Yogi: Is war also reality?
Sayadaw: The war is the story in the thought; the reality is the thought.
The thought is the object; the story is the content of the thought.
When you find that the objects are equal, it is because you see the reality – the thought is the same as the sound, it is the same as seeing. But if you think of war, it is different because that is the story, not reality.
When it comes to the stories, you’ll notice how the stories give the mind emotions.
When we think something is scary, we’ll be scared; when we think something is pretty, we’ll be happy; when we think it’s ugly, we’ll feel aversion.
Once there is a story, there is a judgment, whereas when there is reality, it’s all the same, no judgment.
Yogi: When there is a feeling, the feeling then becomes the object? So, this is the right view?
Sayadaw: Yes.