PERSIST IN BEING AWARE DESPITE ADVERSE CONDITIONS

Shwe Oo Min Dhammasukha Tawya 14 Jan 2020 Malaysian Group Q&A (16:20-18:50)

Yogi: When the illness intensifies, the awareness shuts down; the defilements overwhelm the practice.

Sayadaw: You need to practice even when it is difficult because the mind suffers more if you give up. Do something!

If you do whatever to be aware, the mind will react less. As much as you try, that much you will be relieved of the suffering. It’ll get worse if you don’t practice.

When situations like this arise, yogis need to think what to do; otherwise, you’ll suffer more.

If vipassana doesn’t work, you can do some samatha practice. Keep on trying because the defilements do their job and you also need to do your job.

If you think this way – you cannot handle your defilement even when it is only this much, then how can the mind cope with a big problem – then the mind will be willing to practice.