351. WHEN DEFILEMENTS ARE STRONG, BE AWARE OF FEELINGS OR BODY SENSATIONS
Taiwan Retreat 2018 Q&A 8 (1:11:33-1:12:35)
When the mind panics (or is overly anxious) and doesn’t know what to be aware of, come back to your body sensations and feelings. When defilements are strong, you should not be aware of your thoughts. You should be aware of feelings or body sensations; no story anymore.
If defilements are strong, feelings are strong too. It is easier to be aware of feelings then. At that time, you shouldn’t be aware of your thoughts. If you pay attention to thoughts, it is easy for the mind to be more lost in thoughts. So come back to your feelings or body sensations.
If you panic, you can be aware of the panic feeling – it is easier to know the panic then, ‘Oh, the mind is panicking, the mind is panicking.’ Just recognize that the mind is panicking, that’s all. And when the mind calms down, you can choose any object easily. When the mind panics, you don’t know how to choose, right? It’s better to be aware of the panic first.
352. ADVICE FOR QIGONG PRACTITIONERS AND THOSE SENSITIVE TO QI ENERGY
Taiwan Retreat 2018 Q&A 9 (1:00:42-1:01:08)
Don’t follow the energy during the sit because direction is a concept.
[Yogi’s note: Stay with the awareness.]
The energy will go this way and that way; slowly, the body follows and starts to rotate.
[Yogi’s note: Sayadaw, however, also encourages qigong/yoga/aerobic exercise to develop a sense of whole-body awareness, just not follow the qi during the sit. (SUT Spirit Rock Retreat 2015 - Group A Session 1 Q&A (39:38-42:17)]
353. PAY ATTENTION TO THE WAY – HOW TO PRACTICE
Taiwan Retreat 2018 Q&A 13 (31:00-32:05)
Don’t try to be aware of the calm mind; try to be aware of the awareness (just ask ‘Is the mind aware?’).
The yogi likes calmness, that’s why she is checking often; like checking her money if it’s still there. Worry and anxiety are already present.
The yogi’s duty is to recognize that the mind is calm if the mind is calm; recognize that the mind is not calm if it is not calm. That’s all.
Pay more attention to the way to practice – how to practice so as to result in the calmness.
If you know how to get it, there is no need to be attached to the calmness.
Calmness is not our goal, understanding is our goal.
354. WHEN YOGIS NOTICE THAT THE AWARENESS IS ALSO ‘ME’
Taiwan Retreat 2018 Q&A 12 (1:35:15-1:36:34)
Just recognize that the ‘I’ is still there. Later, when wisdom matures, the mind realizes that the idea of self is also not ‘me’.
Now, the idea of self is in the awareness. Now, you notice that the awareness still has the idea of self. Later, when the wisdom becomes more mature, you’ll notice that there is no self in the awareness. Much later.
Now, the mind says there is still ‘Me’, right? Later, later, when wisdom is stronger, it can see that there’s no ‘Me’. So, keep going.
355. CALMNESS ARISES NOT DEPENDING ON THE OBJECT, BUT ON THE ATTITUDE
Taiwan Retreat 2018 Q&A 10 (50:15-55:55)
Yogis think that the mind can only calm down if it observes only one object. But the more objects, the calmer the mind becomes. Why?
Calmness arises not depending on the object, but on the mind’s attitude.
The mind can be calm when we eat or do things fast. Even when we jog, if we are aware of our steps continuously, the mind will also calm down. The body can be running fast, but the mind is very calm.
Calmness comes from continuous awareness and right attitude, no matter how busy you are.
Swimmers are very aware of their body movement. The body is moving fast, but the mind is very calm and mindful, particularly in competition. That’s how they can pace themselves to set new records.
If the mind has no defilement, the mind is never tired – it becomes more and more relaxed, light and comfortable during practice. The mind is tired because of defilement.
356. RIGHT ATTITUDE GENTLY WATCHES THE COMPLETE PICTURE
Taiwan Retreat 2018 Q&A 1 (50:11-51:40)
Don’t jump in to watch the pain. Watch the pain slowly, slowly, because if you try to watch too hard the pain will increase.
Handling the pain is not important yet. It is more important to learn how to watch the mind because when the mind becomes relaxed and strong again, then you are ready to watch the pain.
So, when you watch pain, take care of your mind first – check if the mind is reacting or not. If the mind reacts, you shouldn’t watch the pain. You should watch the reaction instead.
If the pain increases, you should change your posture; if the pain decreases, you can go back to watching the pain.
(56:00-57:00)
Yogi: I notice the tension and the mind not resisting the tension. Also, there are 2 objects: one is the tension and the other is the mind that notices the tension.
Sayadaw: That’s very good. This is called the complete picture; the mind sees the whole picture.
357. ACKNOWLEDGING ANY MIND THAT ARISES
Taiwan Retreat 2018 Q&A 11 (6:50-10:20)
Yogi: Every time unpleasant experiences arise, I feel that they are incorrect in meditation. And the mind will say ‘Stop this and stop that’. There is a lot of self-judgment.
