1601. WISDOM DEVELOPS FROM MINDFULNESS PRACTICE
Shwe Oo Min Vietnamese Retreat Q&A 11 September 2024 (Day 6) (30:55-32:49)
Humans have the capacity to know their mind; animals don’t have. Animals are born with moha, not wisdom, so they cannot understand their mind.
Humans have this quality but it needs to be developed through practice.
The quality of mind of long-time meditators is very different from that of a normal person because the level of being is increased. To transform, our awareness needs to be better.
[moha: delusion, ignorance, not understanding, not seeing reality (synonym for avijja)]
1602. INTENTION AND ACTION – THE MIND MOVES THE AIR ELEMENT
Shwe Oo Min Vietnamese Retreat Q&A 12 September 2024 (Day 7) (34:57-35:24)
Sayadaw: Every action is like this. Movement is due to the air element, but it is cittaja rupa – it means that because of the mind, the air element (a type of rupa) happens.
The intention mind and action are working together. Every action is like this.
Yogi: Is every action the air element?
Sayadaw: No; movement is the effect of the air element.
[cittaja rupa: physical forms generated by consciousness]
[rupa: physical processes, corporeality]
1603. GUIDING OUR OWN HOME PRACTICE
Shwe Oo Min Vietnamese Retreat Q&A 13 September 2024 (Day 8) (1:06:00-1:07:27)
Yogi: Home practice is difficult; what can help me know if I’m practicing right or wrong?
Sayadaw: You can check how you feel when you practice at home. The mind is unstable and agitated if the practice is wrong; if it is right, the mind settles down.
And also wisdom slowly grows whenever awareness is present. First, you need to be aware in the present moment – knowing, knowing, and knowing. After a long time, who understands right or wrong is wisdom. When wisdom grows, it can decide what is right or wrong.
1604. REMIND OURSELVES THAT THE MIND IS IMPERMANENT
Shwe Oo Min Vietnamese Retreat Q&A 11 September 2024 (Day 6) (19:54-23:03)
Sayadaw: Believing that the mind comes here and goes there is wrong view – the mind has become permanent.
Actually, the thinking mind arises and disappears here, in an instant – and this is the right view.
When you keep seeing that, you can later understand that thinking mind is impermanent; the mind is impermanent.
Yogi: People say that when they sit, they see their family in Vietnam; the mind actually goes there.
Sayadaw: This is because the memory mind appears; there are images, sounds, and voices in the thinking. The mind can create these concepts.
You need to know this right information; otherwise, you’ll be fooled by your mind.
Real understanding cannot arise if you have the wrong idea and you practice the wrong way.
1605. SHWE OO MIN SAYADAWGYI REMINDS YOGIS
Shwe Oo Min Vietnamese Retreat Q&A 11 September 2024 (Day 6) (24:00-24:15)
When my teacher went to the Dhamma hall, he always reminded the yogis: Don’t create anything, don’t resist anything, and don’t forget what is happening and passing away.
He would remind the yogis repeatedly.
1606. SENSING THE CHEST AREA TO CALM THE MIND
Shwe Oo Min Vietnamese Retreat Q&A 12 September 2024 (Day 7) (44:40-48:45)
Sayadaw: When you want to know if the mind is relaxed, you can feel your solar plexus.
If the mind is tense, the chest will be tight and the breath will be short.
When the mind is relaxed, the breath is free moving. If the mind is agitated, the chest area becomes tight and the breath is short.
Yogi: Sometimes my chest is so tight that I cannot breathe.
Sayadaw: Yes, the breath becomes very short and tight. That is why you need to be aware of your breath, say, 5-6 times to relax the mind. Awareness makes the mind more relaxed.
If you know that the mind is relaxed, it becomes more relaxed. If you don’t know, the relaxed mind becomes tense. If you don’t know that the mind is tense, it becomes more tense.
Knowing is very important because if you know that the mind is tense, it can relax.
So, constantly check your mind to know how you feel. Sometimes, I use the chest area as the main object; then, slowly I understand why the mind is relaxed or tense.
You can experience the relationship between thinking and relaxation.
You can practice this in your life – at home and at work.
1607. THE NATURE OF REALITY
Shwe Oo Min Vietnamese Retreat Q&A 12 September 2024 (Day 7) (02:56-05:46)
We’re aware to learn about reality.
