The meditation teachings presented here come from a Sri Lankan Samādhi–Vipassanā tradition shaped by long-term practice, careful study, and direct observation of experience. The approach emphasises simplicity and discipline: developing steadiness of mind, observing the body and mind as they function, and gradually understanding how stress and suffering arise through habitual patterns. Rather than relying on fixed techniques, the practice is guided by close attention to conditions and experience as they unfold.
Within this tradition, Samādhi is cultivated as a stable and usable clarity, not as an end in itself. When the mind is steady, Vipassanā develops naturally through observing thoughts, feelings, and sensations as they arise and pass. This observation is grounded in the Four Foundations of Mindfulness and allows impermanence (anicca), unsatisfactoriness (dukkha), and non-self (anattā) to be understood through experience rather than theory.
These teachings were carried forward in modern times through the guidance of Venerable Amatha Gavesi Thera, who approached instruction with care and flexibility. Teachings were tested against the Pāli Canon, lived experience, and the needs of individual practitioners, avoiding rigid or mechanical methods. The lineage he transmitted is traditionally said to trace back to Arahant Mahinda Thera and Arahant Saṅghamittā Therī, who introduced Buddhism to Sri Lanka during the time of Emperor Asoka, reflecting a long continuity of mindfulness and insight practice.
From Sri Lanka, the teachings gradually extended beyond their place of origin through direct instruction and shared practice. In 1992, they were introduced to Singapore, where practitioners sought a clear and disciplined approach to Samādhi and Vipassanā. In Singapore, the People’s Buddhism Society has continued to support the study and practice of these teachings, providing guidance for individuals who wish to learn in a structured and practical way.
The lineage later reached China through monastics and practitioners trained within this tradition. At Jinshi Chanlin (金石禅林), where Venerable Xiang Yuan now resides, the teachings continue within a monastic setting focused on steady cultivation. A stupa enshrining the relics of Venerable Amatha Gavesi Thera stands at the monastery, marking the presence of this tradition there.
Across Sri Lanka, Singapore, Malaysia, China, and beyond, the teachings have continued through direct instruction, retreat practice, and personal study rather than organised expansion. Their strength lies in their reliability: staying close to essential principles, avoiding exaggerated claims, and encouraging practitioners to develop understanding through their own experience. At its core, the practice aims at a straightforward outcome — cultivating clarity in daily life and gradually reducing unnecessary struggle through sincere and sustained practice.