Sayadaw: Experiences are not the yogi’s responsibility – they have their own cause and effect processes. Experience does not indicate whether meditation is right or wrong. Whether meditation is right or wrong depends on the quality of the meditating mind. Is the meditating mind wholesome or unwholesome? Is the meditating mind liking or disliking the experience?
Experience is sometimes good and sometimes bad; we cannot have what we want. When the mind complains it is because it is not contented with oneself. It is also because the mind has made a habit of judging, time and time again; that’s why this cause and effect process comes. That is why you cannot stop the defilement from happening.
Don’t say “It’s okay” whenever the mind rejects the experience. Every time this mind arises, just be aware, aware, aware. Don’t let it continue to talk. Continue to be aware, aware, aware. When awareness comes, the defilements stop. And continue to watch, they get weaker and weaker. Next time they come, continue to be aware. Later they will have no chance to arise.
Defilements get to be so strong because of habit – come, come, come. You need to be aware and learn. Every time you are aware, slowly the mind understands something about this defilement nature. Because of understanding, the defilement gets weaker. Don’t try to say “It’s okay.”
358. KEEP NOTICING WRONG ATTITUDE; DON’T TRY TO CHANGE TO RIGHT ATTITUDE
Taiwan Retreat 2018 Q&A 7 (1:17:50-1:20:02)
Yogi: The mind notices wrong attitude; that’s why there is anxiety. What to do?
Sayadaw: There’s nothing to do. It is already very good because if you know what is wrong, wisdom is already present. Don’t try to change to right attitude; it is more important to understand what is wrong because if you notice what is wrong, the mind will not want to be wrong again.
The yogi thinks that he can only meditate when the mind calms down, but he’s already meditating when the mind notices the wrong attitude and anxiety. That’s why he knows what the mind is doing.
The yogi needs to understand the nature of awareness. Sometimes trying to be aware is not necessary because awareness is already present. Don’t try to be aware too much – if awareness is present, meditation is already happening.
Simply recognize the wrong attitude and continue to be aware.
359. YOGI ASKING HOW TO DEAL WITH UNPLEASANT FEELINGS
Taiwan Retreat 2018 Q&A 7 (1:21:54-1:23:28)
Just be aware and keep watching the unpleasant feelings. Stay with the emotion and continue knowing.
Yogi: But the feelings are very unpleasant.
Sayadaw: First, you need to have right attitude – that whatever is observed is Dhamma or nature and not personal. Pleasant or unpleasant, object is object. If you want it to be pleasant, that is the problem. If you want the unpleasant feeling to go away, that is also wrong attitude.
If you can watch calmly, then the mind already knows how to practice.
Yogis need to learn how to watch both unpleasant and pleasant feelings with equanimity.
360. CHECKING ATTITUDE IS MORE IMPORTANT THAN BEING AWARE OF OBJECTS
Taiwan Retreat 2018 Q&A 9 (01:00-03:00)
Yogi: I can be aware of many objects but I cannot notice my attitude.
Sayadaw: Checking attitude is more important than being aware of objects. It is only when the attitude is right that everything the mind does is right because if the attitude is wrong, whatever you do is wrong.
Checking that the attitude is right or wrong is the most important thing in meditation.
[Yogi’s note: Also, don’t be in a hurry to meditate. First, remember the right view, e.g. this is nature; this is cause and effect; impersonal, neither good nor bad; there is nobody there; this is Dhamma; or this is Anatta.]
Yogi: When I’m aware of the body movement during walking meditation, I cannot be aware of looking at the ground.
Sayadaw: You focus too much. Naturally, the mind already knows that it is looking at the ground and the body movement. We just need to check if the mind is aware or not. That’s enough.
(Elsewhere: Too much concentration without awareness-wisdom is dangerous.)
[Yogi’s note: If we’re not looking, how else can we know where to put our feet? If the body is not moving, how can we get from here to there?]
361. RECOGNIZE THE WISDOM THAT IS ALREADY WORKING
Taiwan Retreat 2018 Q&A 13 (1:31:00-1:34:40)
Many yogis don’t know if they are applying wisdom when they meditate. Because they don’t understand what is wisdom. They are not familiar with wisdom – they simply use lots of effort.
Wisdom is understanding how to do. Without understanding you cannot do anything.
Wisdom comes from knowledge. That’s why we listen and read to get knowledge. With some intelligence, we then apply the information in our practice, that’s also wisdom.
Without this wisdom, how can we practice?
Also, we need right view – that whatever we observe is nature, cause and effect process and therefore impersonal. Although we don’t understand nature very well, we apply this knowledge first. Slowly with practice, more and more understanding comes to the mind.
Each person’s wisdom nature is different. In whatever they do, they are already using their wisdom, but they don’t realize that. They are already applying their wisdom – e.g. how to do something better.
If you pay attention, awareness is there and wisdom is already there too. Even when you cook, you are using your wisdom. So, now you know what wisdom is.
362. WHEN THE MIND REALLY UNDERSTANDS, REALIZATION OCCURS
Taiwan Retreat 2018 Q&A 13 (1:06:30-1:09:55)
When yogis experience rising and passing away, they think that they understand impermanence. But it is only the sign of impermanence, not understanding impermanence yet.
