751. LEARNING TO HANDLE EMOTIONS IN DAILY LIFE
Penang Retreat Nov 2019 Q&A Group 1 Round 3 (45:00-45:38)
Yogi: When disliking arises, I think that disliking is nature and then go back to watching my breath.
Sayadaw: Don’t be in a hurry to go back to watching the breath; observe the discomfort first. That is more useful – whenever an emotion or reaction arises, you need to practice watching it so that later you understand how to handle your emotions in daily life.
752. PAY CLOSE ATTENTION TO REALITY AND THE MIND WILL STABILIZE
Penang Retreat Nov 2019 Q&A Group 1 Round 3 (30:48-32:39)
Yogi: When I step on a cold floor, unpleasant feeling arises
Sayadaw: It is unpleasant because of your idea, your judgment. You think it is unpleasant because you don’t like the cold sensation. If you like it, it becomes pleasant.
It is the judgment/thinking that you need to acknowledge.
The experiences through the 6 sense doors are always happening and different minds arise depending on how the mind thinks about the objects. The process is: we sense the object, think about the object, and depending on whether right view or wrong view comes, then different processes follow. If right view comes, defilement does not arise, if wrong view comes, defilement exaggerates the experience.
The physical objects are only our 5 sense contacts, but they kick off many more mental processes. (Touching the floor is a physical process, but it initiates more happenings in the mind.)
Sense the object, think about the object and feel the object – as much as you can try to see the process of the mind.
753. WE KEEP ON LOSING AWARENESS (MIND) BECAUSE EVERY MIND IS ALWAYS NEW
Penang Retreat Nov 2019 Q&A Group 1 Round 3 (39:00-39:50)
When one awareness is over, the next awareness has to come. That is why we continue to be aware. If awareness doesn’t disappear, why do we need to be aware continuously? Why not stick the awareness onto the object and be done with it?
If the mind is not changing, we should be able to paste awareness onto the object; then we don’t have to try to be aware one moment after another.
It is because the mind is always changing that we need to be aware again and again.
Slowly, we can understand that.
754. WHEN WANTING EVERYTHING TO BE FINE, ATTACHMENT IS ALREADY PRESENT
Shwe Oo Min Dhammasukha Tawya 28 Jan 2020 Chinese Group Q&A (14:00-14:44)
Chinese monk: Wherever I go in Myanmar, everyone respects me, but not in China. The mind gets seriously upset whenever I return to China.
Sayadaw: People want everything to be okay. When everything is going smoothly (when you feel comfortable) if you don’t notice, attachment is already there.
755. AWARENESS ITSELF IS WHOLESOME
HKIMS Meeting 2020518 (47:00-41:52)
Yogi: The mind is noticing more neutral and wholesome experiences – even when it is watching hindrances, it can be quite relaxed and detached. Is this right or is it just delusion?
Sayadaw: The mind is not deluded to recognize the wholesome. When we’re being mindful, we’re acknowledging both the wholesome and the unwholesome.
Remember also that when you’re aware of the unwholesome, the recognition itself is wholesome. The awareness of any experience is the highest wholesome mind that we can bring to any moment of experience because it has wisdom.
Don’t forget that awareness itself is wholesome.
756. WE CAN KNOW THE THINKING MIND
Penang Retreat Nov 2019 Q&A Group 1 Round 3 (1:01:34-1:03:22)
Yogi: Is it possible to think and be aware at the same time?
Sayadaw: Yes, for example, you can be aware of planning – planning is there and awareness is also there. Later, you can also see if there is defilement in the planning/thinking; therefore, you can know if right thinking or wrong thinking is happening.
You should stop thinking when you notice wrong thinking. When planning and you’re aware, sometimes you can see worry planning, anxiety planning or wanting planning. You’re planning or thinking with what state of mind? You can know later.
Whether thinking is wholesome or unwholesome, if awareness is missing, then the mind is daydreaming, i.e. deluded.
So, when you can know the thinking mind, you should continue to know.
757. RETREATS ARE LIKE THE AWARENESS GYM
Penang Retreat Nov 2019 Q&A Group 3 Round 3 (05:37-06:50)
Yogi: I feel that this retreat is just an awareness gym to build up the awareness muscle, to remember awareness, awareness, awareness.
