AWARENESS IS ALWAYS MORE IMPORTANT THAN THE EXPERIENCE

Sasanarakkha Buddhist Sanctuary Retreat Zoom Q&A Group B 8 January 2023 (56:10-58:38)

Yogi: I was observing the intention to eating and always noticed that greed was motivating the eating every time I chose and ate. Mealtime is the biggest lesson for me.

Sayadaw: You’re aware, very aware. It doesn’t matter if you’re aware of greed all the time. The point is just to be aware.

Next meal, try to just be aware and it doesn’t matter what you’re aware of. You can be aware of anything.

Next meal, be aware and appreciate that you’re aware and see what happens.

Yogi: The greed says ‘I want to taste all the tasty food’.

Sayadaw: And you say: ‘I see you again; I see you again’.

ENCOURAGING FAITH IN THE PRACTICE

Sasanarakkha Buddhist Sanctuary Retreat Zoom Q&A Group A 06 January 2023 (00:32-04:56)

Yogi: How do I increase or cultivate the faith in the practice?

Sayadaw: When you know the benefit or when you have experienced the benefit of the practice, it helps to establish your faith.

Yogi: Sometimes we lose faith; how to make the faith more continuous?

Sayadaw: None of the 5 Faculties in the practice – awareness, faith, effort, stability of mind and wisdom – is continuous in the practice; all of them go up and down. So, you cannot expect faith to be continuous either.

When there is faith, be aware; and check if the faith is strong or weak. If you lose faith and there is doubt, be aware as such.

Sometimes thinking about how the practice has benefited you helps to overcome doubt.

If you’re practicing continuously, you have more continuous awareness and samadhi; that will definitely increase your faith. When there is wisdom or when an insight arises, there’ll be more faith too.

The job of the yogi is to practice more continuously, and when the awareness and samadhi grow, your faith will also be strong at that time. What is important is to be as mindful as possible.

ADVICE FOR THOSE WHO ENJOY MUSIC

Singapore Q&A 21 November 2022 (57:14-59:44) with Sayadaw U Tejaniya

Yogi: I heard some music and was enjoying it. When I applied the awareness, it was no longer enjoyable- there was just sound and hearing.

The mind said it was not enjoyable at all to be aware of the sound and chose to go back to enjoying the music. When I try to practice in that environment, should I just place the awareness on the sound or let it be?

Sayadaw: Let it be and go to your mental state – just be aware of your liking and enjoying. This is better.

When the mind calms down, then you can hear the music as it is. Watch the liking and disliking first; when right view comes, then it will choose the hearing.

Otherwise, you concentrate on the hearing, but the mind still wants to enjoy the music. Then, you won’t understand very well. It is better to come to your mental state first – if there’s liking, honestly watch the liking mind as the object.

When liking has gone and craving is not in the mind, the view changes and you can watch hearing as it is. This is more important.

RESET – LET WISDOM GUIDE OUR ACTIONS

Singapore Q&A 21 November 2022 (01:35-3:28) with Sayadaw U Tejaniya

Yogi: I often don’t want to talk and isolate myself. What advice can Sayadaw give?

Sayadaw: Talking or not talking is not important. If we should talk, we talk and if we should not talk, we don’t talk. This means that wisdom is leading.

We shouldn’t talk because of liking or disliking. Defilement is leading if we talk because of liking or disliking.

For example, I ask yogis during sitting meditation if it is okay for them to move or not. Some say ‘yes’ and some say ‘no’.

If there is a reason to move, then move. This is important – but meditators don’t know this. When wisdom leads, then it knows should or not, necessary or not.

If wisdom is leading, then you can decide if you should move or not.

SUSTAINING PEACEFULNESS

Singapore Q&A 21 November 2022 (17:03-19:27) with Sayadaw U Tejaniya

Yogi: With a right thought, the agitation disappeared and the mind became calm. The problem is I cannot sustain that calm state.

Sayadaw: Wisdom is weak because it is only intellectual level and the defilement is more powerful.

Yogi: Sayadaw, which object of meditation can I use to sustain the calmness?

Sayadaw: You can change your mind by being aware, right? You can also think the right way and try to be aware; this, you can do.

Actually, we try to change our state of mind because we cannot move physically (undergoing MRI).

If we’re not aware, the mind reacts – so, try to be aware and the reaction will be less.

Depending on how skillful your mind is, you can use a mental or physical object. If you can watch your reaction directly, it is easier to change. If not, use a physical object.

