Sayadaw Tejaniya

Yogi: Whenever I help someone, unconsciously, I expect them to thank me.

Sayadaw: Don’t expect it; whenever you help someone, check your attitude. Focus more on improving the person's well-being.

The intention is wholesome when we want to do good; it is metta or loving kindness. The problem arises when there is lobha (greed), or expecting something in return. You need to separate metta and lobha.

You won’t suffer if your intention is solely metta.

Whenever awareness returns, and you notice some object, just restart the practice. That is all. There is nothing to control. (It is only the present moment that we should attend to; there is no past to regret over or future to expect.)

If you want to control, then the problem arises.

Yogi: If we have a little understanding of anatta (non-self), can we try to look at things from anatta?

Sayadaw: Yes.

Yogi: Learn to see that everything is not you?

Sayadaw: Yes, everything is a process, and you can learn to see that it is nature; conditioning is nature or anatta.

You don’t just label, but watch with some experience and understanding.

1754. PRACTICE CONTINUOUSLY WHEN A SITUATION DISTURBS US

Dhamma Discussion with Sayadaw U Tejaniya 02 September 2025

Yogi: I notice that defilements arise when I’m with people; so, I try to avoid them.

Sayadaw: This way is for beginners; if you avoid people all the time, your mind cannot mature. So, you should try to face the difficulty.

The mind can develop a stronger understanding when you don’t react to the disturbing experience in front of you. For the beginner, it is easier to maintain a stable mind when we avoid the difficulty.

When an experience distracts the mind, you need to practice continuously. This is the way to develop skillfulness.

1755. KNOWING THE MIND IS MORE IMPORTANT THAN KNOWING THE OBJECT

Dhamma Discussion with Sayadaw U Tejaniya 02 September 2025

Yogi: If I’m tired and cannot be mindful of an object, what can I do?

Sayadaw: You can still know that it is happening, right? You don’t need to be mindful of a fixed object.

Now, when I sit, I don’t focus on any object. This is stupid and is only for beginners.

Focusing on an object to be aware is only for beginners or when the mind is not in a good state. When we check the mind, the practice is already working.

Previously, my practice was about what the mind is aware of; now, it is about what the mind understands.

1756. OUR DANA CANNOT BE PURE ALL THE TIME BECAUSE OUR INTENTION CHANGES

Dhamma Discussion with Sayadaw U Tejaniya 02 September 2025

Yogi: When we do dana (generosity), it cannot be pure all the time because our intention changes. We talk of dana being wholesome at the beginning, middle, and end, but our intention is changing all the time.

Sayadaw: Sometimes, the intention is strong, and sometimes, it is weak; and other times, regret and remorse can also arise because the mind is always changing.

So, it is better to realize anatta (non-self); it frees the mind.

1757. IDENTIFICATION IS WRONG VIEW

Dhamma Discussion with Sayadaw U Tejaniya 02 September 2025

When we identify with the idea of self, because of the ‘I”, all defilements increase. We call this wrong view.

If there is only wanting, it is not very strong, but if you think ‘I want’, it becomes stronger.

‘I’m angry’, anger becomes stronger; ‘I’m depressed’, the depression intensifies.

All defilements increase because of ‘I’. That is why identification is wrong view.

To be continued when new excerpts are culled.