Sayadaw: Yes, you come just to exercise, to make the retreat an awareness gym, that’s it. Think of all retreats as the gym. If the awareness is strong, you can see clearer and in more detail.
When the mind increases in wisdom, it does its job – you don’t have to do too much. When you are not skillful yet, it tries to do a lot and that is when you learn that they are all unnecessary. In the end, it learns that there is nothing to do.
If you understand the practice, there is nothing to do. All the yogi has to do is to exercise the awareness.
758. USE ANY OBJECT AS LONG AS AWARENESS IS PRESENT
Penang Retreat Nov 2019 Q&A Group 3 Round 3 (37:36-38:45)
Yogi: Do I have to always return to the main object like the breath? Or, as long as there is awareness of any object like hearing and body sensation, I don’t have to go back to the main object?
Sayadaw: The main object is prescribed for those who easily get lost in thoughts; it is for grounding the awareness. For those who can maintain the awareness, the object is not very important – in this case, you can use any object. The awareness is more important.
If the yogi can know the awareness, then stay with the awareness. Let the mind choose the object. You can use any object as long as awareness is present.
759. DURING SAMADHI KEEP VIGILANT ON THE QUALITY OF AWARENESS
Penang Retreat Nov 2019 Q&A Group 4 Round 3 (38:00-40:28)
Yogi: I was doing lying down meditation – the mind was very quiet and stable, not sleepy. What else should I do?
Sayadaw: Samadhi is already there – it is better to recognize the awareness, or else the mind will enjoy the samadhi, and slowly awareness will weaken. On the other hand, if you keep on noticing the awareness, it will get stronger and stronger.
Yogi: I notice that it takes only a little effort to maintain the stable mind.
Sayadaw: You have to be careful at that time – the effort has become less and if the mind enjoys the peacefulness, slowly craving creeps in. You have to watch the awareness and the quality of awareness.
760. THE RIGHT ATTITUDE TOWARDS AN EXTRAORDINARILY GOOD STATE OF MIND
Penang Retreat Nov 2019 Q&A Group 1 Round 2 (12:50-16:20)
Yogi: The mind was in a good state; it was a new vipassana experience. There was a lot of emotion. What should I do?
Sayadaw: To maintain this state, you have to take care of your emotion. The important thing is that when any extraordinary experience comes, be careful of the emotion because the mind has not experienced it before.
Take care of the emotion first; don’t be aware of anything else. When the emotion calms down, then the awareness can continue.
Relax and naturally build up the quality of mind – when the level comes, the experience comes.
761. INTEREST INCREASES WHEN WISDOM GROWS
Penang Retreat Nov 2019 Q&A Group 4 Round 3 (12:00-12:30)
Yogi: It’s just knowing, knowing, and knowing. There is not much interest.
Sayadaw: You need to continue to be aware for the mind to mature. Every time the mind is aware, wisdom follows slowly, but it is not obvious.
That is why I say that knowing is not nothing.
762. RECOGNIZING AND APPRECIATING THE BENEFIT OF THE PRACTICE
Penang Retreat Nov 2019 Q&A Group 4 Round 1 (1:01:40-1:03:41)
There was no way out of depressive suffering. Suffering for me was the motivation to practice – fortunately.
I didn’t want to practice; I didn’t believe that practice could overcome depression. I had no choice but to practice because I knew that the theory said the mind could be very peaceful by practicing.
So I tried repeatedly and experienced a little relief with practice. Getting some relief was enough – that was what the mind wanted. This motivated me to continue to practice.
At one time, the mind experienced total peace, no more suffering for a flash of a moment. Wisdom at once recognized that this was the only way to liberation and saddha increased to support the practice continuously thereafter.
[Sayadaw had a taste of freedom and focused on the practice (cause); we also tasted the freedom of deep peace, but focused on getting the result. That’s the great divide.]
763. WHEN WISDOM IS WORKING, MEDITATION IS SIMPLE
Penang Retreat Nov 2019 Q&A Group 4 Round 3 (05:40-06:25)
Yogi: The practice isn’t progressing much – I keep on getting stuck in over-focusing when watching the object until I realize that it’s the mind doing it, not me.
Sayadaw: The mind is not simple – and you don’t know that it is wrong. You think it is right and you continue to do it.
Now, the mind is wiser and the practice is getting more and more right. When wisdom is working, meditation is simple.
