THE Excerpts: 1651—1700

Collected from the talks and discussions of Sayadaw U Tejaniya. Compiled by Chiu Sheng Bin.

 1651. THE ART OF LIVING

Dhamma Discussion with Sayadaw U Tejaniya 26 December 2024

Yogi: In this retreat, day by day, I’m more committed to the practice.

Sayadaw: You practice the whole day when you’re here, right? This is living life.

If someone knows how to practice and understands mindfulness meditation well, they should apply it in their life. If they cannot apply in their life, they still don’t understand the practice well.

Life is the six sense doors happening. We call life happening; life is bhava or becoming.

Our mental and physical processes are always happening.

Meditation in life is awareness arising together with our mental and physical processes. It also means living life, or the art of living.

1652. INFERENTIAL WISDOM TO PERCEIVE CAUSE THROUGH EFFECT

Dhamma Discussion with Sayadaw U Tejaniya 26 December 2024

When we see both the awareness and the experience, a witness is present. This witness is actually wisdom. Without wisdom, we cannot see the separation of minds.

This is inferential wisdom – just as we may not see the rain itself, but upon noticing flowing water and puddles, we deduce that it has rained. The mind can perceive cause through effect.

1653. DAILY LIFE MEDITATION BECOMES EASY WITH PRACTICE

Dhamma Discussion with Sayadaw U Tejaniya 26 December 2024

Yogi: It is easy to practice in the meditation hall, but very difficult in my room because the defilements are present whenever I’m in my room.

Sayadaw: Why difficult, why easy? It is because you only practice in the hall and not in your room.

For me, practicing in daily life was easier than practicing sitting quietly. When I sat, my mind wandered a lot.

During work, the mind was very aware, awake, and alert; it was very busy to be aware.

Yogi: I notice that it is easier for defilements to arise in my room.

Sayadaw: Use them as objects. If you use the defilements as objects, daily life practice is more interesting. It is not interesting without defilements!

1654. THINK FOR YOURSELF HOW TO PRACTICE IN DAILY LIFE

Dhamma Discussion with Sayadaw U Tejaniya 26 December 2024

Find out by yourself how to practice in daily life as well as you practice in the Dhamma Hall. Think for yourself.

Don’t ask me; find out for yourself. It is more interesting that way.

My teacher only taught me at the center – nobody taught me how to practice in daily life, and I had to figure it out for myself. So, try to find out for yourself.

1655. WHY DOES LESS DEFILEMENT ARISE IN THE DHAMMA HALL

Dhamma Discussion with Sayadaw U Tejaniya 26 December 2024

Yogi: I don’t understand why the defilements are harder to arise in the Dhamma Hall as compared to daily life.

Sayadaw: It is because you’re not paying much attention to the outside world in the Dhamma Hall. In daily life, we pay a lot of attention outside.

That is why, in daily life, you need to be skillful in your 6 sense doors. Here, you only have the body sensations and the mind.

[Dhamma Hall aka Meditation Hall]

1656. HANDLING A STRONG OBJECT

Dhamma Discussion with Sayadaw U Tejaniya 19 December 2024

Yogi: If the object is very strong, even though we use a neutral object, the mind gets pulled into it. What shall we do?

Sayadaw: Keep on bringing the mind back to the neutral object repeatedly, back and forth.

Or, we can use the samatha way - e.g., Buddhanusatti or metta – to settle the mind.

At that time, try to practice any way, either samatha or vipassana. Don’t surrender totally; try as much as you can.

[Buddhanusatti : contemplation of the Buddha’s virtues]

[metta : loving-kindness, selfless love, unconditional love]

[samatha : tranquility meditation, concentration meditation]

[vipassana : insight, insight meditation]

1657. WATCHING A STRONG DEFILEMENT INDIRECTLY

Dhamma Discussion with Sayadaw U Tejaniya 19 December 2024

Yogi: I watched a strong defilement. There was resistance, but the mind was stable. The defilement was still strong.

