My understanding is that we cannot actually see the particular moments, but we can see the bulks of moments (khandha paccuppanna) on a very subtle level, to the level where we realize there is no self - we see the basic mechanics of the processes - what arises that must pass, all experience is made up of short conditioned & impersonal moments like pictures (frames) that make up a seemingly continuous film.
We have already discussed the sharpness of mindfulness in a different post here in the Classical Theravada forum. I believe that it is possible to see the present moment, except that what we see is a bulk inside a bulk. Mindfulness is interlaced with the observed phenomena -
Present moment bulk one’s snippet:
mindfulness bulk one’s particle one - mind-phenomena bulk one’s particle one - mindfulness bulk one’s particle two - mind-phenomena bulk one’s particle two - mindfulness bulk one’s particle three - mind-phenomena bulk one’s particle three
After that follows the next moment bulk, bulk two’s snippet:
mindfulness bulk two’s particle one - mind-phenomena bulk two’s particle one - mindfulness bulk two’s particle two - mind-phenomena bulk two’s particle two - mindfulness bulk two’s particle three - mind-phenomena bulk two’s particle three
The Buddha never suggested that seeing the present “moment” is impossible. Except that the Buddha did not describe what “moment” is. From Majjhima Nikaya several suttas, such as the Bhaddekaratta Sutta (MN 131), we can see that being in the present moment is of utmost importance. The wrong view that we should observe the past moment has been a huge obstacle to meditation students.
We can look at the progressive instruction from the Buddha, which clearly shows us that the Buddha trains His students to be in the present moment (and not otherwise). The training is gradual, probably because it is expected that some will come up with this non-Dhamma idea that observing the present moment is not possible. According to Ganakamoggallana Sutta, MN 107, the Buddha first teaches the student to observe the postures and activities in the present moment. So, the student observes standing up during standing up, sitting down during sitting down, etc. Later the Buddha teaches him to observe breath - breathing in during breathing in, breathing out during breathing out.
It is ridiculous to suggest we observe breathing out when we are breathing in or observe breathing in when we are breathing out. In the same way, thinking we observe the past mind should be preposterous. We are always in the present moment and no other way.
But of course, I understand that the concept of “mental bulk” is not directly mentioned by the Buddha. My own experience says that I can observe the present moment vaguely and sharply. As I meditate, my mindfulness gets sharper and sharper, and the bulks that I can distinguish become smaller and smaller. When I do not meditate, the bulks are bigger. The smaller is the bulk, the sharper and clearer is the recognition of the present situation. When the bulks are big, there is more delusion and vagueness of my mindfulness.