Ask Vipassana

Welcome to Ask Vipassana, a mindful chatbot providing authentic Buddhist wisdom through a conversational interface. Access clear guidance on meditation techniques, Dhamma teachings, and practical spiritual advice—completely free from commercialization.

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Ask Vipassana

A mindful chatbot application providing authentic Vipassana Buddhist wisdom through a conversational interface. This tool offers clear guidance on meditation techniques, Dhamma teachings, and practical spiritual advice while maintaining the purity and non-commercial nature of Vipassana meditation.

Features

• 🧘 Minimalist chat interface embodying Vipassana simplicity
• 🌅 Subtle, mindful animations enhancing the experience
• ⏲️ Optional meditation timer integrated within chat
• 📚 Source reference system citing original texts
• 💭 Contextual memory for continuous spiritual guidance
• 🔒 Privacy-focused with local storage only

Tech Stack

• Framework: Next.js 14 with TypeScript
• Styling: Tailwind CSS
• UI Components: shadcn/ui
• Animations: Framer Motion
• Backend: N8N server with custom API endpoint
• Storage: Local storage for chat history

Getting Started

1. Clone the repository

   git clone <repository-url>
   cd ask-vipassana

2. Install dependencies

   npm install
   # or
   yarn install
   # or
   pnpm install

3. Environment Variables Setup

   • Copy the .env.example file to .env:

     cp .env.example .env

   • Add your N8N API endpoint and token

4. Start the development server

   npm run dev
   # or
   yarn dev
   # or
   pnpm dev

5. Open http://localhost:3000 with your browser

Environment Variables

Create a .env file in the root directory with the following variables:

# N8N API
NEXT_PUBLIC_N8N_API_ENDPOINT=your_n8n_endpoint
NEXT_PUBLIC_N8N_API_TOKEN=your_api_token

Project Structure

ask-vipassana/
├── app/                # Next.js app router pages
├── components/         # React components
│   ├── ui/            # shadcn/ui components
│   └── providers/     # Context providers
├── hooks/             # Custom React hooks
├── lib/               # Utility functions
├── public/            # Static assets
└── types/             # TypeScript type definitions

Design Philosophy

The interface embodies core Vipassana principles:

• Simplicity: Clean, distraction-free design
• Mindfulness: Purposeful, subtle animations
• Authenticity: Direct connection to original teachings
• Non-materialistic: No commercialization or gamification
• Privacy: Minimal data storage, no tracking

Ethical Considerations

• This is an AI-assisted tool, not a replacement for human teachers
• No tracking of personal meditation experiences
• No commercialization of Dhamma content
• Easy conversation history clearing
• Clear disclaimers about AI limitations