When you practice anapana and pay attention to your nose, you cannot actually know the nose. You can feel the air touching; the warmth and coolness. This is reality.
A meditation teacher used to say that when we eat we don’t eat what is not real but rather to eat what is real.
If you eat the banana, for example, do you know the banana? Can you know the banana?
You can think about the form of the banana; you cannot experience it directly. You can hold the banana – hard or soft. Don’t eat the banana, sense the sweetness or the hardness and softness.
Vipassana meditation object is reality. If you have this knowledge, you can know the difference between reality and concept when you practice.
Beginners don’t understand what reality is; now you have the information, you can pay more attention to the warmth and coolness, hardness and softness, and slowly you understand more about the nature of reality.
[anapana : breath or breathing]
[vipassana : insight, insight meditation]
1608. SANNA IS MEMORY OR CONCEPT
Shwe Oo Min Vietnamese Retreat Q&A 09 September 2024 (Day 4) (23:13-26:08)
Sanna is memory or concept. Although it happens all the time in our ordinary life, but many people have problems recognizing sanna.
Every day, the mind does it. If you see a stranger today, how do you remember him the next day?
When you see him, the mind already marks the person – whether fat or thin, tall or short, the face, etc…
That is why when you see him again the next day, you can remember him. You remember him because of sanna.
When you place something, the mind already remembers and marks it – that is why you can remember where you put it.
Remembering your childhood experiences is also sanna.
[sanna: recognition, memory, perception]
1609. BE FAMILIAR WITH THE INTENTION MIND
Shwe Oo Min Vietnamese Retreat Q&A 10 September 2024 (Day 5) (1:06:15-1:07:55)
Yogi: I don’t have the right view when I think. For example, when thoughts arise, it is hard for me to accept that they are nature.
My idea is that I think because I intend to think.
Sayadaw: Because of the intention to think, so thinking happens. The intention is a different mind; it is nature.
Don’t think about it; let it be if you cannot accept it. Just noticing is enough.
You won't be able to get rid of your idea right away; you need to practice.
People’s idea is that intention is me; so when there is the intention to think, we think it is ‘I’m thinking’.
1610. DO NOT TRY TO STOP CONCEPT FROM HAPPENING
Shwe Oo Min Vietnamese Retreat Q&A 12 September 2024 (Day 7) (54:22-55:10)
Yogi: I want to live in reality. When I see a yellow flower and realize that it is a concept, I stop.
Sayadaw: No, you cannot; it is impossible.
But you need to try to understand what concept is and what reality is.
If you try to get rid of concept, it is wrong view.
We should not try to get rid of concept totally. We need to know the difference between concept and reality – that is wisdom.
1611. ALWAYS REMEMBER THAT MEDITATION IS NOT GETTING RID OF ANYTHING
Shwe Oo Min Vietnamese Retreat Q&A 13 September 2024 (Day 8) (35:22-36:50)
Yogi: Sayadaw says to pay more attention to reality when we eat. But it is hard to get rid of my liking and disliking when I eat.
Sayadaw: No, we’re not trying to get rid of liking and disliking. Meditation is not getting rid of anything.
Every time liking and disliking arise, just be aware. It is very easy.
It is very difficult if we try to get rid of liking and disliking, but it is not difficult to try to be aware. Ok?
So, every time liking and disliking arise, if you’re aware, you should be happy. ‘Oh! I can be aware. I can be aware!’
If you want to get rid of liking and disliking every time they arise, you’ll be upset. That is why I advise not to complain about what is happening, but rather to appreciate that the awareness is present. You need to make this stick in your mind.
1612. HOW DO I GET RID OF THIS ‘I’?
Shwe Oo Min Vietnamese Retreat Q&A 12 September 2024 (Day 7) (1:06:57-1:07:30)
Yogi: How do I get rid of this ‘I’?
Sayadaw: You cannot. Only when understanding arises, can it do this job. You cannot get rid of ‘I’.
The duty of awareness is to recognize what is happening in the mind. It is wisdom’s duty to get rid of defilements.
1613. DON’T GIVE UP – THE PRACTICE IS ALWAYS DIFFICULT AT THE START
Shwe Oo Min Vietnamese Retreat Q&A 13 September 2024 (Day 8) (28:00-31:20)
Yogi: I have difficulty practicing in normal life because I constantly think I should have a better job, do more for my family, and get married after some time.