Every time you see rising and passing away, don’t conclude that you understand impermanence. When the mind really understands, realization appears in the mind.
For example, a yogi may say that he truly understands impermanence, but when his slippers go missing, he still panics. That shows that the understanding is not strong. When you observe impermanence over and over again, then slowly realization arises.
Many yogis see rising and passing away, but their defilements have not changed – the mind still has much craving and anger. It meaning that wisdom is not yet working.
363. UNDERSTAND HOW THE MIND CREATES CONCEPT
Taiwan Retreat 2018 Q&A 14 (30:55-32:52)
If you don’t know concepts, you cannot walk. Distance is a concept – how far you step when you walk is also a concept. Don’t try to get rid of concepts.
If the mind doesn’t think about concepts, the body cannot move. How far and how high are also conceptual. The mind needs to think about concepts.
Concept is not a problem during meditation. Yogis try to get rid of concepts when they meditate – only paying attention to reality, reality.
If the mind only understands reality, that’s not enough. It must also understand concept; then, we can use them both in daily life.
You cannot get rid of concept – without concept you cannot walk, you cannot eat, and you cannot do anything.
I need to explain this because yogis think that concept is not good, they only focus on reality. If you really understand reality, you also understand concept.
What is reality? It means that it is not concept. You need to understand what is concept, how the mind creates concept and how the mind pays attention to concept – you need to understand all these.
Wisdom understands what concept is and what reality is. Concept is sanna working – sanna is also a function of the mind.
364. ATTACHMENT GROWS WHEN NOT KNOWING THE LOBHA MIND
Czech 2013 Retreat Concluding Talk (9:29-10:25)
Every time you have the lobha mind, again and again, if you don’t know, then attachment grows stronger and stronger.
Every time you meet the same people, you use the same things, if you don’t know that lobha is happening, then attachment grows bigger and bigger. Like the hot shower – every day you use it, but you don’t know with what mind you’re taking the shower. You think that you’re mindful! There’s attachment there, and you let the attachment continue.
Defilements can happen anywhere – defilements have a chance to arise through any of the 6 sense doors. If defilements don’t get weaker, then wisdom cannot grow. So, you have to be aware all the time.
365. TENSION IN THE HEAD
Taiwan Retreat 2018 Q&A 8 (1:21:55-1:22:07)
This tension is a very good alarm to detect the presence of dosa. (Sayadaw says: Ting! Ting! Ting!)
366. NOTICING THE INTERACTION TO PAIN
Taiwan Retreat 2018 Q&A 7 (1:53:35-1:57:25)
Yogi: The pain is very obvious because awareness is good.
Sayadaw: Obvious is not the problem; but the problem is when the mind interprets it as pain. If the pain is subtle and changing, that’s not a problem – if the pain is gross, it is a problem. If you can see the pain changing and the mind is not resisting, it is okay.
If you want to change your posture, then there is reaction in the mind. If the pain is obvious, come back to the mind (watch the resistance). Does the mind really accept the pain? Be open, don’t try to accept.
Pay more attention to your mental state and your feeling. Just check.
If your awareness (the 5 faculties) is very strong, the pain disappears. You won’t feel the pain. The sensation will just be happening and changing, and the mind will not see it as pain. If the mind interprets it as pain, it means that there is anger.
If there is no anger, it is just some sensation happening, that’s all. If you feel the pain, then anger is still there.
367. FINDING BALANCE IN HOW MUCH ENERGY THE MIND USES
Shwe Oo Min Dhammasukha Tawya 2018 Vassa Q&A Chinese Interviews 20180920 (19:22-20:56)
Yogi: I used too much energy trying not to move in the night sit and couldn’t sleep thereafter.
Sayadaw: Too much energy is not right. It’s not important whether you move or not during the sit. You need to know how much energy the mind uses. Only then can you apply the right amount of energy – not too much and not too little.
Posture is not very important; whether you move or not is also not very important. What is important is how much energy the mind uses. If you have too much energy and the mind notices, that’s good. Then, the mind can let go.
Over or less, these are two extremes. But you need to learn that this is too much and that’s too little; slowly, you can find the middle way, the balance. Only understanding can see the balance.
First, awareness sees ‘This is too much and that’s too little.’ After you learn from many experiences, slowly, the mind understands.
368. BE CONSISTENT IN BEING AWARE
Shwe Oo Min Dhammasukha Tawya 2018 Vassa Q&A English Interviews 20180925 (26:54-28:12)
If you’re aware continuously for 10, 15 or 20 minutes, how does the mind feel?
If you know that your awareness is weak, just start or try again.
(Yogi’s note: Awareness will gain momentum with repeated application.)
Superficial awareness is okay; as long as awareness is present. Awareness does not have to be deep because continuity of awareness is more important.
369. WE’RE INTERESTED NOT IN THE EXPERIENCE BUT THE MIND’S REACTION
Taiwan Retreat 2018 Q&A 13 (06:18-7:38)
Yogi: Do I need to compare the aversion when aversion arises towards different objects?
Sayadaw: All the time, watch the aversion. That’s enough.
We are not interested in the experience; we’re interested in the anger.