764. KNOWING HOW TO USE RIGHT THINKING AND EFFORT TO BE MINDFUL
Penang Retreat Nov 2019 Q&A Group 4 Round 1 (13:50-14:42)
Yogi: At home, if I try to be aware when the mind is in a bad state, I cannot be aware.
Sayadaw: Defilement doesn’t like to watch because awareness and defilement are opposites.
It’s like black and white – so, when the defilement is too strong, awareness cannot work.
So, you need to use right thinking and effort to try to be mindful even when the defilement is strong.
Wanting to be aware is saddha (faith) which is a wholesome mind – it makes the mind want to practice.
765. ALL AUTOMATIC ACTIONS ARE UNWHOLESOME
Penang Retreat Nov 2019 Q&A Group 2 Round 2 (26:10-27:38)
Yogi: I always want the body to feel comfortable and do a lot of things to satisfy my desires. But now I don’t simply follow – when it’s hot, I’m aware first instead of automatically switching on the fan.
Sayadaw: Our craving has grown strong because we usually automatically follow the craving – as a result, when we cannot get anything we want, immediately we get upset.
Consequently, our mind is unstable all the time.
Whatever we do, if it is an automatic action (without considering if the action is beneficial or necessary) certainly it is done with an unwholesome mind – with delusion, craving, or anger. [Elsewhere: If the mind is not wholesome, it is already unwholesome.]
Now, if you’re aware and wisdom arises, then whenever we want to do something, the mind will first consider if it is needed or necessary. Only then, our behavior will change and the mind will mature; if not, the mind is forever childish.
766. WHY DOES SOUND APPEAR TO HAVE A DIRECTION?
Penang Retreat Nov 2019 Q&A Group 4 Round 3 (54:22-54:55)
Yogi: Hearing is reality, but because we have 2 ears, it feels like there is a direction to sound. And, direction is a concept.
Sayadaw: This is because of habit – where does the sound come from? Our whole life, we have been thinking of the direction of the sound. Later, when the mind is more aware of itself, then you hear the sound in the ears. And yet later, if you’re aware of the mind, the sound happens in the mind.
Then there is no distance to sound – it is just happening; object is happening and knowing mind is happening.
767. LEARNING A NEW SKILL AND TESTING OUT SAYADAW’S AXIOM
Penang Retreat Nov 2019 Q&A Group 3 Round 3 (54:00-54:55)
Sayadaw: Pain is not the problem, disliking is the problem. Try to face pain as much as you can and learn from the pain.
Pain is not a big problem but you think that pain is very bad. Do you move because of the pain or because of the unpleasant feelings?
(Pain is the name aversion gives to the experience – aversion is the cause and pain is the result. When we watch the aversion and it subsides after a while, then non-aversion is the new cause and no-pain is the new result.)
Don’t run away, you need to learn to face pain – all of us have to face it at our death bed.
768. WE SAY THE MIND GOES THERE TO MEAN A NEW ATTENTION MIND
Sayadaw Tejaniya Dhamma Interviews at Shwe Oo Min Dhammasukha Tawya 20200206
Yogi: The mind keeps on going back to the same story.
Sayadaw: It does that because of either liking or disliking. You should be patient and keep on bringing the mind back to a physical object.
Bringing back doesn’t mean bringing back the same mind. If it’s the same mind, then the mind becomes permanent. It’s a new attention mind and a new object.
We say the mind goes there, but the reality is that the mind does not move anywhere – the nature of the mind is that it happens and it disappears in an instant. When we say the mind goes there, it means that it is a new attention mind.
769. MIND-CREATED RUPA – CITTAJA RUPA
Penang Retreat Nov 2019 Q&A Group 2 Round 2 (14:50-16:25)
Because of the mind, some rupa happens. Vayo (wind) element is an example of cittaja rupa. Vayo element or energy arises depending on intension. Vayo element is strength, also called bala rupa. It comes from the mind, it is mind created. (Intention creates physical strength to do things.)
Take for example, when the mind is calm, the senses are clear and you can find something easily; if the mind is agitated, it will be difficult to find anything.
The mind can create rupa, but rupa cannot create the mind.
770. LEARNING TO UNDERSTAND THAT EVERY MOMENT IS NEW
Penang Retreat Nov 2019 Q&A Group 3 Round 3 (9:50-11:01)
Yogi: How can I practice to understand that every moment is new?