Sayadaw: You can do whatever you want to do; all that I ask is for you to bring in the awareness.
It is difficult in the beginning because old habits die hard. We have always followed our defilements; whatever lobha asks, we follow. That is why the defilements are very powerful.
Even when we’re walking to do something, we don’t know that we’re walking because we are busy thinking of what we will do next.
At first, it is difficult to be aware because our habit is very strong, but we need to try again and again.
We’ll be more interested in the practice when panna arises more often; so, in the beginning, you need to try regularly.
Your mind will be more stable and calm, and life is more meaningful if you practice; if you don’t practice, your life will be messy and not peaceful.
[lobha: greed, any kind of craving or liking (synonym for tanha)]
[pañña: wisdom, understanding, knowledge, insight (synonym for nana)]
1614. LEARN FROM THE EXPERIENCE, NOT CONTROL IT
Shwe Oo Min Vietnamese Retreat Q&A 11 September 2024 (Day 6) (56:07-58:30)
We’re aware to grow the wisdom; so, we don’t want to stop the thinking because if we realize that the thinking is no good, it stops automatically.
Our purpose of meditation is to understand something about this experience; we’re not trying to control the experience.
Do you know if anger is good or bad? How much do you understand that anger is bad?
If we really understand that anger is not good, it cannot grow big.
People know that anger is not good, yet, they get angry every day. This means that the understanding is not enough.
1615. WHAT TO DO WITH WORRY AND ANXIETY
Shwe Oo Min Vietnamese Retreat Q&A 12 September 2024 (Day 7) (1:01:30-1:04:18)
Yogi: What do I do with worry and anxiety?
Sayadaw: This is due to defilement. The first thing to do is not to push them away when worry and anxiety arise. Then think that this is a mental state and use it as a meditation object; watch repeatedly every time it occurs.
Yogi: When I watch should I ask why I have this problem?
Sayadaw: Sure, but later. First, you learn to watch your mental state as an object. Later, investigating arises on its own.
Yogi: I’m saying if I should understand the storyline of my worry and anxiety.
Sayadaw: When we ask why, it means we try to see the mind process – what happens that brings about the worry mind? You need to see the process of mind, not the storyline because you'll worry more if you think more of the story.
Why does anger continue for a long time?
Yogi: The mind keeps on thinking about what makes us angry.
Sayadaw: When the mind is aware of the object repeatedly, the mind calms down because the feeling cannot increase.
If you think about what makes you angry the whole day, you’ll be angry the whole day.
1616. WISDOM PAYS ATTENTION TO REALITY
Shwe Oo Min Vietnamese Retreat Q&A 12 September 2024 (Day 7) (11:58-15:01)
When wisdom grows, the mind pays more attention to reality or nature. The mind cannot understand what reality is without wisdom.
The normal mind has a lot of delusion and craving; it always pays attention to concepts.
We must check what the mind pays attention to: concept or the mind?
When the mind really understands reality, the nature of reality is always changing.
In the beginning, when we’re aware of pain, it is strong, gross, and solid because the defilement resists the pain; but when the disliking mind subsides and the mind becomes neutral, wisdom can grow. When wisdom grows, the pain is no longer the same; it becomes changing and moving.
I advise yogis not to watch the pain when the mind resists it because the object of defilement is always a concept.
We take care of the dosa mind first and when the mind settles down, we can watch the pain again. The experience will be different.
[dosa: hatred, anger, any kind of aversion or disliking (including sadness, fear, resistance, etc.)]
1617. GREED SUBSIDES WHEN WE UNDERSTAND CONDITIONING
Shwe Oo Min Vietnamese Retreat Q&A 12 September 2024 (Day 7) (30:35-32:50)
People think that if they try really hard, they’ll get it, but any result that happens is not due to wanting but because the conditions are complete.
If we understand this nature, lobha will decrease; otherwise, lobha is the biggest problem when we practice.
When we expect to get something, the mind and body become tense and tired from striving to get the result. But lobha will subside if we understand conditioning.
[lobha : greed, any kind of craving or liking (synonym for tanha)]
1618. ADVICE ON CULTIVATING AWARENESS IN DAILY LIFE
Shwe Oo Min Vietnamese Retreat Q&A 13 September 2024 (Day 8) (16:52-18:25)
You don’t have much time to sit and meditate in normal life. Perhaps you can find time to sit once in the morning and again at night. In between, you try to sit whenever you find the time; it could be 10 or 15 minutes each time. If you are alone, be more fully aware of yourself.