Object is not very important; the mind’s reaction is more important. We try to learn why the mind is doing this.
You already know that there are different reactions to different objects. That’s good enough.
370. WHEN THERE’S AWARENESS, THINKING MIND CAN BE NOTICED
Singapore Aug 2018 Retreat File 37MB (37:53-38:29)
You think that when the mind starts to be aware, the mind immediately runs away (awareness is immediately lost).
No. When you’re immediately aware (when awareness returns), awareness can see that the mind is thinking. The mind doesn’t immediately go away.
When you’re aware, you can see the thinking mind. But your idea is that when you start to be aware, the awareness immediately goes away.
No, it is because you’re aware that awareness can see the thinking mind happening.
That’s why awareness is already there.
371. RECOGNIZING THAT THE MIND IS THINKING
Shwe Oo Min Dhammasukha Tawya 2018 Vassa Q&A Chinese Interviews 20180920 (53:00-53:54)
It’s a habit that whenever thoughts come, we get caught in them.
In the beginning, we try to notice that the mind is thinking. That’s enough. Don’t pay attention to the storyline.
If we pay attention to the story, when defilement comes, defilement wants to continue to think. That’s why it is easy to get lost in thought.
So, just recognize, ‘Ah, the mind is thinking’ – that’s enough. Bring the awareness back to body sensation, back and forth. We learn to be aware of thoughts this way.
Later, the mind understands that thoughts are objects. When that happens, thinking can continue and awareness can also be present together.
For the present, just recognize that the mind is thinking and come back to body sensations.
372. LEARN HOW TO BE AWARE IN A RELAXED WAY
Shwe Oo Min Dhammasukha Tawya 2018 Vassa Q&A Chinese Interviews 20180920 (35:00-37:25)
If you feel tense, you need to relax first, and then start to be aware again.
You need to learn how to be aware in a relaxed way.
The important thing is the continuity of awareness. If you’re tense, be relaxed and start to be aware again. Slowly, the mind will understand how to be aware in a relaxed way.
Now, you need to learn how to be relaxed and maintain the awareness – that’s enough. Investigating or watching the mind – you only do that later.
373. WHAT IS MOMENTUM BUILT ON?
SUT Singapore Aug 2018 Dhamma Discussion 37MB (31:05-32:12)
Applying yourself to paying attention to a few things – one, two or three things – over and over and over again, to build the stability of mind. This is very important.
Some of us naturally have this stability; so, when I talk about being aware and all, they can do it instantly. But some of us don’t have that.
When we don’t have that, we find that our awareness comes and goes, here, there, here, there, and then our defilements come in.
We don’t feel confident and we think our practice is neither here nor there, and we don’t want to practice anymore because we don’t have the stability, the roundedness of mind to give it that strength of being in charge of everything. You have to build that.
We can’t do vipassana practice – being aware of anything – without that roundedness.
374. AWARENESS HAS TO BE CONSISTENT FOR WISDOM TO ARISE
Shwe Oo Min Dhammasukha Tawya 2018 Vassa Q&A English Interviews 20180925 (37:42-38:15)
Yogi: When do I learn about anger?
Sayadaw: When your awareness is good; otherwise, when you use this object, the anger will come again. This is the mind pattern – when you pay attention to this object, anger will come again. If you want to learn about anger, watch it when your awareness is better.
(40:54-41:15)
When your awareness gains strength, the mind can naturally see new things. If you try to look for some experience, it becomes craving. If you cannot see, the mind becomes bored or upset.
(41:45-42:54)
Just build up your awareness. If awareness is stronger, you can see more subtle levels that you cannot see previously. You can see many new things that you cannot see at the gross level.
When awareness becomes stronger, the mind can see more detail and subtle level; then you become more interested.
But the important thing is that you build up the strength of awareness first.
If you have expectation to see something new, you become happy when you get it and you become bored or upset when you cannot.
So, let awareness grow naturally – naturally, it can see more detail.
375. QUESTIONING TO BE INTERESTED IN THE PRESENT MOMENT
Shwe Oo Min Dhammasukha Tawya 2018 Vassa Q&A Chinese Interviews 20180920 (51:55-52:52)
We ask a question to be interested in the present moment, not for an answer.
If you use a question, the mind becomes more awake. We need to be awake, alert and interested, that’s enough.
We can get the answer later – but at present, we don’t have enough information yet. If you have enough information, you will find the answer when you ask the question. The investigation is later, the next step.
Now, we try to use awareness – how to be aware of the body, how to be aware of feelings, how to be aware of thoughts – to know the process first, and then the investigation can come.
376. WE CANNOT TRUST DEFILEMENT THINKING
Shwe Oo Min Dhammasukha Tawya 2018 Vassa Q&A English Interviews 20180925 (44:00-47:00)
Whatever you see when you close your eyes is only thinking – the mind creates the image. You don’t need to pay attention to it – it is only a concept.
You need to know that images can arise when the mind is thinking. Don’t believe whatever the mind says; just be aware of it. It’s a crazy mind – it can say whatever it wants.
