Dhamma talkOther Dhamma talks20 Dec 2013
Am I Thinking or Observing the Thinking?
Sayadaw U Tejaniya · 4 min
0:00−4:05
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AI-written summary
A yogi asks how to distinguish between thinking and being aware of thinking. The teacher explains that doubt arises when awareness is not clearly recognized. Asking what the mind is doing helps arouse awareness and wisdom to know clearly what is happening.
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Transcript
EnglishSo, um, when I— when I'm thinking, I'm meditating, and suddenly I get thinking. I— I've got to observe this thinking and to neutralize it by obser- observing it from aside. But sometimes I don't— I don't know if I'm observing the thinking or I'm thinking, you know?
EnglishBecause you get into that, and then you don't know what is the— That's why I— The difference between observing and thinking. Yes, yes, yes. Where I am. I know, I know. This is the situation. Because you don't know your awareness. If you know your awareness, or your knowing mind, the object and knowing mind, or object and awareness, you can see the awareness very obvious.
EnglishYou're watching the awareness, or, or the, the, the thinking. But if you don't see the awareness, sometimes you are— you're— you're thinking, or you are watching, knowing that thinking. You're not sure. Doubt. Because you don't see your awareness yet. That's why you have doubt. If you see, you know, very clearly, awareness is present, oh, yes, very clear.
EnglishHow do I see my awareness? So thinking and awareness are what? Different.
EnglishWhen you notice your thinking, do you ask him? You can ask him, "Are you aware?" Or, "The mind is aware or not?" When your thinking arises.
EnglishRight?
EnglishTry.
EnglishSometimes just ask him, "What's the mind doing?"
EnglishAsk him about the mind. The awareness comes to the mind already. What's the mind? What's— what's the mind doing? So I have to open my mind. Sometimes if you're thinking, if you intentionally you think, awareness there. Awareness not there. Lost.
EnglishBut you know something. You a little bit know you are think the mind is thinking. But this is different. Knowing and awareness, very different. Sometimes we know and continue thinking.
EnglishThis is not awareness, not wisdom anymore. If your awareness is present, there's wisdom there. That's why he knows clearly what's happening. Sometimes we know. Knowing. Knowing mind there. Knowing that thinking. Knowing mind there, continue thinking. Because motivation is intention to think. But some knowing also there.
EnglishBecause you are long time practice, a little bit knowing is there. But continue thinking. But most of the part is working with the thinking. That's why you know clearly. But if your mo- most, uh, most of the part is pay attention or awareness, more obviously, then very clearly you're aware or you are involved with thinking.
EnglishSo to verify that, I have to open another window. Yes. Asking myself, "Am I aware or not?" Yes, right. So you have to go with three things at the same time. Right, right. Your awareness, your question about your awareness, and the thinking. Try it. Try it. Just try it. Yeah. Or another one. Or another one.
EnglishPlease, please. Please.
EnglishIf you're not clear, meaning is, uh, your awareness, the time, your awareness is not very sharp. Also no wisdom, very clearly. That's why you doubt. If your wisdom isn't present, or very clearly, what's going on?
EnglishThat's why we use the little bit question and more, more interest about this situation. So the fact that one of these thoughts goes away fast means that you are aware? Yes. Or no? Or so the. No, no, no. This is not sure. Going fast or going disappear is not, not sure. All right. So you don't have to trust on the time that the, the thought is there.
EnglishYes. Because you can sort it out and you are thinking. You need to trust is that you really the mind can stay aware and present isn't sure.
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Sayadaw U Tejaniya began his Buddhist training as a young teenager in Burma under the late Shwe Oo Min Sayadaw (1913–2002). After a career in business and life as a householder, he has become a permanent monk since 1996.…