Even if you practice for 5 to 10 minutes each time, it will add up over the day.
When you’re busy at work, just know something about yourself; that’s enough. What are you doing? How do you feel? Make it a habit.
If you practice this way, day by day, the awareness becomes stronger and stronger
1619. PRIORITIZE THE AWARENESS WHEN WE PRACTICE
Dhamma Discussion with Sayadaw U Tejaniya 11 December 2024
Yogi: I watch the experience and when I say that it is craving; then it’ll stop.
Sayadaw: Continue to be aware is better than saying it is craving.
Awareness is collecting information – aware, aware, and aware and you get the information first. If you ask many questions without enough information, then more questions will come.
1620. THE DHAMMA LIFE
Shwe Oo Min Vietnamese Retreat Q&A 13 September 2024 (Day 8) (2:48-3:50)
Don’t think you must practice for a long time at home. Only think about one day. Actually, the real present moment is very short – it is only now.
If your life is with the Dhamma, your life is Dhamma life. It becomes Adhamma when your life is without the Dhamma; it’ll be messy. So, what do you want?
Do you want to suffer?
1621. NO BAD KAMMA IS PRODUCED IF WE’RE AWARE
Shwe Oo Min Vietnamese Retreat Q&A 13 September 2024 (Day 8) (1:09:53-1:10:57)
Yogi: Some very bad thoughts arise in daily life or during meditation. Will they have bad effects?
Sayadaw: Everybody has bad thoughts. Don’t worry about them; try to be aware when they arise.
If you’re aware, there won’t be any effect; if you’re not aware, there will be effects.
That is why I say not to complain about what is happening; appreciate that awareness knows it.
1622. IT IS IMPOSSIBLE THAT THERE IS NO OBJECT
Shwe Oo Min Vietnamese Retreat Q&A 12 September 2024 (Day 7) (23:30-25:57)
Yogi: I couldn’t feel anything in my body when I was sitting and meditating.
Sayadaw: The body has 4 elements, but you think there is no object when the object is subtle. Let it be and choose what the mind can know.
The body sensation is always changing: gross or subtle. Sometimes when it appears that all objects disappear, it means that the mind cannot notice the subtle level.
When you cannot feel it, you think there is no object because the mind has already decided there is no object.
You must have the knowledge that there must be some object. If you relax and try to continue to be aware, you can feel some sensation when the awareness improves.
It is impossible that there is no object.
1623. PRACTICE IN DAILY LIFE BY CHECKING YOUR FEELINGS
Shwe Oo Min Vietnamese Retreat Q&A 13 September 2024 (Day 8) (22:35-23:53)
In daily life, the mind pays more attention to the eye and ear doors, to the things outside and it follows the thinking.
The mind cannot be interested in what is happening in the mind when it is very interested in the things outside.
You can always check your feeling – whether it is tense or relaxed.
We don’t have to use many objects; checking your state of mind is enough. It is easier if you need to do only one thing.
1624. LOOKING ALSO HAPPENS IN THE MIND
Shwe Oo Min Vietnamese Retreat Q&A 12 September 2024 (Day 7) (1:00:00-1:00:40)
Yogi: It is very hard to be aware of looking in daily life because I only notice the concept every time I look.
Sayadaw: Yes, try to be aware that the mind is looking – that is enough. Every time you look, you try to be aware. Try to practice however you can.
1625. JUST KNOW THE OBJECT AND LET IT BE
Shwe Oo Min Vietnamese Retreat Q&A 12 September 2024 (Day 7) (1:08:01-1:12:12)
Yogi: When I feel sleepy during sitting meditation, I’ll get up and walk. But I still feel sleepy when I walk.
Sayadaw: If you know it, it is okay. Our responsibility is to know; let whatever happens be.
You can open your eyes during meditation. If you’re still sleepy, stand up. If still sleepy, do walking meditation. If still sleepy, then go and sleep.
1626. NO PROBLEM – BRING YOUR MIND BACK EVERY TIME IT IS LOST
Shwe Oo Min Vietnamese Retreat Q&A 13 September 2024 (Day 8) (32:13-32:50)
Yogi: I forget to be aware when I’m having fun and enjoying myself.
Sayadaw: No problem; after that bring your mind back to yourself.