Have you ever seen a green elephant? When you hear a green elephant, the image of a green elephant already appears in your mind. You think of a green elephant, and already the image appears in your mind.
This is the nature of the mind – when the mind thinks, an image appears. The image is not real.
So, when you close your eyes, whatever images you see are not real; they are created by the mind.
When your concentration becomes better, depending on your nature, you may see violent images or ghosts. They are not important, just the mind thinking, just imagination. There is no need to be afraid, sad or happy.
We can only trust wholesome or wisdom thinking. We cannot trust defilement thinking.
At first, we only know that thinking is happening. Later, we will notice that there is some energy – wholesome or unwholesome – pushing the thoughts.
377. WHEN MEDITATION IMPROVES, THE MIND HAS LESS PREFERENCE
Singapore Aug 2018 Retreat File 37MB (3:00-3:30)
Yogi: I prefer walking to sitting because the mind is more alert when I walk.
Sayadaw: In the end, all will become equal.
(Yogi’s note: When meditation improves, liking and disliking become weaker.)
In the beginning, it’s because we always have all these biases in the mind – this or that is better for the practice.
And once the mind likes one thing, it will reject the other thing. It’ll have difficulty with the thing that it rejects.
Later on, the practice becomes more balanced.
378. DEFILEMENT AND AWARENESS SEE-SAW
Taiwan Retreat 2018 Q&A 6 (29:00-30:40)
Yogi: In daily life, can liking and disliking stop when we are aware of them? If not, what happens?
Sayadaw: When we notice liking and disliking in daily life, the defilements stop growing, but they also do not disappear immediately. You need to continue to be aware of the liking and disliking for them to subside.
This is because only awareness is present when we notice defilements in daily life. If the awareness is very strong (awareness and wisdom together), when you notice the defilement, immediately it disappears.
If wisdom is weak and awareness is present, then the defilements will still be there but they don’t grow. And if you continue to be aware, and the awareness quality gets stronger, then the defilements decrease.
379. SENSE OF ‘DISAPPEARANCE’ CAUSED BY IMBALANCED 5 INDRIYAS
Taiwan Retreat 2018 Q&A 10 (1:19:00-1:10:11)
Yogi: During walking meditation, I often experienced that my breathing stopped, no feeling, no body, and no awareness – just a knowing mind that sees the body walking.
Sayadaw: This is some experience – breath stopping is impossible. Breathing is there, but the mind cannot know because it’s subtle. Body disappearing is also impossible – if disappear, how to walk? The mind cannot be aware, that’s why it cannot see.
It doesn’t mean that the body and breathing disappear if the mind cannot see them; just that the mind cannot know.
Awareness doesn’t disappear – awareness is there, it already knows the process; only that wisdom is not there.
Calmness is strong and awareness-wisdom is weak – the 5 Indriyas are not balanced. That’s why this experience happens.
You should try to investigate. It is better to think then – reminding and checking.
380. ADVICE FOR THE DEPRESSED – EASEFULLY AWARE IS ENOUGH
Shwe Oo Min Dhammasukha Tawya 2018 Vassa Chinese Interviews 20190920 (42:38-45:56)
Yogi: I feel good after switching to sitting on a chair.
Sayadaw: Good. Practice in a lazy way – don’t try too hard. If you try too hard, the mind becomes tense and there is more suffering.
It’s important to feel good when you meditate. Try only this first. You need to be more peaceful. That’s enough.
If you can, come here and help in the cleaning, it’s better because then you can stay more in the present. You can forget about the past and future and the mind is more free – that’s enough. If you try to learn (think), then your peacefulness is gone.
When craving comes, don’t follow what the craving wants. Just be aware, aware, aware first. Don’t follow the craving; if you follow, the mind becomes agitated.
Just recognize that craving is there and – do what you need to do – come back to being aware of your body sensation.
381. AWARENESS IS THE CONDITION FOR LEARNING TO HAPPEN
Shwe Oo Min Dhammasukha Tawya 2018 Vassa Chinese Interviews 20190920 (04:55-5:24)
Yogi: I want to learn.
Sayadaw: Yes, if you want to learn, your awareness must be better.
Not now. Now, try to be aware. Learning is later.
Now try to be aware of the present moment – moment to moment. Bring awareness to the present moment; then the learning can come.
Wait for your awareness to become stronger.
382. STAYING ALERT AT THE MIND DOOR
Taiwan Retreat 2018 Q&A 10 (50:55-51:50)
When we close our eyes, the mind imagines a lot.
The eyes give one kind of information to the mind.
We have 6 sense doors, right? When we use all our 6 sense doors, the mind can collect 6 kinds of information, and then, the mind can think the right way.
If the mind receives any less information, that’s not enough for the mind to think the right way.
When we close our eyes, it goes into a world of imagination (daydreams) and thinking.
383. WHEN THE MIND CHANGES, THE VIEW CHANGES TOO
Singapore Aug 2018 Dhamma Discussion File 37MB (11:04-14:49)
What is the difference? Very different, right?
The mind already knows that it is different. But you don’t know what the difference is.
When you notice these things, be a bit curious about what is happening. Just look at it more carefully. At that time, don’t just recognize the experience is different and carry on.