Sayadaw: Don’t push; use a neutral object, but keep the defilement process at a distance. Don’t push to do something about the defilement or focus on the defilement.

Yogi: What neutral object?

Sayadaw: Some sensation that the mind can accept. Use it to stay aware; don’t get lost in the defilement. It is better to be aware in any way to build up the awareness with a neutral object.

The better way is to use a neutral object and not face the defilement directly. If you look at it directly, it becomes serious; if you watch a neutral object with the defilement in the background, it is less serious.

1658. RESTARTING THE PRACTICE

Dhamma Discussion with Sayadaw U Tejaniya 26 December 2024

Yogi: If a yogi has not practiced for a long time, how can he jump-start his practice?

Sayadaw: Start from zero. Take my case: As a layperson, I had practiced for many years in the monastery, but did not practice at home. When I had depression, I started simply from the very beginning, guided by my knowledge of how to meditate.

Yogi: Because an experienced yogi already knows how to practice, it is easier for him to pick up the practice again.

Sayadaw: Yes.

1659. WATCH THE DEFILEMENT THROUGH THE FEELING

Dhamma Discussion with Sayadaw U Tejaniya 26 December 2024

If there is suffering thinking and you try to be aware, the defilement thinking reduces because you’re busy being aware.

It is easier to be aware of the defilement through the suffering feeling.

You use the feeling as the object first. Don’t try to be aware of thinking because it is easy for you to get lost in thought.

1660. PRACTICE KNOWING, KNOWING, KNOWING

Dhamma Discussion with Sayadaw U Tejaniya 26 December 2024

Yogi: The mind cannot see the resistance to the pain and tiredness.

Sayadaw: But you can know, can’t you?

Yogi: Yes, but there is more reaction. It tries to look for the resistance, but the mind cannot see it.

Sayadaw: Cannot see? Cannot know? You can know, but you cannot see it as an object.

You just need to cultivate this knowing – knowing, knowing. Just notice about knowing. You try to practice knowing. Knowing, knowing, and knowing.

Ask: Can the mind know? Just reminding.

1661. MEMORY ARISES FROM A FAMILIAR OBJECT

Dhamma Discussion with Sayadaw U Tejaniya 31 December 2024

Yogi: I saw an old lady carrying a baby outside a house yesterday; I looked into the baby's eyes and was immediately drawn to them. The meditating mink appeared, and I could step back.

Today, when I passed by the house, the memory of the old lady with the baby appeared.

Sayadaw: The object and mind are related. The memory arises from a familiar object, such as a place.

The mind doesn’t happen all the time; it arises because of some trigger. (Sayadaw mentions elsewhere: the arammanika is the mind that is dependent on the arammana, the object.)

1662. YONISO MANASIKARA (WISE ATTENTION)

Dhamma Discussion with Sayadaw U Tejaniya 19 December 2024

Yogi: What is yoniso manasikara (wise attention)?

Sayadaw: It is right thinking. It means that you have the right information and you use it to think the right way. We call that yoniso manasikara.

If you don’t have wisdom or the right information, then it is ayoniso manasikara because the motivations are delusion and craving. 

Ayoniso manasikara is moha because wrong view is moha.

[moha: delusion, ignorance, not understanding, not seeing reality]

1663. GROSS AND SUBTLE MEMORY

Dhamma Discussion with Sayadaw U Tejaniya 26 December 2024

Yogi: Once, I was chanting before lunch and saw that the words came from the mind.

Sayadaw: Because of memory and thinking, you could chant in your thoughts.

Yogi: I didn’t remember, but because we did it every day, the words came out on their own.

Sayadaw: You didn’t try to remember, but because of chanting every day, it was already in your memory.

Sanna (perception or memory) is working well – memory is strong due to repetition.

1664. RELAX AND REMIND OURSELVES TO BE AWARE

Dhamma Discussion with Sayadaw U Tejaniya 26 December 2024

Yogi: The problem with old-timer yogis is that when they restart the practice, they always want the wisdom.

Sayadaw: Yes, they really have to start step by step.

