> For example, Ven. Mahapajapati Gotami practiced according to
> the sutta with description of skilful and unskilful qualities.
>
> Ven. Sariputta in Sammaditthi sutta
> http://www.accesstoinsight.org/canon/sutta/majjhima/mn009-nt0.html
> shows a rich toolbox of methods.

Dear Sir,

Just one more quote, if I may:

"Monks, they partake not of the deathless who partake not of mindfulness
centred on body. They who partake of mindfulness centered on body do indeed
partake of the Deathless. The deathless is not shared by those who share
not mindfulness centred on body.

"Monks, the Deathless wanes ... has been abandoned ... not pursued ... not
cultivated ... not made much of ... not comprehended ... not thoroughly
understood ... not realized by those who have not realized mindfulness
centred on body.

"Monks, the Deathless has been realized by those who have realized
mindfulness centred on body."

AN 1.21.47-70 (Trans. Woodward)

I understand that different teachings exist for different persons, and that
surely the Lord Buddha was far from expounding the same teaching to each
person, but I think it is also fair to say that:

a) Mahapajapati practiced mindfulness to reach arahantship.

b) Sariputta taught right view so as to encourage his followers to be
mindful.

Because to me it is clear that:

a) without mindfulness as a base, skilful qualities cannot lead to the
Deathless.

b) right view means seeing the duties that must be performed in regards to
the four noble truths

c) performing the duties regarding the four noble truths requires
mindfulness based on the five aggregates, which five are also the four
foundations of mindfulness.

The point, in brief, is that translating ekaayana in such a way as to avoid
the idea that the four satipatthana are the only way to reach the five goals
of the Lord Buddha, when it otherwise might at least "hint" at such an idea
(and actually is used for such an idea in the Jaataka), seems a little bit
reactionary, in the same way that Westerners often react to being told that
Jesus is the only way to God. I think it is clear that mindfulness
certainly is "sabbatthika.m".

For myself, rather than say things like "Jesus is NOT the only way to God",
I would say, "Yes, Jesus is the only way to God"; but do you know what is
Jesus? Do you know what is God? Then there is no need to be sectarian.

Suma"ngalaani,

Yuttadhammo