Sayadaw: Practice to be aware, moment to moment – later you can know that every moment is new. That’s enough; you can understand when you notice object-and-mind, object-and-mind repeatedly.
You can notice the signs of impermanence – changing, different, new, or disappearing.
For some people, they notice the arising of object and mind, or new object and mind. Others notice the passing away of object and mind. It depends on what the mind is more interested in.
There are also those who notice that the first experience and the next experience are very different – not the same.
So, be aware every moment; that’s enough.
771. HOW SAYADAW USED FEELINGS AS THE MAIN OBJECT IN LAY LIFE
Penang Retreat Nov 2019 Q&A Group 3 Round 3 (39:00-41:20)
Yogi: During the retreat, awareness is strong, I just check the awareness and different objects can come and go; but in daily life, I have to use a main object because the awareness is weak.
Sayadaw: Yes, do that. In lay life previously, I used feelings as the main object – I would check if the mind was relaxed or agitated. If the mind was tense, immediately I would know and keep on watching till it became relaxed. When it was relaxed, I continued to be aware of the relaxed mind and maintain it – this was my main object.
With practice, the mind immediately notices whenever it gets tense; it also immediately notices the cause. Slowly, you become skilled in maintaining the relaxed mind.
I only practiced watching feelings and maintaining the relaxed mind in lay life. Even when I was talking to someone, the first mind was checking the state of mind. The relaxed mind was my precious gem – otherwise, the mind would tense up immediately.
If I didn’t see the relaxed mind, it was already gone – and straight away the mind would be agitated because my depression then was very strong. If I couldn’t maintain a peaceful mind, the depression would explode and I wouldn’t be able to handle it immediately. The depression was so powerful – so, whenever agitation arose, I would watch it continuously and pay little attention to everything else I was doing.
772. PRACTICE SMARTLY
Penang Retreat Nov 2019 Q&A Group 4 Round 3 (25:24-26:39)
Yogi: In the morning sit, the mind was way too sleepy to maintain the awareness. I switched from sitting on the chair to the floor and the mind brightened up.
Sayadaw: Yes, you need to change your state of mind – if you cannot change the mind, then you have to change your posture or surrounding. Only then the mind can change and you can wake up and continue to be aware. Otherwise, you’re wasting your time.
Make it a habit to change the posture or surrounding whenever the mind has no strength to practice, when you cannot rely on your understanding and effort to change your state of mind.
773. IT TAKES TIME FOR THE MIND TO MATURE
Penang Retreat Nov 2019 Q&A Group 4 Round 3 (14:31-14:52)
Yogi: I notice that any kind of judgment will set back my practice – wrong attitude hinders the practice.
Sayadaw: You cannot stop judging, but you can learn from the judging mind. Every time it arises, you notice – slowly, the mind doesn’t want to do this. It takes time for the mind to mature.
774. WHEN ATTITUDE IS RIGHT, IT IS EASY TO PRACTICE
Penang Retreat Nov 2019 Q&A Group 4 Round 3 (03:00-03:50)
Yogi: When the mind was lazy during the retreat, I knew that the mind was lazy and kept noticing that. It was really easy – there was no reaction.
Sayadaw: Yes, meditation is that simple. It only becomes complicated when the yogis want to change the experience, want a certain experience. Now, very simple – just recognizing what is happening.
Whether the object is good or bad is not the problem – attitude is more important. If you remember this, it is easy to practice.
775. WHEN RELAXED AWARENESS CAN DO ITS JOB
Penang Retreat Nov 2019 Q&A Group 4 Round 3 (00:15-02:19)
Yogi: I have been doing dead-focus awareness all the time until the mind says ‘It’s the mind doing it, not you!’ Then only the awareness relaxes.
Sayadaw: This means that the mind notices what is going on. That is why it believes when the mind says ‘It’s the mind doing it!’ – the mind then lets go and awareness can relax. The relaxed way is right, the tense way is not right.
776. LEARN RATHER THAN JUST STRIVE TO NOT REACT
Penang Retreat Nov 2019 Q&A Group 3 Round 3 (45:45-46:50)
Yogi: I wanted to explore pain; so, I sat on the floor instead of the chair. When the pain started, I told myself that it was just sensation.