The important thing is that the mind is thinking the right way and tries to be aware.

If you don’t try to be aware, the mind is already doing the opposite.

Yogi: Can I switch objects from time to time.

Sayadaw: Can. Use any object that you are familiar with.

Yogi: Just to interrupt the emotion?

Sayadaw: Yes. Don’t allow the emotion to increase. Try.

RESET – LET WISDOM GUIDE OUR ACTIONS

Singapore Q&A 21 November 2022 (01:35-3:28) with Sayadaw U Tejaniya

Yogi: I often don’t want to talk and isolate myself. What advice can Sayadaw give?

Sayadaw: Talking or not talking is not important. If we should talk, we talk and if we should not talk, we don’t talk. This means that wisdom is leading.

We shouldn’t talk because of liking or disliking. Defilement is leading if we talk because of liking or disliking.

For example, I ask yogis during sitting meditation if it is okay for them to move or not. Some say ‘yes’ and some say ‘no’.

If there is a reason to move, then move. This is important – but meditators don’t know this. When wisdom leads, then it knows should or not, necessary or not.

If wisdom is leading, then you can decide if you should move or not.

PAST LIVES DISTURB THE MIND DURING MEDITATION

Singapore Q&A 21 November 2022 (1:01:34-1:04:40) with Sayadaw U Tejaniya

Yogi: I could see my past lives during meditation. This obstructs me from sitting longer.

Sayadaw: The problem arises because you pay attention to concept.

Don’t go to the storyline; be aware that image is happening. Don’t pay too much attention to the image. We’re learning about nature, not concept.

Nature is the object for the vipassana meditator. If you pay attention to concept it is easy for emotion to come; then, it becomes a hindrance.

The memory is not a hindrance. You cannot erase your memory, but if wisdom is present, craving or aversion does not arise because of the memory.

We have a lot of bad memories – for example, whenever I passed by Chinatown in Yangon, I would have a lot of regret because I used to do plenty of bad things there as a youth. The mind would be very agitated arising from the memories.

One day, I checked my memories as they appeared repeatedly and discovered that they were merely images and not me. Previously, I would think that I was bad whenever the memories arose, but now the memories are just memories.

Memories cannot disappear till we die, but if we have wisdom, aversion doesn’t appear with the memories.

APPLYING INVESTIGATION WHEN WE PRACTICE

Singapore Q&A 21 Nov 2022 (44:45-47:52) with Sayadaw U Tejaniya

Yogi: Sayadaw, how do I apply dhamma vicaya or investigation when I practice?

Sayadaw: Be aware first and experience many times and slowly when wisdom comes, the questions will arise naturally. This is the natural way.

Actually you’re already applying in daily life – whatever you do, wisdom is already there. Intelligent people, naturally they want to know what is happening.

Most yogis only know how to concentrate; they try to concentrate to calm down and forget to practice dhamma vicaya. If you really practice vipassana meditation with a good teacher, they will explain how to apply dhamma vicaya wisdom in the training.

Most yogis don’t know how to apply wisdom in the practice; they only know how to use effort and concentration. That is why I explain a lot about this during discussions and interviews. When yogis listen more about it repeatedly, with more information, they realize that wisdom can be applied this way when they practice.

DON’T OVERTHINK WHAT THE MIND STILL DOESN’T UNDERSTAND

Singapore Q&A 21 Nov 2022 (39:40-42:48) with Sayadaw U Tejaniya

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.

LEARN TO BE AWARE OF BAD SITUATIONS

Singapore Q&A 21 November 2022 (6:25-10:50) with Sayadaw U Tejaniya

Yogi: I was down with Covid and lost my taste and smell. I was very scared because I was attached to the taste and smell.

I looked at the fear and it became even stronger. I didn’t know what to do.

Sayadaw: This was a bad situation. Learn to face bad situations; don’t run away every time you have a bad experience. You can learn how to be aware with equanimity.

When you can do this, it means that you know how to meditate very well.

Otherwise, when pleasant situation arises, the mind gets attached; and when bad situation comes, the mind resists all the time. It is like the craving and aversion are the far ends of the swing of a pendulum.

For a meditator, whether a pleasant or unpleasant experience arises, you can still be aware and understand that they are also objects.

So, sickness and no sickness are the same.

Why do people get upset when the body is sick? It is because of attachment to the good experience.