When I was working, I was more aware of knowing the seeing. I asked: What is the mind knowing? The mind says: Seeing. Who is seeing? I’m seeing. Very obviously, I’m seeing. So, I continue to be aware of knowing the seeing: seeing, seeing, seeing. Then seeing changed: seeing is happening, not that I’m seeing.
In the beginning, wrong view is already there. Later, the wrong view disappears. The idea is very different.
When ‘I’ is not there, it is not normal view; the view has changed. That’s why we say it is different.
When awareness comes back, I tried to be aware of seeing. Then, who is seeing? I’m seeing and I’m hearing are already there. Okay. Then, I continued to be aware, aware, aware.
Then, for me it’s very easy for the view to change to seeing and hearing are just happening. Nobody is seeing or hearing. This understanding comes easily to me.
Your mind already knows that the view is very different. What is different? It’s not clear, right? You keep watching with curiosity. The next time the view is different, just ask with some curiosity: What’s the difference? That’s enough.
When the mind changes, the view immediately changes too.
384. JUST BE CURIOUS AND OVER TIME THE ANSWER WILL BE REVEALED
SUT Singapore Aug 2018 Dhamma Discussion 37MB (44:05-44:57)
It’s only when we’re always practicing – at first we don’t notice but when we notice something like that, in your mind if you think: Oh, I wonder why? And when it happens again, you still don’t know why. But every time you’re curious: Why? Why? Why?
Eventually, the sub-conscious mind knows that it’s curious about this, and one time you have another experience with food – it’s like something happens and the sub-conscious mind will remember what’s happening in the mind at that time – what the mind is thinking, what it saw, what it felt, what it processed and how it thought.
Then it’ll see the whole picture – it comes with repeated practice.
385. IF AWARENESS IS PRESENT, THE MIND IS NOT INVOLVED AND WON’T FOLLOW THOUGHTS
Shwe Oo Min Dhammasukha Tawya 2018 Vassa Q&A English Interviews 20180925 (1:10:00-1:10:48)
If moha is there, then thinking is wrong thinking. If you notice that it is moha thinking, don’t believe the thought.
If awareness is present, the mind is not involved with what the mind thinks; otherwise, when the mind thinks of something, the next mind follows the thought.
386. TRAINING THE MIND TO BE AWARE OF THOUGHTS BY ANCHORING ON FEELINGS
Shwe Oo Min Dhammasukha Tawya 2018 Vassa Q&A Chinese Interviews 20180920 (55:04-56:20)
When some thoughts arise, there are associated feelings. Pay more attention to the feelings. Feelings are more obvious – they have no meaning (doesn’t involve thinking). You stay with the feeling; don’t stay with the thoughts.
If you’re aware of the feeling, then you can know that there is a thought. That’s enough. When you notice that there’s a thought – that’s enough. It means that you’re already aware of the thought.
Sometimes you get lost when you look at the thought, right? So, just knowing that there is a thought, it’s enough. It means that awareness is already there. So, stay with the more obvious object – physical sensation or feeling.
Feelings and thoughts are more obvious when we’re aware of the mind. When you practice again and again, slowly the mind knows how to be aware of mental states – the mind.
It’s easier to get lost in thoughts; so, better to stay with the feelings. You can know the intensity of feelings – either strong or weak.
387. AN ELABORATION ON RIGHT ATTITUDE
Shwe Oo Min Dhammasukha Tawya 2018 Vassa Q&A English Interviews 20180925 (05:04-07:55)
If awareness is present, you can see the idea of self. This is not a problem. First, you will see the idea of ‘self’ arising. If there is no self, you can also know clearly there is no idea of self.
Your responsibility is to recognize what is going on. If ‘I’ is there, you recognize the ‘I’ is there. Enough – there is no need to complain. If you resist the ‘I’, that’s also wrong attitude. If there’s a reaction, you watch the reaction first because you’ve already judged.
Wrong view is also a natural process – wrong view is just wrong view. If there’s wrong view, you need to know that there’s wrong view. When there’s right view, it becomes very clear that there’s right view.
If you want to watch your body and mind, right view is very important. Whatever happens is a natural process; don’t judge that it’s good or bad.
You must understand that defilement is also nature – it is a mental process. If you realize that, the mind becomes more free and relaxed. If you have wrong view, then the mind judges and resists the defilement.
If defilement comes, right view must also come so that the next mind is not defilement. If defilement comes and wrong view follows, then the next mind is defilement. It becomes double defilement.
388. IF YOU DON’T UNDERSTAND DEFILEMENTS, YOU CAN NEVER ESCAPE FROM THEM
Taiwan Retreat 2018 Q&A 8 (1:35:00-1:36:08)
Yogi: Because of these 6 sense doors, I have fear, trauma, good feelings, bad feelings, etc.
Sayadaw: You should not try to get out of these defilements from the 6 sense doors. You should stay with the defilements. If you don’t understand your defilements, you can never escape from them. (Elsewhere: If the defilement objects disappear, how can the mind learn? The mind needs to experience the defilements again and again to learn.)
Now, you want to get out – it means that the mind rejects the experience. Because of anger, you can never escape. If you stay there and realize everything about it, then you can get out.
