ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
My special gratitude goes to my teacher, the late Venerable Shwe Oo Min Sayadaw Bhaddanta Kosalla Maha Thera, who taught me Dhamma and the right attitude for my spiritual development and meditation practice.
I want to express my appreciation to all yogis. Their questions and difficulties have inspired many of the explanations and answers given in this book. I really hope that this book will help yogis to better understand mindfulness meditation and to deepen their practice.
Finally, I would like to thank everyone who has contributed to the completion of this book.
Sayadaw U Tejaniya
Myanmar
DEAR READER
This is not a complete or systematic description of a meditation method. We simply want to share with you practical aspects of this approach to meditation. The advice given on the following pages is based on Ashin Tejaniya’s meditation and teaching experience. We hope you will find it helpful for your own practice, but people are different and that is why there are so many different ways to develop mindfulness. We have found that this particular approach works best for us and we would like to encourage you to give it a try. The information given reflects our understanding and interpretation of this approach. Of course you will have difficulties or questions which we have not addressed at all in this book – you need to bring these up in Dhamma discussions (see chapter DHAMMA DISCUSSIONS).
When you read this book, please do not cling to dictionary definitions. For example, for our purposes, the words ‘watching’, ‘observing’, ‘being mindful’, ‘paying attention’ and ‘being aware’ are used interchangeably. ‘Awareness’ and ‘mindfulness’ also mean the same. ‘Understanding’, ‘realization’, ‘insight’, and ‘wisdom’ are used to express something similar, and the word ‘object’ is often used to mean ‘experience’. ‘Sensations’ refers to bodily sensations and ‘feelings’ to mental feelings. We also describe several key points of this approach from various angles and in different contexts. Our experience has shown that such repetition is very helpful, particularly for those new to mindfulness meditation.
We have tried to translate and express Sayadaw U Tejaniya’s teachings and ideas as accurately as possible. However, we may have made mistakes and it is likely that some details got lost in translation.
Interpreter, Ghostwriter, and Editors
What Are Defilements?
Defilements are not only the gross manifestations of greed, hatred, and delusion but also all their friends and relatives, even the very distant ones!! See if you have ever had one of the following – or similar – thoughts cross your mind:
“Those lights should not be on at this time of the day!” “His behaviour is so irritating.” “He should not have done that.” “I could do it a lot faster.” “I am a hopeless meditator; my mind cannot even stay on the rising-falling for one minute.” “Yesterday my meditation was so good; today I am all over the place.” “Wow, this was a wonderful sit; now I need to be really mindful so I don’t lose this feeling.” “I must stay in the Dhamma hall; others will think I am lazy if I don’t.” “I need an extra portion of potatoes today because it’s good for my health.” “Yuk! The salad has onions in it.” “No bananas again!” “He is so selfish, so inconsiderate.” “Why is this happening to me?” “Who is responsible for cleaning the toilets?” “Why is this yogi walking here?” “They shouldn’t be making so much noise!” “There are too many people here; I can’t meditate.” “Someone is sitting in my seat!” “She is so pretty!” “He walks so elegantly!”
All such thoughts are motivated by defilements!! Don’t underestimate them!
Have you ever told someone you were not angry even though you clearly did not like what he had done? Do you sometimes talk negatively about your boss, a member of your family, or even a good friend? Do you occasionally tell a dirty joke? Do you habitually sweet talk people into doing things for you? Do you automatically raise your voice when someone does not agree with your point of view?
All such talk is motivated by defilements! Watch out for it!
Have you ever knocked really hard on someone’s door, or refused to enter a room simply because someone you dislike was in there, or jumped a queue, or used the shampoo someone left in the bathroom, or made a private call using your employer’s phone line, or done any similar actions – all sort of unthinkingly?
All such actions are motivated by defilements! Become aware of them.
CONTENTS
Mindfulness Meditation (Satipatthana)
Dhamma Discussions
Mindfulness Gains Momentum
Wisdom
Food for Thought
Keep Practising
What is the Right Attitude for Meditation?