Relax and remind ourselves; that’s all we can do.

The more relaxed we are, the more awareness can work.

Yogi: Reminding about what?

Sayadaw: Reminding to be aware of yourself.

1665. USING WISDOM TO CHANGE THE DIRECTION OF THE MIND

Dhamma Discussion with Sayadaw U Tejaniya 19 December 2024

When the defilement is very strong and I cannot face it, I’ll choose an object that the mind can accept. I listen to music at that time – I can be aware of this because the mind likes it.

You have to use your wisdom to change the direction of the mind. Sometimes, we can use the wrong concentration.

I would play a game on my hand phone and focus on it. I used the wrong concentration for only a short time. Because of interest, I can focus, and the mind settles down. Using the right attitude, I would then change the object – the samadhi changes from wrong to right concentration.

[samadhi : calmness, stillness or stability of mind]

1666. PEACEFULNESS IS NOT OUR GOAL; OUR GOAL IS AWARENESS

Dhamma Discussion with Sayadaw U Tejaniya 26 December 2024

Yogi: When the mind is not peaceful, I come back to one object to calm the mind.

Sayadaw: No, we’re not meditating to calm the mind; we’re trying to be aware. We’re not aiming for a stable mind. Our aim is to know and continue to know, not to try to get calm.

Peacefulness is not our goal; our goal is awareness.

Yogi: So, when I’m restless, I stay aware of it?

Sayadaw: Yes, use restlessness as the object. It is a good object because it is obvious.

1667. WE’RE NOT TRYING TO STOP THE DEFILEMENT; WE’RE TRYING TO BE AWARE OF IT

Dhamma Discussion with Sayadaw U Tejaniya 26 December 2024

Yogi: When I saw the cake, craving pushed me to eat it. But when I noticed it, I didn’t eat the cake.

Sayadaw: There is no need to stop eating; reduce the momentum as if applying the brakes. Don’t stop eating.

We’re not trying to stop eating; we’re trying to be aware. If you’re aware, the momentum of the craving reduces.

1668. WITHOUT RIGHT VIEW, DON’T WATCH THE DEFILEMENT OBJECT

Dhamma Discussion with Sayadaw U Tejaniya 19 December 2024

Some new yogis are unable to change their attitude towards defilements. When they try to face and think about the defilement intellectually, they already resist it unconsciously.

They should not do it because it is not only difficult, but later the defilement wins. The mind at the unconscious level is very powerful.

That is why you don’t use the defilement object. When you have the strength later, you slowly face it a little bit and come back to a neutral object.

Whenever defilement comes and you notice it, that is enough; go to some other object.

1669. NOTICE THE PROCESS OF THINKING AND ACTION

Dhamma Discussion with Sayadaw U Tejaniya 26 December 2024

What a monk told me is good information for your practice, yogis. Sometimes, a thought arises, and he will follow it, and that leads to doing something wrong.

Do you notice that when your mind says something, your action follows? How many times do you notice it throughout the day?

This process happens the whole day long. Whatever you talk or do arises from your idea, right? The mind says something, and action follows – thinking and action.

1670. UNDERSTANDING MENTAL PROCESSES

Dhamma Discussion with Sayadaw U Tejaniya 19 December 2024

Yogi: I close my eyes, and when I open and focus on something, sometimes a name appears, but other times, no name arises because I don’t have the information.

Sayadaw: This is also a type of mental activity. You should know this process – how the mind is working. If awareness is present, you know how the mind works.

Every time you see or hear, the process is already happening – it happens all the time.

1671. THE RIGHT MEDITATION OBJECT INCREASES OUR AWARENESS

Dhamma Discussion with Sayadaw U Tejaniya 19 December 2024

Yogi: If the object attracts more defilement, is it the wrong object?

Sayadaw: Yes, it is the wrong practice. If awareness increases, it is the right practice.

You’re watching with the wrong view if the defilement increases. You should not use this object as your meditation object at that time.