Sayadaw: This is not the way – you try not to react, but the mind doesn’t quite understand yet. You want the pain to go away, but it is better to see what is going on. Let the pain come and watch the resistance first.
Watch the disliking or unpleasant feeling first and when the resistance subsides, go back to the pain.
This way is more real.
777. LET UNDERSTANDING DEEPEN BEYOND THE INTELLECTUAL LEVEL
Penang Retreat Nov 2019 Q&A Group 2 Round 2 (1:02:05-1:03:57)
Yogi: I know anicca, dukkha, and anatta. I understand anicca because everything is impermanent.
Sayadaw: Don’t think about impermanence – intellectual understanding is not strong enough.
You must keep on experiencing the object and mind changing or the object and mind are different, moment to moment. After repeated observations, when the mind understands this, when the realization comes, the mind knows ‘Yes, it is really anicca.’ This is experiential understanding, not intellectual understanding – it is a deeper understanding.
People think that intellectual understanding is good enough, but they don’t truly understand yet.
Whenever you see the object changing, don’t decide that it is anicca – just continue to watch the object changing. Don’t decide that you already know anicca – continue to see the object changing repeatedly until insight arises and decides for you.
778. WHEN WISDOM ARISES, THE VIEW CHANGES
Penang Retreat Nov 2019 Q&A Group 1 Round 3 (1:12:12-1:13:00)
Yogi: I have a strong attachment to my dog. What should I do?
Sayadaw: Watch the attachment continuously and when it subsides, recall your dog. When you have attachment, how do you think and feel about the pet? Very good, very good, etc... When the mind calms down, and the attachment subsides, you check again what you think about your dog. Learn from this.
Because of attachment, the mind thinks that the dog is very cute and more liking and thinking will follow. When wisdom arises, it changes the thoughts because when the quality of mind changes, the view changes.
779. CHANGE HAPPENS BECAUSE OF THE PRACTICE
Penang Retreat Nov 2019 Q&A Group 1 Round 3 (1:11:12-1:12:08)
Yogi: At home I’m impatient, but at the retreat I become patient; I worry that I’ll be impatient again when I go home. What shall I do?
Sayadaw: If you keep practicing at home, you’ll continue to be patient, but if you stop, you’ll return to being impatient again. You change because of the practice.
Impatience is anger – impatience arises because the dosa defilement is strong. If at home, awareness and samadhi become weaker, then impatience will return.
That is why meditation should not stop.
780. UNDERSTANDING THE CAUSE AND EFFECT PROCESS
Penang Retreat Nov 2019 Q&A Group 2 Round 3 (11:14-12:32)
Yogi: How can I practice watching cause and effect?
Sayadaw: Obviously, intention and action because when the intention arises, action follows.
For example, why do you move and why do you not move? Because of intention, action follows, and when there is intention not to move, the body does not move. This mental and physical process happens throughout the day.
When we see something, the mind follows. It is cause and effect. Then the mind (intention) becomes the cause and the body movement is the effect. This is a chain cause-and-effect process because the causes and effects are connected.
If you watch the mind and the body together, then you can understand better the relationship between the mind and the body.
781. TO UNDERSTAND ANATTA WE NEED TO UNDERSTAND THE CAUSE-AND-EFFECT PROCESS
Penang Retreat Nov 2019 Q&A Group 2 Round 3 (20:10-20:50)
We need to understand cause-and-effect to understand anatta – saying ‘no me, no I’ is not good enough. If we don’t understand cause-and-effect, how can we say ‘no me, no I’?
This cause-and-effect process is already running the whole day long – whether you know or not, it is already happening. If you’re aware, you can know.
782. DON’T BE FIXATED IN IDEAS OF PRACTICE; DISCOVER FOR OURSELVES WHAT WORKS
HKIMS Meeting 2020518 (46:00-60:00)
Yogi: In the sit, how should I choose a focused awareness, an open awareness, or metta practice and switch from one to the other?
Sayadaw: Yogis are often unsure when to do focused awareness or open awareness – if the mind is busy, then focused awareness will be more suitable for settling the mind. When the mind is settled and there is momentum in awareness, then you can allow the awareness to take in more objects.
If any time we find that having a metta attitude in our practice is helpful, it is always a skillful means. When we’re skillful, we just apply it in the practice – it doesn’t matter what we call it.