Don’t complain that you have lost your awareness. Every time you know that you’re lost, bring your mind back.
You should think positively. Awareness has been gone; now, I have to practice more.
1627. VIEW ALL EXPERIENCES AS OBJECTS
Dhamma Discussion with Sayadaw U Tejaniya 15 December 2024
Sayadaw: Whatever defilement comes, you only need to watch with the right attitude.
Yogi: That is what I’ve been practicing. I learn to see every experience as an object, good or bad.
Sayadaw: Yes. Both good and bad experiences are also objects.
1628. THE MIND NATURALLY GOES DIRECTLY TO THE CONCEPT
Shwe Oo Min Vietnamese Retreat Q&A 12 September 2024 (Day 7) (58:00-59:00)
Yogi: When I see a flower, I try to stop because it is a concept.
Sayadaw: No, you should not stop. You don’t understand the difference between reality and concept, between sights (the object of seeing consciousness) and the things we see.
Normally, the mind goes directly to the concept. You need to practice again and again to be aware of the seeing.
1629. REALITY ARISES, STAYS FOR A VERY SHORT TIME, AND IS GONE
Shwe Oo Min Vietnamese Retreat Q&A 12 September 2024 (Day 7) (8:37-9:40)
Every reality arises, stays for a very short time, and is gone.
For example, if you pay attention to your taste, how long does it last in your tongue?
You can only remember the taste – when you eat and you know, then you remember what taste. The taste comes, shows its nature a little bit and then it is gone.
Slowly, slowly, the meditator understands reality and the mind becomes more interested in it and pays more attention to reality.
1630. THE MEDITATING MIND IS IMPORTANT BECAUSE IT THINKS THE RIGHT WAY
Shwe Oo Min Vietnamese Retreat Q&A 09 September 2024 (Day 4) (51:19-52:06)
The mind is more important than the object – it means that the meditating mind has to think the right way. If it thinks the wrong way, there will be lots of problems.
Sometimes, yogis become crazy because of the wrong idea about meditation, not from meditating. This is why I explain that the awareness is more important than the object.
1631. FOR YOGIS WHO WATCH THE BREATH
Shwe Oo Min Vietnamese Retreat Q&A 12 September 2024 (Day 7) (34:00-38:40)
When I discovered that breathing happens because of the intention to breathe, the mind was so happy.
Your bodily actions are all related to intentions. Now, you know that breathing is due to intention, but does the rising and falling of the abdomen also happen due to intention?
Rising and falling of the abdomen doesn’t happen because of intention. It is just like blowing a balloon. Does the balloon expand due to intention?
1632. THE INTENTION NOT TO MOVE IS SUBTLE AND EASILY MISSED
Shwe Oo Min Vietnamese Retreat Q&A 12 September 2024 (Day 7) (38:37-40:20)
Sayadaw: Sometimes, yogis want to stand up after meditation, but they cannot. Why?
Yogi: It is because of numbness or they don’t want to.
Sayadaw: People only notice the intention to move, but sometimes the intention to sit is stronger. Two intentions are happening and the stronger one prevails.
The intention to move is more active and is easier to notice. The intention to not move and remain sitting is rather subtle. So, nobody notices the presence of this intention.
1633. A TASTE IS JUST A TASTE
Shwe Oo Min Vietnamese Retreat Q&A 12 September 2024 (Day 7) (50:32-51:20)
Is taste good or not? A taste is just a taste – it’s nature, as it is, is neither good nor bad.
If you like it, it is good; if you don’t like it, it is not good.
Does the sweet taste good or not?
1634. SKILLFUL LEARNING
Shwe Oo Min Vietnamese Retreat Q&A 12 September 2024 (Day 7) (29:40-31:30)
Yogi: You teach that when there is disliking for the object, we shouldn't observe the object.
Sayadaw: Yes, you should not because the mind is not ready yet.
Yogi: But at university, we like some subjects, and we don’t like others, but we still have to learn to pass the examinations.
Sayadaw: If you have disliking, the learning becomes tiring and more difficult because it agitates the mind.
At that time, whatever you do, the quality is not good.
Look at your feelings while you pay attention to your studies; do it back and forth and slowly you become more skillful.
1635. ORDINARY PEOPLE STAY WITH DEFILEMENTS
Shwe Oo Min Vietnamese Retreat Q&A 13 September 2024 (Day 8) (18:30-19:55)
You need to practice talking meditation to maintain your peaceful mind.
