Yogi: I want to clarify the definition of kayanupassana, observing the body. Is observing the body similar to a samatha practice?

Sayadaw: Yes, they are similar. Actually, kayanupassana are samatha exercises.

The beginning exercises of kayanupassana are all samatha exercises. When you incline your mind towards vipassana, when the mind understands that rupa is also just nature, then even when you’re doing a kayanupassana exercise, it becomes dhammanupassana because of the understanding.

It is not the object which matters; it is how you understand it. So, when you still see it as a concept, yes, it is kayanupassana.

Yogi: Practice based on the concept is a samatha practice, but when the body is seen as reality, then it becomes vipassana. Is that right?

Sayadaw: You don’t want to break up your meditation practice into technical categories like that. Just keep in mind that when you’re practicing samatha your goal is a certain thing and when you practice vipassana your goal is another thing.