When there are challenging experiences, when the mind cannot observe in a neutral way, then focus solely on the feelings of the associated aversion or craving thoughts, cutting off the thoughts.
The most important thing ultimately is the awareness, maintaining the awareness with right attitude. When a particular object cannot stabilize the awareness, then we use whatever objects to stabilize the awareness – whether it’s metta practice or a neutral vipassana object or a samatha object.
The reason we are confused is that we divide samatha and vipassana practices. We should rather learn how and when each practice helps us – discover for ourselves what works.
783. TO UNDERSTAND THE NATURE OF THE OBJECT AND THE MIND IS FUNDALMENTAL
Penang Retreat Nov 2019 Q&A Group 4 Round 3 (58:00- 1:01:44)
Yogi: When there is no disliking, the mind looks for a more obvious object like the sound of the sea; but after a while there is no meaning to it and it becomes boring.
Sayadaw: Watching a neutral object, you need to come back to the awareness. You need to know that the mind is free from suffering when watching a neutral object because the mind is balanced. Some understanding can arise when you maintain this equanimous state. Wisdom never comes when the mind is agitated.
It is a habit that the mind likes excitement because that object is more obvious, and that is why the mind looks for a more exciting object.
The mind is neutral when the object is without meaning – no meaning, no feeling. The mind can only feel when it gives meaning to the object.
You need to understand the nature of the object and the knowing mind. Then both the object and knowing mind become obvious.
784. INDULGING IN THINKING
Penang Retreat Nov 2019 Q&A Group 3 Round 3 (35:25-36:35)
Yogi: Once the mind settles down, there is nothing to do. So, the mind goes into thinking.
Sayadaw: When you have nothing to do, when you’re bored, you start to think because you entertain yourself by thinking, by enjoying your imagination.
It is a strong habit. That’s why the mind wants to think.
A lot of meditators’ entertainment is from thinking because they cannot use the physical sense doors to enjoy themselves. They can only enjoy by imagining – nobody knows and nobody disturbs them.
785. IMMATURE MINDS SUFFER EASILY
Penang Retreat Nov 2019 Q&A Group 2 Round 2 (43:27-45:02)
When slightly uncomfortable, the yogis complain and resist because they are attached to pleasant situations. This is especially true for yogis from developed countries because it is nice all the time – slowly craving grows and they start to complain and criticize whenever a little uncomfortable. As a result, a lot of problems arise.
That is why they suffer more. In the developed countries, everything is comfortable and if you’re deluded, slowly you enjoy and get attached repeatedly. It becomes a problem anytime anything is a little bit not okay. This is the nature of the mind.
These minds are not mature; that is why when unpleasant situations arise, it is easy for the mind to get agitated.
786. THE MIND EXAGGERATES THINGS WHEN WE DON’T KNOW
Penang Retreat Nov 2019 Q&A Group 1 Round 2 (17:45-18:18)
Yogi: I worried a lot about work yesterday because I had my phone off and I didn’t know what was happening at work. The longer into the retreat, the more I worry.
Sayadaw: You worry more and more when you don’t get any information. Because you don’t know, the mind exaggerates things and the anxiety gets worse and worse.
When you don’t know, the mind exaggerates things.
787. YOU CAN BE MINDFUL OF AN OBJECT OR ASK IF AWARENESS IS PRESENT
Penang Retreat Nov 2019 Q&A Group 2 Round 4 (18:20-18:40)
Sayadaw: To sustain the awareness, you can be mindful of objects or remind yourself if awareness is present. When we ask, awareness is bound to come.
Yogi: What if I watch my body?
Sayadaw: Yes, you can use both – being aware of a specific object or asking if awareness is present.
788. DEEP CONCENTRATION WITHOUT UNDERSTANDING IS DANGEROUS
Penang Retreat Nov 2019 Q&A Group 3 Round 4 (21:05-24:20)
Yogi: Can I get samadhi without fixing the mind on one object?
Sayadaw: Can – the main thing is that samadhi comes from the right attitude and right view. Because of wisdom, samadhi is already there.
Without the right attitude, the samadhi is wrong samadhi.
The common way of gaining concentration is by fixing the mind on one object – ignore everything and focus on one object. Everyone already knows this method.
