Yogi: I’ve been noticing a basic craving for comfort that appears all the time.
I had to adjust to the tropical heat for the first 3-4 days, but it was okay because there was much mindfulness and joy in the practice. Although I sweated a lot, there was no aversion while normally I would react with aversion.
When I climbed up to the meditation hall, I saw a fan and my attitude completely changed. All the equanimity was gone – I realized that the right attitude was so conditioned, and not to be taken for granted.
Sayadaw: You’re right that attitude is also conditioned and deep in our minds everybody has a desire for comfort.
It’s conditioned – when the mind can’t find comfort, then the mind says ‘It’s okay, I’m fine’ until it can find comfort. That’s when the attitude changes and it says ‘I can do without the right attitude because I have found comfort’.
So, don’t look down on the defilements, they’re tricky and greed is the trickiest of them all.