Have you ever felt like you’re just... spiritual window shopping? Many of us have done this—transitioning rapidly from one digital meditation tool to the next, pursuing a sudden moment of profound realization, yet inevitably returning to the beginning with an incessant internal monologue. In a society that perpetually pressures us to accelerate and buy into the latest "five-minute fix" for inner peace, it becomes genuinely wearisome. We’re all so busy looking for a breakthrough that we forget to actually be here.
That’s why the story of Sayadaw U Kundala hits a little differently. He was never the type of guide who desired a high public profile or managing a large-scale public following. He was the genuine article—an understated and persistent presence who didn't feel the need to fill the air with fancy words. He was not the right choice for anyone in search of an easy spiritual bypass. Being firmly established within the Mahāsi Vipassanā lineage, his whole vibe was about something we usually try to run away from: staying put.
I love how simple his approach was, even if it sounds a bit daunting at first. He did not encourage students to "decorate" their meditative experience or to feign a state of bliss while experiencing intense physical discomfort. It was a matter of simply noting: rising, falling, walking, and sensations of ache. read more He allowed for no superficiality and no means of evasion. He guided individuals in the art of remaining with discomfort and confronting it squarely. There’s something so incredibly brave about that, don't you think? In certain ways, his quietude carried more weight than any inspiring lecture.
The difficulty is that we are deeply accustomed to being active —introducing novel methods and experimenting with ceremonies— that we forget the power of just simplifying. The fundamental premise of Sayadaw U Kundala’s teaching was: stop trying to be "better" and start being more present. He often remarked that insight develops gradually, much like fruit ripening on a branch. You cannot demand that a piece of fruit reach maturity ahead of its natural schedule, can you? It demands its own necessary time, and the path of insight is no different. It calls for an unusual, striking mixture of persistent effort and profound humility.
Truthfully, one comes to understand that real commitment is not found in some spectacular or sweeping life renovation. It’s much smaller and, in a way, much harder than that. It is the decision to maintain sincerity even in the face of boredom. It’s choosing to look at your own messy thoughts rather than seeking a distraction through a digital device.
Sayadaw U Kundala may not have bequeathed a "brand" or a publicized heritage, he provided something of far greater value: a testament that the silent road is usually the one that reaches the destination. Every single breath, every step, every little frustration is just another door waiting to be opened. The journey is not always attractive, and it is clearly not a fast-paced one, but there is an authentic liberation in the decision to simply... cease the escape.
I am interested to know, does the notion of "slow-growing" wisdom align with your present experience, or are you feeling more of that modern itch for a breakthrough?