For example, if you watch the person who makes you angry, your mind will get more and more angry. Or, if you use pain or suffering feeling as the object, and more pain arises, at that time, you should not use it as the meditation object because the mind cannot accept this object.

You use an object that the mind is neutral towards to build up the strength of awareness. When the mind settles down, you can slowly face the defilement object.

1672. IF THE DEFILEMENT INCREASES WHEN WE WATCH IT, IT IS NOT THE RIGHT OBJECT

Dhamma Discussion with Sayadaw U Tejaniya 19 December 2024

Yogi: If there is still awareness but the defilement is strong…

Sayadaw: I see that your mind has wisdom because you can clearly see what is happening. So just maintain your awareness and wisdom. That is good enough; the object is not important.

Yogi: So, even if awareness is continuous, but the defilement still increases, it means that it is the wrong practice?

Sayadaw: It is still wrong practice. It is watching with the wrong idea or wrong view. That is why the defilement is increasing.

Some beginners cannot change their attitude and if they try to think intellectually while facing the defilement, unconsciously their mind resists it. You should not do this.

Later, the defilement wins; it will overwhelm the mind because the unconscious mind is more powerful.

That is why you shouldn’t use this object. When the mind has the strength, then you can slowly face the object.

1673. DIFFERENT MIND PROCESSES

Dhamma Discussion with Sayadaw U Tejaniya 26 December 2024

Yogi: When I wake up in the morning, a mind still wants to continue sleeping. But there is a knowing mind, very clear, that is not sleepy.

There are two minds – the awareness mind is separate from the sleepy mind.

Sayadaw: Yes, some yogis can see the defilement and the awareness watching the defilement. Actually, there are 3 minds because there is a witness of the defilement and the awareness.

The witness mind is in effect wisdom, yet there is the idea of self because we can also identify with the wisdom mind.

1674. MEDITATION IS GOOD WHEN AWARENESS IMPROVES, NOT WHEN THE MIND IS CALM

Dhamma Discussion with Sayadaw U Tejaniya 26 December 2024

Yogi: In the meditation hall, I can practice better. There is more craving to eat and to do this and that during daily activities.

Sayadaw: There are more obvious objects during daily activities, right? Awareness can become better and better.

Why do you say that your awareness is not good? Because you think that calmness is better. It may not be peaceful when you practice, but you can still cultivate a lot of awareness.

You like calmness; so, you think calmness is good, and your meditation is good.

No, it is when awareness improves that meditation is good. You can get more understanding from awareness, not from calmness.

Calmness leads to drowsiness.

1675. AGITATION IS THE MIND, NOT YOUR AGITATION

Dhamma Discussion with Sayadaw U Tejaniya 31 December 2024

Sayadaw: Your mind is easily agitated; so, you must understand the nature of agitation.

What is agitation? Ask, but don’t think further; watch.

When the mind is unstable due to restlessness or agitation, you need to take care of it first and attend to other things later.

Yogi: When I sat and meditated, the image of my ex-boss appeared, and I felt agitated.

Sayadaw: This object is not suitable for you because it is not peaceful.

Yogi: I remind myself that the heart beating faster and the body getting hotter are natural processes; they are bodily sensations and not my feelings.

Sayadaw: You already know that body sensations are the mind. It is the same with agitation; can’t you understand that it is the mind too?

Many people, when watching agitation gets more restless because they don’t like the agitation.

When you watch agitation, is the mind neutral?

1676. HOW DO I DEVELOP THE WISDOM FOR DEATH?

Dhamma Discussion with Sayadaw U Tejaniya 19 December 2024

Yogi: How to develop the wisdom to prepare ourselves for death, when we grow old and fall sick?

Sayadaw: You already know that the awareness is weak and easily lost when you’re sick; so, what should you do?

Make it a habit to build up the momentum of your awareness to bring in the right view or wisdom.

Whenever I’m sick, the mind is more settled because it already understands what is the object and that there is nobody there. The understanding is present, and also the object is obvious (difficult sensations are obvious) - there is no need to force to be aware because awareness comes itself. And, the mind is not interested in the things outside.

