Yogi: How do we apply knowledge we read in a book to our practice? For example, I read that things are always changing, but personally I have fear of change and losing things.

Sayadaw: Impermanent, right? I met 2 Western yogis who had read about impermanence, suffering and non-self. After contemplating anicca, dukkha and anatta, they became depressed and they asked me why?

It is because wisdom and defilement don’t match. They’re only thinking about impermanence, but defilement is still strong in their mind. Although they think about impermanence, the mind wants to exist, and because defilement is stronger than wisdom, slowly the mind becomes depressed.

Craving wants existence, but you think it is impermanent; so, there is conflict. When the mind cannot get what it wants, it becomes angry and depressed.

And also thinking about dukkha, do you like dukkha? They only know that dukkha is suffering feeling and the mind is not happy about dukkha. They don’t really understand dukkha; craving wants to be happy and if you think too much about suffering and subconsciously the mind doesn’t like it, it becomes depressed.

And anatta, you say the mind cannot control, but craving wants to control; so, later you become depressed.

That was why my teacher told me not to contemplate too much about anicca, dukkha and anatta. If you meditate and wisdom arises, we let the understanding of anicca, dukkha and anatta arise in the mind. This is better.

We shouldn’t think too much about what the mind still doesn’t understand.