Yogi: I have been seeing the process of perception. In the quiet state, I could see it clearer. As an example, there was a sound, and my mind thought that it was a big bird or a helicopter. As it turned out, it was an old truck.
That reminds me not to trust what my mind says or thinks.
Sayadaw: Yes, the mind is stupid – it is just doing what it wants. If we believe everything the mind says, we will go mad.
Yogi: How could this help me in daily life, for example, in a difficult conversation? First, I didn’t see the value, but I heard some of you said before the value of being calm, collected and clear. I put some faith in it that it will help.
Sayadaw: A rule of thumb for perception is that when the mind is angry and thinking, or the mind is greedy and thinking, don’t believe everything that the mind is telling you because it is biased then.
When the mind is clear and stable, it is wholesome, and then you can act on it.