Right view is present together with awareness and samadhi.

Yogi: When I think ‘What if I cannot walk anymore’, fear arises.

Sayadaw: Because of wrong view, wrong thought arises.

Whatever happens in the body is nature, and there is nobody there. You don’t need to try to meditate because meditation is already happening.

Normal people get angry when they’re sick because of wrong view. They want to be good; actually, the biggest problem is the wanting to be good.

[samadhi : calmness, stillness or stability of mind]

1677. SUFFERING FEELING ARISES TOGETHER WITH THE DEFILEMENT

Dhamma Discussion with Sayadaw U Tejaniya 26 December 2024

Yogi: Once, I saw the anger mind and noticed it was clearly the thinking that caused it. And, also, the angry feeling arose.

It was the defilement and the thinking mind working together - there is nothing wrong with it, but the feeling is still present.

Sayadaw: That should be the case, because of the presence of the defilement, the feeling must be there.

It is nature – if defilement is present, suffering will also be there. Every time defilement comes, suffering feeling comes together with it. This is cause and effect.

Because of akusala mind, suffering feeling arises – this is nature (not personal).

[akusala : kammically unwholesome, unskillful, unprofitable]

1678. IF WE DON’T NOTICE, DELUSION ACCOMPANIES THE HAPPENING

Dhamma Discussion with Sayadaw U Tejaniya 19 December 2024

Actually, every time the mind thinks that the experience is good or nice, attachment is already there. The subconscious mind is already enjoying the experience if you’re not aware of it.

If you don’t notice, delusion accompanies the happening, and at the subconscious level, we’re enjoying it.

That is why the mind automatically resists the experience when we’re sick.

Every time the mind reacts, just notice; that is enough.

When we hear ourselves saying that everything is okay and there is no problem, it is the work of delusion. We must be aware of this, or else attachment and enjoyment will arise at the subconscious level.

1679. THE MIND GETS ATTACHED WHEN WE ENJOY

Dhamma Discussion with Sayadaw U Tejaniya 19 December 2024

Sometimes when I wake up, and my mind is clear, and the energy and feeling are good, the mind says ‘nice’. Immediately, wisdom notices and stops the thought because it is delusion working.

Actually, each time the mind thinks it is good or nice, enjoyment arises. And, if we’re not aware, unconsciously, the mind gets attached. That is why when we’re sick, our mind immediately resists the experience.

Just notice every time you realize it; that's enough. 

1680. WATCHING AGITATION

Dhamma Discussion with Sayadaw U Tejaniya 31 December 2024

Yogi: How can I be better aware of agitation?

Sayadaw: Just be more interested in this agitation; for example, how does it happen, why does it happen, and what is agitation?

Be aware of it; pay more attention to it than to other objects.

You already understand about feelings; it is the same with agitation.

Agitation is just the mind, not your agitation.

1681. WHEN CALM LEADS TO DROWSINESS

Dhamma Discussion with Sayadaw U Tejaniya 26 December 2024

Yogi: During this morning’s sit, the mind became peaceful and still, and then, it turned drowsy, and awareness was totally lost.

Sayadaw: This commonly happens for yogis. Usually, lobha wants to enjoy when the mind is peaceful and calm – it is an old habit that we have developed, wanting to enjoy ourselves when we feel peaceful.

Remind yourself to be aware of lobha the next time it arises. Also, when we’re satisfied with the experience, naturally, the effort to watch declines – we enjoy and sloth and torpor will arise.

If we don’t see enjoyment and declining effort happening at the subtle mind, slowly, it will occupy our mind, and we will become drowsy.

You can prepare what to do the next time now that you know.

Be careful when the mind is peaceful. I always remind yogis not to go to the object, but to stay with the awareness. If you notice the awareness, it means that it is still working, and you can handle the peacefulness.

If you’re more aware of the object, then you don’t know what is happening in the mind.