Every time I wake up, I check my mind and when I see that both body and mind are very nice, peaceful and relaxed, what does the mind say at that time? Nice, good. This is delusion because there is no nice or good situation.

If you think it’s good, you get attached and samsara keeps going.

When the mind says it is good and nice, wisdom doesn’t allow the thought to continue. It is just an experience or object and there is no need to be attached to it.

MEDITATION IS NOT CONTROLLING TO GET WHAT WE WANT

Singapore Q&A 21 November 2022 (32:28-34:26) with Sayadaw U Tejaniya

Yogi: When I meditate, the quality of awareness is dull and unclear. Should I just accept it, or how do I energize it to make it better?

Sayadaw: What do you want to do? You want to change, right? That’s the problem.

You said you want to accept, but already you want to change.

I said to check the quality of the awareness, that’s it. Just checking and not trying to change.

You notice that the experience is not good and the mind wants it to be good. The big problem with the meditator is that they don’t like bad situations.

If we don’t understand bad situations, then we’ll never overcome them.

Quality is no good, it is okay because it is also an object; just an experience. So, check your attitude first; what does the mind want to do? This is wanting to control and get what we want.

WHAT YOU KNOW NOW IS THE BEST MEDITATION OBJECT

Sasanarakkha Buddhist Sanctuary Retreat Zoom Q&A Group A 10 January 2023 (1:43:00-1:45:00)

Yogi: Observing thinking, either I’m lost in the thoughts or I notice it from the feeling itself or when I notice the thinking, it has already stopped. It is like I can’t catch the thoughts and objectify the thinking.

Sayadaw: Know what is happening and don’t hurry. Don’t try to get something that you think is better meditation. There’s nothing better than what you know now.

WHEN THOUGHTS DISTURB THE MIND, DIRECT ATTENTION TO THE THINKING PROCESS

Singapore Q&A 21 November 2022 (28:00-30:10) with Sayadaw U Tejaniya

Yogi: Whenever I practice, I’m always disturbed by the thinking mind.

Sayadaw: When you practice vipassana meditation, there’s no disturbing object. Why do you say that thoughts disturb you?

This is already wrong idea and wrong attitude because you don’t have the right information.

The thinking process doesn’t disturb you; it is the storyline, the concept that disturbs.

We call something that can think the mind - this is the definition of the mind. So, thinking is not disturbing; thinking is the mind. We’re learning about the mind process, not the storyline.

When thinking arises and if we pay attention to the storyline, who and what are happening, then agitation arises. That is why you say thinking disturbs you – the mind is paying more attention to the concept.

We’re not interested in the concept; we’re interested in the process of mind, that thinking mind is happening.

A clearer example is when we’re aware of hearing, we’re not paying attention to the sound, we’re aware that hearing process is happening. Don’t pay attention to the sound because if you do, it is easy for liking and disliking to arise as we’re easily drawn to the concept.

The object of defilement is a concept, but the object of vipassana-wisdom is nature.

APPLYING WHAT WE HAVE READ IN THE PRACTICE

Singapore Q&A 21 Nov 2022 (39:40-44:38) with Sayadaw U Tejaniya

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

Sayadaw: How do we apply the book information to our practice? When we don’t have enough direct understanding, we cannot apply. We read a lot about Buddha’s teaching, but we cannot apply in daily life. We have to balance theory and practice.

Previously, I also couldn’t apply in daily life except for mindfulness. With mindfulness practice, understanding grows slowly, then you can apply in daily life. We don’t try to push – if defilement is stronger, we don’t try to push to overcome it. If the mind cannot accept it, we need to know that the mind cannot understand yet.

For example, we know that patience or khanti is good. If we try to be patient all the time, a lot of problems arise, right?

ARE WE CONTROLLING OR APPLYING WHEN WE PRACTICE?

Singapore Q&A 21 November 2022 (15:51-16:58) with Sayadaw U Tejaniya

Yogi: Sometimes we don’t have the understanding yet and we hear Sayadaw say this and that. With the information, we try to control and get into the wrong practice.

Sayadaw: If we don’t have the wisdom, but we have the right knowledge, we can apply what we have read or an idea. We recall and change our mind as much as we can.

Yogi: So, we can change this way?

Sayadaw: This is not controlling; this is applying.

Yogi: Okay, I see the difference between controlling and applying.

Sayadaw: This is not controlling; we’re applying our knowledge. Contemplating is part of meditation. When we think – for example, contemplate anicca, dukkha and anatta – and as much as we understand, that much we’re relieved.