We use more of vipassana samadhi based on the right view and right thought. We don’t have to use one-pointed concentration because when wisdom is present, samadhi is already there. We don’t have to use focusing.
That is why wise people are calm – they can think in a reasonable way and the mind is not agitated.
Wise people don’t have to concentrate 30 minutes or 1 hour to calm the mind down. When we don’t have enough understanding, we rely on focusing on one object to calm the mind.
For beginners, they use concentration first and wisdom later to stabilize the mind.
One-pointed samadhi can easily become wrong samadhi if we don’t have the right view and right attitude. This is very dangerous.
Because of wisdom, the samadhi becomes purer and is not dangerous.
Concentration samadhi is dangerous without understanding because concentration power and defilement power both exaggerate the experience; if defilement comes in, then the yogi can become double crazy.
I don’t encourage yogis to practice concentration samadhi – if something goes wrong, it is hard to find a cure because the mind is very difficult to manage.
789. NO NEED TO EXPECT TOTAL SAMADHI; ONLY AWARENESS NEEDS TO BE STABLE
Penang Retreat Nov 2019 Q&A Group 3 Round 4 (32:00-33:50)
Yogi: Towards the end of the retreat, I became unsure of the practice when I experienced agitation, fear and unstable mind, when the quality of mind dropped.
When I realized that I could see all these, it occurred to me that meditation was already happening.
Sayadaw: You are already meditating, but you can’t get what you want.
Yogi: Because the samadhi is not there and I have the idea that if samadhi is there, then only meditation is good.
Sayadaw: The whole mind doesn’t need to have samadhi – only the awareness has to have samadhi, that’s enough.
The object may be suffering, no problem.
You need to experience this because it will happen from time to time. Some yogis totally forget how to practice when the practice nose-dives.
If the yogis are skillful, they know how to pick up the practice; they know how to recover immediately when it drops suddenly. You can only learn and become more skillful when you experience this many times over. So, it is not a problem.
790. OUR FACE IS THE WINDOW OF THE MIND
Penang Retreat Nov 2019 Q&A Group 2 Round 4 (1:26:49-1:28:12)
Yogi: I try putting on a smile when I sit – there is more positive energy and awareness becomes brighter and more continuous.
Sayadaw: When your quality of mind is good, it shows in the face. Actually, the face is the window of the mind. You can see what’s going on in the mind from the face.
The faces of some long-term yogis are very clear and soft. We can know the mind state of the yogis, how aware they are, from their faces.
Yogi: If the face is tense, it means that there is too much energy, right?
Sayadaw: Yes.
791. WHY DEFILEMENTS STILL BURN OLD YOGIS
Penang Retreat Nov 2019 Q&A Group 3 Round 4 (05:26-08:04)
Yogi: I’m very angry with myself because I realize that after practicing for a long time, I still suffer. It shows that the practice has not really rooted in me, that I have not taken the practice seriously.
Sayadaw: Why can’t many long-term yogis apply the practice very well?
The awareness is not continuous; and also the learning process is weak and not skillful enough to handle the negative situations.
Now you can see that when you notice the defilements, they are already burning you. You don’t have the ability yet to stop the unwholesome mind fast. This means that there is not enough practice.
When practice is difficult, it means that there is not enough practice.
792. DOING WHATEVER YOU WANT IS NOT FREEDOM
Penang Retreat Nov 2019 Q&A Group 2 Round 4 (39:40-40:24)
Yogi: I like freedom.
Sayadaw: Doing whatever you want is not freedom. It actually means that there is no freedom.
It is craving. Freedom means there is no defilement – when wisdom can decide need or not, should or not, and necessary or not. Only then, that is real freedom.
Lobha is not freedom. Normal people in the mundane world think that doing whatever they like is freedom.
793. FIXATED IDEA THAT DEFILEMENTS ARE BAD
Penang Retreat Nov 2019 Q&A Group 2 Round 4 (24:45-26:15)
Yogis have a fixed idea that defilements are no good. Because of the resistance to defilements, the mind suffers more. Whenever dhamma arises, you suffer because of this idea.
But the Buddha taught that both defilement and no defilement are also dhamma. Dhamma is nature – mind is dhamma, i.e. both wholesome and unwholesome mind are dhamma because there is nobody there. They are nature and they have their own characteristics.