[lobha: greed, any kind of craving or liking]

1682. IDEA IS NOT DIRECT EXPERIENCE

Dhamma Discussion with Sayadaw U Tejaniya 26 December 2024

Yogi: I understand that there is only nama and rupa (mind-bodily) process, but my experience is like ‘I can know’.

Sayadaw: ‘I can know’ is only an idea, not direct experience.

1683. WE MUST HAVE WISDOM TO CHOOSE THE RIGHT MEDITATION OBJECT

Dhamma Discussion with Sayadaw U Tejaniya 19 December 2024

Yogi: Many years ago, I had depression and was always focusing on the defilement – I could see many images that normal people couldn’t see. Now, I understand that it is wrong concentration.

Sayadaw: It is not good to repeatedly practice in this manner. You could apply this sometimes during difficulty, but if you use it repeatedly, defilements become stronger.

You must have wisdom to use the right object.

1684. NOTICE THE CRAVING FOR NEW EXPERIENCES WHEN WE PRACTICE

Dhamma Discussion with Sayadaw U Tejaniya 19 December 2024

Yogi: The awareness can be aware of an object, but after some time, I get bored because I want to see something new.

Sayadaw: Wanting to see something new is lobha. If you don’t notice that it is lobha, it will occupy the mind. But if you recognize that it is lobha, then it will not bother the mind.

[lobha : greed, any kind of craving or liking]

1685. INTEREST BRINGS IN ATTENTION AND DISPELS DISTRACTION

Dhamma Discussion with Sayadaw U Tejaniya 26 December 2024 

Yogi: When the mind says to pay attention to reality, it only notices seeing and not the things I see.

Sayadaw: When you’re fully aware of the mental and physical process, the things we see (the concept) don’t arise.

Once, I was at home during Chinese New Year, and the lion dance was performing outside. Some people in the house continued to talk while others went to look. I asked, 'Why do they go and look?' It is because they’re not very interested in the conversation. If the mind is not fully here, it will go to the outside object easily.

If you’re fully aware and interested in the conversation, the sound outside cannot affect the mind at all. But if you’re not interested, you won’t pay much attention to the conversation, and your mind gets distracted easily. The outside object has become more obvious, and it is easy to follow the object.

1686. THERE IS ONLY DUKKHA, NO SUKHA

Dhamma Discussion with Sayadaw U Tejaniya 19 December 2024 

Yogi: I heard a person saying, ‘This is nice.’

Sayadaw: This is thinking. He’s just thinking; it is his idea, not from direct experience. It is not true.

How do we say ‘nice’ when the process is always changing?

[dukkha : 

a) unsatisfactoriness, pain, suffering 

b) the suffering in change 

c) the unsatisfactory nature of all existence, of all conditioned phenomena 

d) one of the three universal characteristics of existence (see anicca and anatta), understanding dukkha is a liberating insight (paññā)]

[sukha : happiness]

1687. THINKING IS NOT THE DEFILEMENT

Dhamma Discussion with Sayadaw U Tejaniya 26 December 2024 

Yogi: When I’m aware, the mind is stable, but when it goes into thinking, I get tired with a headache.

Sayadaw: It is not because of thinking; thinking is not the defilement. Thinking is thinking; defilement is defilement.

But, a lot of thinking is defilement thinking – it makes you tired.

Yogi: What is defilement thinking?

Sayadaw: Suffering feeling; be more aware of the suffering feeling. However, feeling is not actually a defilement, but rather the effect of defilement.

If the thinking is suffering and you try to be aware, then defilement thinking reduces because you’re busy being aware.

1688. WE CREATE OUR OWN SUFFERING

Dhamma Discussion with Sayadaw U Tejaniya 30 December 2024

Yogi: Shwe Oo Min Sayadawgi said that we create our own suffering. For example, when we say ‘I’m worried what people think of me’; actually, it is our own thinking, not what others think.

Sayadaw: That is right; it is your own problem – you create your suffering.

1689. UNDERSTAND THAT DIFFERENT MINDS HAVE DIFFERENT FUNCTIONS AND NATURES

Dhamma Discussion with Sayadaw U Tejaniya 31 December 2024

Yogi: Do right attitude and interest belong to the thinking?

