm, as they provide the base for the ultimate true liberation following the historical Gautama Buddha.
- After the understanding of the liberation teaching from Gautama Buddha, the meditator would transform completely and join Gautama lineage (Gotra), with the utmost motivation to completely purify his/her mind-heart citta, in order to become Arahant. This culminates with the meditator leave the world behind and enter the deathless realm of Nibbana following the exact footsteps of Gautama Buddha.
Modern representatives include Pa-Auk Sayadaw and his lineage, which prioritize systematic development of jhānas (using ānāpānassati or kasiṇas) before vipassanā practice. Teachers in this camp argue that the suttas frequently describe the Buddha and disciples entering jhāna before insight arises (e.g., descriptions of the path in AN and MN often place samādhi/jhāna before paññā/vipassanā).
1). Ānāpānasati Sutta (MN 118)
This sutta gives the clearest structural causal sequence of development.
Mindfulness → joy → tranquility → happiness → samādhi → knowledge → liberation
Pāli (core chain):
sati → pīti → passaddhi → sukha → samādhi
This is crucial: samādhi appears in the middle of a process initiated by sati.
2). Seven Awakening Factors (Bojjhaṅga)
In many suttas (e.g., SN 46), the order is:
- sati (mindfulness)
- dhamma-vicaya (investigation)
- viriya (energy)
- pīti (joy)
- passaddhi (tranquility)
- samādhi (concentration)
- upekkhā (transcendental (upe-) liberation (-kha))
3) Causal Sequence Toward Liberation — AN 8.81 Satisampajañña Sutta
This discourse presents a clear progressive chain showing how mindfulness (sati) and concentration (samādhi) belong to one ordered training practices. Each stage becomes the necessary condition for the next. Below is the sequence condensed and clarified.
(1) → (2): Mindfulness establishes conscience
satisampajañña → hiri-ottappa
When mindfulness and clear comprehension are present, the mind becomes aware of actions in real time.
Because actions are seen clearly, moral sensitivity naturally appears — shame toward the unwholesome and caution toward wrongdoing.
Awareness produces conscience.
(2) → (3): Conscience guards the senses
hiri-ottappa → indriyasaṁvara
Once moral sensitivity exists, the senses are no longer allowed to wander freely.
Seeing danger, the mind protects the sense doors.
Conscience produces restraint.
(3) → (4): Restraint stabilizes conduct
indriyasaṁvara → sīla
Guarded senses prevent impulsive reactions.
Behavior becomes consistent and harmless.
Restraint produces ethical stability.
(4) → (5): Ethical stability enables samādhi
sīla → sammā-samādhi
Without agitation from misconduct, the mind no longer fragments.
It can gather and unify.
Moral order makes concentration possible.
Here the sutta explicitly places samādhi after sati and sīla — showing mindfulness prepares the conditions, and concentration becomes attainable afterward.
(5) → (6): Samādhi allows true seeing
samādhi → ñāṇa-dassana
When the mind is unified, it can know things as they are.
Concentration enables direct knowledge.
(6) → (7): True seeing dissolves attachment
ñāṇadassana → nibbidā & virāga
Seeing clearly removes fascination and craving.
Understanding produces disenchantment from the world (nibbidā) and fading of worldly attachment (virāga).
(7) → (8): Dispassion culminates in liberation
virāga → vimutti-ñāṇadassana
With worldly attachment ended, liberation from the world is ready to be achieved directly.
Dispassion from the world culminates in authentic knowledge and vision for the ultimate liberation from the world.
The Full Chain
- Mindfulness & clear understanding (sati-sampajañña)
- Moral conscience (hiri-ottappa)
- Sense restraint (indriyasaṁvara)
- Precepts (sīla)
- Right concentration (sammā-samādhi)
- Knowledge & vision (ñāṇadassana)
- Disenchantment from the world & fading of worldly attachment (nibbidā-virāga)
- Knowledge and vision for true liberation from the world (vimutti-ñāṇadassana)
Structural Insight
This sutta shows a layered progression:
Sati prepares → Sīla stabilizes → Samādhi lifts → Wisdom and vision liberates
Mindfulness initiates the training.
Concentration is not the beginning but a pivotal middle stage.
Liberation arises at the completion of the sequence.
The discourse therefore presents the path as an ordered development where both mindfulness and samādhi have precise and distinct roles within a single causal process.
Gautama Dhamma 
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