Defilement is unpleasant and no defilement is pleasant – this too is nature. Yogis judge that this is good and that is bad; and that is why they either want or resist the experience.
If we understand that both are dhamma, there will be no resistance and the issue is finished, otherwise the mind suffers even more.
794. RELAXATION
Chinese Group Q&A at Shwe Oo Min Dhammasukha Tawya 22122019 (0:00-3:11)
Yogi: How do I calm the mind?
Sayadaw: Breath in long and breath out long 5 to 7 times and the body will become more relaxed. When the body is tense, the breath becomes short; so, if the breath is long, the body will relax.
If there is a lot of craving, the mind cannot be relaxed. Don’t think about expecting anything when you practice – we’re not trying to get something.
You can also think of the whole body part by part and relax one at a time. You can relax this way because thinking about relaxation, you can also relax.
If you lean against something, the mind doesn’t have to exert energy to support the body – the body and mind can also relax.
You can also lie down when you feel tense – because you don’t have to support the body, you can also become relaxed.
795. HOW TO BE AWARE OF EXPECTATIONS
Penang Retreat Nov 2019 Q&A Group 2 Round 4 (1:33:41-1:35:00)
Yogi: How to be aware of expectations?
Sayadaw: Just know. Use expectation as nature and know it – that’s it.
Every time expectation comes, you just notice; that’s enough. You can know the nature of expectation – not peaceful, not relaxed, a lot of tension, and suffering. You learn.
Because of knowing, you can learn; and because of learning, the expectation gets less and less. Learning and understanding can change your idea and behavior.
First, you need to notice what is happening.
Yogi: Sometimes the expectation is too subtle to see.
Sayadaw: If you cannot notice, don’t watch – just continue to practice. When the awareness has grown, then you can see.
796. HOW TO KEEP OBSERVING WHEN THERE IS CALMNESS
Penang Retreat Nov 2019 Q&A Group 1 Round 4 (1:07:34-1:08:18)
Yogi: How do I activate the mind when there is calmness?
Sayadaw: What is calmness? Do you know that calmness is the object? Do you know the awareness?
What is the mind thinking at that time? Just checking.
Can you know the peacefulness and the awareness? Are they separate; the two natures? What is the object and what is the peacefulness?
You can check the experience this way.
797. WORK ON WHAT CAN BE SEEN; LET WHATEVER NOT SEEN BE
Penang Retreat Nov 2019 Q&A Group 2 Round 4 (17:19-17:30)
Yogi: I can notice expectations quickly in daily life, but when the defilements become subtle, I cannot see them anymore.
Sayadaw: If you cannot see, let it be. You need to wait for the awareness to become stronger.
798. DON’T STOP THE ACTION, CHANGE THE MIND INSTEAD
Penang Retreat Nov 2019 Q&A Group 1 Round 4 (0:00-1:23)
Yogi: I stopped myself from taking a particular food because I saw there was craving for it.
Sayadaw: This is not the way. You saw the craving, but the eating process should continue because you need to eat.
We are not trying to avoid the action; we are only trying to avoid the defilement. Instead of eating with craving, we should eat wisely.
Don’t stop eating, change the mind instead.
Yogi: If there is no wisdom at that time?
Sayadaw: If you watch the defilement and it goes away, then wisdom can come. Why do we eat; for what purpose?
799. FIND OUT THE ATTITUDE TOWARDS BOREDOM
Penang Retreat Nov 2019 Q&A Group 3 Round 4 (25:24-26:34)
Yogi: The mind gets bored very easily. It will instantly look for something to do and straight away, it will go and do it. What should I do?
Sayadaw: Why? You need to find out for yourself. If I tell you now, the learning won’t be powerful.
It means that you resist and avoid the boredom. This is a sign of anger.
800. WE ARE NOT TRYING TO MAKE SOMETHING HAPPEN OR GO AWAY
Penang Retreat Nov 2019 Q&A Group 1 Round 2 (51:00-51:50)
Yogi: When there is tension, I don’t like the tension and I want the tension to go away. But it gets even stronger.
Sayadaw: That’s why I often remind yogis that meditation is not trying to make something happen or go away. Rather, just be aware in the present moment; that’s all.
If there is tension, notice that there is tension – that’s enough.
If you try to make it go away, it gets worse. Never mind, just know.