Sayadaw: Thinking mind is one nature, wisdom (manifested as interest and right attitude) is a different nature.

Thinking is neutral, but defilement and wholesome minds can come together with thinking. It then arises as either wholesome thinking or unwholesome thinking.

Wholesome thinking and unwholesome thinking are different. So, right attitude and interest don’t belong to thinking; they have different nature.

1690. EFFORT CAN BE TOO MUCH, BUT NOT AWARENESS

Dhamma Discussion with Sayadaw U Tejaniya 5 January 2025

Yogi: I feel that my awareness is too much.

Sayadaw: Awareness is never too much; it is too much effort.

You need to know how much effort you use. If you know the energy of effort, then you can balance the effort when you’re aware.

Now, you can balance it because you already know that it is too much.

Yogi: I should relax and reduce the effort?

Sayadaw: When you notice that you’re applying too much effort, then the mind can relax.

Yogi: If the mind is too alert, it means that there is too much effort. At that time, the mind becomes restless and more thoughts arise.

Sayadaw: When there is too much effort, the mind becomes agitated, and it gets into thinking.

1691. KNOW OUR MOTIVATION IN WHATEVER WE DO

Dhamma Discussion with Sayadaw U Tejaniya 31 December 2024

Yogi: When I gave the monkeys food, I wanted them to appreciate and take it. But the monkeys didn’t take it.

I noticed that there was expectation, and the mind was not happy.

We could say it is giving, but there is a craving motivation too.

Sayadaw: Good. Try to know something about the process – it could be the quality of mind, or the idea and motivation. This is also very important in real life – you need to know your attitude, be it good or bad intention.

1692. AWARENESS CREATES A SPACE BETWEEN THOUGHT AND ACTION

Dhamma Discussion with Sayadaw U Tejaniya 31 December 2024

Yogi: I wanted to have an extra cushion, and many thoughts arose to convince me to take it. But there was also another thought that said that it was not right because someone had already reserved it.

Sayadaw: It is good that you see the mind process.

If you know the mind, there is a space between intention and action; you’ll not react immediately because you’re aware of the process, and the reaction will only come later. You have a chance to think about what you should do.

1693. WE’RE PRACTICING TO BE AWARE; NOT TRYING TO FIX

Dhamma Discussion with Sayadaw U Tejaniya 3 January 2025

Yogi: I noticed that something was wrong with my practice, but the mind still couldn’t figure it out.

Sayadaw: Just be interested in the process is enough; we’re not trying to look for the result.

Now, you know that something is wrong and you’re trying to fix it. That is not the right practice because you’re targeting to get the result.

Yogi: So, just know that something is wrong and keep on knowing?

Sayadaw: Yes. That is enough because we’re practicing to be aware and not to try to fix the problem. If we try to solve the problem, that is not the idea of meditation because expectation is there.

That is why I often remind yogis: ‘What are you trying to do now?’ They are usually trying to calm down, to make the awareness or stability of mind (samadhi) good; to get what they want.

When you meditate, you should try to be aware in the present moment. We’re trying to be aware; that is all.

1694. WHEN THERE IS CONTINUITY, ‘I’ IS CREATED

Dhamma Discussion with Sayadaw U Tejaniya 3 January 2025

People believe that a lot of mental activities are ‘I’, ‘I’.

When there is awareness and the mental happenings are known as objects by the awareness, it is easy to understand that they are just minds.

You must watch these mind activities repeatedly to understand that they are just processes that come and go. Then, it becomes obvious that there is nobody there.

The process, when unnoticed, becomes ‘I’ because the experience appears continuous.  When the experience is seen part by part, it breaks up.

1695. THERE IS NOTHING WRONG WITH DEFILEMENT; IT IS NATURE

Dhamma Discussion with Sayadaw U Tejaniya 3 January 2025

Yogi: When I watch the defilement with wrong view, it increases, but when right view arises, it decreases. This is nature, and has nothing to do with me.

