Yogi: Is intention a kind of thinking?
Sayadaw: No. Thinking is thinking; intention is intention. Intention is the mental energy that wants to make something happen.
When there is intention, thinking also arises – thinking comes together with intention, both happen together, but intention is not thinking.
Yogi: When objects at the 5 sense doors are observed through the mind (awareness), they become blur, not as clear as observing the objects at the 5 sense doors.
Sayadaw: Because of concepts, the 5 sense doors become clear.
[Yogi’s note: When the mind targets being aware of seeing, seeing happens together with seeing outside things (concepts), for example; but when the mind targets observing the awareness of physical objects, concepts fade.]
Knowing is mind, thinking is mind, feeling is mind, intention is mind. If you know these, you know the mind.
You can also know paying attention; paying attention is the mind. If you know looking and listening, they are also the mind.
You can experience these minds; you need to check for yourself.
You need to remind yourself ‘How do you feel? Are you aware? Are you thinking or aware?’ Slowly, you can be more familiar with the mind.
We’re trying to notice what we think, say or do. In the beginning, we’re trying to know, just know what is happening – this is happening and that is happening.
Even when you blink, know that you’re blinking. Whatever is happening, step back and acknowledge it.
Your duty is to recognize whatever is happening – try to recognize moment by moment (as much as you can). Whatever happens is happening moment by moment.
Experience is always happening – seeing, hearing, body sensations and mental processes – they are always happening. Just try to recognize them.
Something known by the mind (being known) and knowing (object and mind). Be careful of what we’re trying to do – we’re just trying to acknowledge the experience.
Object is nature, and the knowing mind is also nature – there’s nobody there.
If the mind is drowsy, the quality of mind is not good; just recognize that the quality of mind is not good. That’s it.
But if you don’t accept, if you want the mind quality to be better, then the mind becomes more angry about this experience. Because of craving, the mind wants the situation to be very good, very peaceful, very clear; but what actually happens is the opposite.
The mind is changing all the time; it can’t be clear all the time. Our mind is full of defilement; awareness and samadhi is not good all the time.
Can you maintain the awareness all the time? That’s why. When the quality of mind is not good, it means that awareness, samadhi and wisdom are not strong enough. That’s why drowsiness happens. It’s very clear that it’s cause and effect.
Sometimes when right view arises, the quality of mind will change immediately. But when you don’t have right view, the mind is still drowsy.
If you accept the situation and continue to be aware, awareness becomes stronger and the quality of mind changes.
If you can practice when the mind quality is bad, wisdom can also arise. Don’t complain when the quality of mind is bad; it’s not important, experience is just experience.
If the attitude is right, wisdom can arise.
That’s why the vipassana idea is ‘As it is.’ (Watch neutrally, without interfering.) We try to be aware as it is; we’re not trying to change, not trying to control.
Yogis think that dosa is suffering, very obviously suffering, right? Like an enemy.
On the other hand, yogis treat craving like a best friend; it stays with us for a long time like a best friend. We don’t want to kick him out.
That is why yogis want to practice, but they don’t want to meditate all the time. It is because of craving; they want to stay with the craving.
Yogi: When I’m sad, the face is tense; when the sadness goes away, the face becomes soft again.
Sayadaw: Yes, this is because you see the mind conditioning the body – when the mind changes, rupa also changes.
If you see the body and mind happening together many times, it is easier to understand that there is only cause and effect – there’s nobody there.
Anatta is not only ‘no me, no I’, but also understanding cause and effect.
Yogi: When a defilement becomes very strong, will thinking about anicca, dukkha and anatta help?
Sayadaw: No. You already know the meaning of anicca, dukkha and anatta, right? So, no need.
When you see changing and the mind understands, let the mind say it. You don’t have to think about it.
Even when you can see the object change or disappear, just recognize that it has disappeared. That’s enough.
Don’t say ‘Ah, it’s impermanent!’ If the mind really understands, it can say by it itself.
You don’t have to contemplate it – just say ‘Disappear, okay, disappear.’
Your duty is to acknowledge that something is happening when something arises, and something has disappeared when something disappears.
When you see this experience many times, if the mind has matured, it can see by itself. This is true understanding.
Awareness needs to be strong; otherwise, the mind cannot be calm. You need to build up your strength all the time. Only then, the mind can be ready when you meet a difficult situation.
Practice moment to moment. If you want to grow your quality of mind, it is important to build up the momentum of awareness.
Moment to moment, try to build up your strength all the time – then only are you ready when some difficult situation arises; otherwise, it’s very difficult.
That’s what normal people – non meditators, do.
Meditators should not pay attention to outside things all the time; you should be more aware of yourself (whatever is happening in the mind and body, in the 6 senses).
For the beginner, it is easier to be aware of thoughts and feelings.
Paying attention is a different function of the mind – you know that you’re looking; you know you’re listening – that’s the mind paying attention. Knowing (consciousness) and awareness are also different functions of the mind.
Intention or volition is also a different function, a mind activity – the mind wants to move or do something.
The most obvious are feelings and thoughts. Other mental activities are more subtle because the mind does not have the habit of being aware of them.
Yogi: When I pay more attention to the watching mind, the bodily objects become blur – even when I touch the cup or the bowl, I don’t feel much sensation.
Sayadaw: When you focus more on the mind, the physical sensations fade. But you can try this.
When you experience the physical objects, it is also important. You need to know both the knowing mind and the object – mind and body together.
When the physical object is important, you need to pay more attention to the physical object. But you’re also aware of paying attention with the object.
When a car passes by, how is a meditator aware of it?
Which sense doors tell the meditator that a car is passing by?
It is because of seeing and because of hearing (and thinking). If you know that you’re seeing and hearing (and thinking), then that is a meditator’s awareness.
Only knowing that a car is passing by, the whole process is a concept (the story line), not nature, or reality.
Don’t think that a retreat is something special. If you think it’s important, you’ll exert a lot of energy.
Yogis go all out during retreats because they don’t practice continuously at home.
I advise yogis to take it easy and sleep on the first day – no hurry, go and sleep first.
You have worked hard and are tired in your daily life; so, when you come to the centre to meditate, you are bound to be sleepy in the beginning.
At the start of the retreat, we don’t have much energy and are often sleepy because of our hectic and stressful life.
So, I say sleep first and don’t meditate on the first day – sleep the whole day, no problem. Only start to meditate the next day, but slowly and steadily.
I know the yogis’ mind – they strive too hard at retreats.
Sayadaw: If you observe the experience with anxiety, you’re not watching with the meditating mind. That’s why the tension continues all the time.
It is very good that you notice both tension and anxiety – it is very important to take care of this anxiety first; if the anxiety disappears, then the tension will also go away.
This realization is also wisdom because you have noticed that behind the tension is the anxiety. If you understand what causes the tension, the tension will go away.
Yogi: The tension is because of an old injury 20 years ago. The injury results in not enough air and qi energy going up to the brain from the body.
Sayadaw: You think of a story and the mind believes this story; that’s why the mind resists this pain process. This is not real; it is a problem with imagination.
Whenever you notice this pain, try to watch your feelings and thoughts. Pain is not the problem; the problem is anxiety. Anxiety creates this story.
Delusion mind thinks of something and the next delusion mind believes it is real.
Yogi: I have real anxiety because I’m afraid the tension will result in stroke or dementia and I have to be looked after.
Sayadaw: Fear is more important; don’t pay attention to the pain. Learn from your mind. If there is no anxiety anymore, you’ll learn something and realize something, and you’ll let go of your anxiety – then, all problems will be gone.