Now, you don’t know everything about the defilements, you cannot escape.
389. THE IDEA OF SELF IS STRONG WHEN NOT REALIZING THINKING MIND IS HAPPENING
Singapore Aug 2018 Retreat File 7.7MB (00:10-2:45)
Thinking is pushing you all the time because the idea of self is inside the thinking. You believe that thinking is me.
If you’re thinking, and you don’t know that thinking is the object, then the idea of self is very strong. If you notice that thinking is happening, the idea of self is weak.
You don’t know all the time that thinking is the object. Thinking is happening all the time; it’s pushing you all the time.
Thinking is something interesting just because thinking is happening. Thinking, whatever it is, thinking is happening. Thinking is impersonal.
Because of thinking, the world is happening; if there’s no thinking, the world disappears. That’s why the sankhara world is about thinking – happening, knowing, thinking is sankhara.
Thinking is very interesting. Without thinking, you cannot do anything – wholesome mind thinks; unwholesome mind also thinks.
Thinking is a type of mental function – thinking is not defilement; defilement is defilement. But when defilement happens, thinking is always there.
390. EMOTIONS ARISE BECAUSE OF WRONG THOUGHT ABOUT THE MEMORIES
Taiwan Retreat 2018 Q&A 7 (37:13-42:17)
Yogi: Because of memory, good and bad feelings arise.
Sayadaw: Emotions arise not because of memory. Sanna is sanna – memory is memory. Emotions arise because of wrong thought – when wrong view, wrong thought arises, feelings follow.
You cannot see the wrong thinking – it is too subtle for the mind. You think that emotions arise because of sanna. Sanna is not the problem – its duty is to try to remember everything – good or bad, it remembers and it shows back. That’s its job.
But emotions arise depending on what you’re thinking at the present moment.
Whatever has happened before, it remembers. Whenever this image arises again, the same idea comes back and then the emotion arises again. It’s so quick and fast that you don’t see the wrong thought, how it creates the emotion.
When the story happens, at that time you’re angry because of wrong thought already. The wrong thought still happens, that’s why anger still arises now.
But if there is right thought at the time the same memory arises, anger cannot come. If there is right idea when the story of the past arises, the emotion cannot arise.
Every time the memory arises, you think the same way and the emotion arises. And every time you think, the emotion becomes stronger and stronger. The thinking exaggerates the emotion. That’s why the emotion never ends.
You have to learn – when the memory comes and the emotion comes, watch the emotion first. When the emotion calms down, recall the memory and find out what the mind thinks of the story now. If the idea changes, then the problem is gone.
A lot of people have a problem with memories – they never forget their memories, both good and bad memories. Every time the memory comes, a lot of emotion follows.
391. THE NATURE OF LOBHA
Shwe Oo Min Dhammasukha Tawya 2018 Vassa Chinese Interviews 20190920 (15:45-19:13)
Lobha has many characteristics, but basically, lobha is sticky, sticking to the object.
Lobha shows itself differently for different people. During eating, some eat very fast and some, very slow. Who is greedier?
Lobha is expressed in many ways – some like the taste, some like to eat, and some like to finish it. Eagerness is the expression of lobha.
Some eagerness shows as wanting to eat fast or to eat more; some like to eat slowly for a long time. But the basic nature is sticking to the object.
How do you know that this is lobha? You already know the characteristics, the nature of lobha, that’s why you can say that you have lobha.
If you understand that lobha is suffering, why is lobha still strong?
This is because there is not enough understanding. You need to learn more – again, again and again. If every time you notice lobha, you also notice there is a lot of suffering, then lobha gets less and less. So you need more learning, more practice.
392. BE TRULY INTERESTED IN LEARNING THE NATURE OF MIND AS ANGER UNFOLDS
Shwe Oo Min Dhammasukha Tawya 2018 Vassa Q&A English Interviews 20180925 (15:55-20:25)
Yogi: I had a problem with my parents and get really angry with them.
Sayadaw: If you think of your mum, the story of your anger, you’re not watching your mind. Your mum is not the problem – you need to talk about anger, not your mum.
Why do you watch your anger? You see the anger and you watch the anger – what is it for?
You want to understand, or you want it to go away? If you want to understand, go ahead and watch.
There are many reasons why anger arises, right?
A meditator’s objective is to learn about the nature of the mind. Don’t forget this.
But yogis try to resist the defilement and make it go away. Because of the suffering nature of anger, they want it to go away. This is wrong attitude – we need to be interested in anger.
Whatever story, we are not interested in it; we’re interested in the anger nature.
When anger comes, the mind thinks about the storyline. If anger is still there, continue to watch anger. When there is totally no anger anymore, some positive idea will arise. This will happen naturally.
Just be interested in watching the anger. Who is anger? Anger is what?
Anger decreases when any understanding arises. There are many ways to understand anger and we cannot say what understanding will arise; we just need to be interested in anger.
393. WHEN THE MIND DOESN’T WANT TO MEDITATE
Shwe Oo Min Dhammasukha Tawya 2018 Vassa Chinese Interviews 20190920 (46:45-47:41)
You just recognize that this is happening – it is okay. Just recognize that the mind doesn’t want to meditate. Just continue knowing that this is happening.