If you are not mindful when you’re talking, a lot of agitation arises from talking. It is easy to be agitated, anxious, worried, or angry – a lot of defilement comes from talking.
People are full of defilement; they give you defilements when they come to you, even your family members.
The people you meet stay with delusion; nobody stays with awareness, samadhi, and wisdom.
If you’re not ready and awake, it is easy for the mind to get burned.
[samadhi : calmness, stillness or stability of mind]
1636. OUR MIND QUALITY ALWAYS CHANGES
Dhamma Discussion with Sayadaw U Tejaniya 11 December 2024
Yogi: Sometimes, I’m not interested to learn when practicing.
Sayadaw: When you’re not interested, continue to maintain the awareness.
Yogi: I watch that the disinterested mind is also the object.
Sayadaw: Our mind quality is not always the same; it is changing. Sometimes faith increases and sometimes it decreases. Sometimes wisdom is involved and other times not. Sometimes effort increases and other times less.
The mind quality is always changing.
Try to maintain the practice and check the quality of the awareness.
1637. AWARENESS AND WISDOM NATURALLY ARISE TOGETHER
Dhamma Discussion with Sayadaw U Tejaniya 11 December 2024
Sayadaw: Every time you’re aware, wisdom is already present. Awareness and wisdom naturally arise together. If we’re aware consistently, wisdom will slowly grow.
Yogi: I notice that my awareness is present, but not my wisdom.
Sayadaw: When you’re watching, you already have the knowledge of what the object and mind are. This is already wisdom; just be interested and cultivate it.
Yogi: But that day I said I couldn’t watch the fear even though I had the knowledge that it was the object.
Sayadaw: The understanding is not enough; that is why you need to practice repeatedly with all defilements, not only fear.
1638. THE OBJECT DEPENDS ON THE QUALITY OF THE MIND
Dhamma Discussion with Sayadaw U Tejaniya 15 December 2024
We don’t pay too much attention to the object because it changes according to the quality of our mind.
Take pain as an example: when the mind is angry, the pain is very painful. If it is not angry, the pain becomes interesting and is no longer painful.
If there is a lot of moha, this object is totally concept. If there is wisdom, the object becomes reality. If we pay full attention to the object, we cannot see it ‘as it is’ (nature happening).
So, the mind quality is more important than the object.
[moha : delusion, ignorance, not understanding, not seeing reality (synonym for avijja)]
1639. IT IS WRONG PRACTICE IF YOU KEEP THINKING ABOUT THE EXPERIENCE
Dhamma Discussion with Sayadaw U Tejaniya 11 December 2024
Yogi: When the object is static and not changing, I switch to another object.
Sayadaw: The important thing is the watching mind is simple.
Whether you see or don’t see the object change is not important. Don’t be in a hurry to see the object changing. The experience is not important.
The meditating mind is more important – is it simple and relaxed?
If you keep thinking about the experience, something is wrong with your practice.
1640. THE OBJECT IS DEPENDENT ON THE MIND
Dhamma Discussion with Sayadaw U Tejaniya 15 December 2024
Yogi: The mind must be present to experience the object and the object changes depending on the quality of the mind?
Sayadaw: Yes, I don’t trust the object because depending on the quality of mind, the object changes.
Take pain for example – when the mind is angry, it is very painful; if the mind is not angry, it is interesting and not painful.
1641. MAKE IT A HABIT TO BE AWARE WHEN YOU’RE ALONE
Dhamma Discussion with Sayadaw U Tejaniya 31 December 2024
Yogi: I set the intention to practice in my room. I would check the difference between practicing in the room and in the meditation hall.
I noticed that the momentum dropped when I walked out of the hall. Out of the hall, the mind said to go back and rest. When I realized that it was just a thought, the mind stabilized again.
Sayadaw: When awareness sees the process, the thought cannot overwhelm the mind because some understanding is present.
Every time you’re alone, try to practice consistently. Make it a habit. Later, whenever you’re alone, awareness naturally comes back.
Yogi: I should condition bringing in awareness whenever I’m alone?
Sayadaw: Yes. Every time I’m in the toilet, awareness immediately comes back because of conditioning. It is very freeing and relaxing.