Sayadaw: There is even nothing wrong with the defilement. They do their job; they show their presence. If there is understanding, there is nobody there in the defilement.

You can get some understanding when the defilement arises if there is wisdom because defilement is also non-self (anatta), nobody there.

1696. THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN AWARENESS AND NO AWARENESS

Dhamma Discussion with Sayadaw U Tejaniya 31 December 2024

You need to realize the difference between awareness and no awareness. If you can see it, then you’ll appreciate the value of awareness.

When defilement is present, the mind flows downstream. Whereas with awareness, slowly, the mind goes upstream. If we stop practicing, we get swept downstream.

1697. WE SHOULD PRACTICE BEING PRESENT

Dhamma Discussion with Sayadaw U Tejaniya 3 January 2025

Yogi: I notice myself rushing to attend the alms round; it means that the mind is there, but the action is here.

Sayadaw: It is like my American brother. He said: I start to be aware of the rising of the abdomen, but the mind is already waiting for the falling. His mind is always thinking of the next step; always thinking of the future, not being present.

If the action is one thing, but you’re thinking of getting to the end, then you’ll be rushing.

1698. THE PROCESS OF CHECKING OUR ATTITUDE

Dhamma Discussion with Sayadaw U Tejaniya 31 December 2024

Yogi: When you say "checking," does it mean reminding myself to be aware of the present moment?

Sayadaw: Yes, that's correct. "Checking" is any reminder to return your attention to your body-and-mind or to the practice itself. You use a thought to prompt yourself, and that brings your awareness back.

Yogi: So, how do I specifically check my attitude?

Sayadaw: You do this by observing your own mind. The process has two steps:

First, simply be aware that you are thinking.

Then, check the motivation or intention behind that thought. Is it wholesome or unwholesome?

Your attitude is the underlying idea or intention driving your thoughts. An unwholesome motivation indicates a wrong attitude, while a wholesome one indicates a right attitude.

Remember, the thinking itself is not what's important; it's the motivation behind it.

Our thoughts can often be deceptive, but the natural mental states that produce them – like craving, aversion, or loving-kindness – cannot lie. For a beginner, a good way to start is to notice a thought and then check if it is accompanied by a pleasant or unpleasant feeling.

1699. CONSISTENT AWARENESS IS THE CONDITION FOR THE ARISING OF WISDOM

Dhamma Discussion with Sayadaw U Tejaniya 3 January 2025

Yogi: I see that Sayadaw has an attitude of welcoming every experience, good or bad, in your daily life. I don’t have that. How do I develop that attitude?

Sayadaw: In the beginning, I only tried to be aware because every experience was full of suffering. I could only try to be aware in the moment because the mind was not ready to learn.

You learn only when the mind is ready. When the awareness is consistent, then only can you learn something. In the meantime, practice how to be aware in the moment, how to maintain it more consistently. This should be your priority.

You shouldn’t push to learn something because you cannot really learn if you push; when your awareness has momentum, wisdom arises naturally.

I realize that the insights come by themselves from the momentum of awareness.

Yogi: But it still needs effort.

Sayadaw: Effort to be aware.

1700. WHEN WE FOCUS, WE CAN’T SEE THE MIND CLEARLY

Dhamma Discussion with Sayadaw U Tejaniya 5 January 2025

Yogi: Sometimes when we focus on the equanimity, we don’t see our motivation.

Sayadaw: Yes, it isn't easy to know. For example, a mosquito was feeding on a yogi’s arm, and he said aversion didn’t arise because he sent metta to the mosquito. Metta covered the mind, and he couldn’t see it clearly.

But subsequently, when the mosquito was caught in a spider web, he became happy. It showed that there was aversion because when it was trapped, the mind reacted with joy.

Then, he realized that his mind had reacted to the mosquito bite, but he didn’t see it when he sent metta to the mosquito.

Staying open and focusing are different. When you’re involved, you can’t see what is really happening.

[metta : loving-kindness, selfless love, unconditional love]