The mind will change. It cannot continue to stay the same for a long time – mental states are always changing.
Just knowing what is happening, just noticing, is not very difficult. You already know, ‘Oh, the mind doesn’t want to meditate.’ Right? That’s good.
It’s very simple. If you try to push, then the mind becomes tense and suffering or agitation will arise.
Just know what is going on. Okay?
394. WHY MEDITATION IS A LIFE-LONG PRACTICE
Taiwan Retreat 2018 Q&A 7 (32:00-32:35)
Yogi: Is aversion deep in the subconscious level?
Sayadaw: Yes, craving and aversion are very strong; they are already deeply rooted in your mind.
You need to practice a very long time so that the defilements in the subconscious level can slowly decrease.
395. CHRONIC TENSION AND ANXIETY WHENEVER MEDITATING
Taiwan Retreat 2018 Q&A 7 (13:00-17:56)
Sayadaw: If you observe the experience with anxiety, you’re not watching with the meditating mind. That’s why the tension continues all the time.
It is very good that you notice both tension and anxiety – it is very important to take care of this anxiety first; if the anxiety disappears, then the tension will also go away.
This realization is also wisdom because you have noticed that behind the tension is the anxiety. If you understand what causes the tension, the tension will go away.
Yogi: The tension is because of an old injury 20 years ago. The injury results in not enough air and qi energy going up to the brain from the body.
Sayadaw: You think of a story and the mind believes this story; that’s why the mind resists this pain process. This is not real; it is a problem with imagination.
Whenever you notice this pain, try to watch your feelings and thoughts. Pain is not the problem; the problem is anxiety. Anxiety creates this story.
Delusion mind thinks of something and the next delusion mind believes it is real.
Yogi: I have real anxiety because I’m afraid the tension will result in stroke or dementia and I have to be looked after.
Sayadaw: Fear is more important; don’t pay attention to the pain. Learn from your mind. If there is no anxiety anymore, you’ll learn something and realize something, and you’ll let go of your anxiety – then, all problems will be gone.
396. YOGIS STRIVE TOO HARD AT RETREATS
Singapore Q&A 15 March 2019 Part A (24:03-25:36)
Don’t think that a retreat is something special. If you think it’s important, you’ll exert a lot of energy.
Yogis go all out during retreats because they don’t practice continuously at home.
I advise yogis to take it easy and sleep on the first day – no hurry, go and sleep first.
You have worked hard and are tired in your daily life; so, when you come to the centre to meditate, you are bound to be sleepy in the beginning.
At the start of the retreat, we don’t have much energy and are often sleepy because of our hectic and stressful life.
So, I say sleep first and don’t meditate on the first day – sleep the whole day, no problem. Only start to meditate the next day, but slowly and steadily.
I know the yogis’ mind – they strive too hard at retreats.
397. RECOGNIZING AWARENESS DISTINCT FROM CONCEPTUAL KNOWING
Shwe Oo Min Dhammasukha Tawya 2018 Vassa Q&A File: 02 – Monks 0825018 (37:07-38:15)
When a car passes by, how is a meditator aware of it?
Which sense doors tell the meditator that a car is passing by?
It is because of seeing and because of hearing (and thinking). If you know that you’re seeing and hearing (and thinking), then that is a meditator’s awareness.
Only knowing that a car is passing by, the whole process is a concept (the story line), not nature, or reality.
398. KNOW BOTH THE AWARENESS AND THE PHYSICAL OBJECT
Shwe Oo Min Dhammasukha Tawya 2018 Vassa Q&A File: 02 – Monks 07292018 (20:25-21:49)
Yogi: When I pay more attention to the watching mind, the bodily objects become blur – even when I touch the cup or the bowl, I don’t feel much sensation.
Sayadaw: When you focus more on the mind, the physical sensations fade. But you can try this.
When you experience the physical objects, it is also important. You need to know both the knowing mind and the object – mind and body together.
When the physical object is important, you need to pay more attention to the physical object. But you’re also aware of paying attention with the object.
399. HOW TO BE AWARE OF THE MIND FOR BEGINNERS
Shwe Oo Min Dhammasukha Tawya 2018 Vassa Q&A English Interviews 20180925 (1:11:15-1:12:15)
For the beginner, it is easier to be aware of thoughts and feelings.
Paying attention is a different function of the mind – you know that you’re looking; you know you’re listening – that’s the mind paying attention. Knowing (consciousness) and awareness are also different functions of the mind.
Intention or volition is also a different function, a mind activity – the mind wants to move or do something.
The most obvious are feelings and thoughts. Other mental activities are more subtle because the mind does not have the habit of being aware of them.
400. THE TENDENCY TO LOOK OUTSIDE
Shwe Oo Min Dhammasukha Tawya 2018 Vassa Q&A File: 02 – Monks 180902 (56:00-57:00)
That’s what normal people – non meditators, do.
Meditators should not pay attention to outside things all the time; you should be more aware of yourself (whatever is happening in the mind and body, in the 6 senses).