1642. DON’T LOSE THE AWARENESS; TAKE CARE OF IT
Dhamma Discussion with Sayadaw U Tejaniya 19 December 2024
Yogi: When I’m aware of the sensation in the leg, the mind starts to think about walking on alms round with Sayadaw.
Sayadaw: Try to notice whatever is happening in the mind, whatever the mind says; just notice. Know what the mind is doing with awareness.
It is important not to lose the awareness. If you’re thinking, into the concept, it is easy to lose the awareness.
Take care of the awareness.
1643. WHAT IS THE QUALITY OF AWARENESS?
Dhamma Discussion with Sayadaw U Tejaniya 26 December 2024
Sayadaw: Take care of the quality of your awareness. We don’t care if the experience is suffering or peaceful. So what if the experience is peaceful! Is the awareness working?
Yogi: Is right attitude the quality of awareness?
Sayadaw: Can you see your awareness? Is it blurred or awake? Do you see?
Yogi: Yes.
Sayadaw: That is the quality of awareness.
1644. MINDFUL EXERCISE SUPPORTS OUR PRACTICE
Dhamma Discussion with Sayadaw U Tejaniya 26 December 2024
When I was conducting a retreat in Hong Kong, I saw many yogis practicing tai chi in the morning. I encouraged them to be aware while practicing.
Physical exercise supports our practice; when we practice tai chi, we’re very aware of ourselves. We only need to change the direction of the mind to ‘no me, no I’.
We just change our attitude (from paying attention to ourselves to being aware of the mind and bodily sensations).
1645. THE MIND CAN BE STABLE WHEN WE’RE ACTIVELY DOING THINGS
Dhamma Discussion with Sayadaw U Tejaniya 26 December 2024
When you come out of the meditation hall and the mind is very calm and peaceful, see if you can maintain the same quality of mind when you’re eating.
If the mind state is the same, then you’re skillful at practicing. Even when you’re not sitting and meditating, moving all the time, yet your samadhi can be calm and peaceful. Try.
[samadhi : calmness, stillness or stability of mind]
1646. HOW TO PREPARE FACING SERIOUS ILLNESSES
Dhamma Discussion with Sayadaw U Tejaniya 19 December 2024
Yogi: Fear arises when the mind thinks about what to do when I cannot walk anymore. I should prepare for it, but how to prepare?
Sayadaw: You prepare by practicing with minor sicknesses. You must have the right view, right thought, and awareness with every minor illness so that when a big sickness comes, you can apply what you have learnt.
1647. REMINDERS ARE VERY POWERFUL
Dhamma Discussion with Sayadaw U Tejaniya 26 December 2024
Kisa Gotami went crazy with grief over the loss of her child and approached the Buddha for help. The Buddha reminded her, "Be mindful." The Buddha could only help by reminding her.
Once, I got totally lost in anger. I hit the chair, punched the wall, and broke my hand. When my sister reminded me about my practice, immediately, awareness came back together with powerful wisdom. The mind understood very well the nature of anger and how it affected everybody.
1648. DAILY LIFE PRACTICE HELPS TO SUSTAIN OUR PREVIOUS UNDERSTANDING
Dhamma Discussion with Sayadaw U Tejaniya 26 December 2024
Yogi: I notice that I have forgotten all my previous insights. They can’t help me now.
Sayadaw: Why do you forget? It is because defilement has already occupied the mind.
Yogi: I’m so busy; so much into the conceptual world.
Sayadaw: That is why we need to practice in daily life.
1649. WE SUFFER WHEN SICK BECAUSE UNKNOWINGLY WE ENJOY WHEN HEALTHY
Dhamma Discussion with Sayadaw U Tejaniya 19 December 2024
Yogi: I noticed that when I was sick, there was aversion in the mind, and I was totally involved with the sickness.
Sayadaw: Why does the mind react immediately when the body is sick?
Because when you’re healthy, delusion says it is good, and you naturally enjoy it. So, when you’re sick, the mind reacts immediately.
1650. WANTING THE SENSE OF SELF TO GO AWAY
Dhamma Discussion with Sayadaw U Tejaniya 19 December 2024
Yogi: I fully understand the function of the mind, but why is it that the ‘I’ is still here? Why can’t I be free from the self?
Sayadaw: Because your understanding is not enough; if it is enough, then your work is finished.
We need to collect the experience of non-self every day. How many times do you understand non-self each day? The idea of self is more frequent, right?