Q&AShwe Oo Min Dhamma Sukha Retreat5 Apr 2016
Day 9 Dhamma discussion group B — Handling Sleepiness and Investigating Aversion
Sayadaw U Tejaniya · 1 hr 16 min
Original audio: English
0:00−1:16:07
Uses compressed audio.
AI-written summary
In this group interview, the teacher discusses handling sleepiness and recognizing aversion during interactions. He emphasizes distinguishing between concept and nature to keep the mind equanimous. Meditators are encouraged to maintain natural awareness without excessive focus.
Topics
Talks in this retreat
Shwe Oo Min Dhamma Sukha Retreat · 25 talks
- 161 hr 26 minDay 7 Dhamma discussion group A — Wrong View, Aversion, and Natural Speed3 Apr 2016
- 171 hr 40 minDay 7 Dhamma discussion group B — Craving, the Sense of Self, and Awareness3 Apr 2016
- 181 hr 26 minDay 8 Dhamma discussion group C — Not Aiming for Awareness and Knowing the Mind Door4 Apr 2016
- 191 hr 11 minDay 8 Dhamma discussion group D — Taking Care of Emotions First and Practicing in Daily Life4 Apr 2016
- 2040 minDay 9 morning guided — Knowing the Awareness and the Object5 Apr 2016
- 211 hr 17 minDay 9 Dhamma discussion group A — Pain and Mind's Attitude, Seeing Versus Looking5 Apr 2016
- Viewing221 hr 16 minDay 9 Dhamma discussion group B — Handling Sleepiness and Investigating Aversion5 Apr 2016
- 231 hr 11 minDay 10 Dhamma discussion group C — Sound As Object and Knowing Mind6 Apr 2016
- 2456 minDay 10 Dhamma discussion group D — Watching Emotions, Maintaining Awareness and Facing Strong Traumas6 Apr 2016
- 2527 minClosing day · morning guided meditation and reminders — Recharging the Mind Battery and Maintaining Bare Awareness8 Apr 2016
Transcript
EnglishSayadaw, I'll start. Yes.
EnglishUm, I've been exploring about sleepiness. I— every time I, especially guided meditation, I tend to sleep. I just— Every time you're sleeping? Um, not every time. Mainly guided. Of course. So, I was looking at it, um, because, um, I mean, from our reading, it said— it always says that lack of interest, then you fall asleep.
EnglishSo I was looking at, um, interest. I said, I want— I really want to understand. I want to practice. Mm-hmm. Okay? The interest is there. So I tried in one of my sittings. I was looking at— I was looking at, uh, this interest I want. There is an intention of, I want to stay awake. Mm-hmm. But the in— but the sleepiness, that intention mine seems to be stronger.
EnglishSo I was looking at it and I said that, so this is the time that I need to bring in my effort to keep my attention on the other mind, the mind that wants to know. So I was, um, using that and was asking myself, okay, what does the mind know? What am I aware of? And putting the mind to work in that way.
EnglishBut the sleepiness is there, it's aside because the attention is on this side. Mm-hmm. But with my effort, it happened to slide a bit, the sleepiness will crop up. I can see the sleepiness. It didn't exactly go off. It is still there. Mm-hmm. And I'm just watching, uh, both sides. Mm-hmm. On, um, but at least in that sitting, I could control it.
EnglishI didn't fall asleep. I didn't follow that path. Right. I just followed here. Because the mind is at it doing something. Yes. The mind is, uh, busy, yes. Mm-hmm. Um, so, uh, that gives me a lot of faith that at least I know how to sit. Yeah. You know, I tend to go for walking meditation. There's no problem.
EnglishThis sleepiness is not the problem because you're meditating. You're trying to meditate. Yeah. It's go away or not, it's not important. Yeah. So, uh, I tried it again this— this morning, guided. At least I didn't fall asleep this time. Obviously, in the— in the center,
Englishmost— most of the Burmese people, morning guiding, everybody wake up very young. At a— at a time, all are sleepy.
EnglishObviously, you are this time sleepy.
EnglishThen? So in today's sitting, um, maybe because I'm alert, I— I felt like as if I found another method of how to handle sleepiness. I was alert. I was looking out for it. And, uh, it didn't show up. It— so much because, um, I noticed that when sleepiness first come, there will be this dullness of the mind first.
EnglishSo when I catch that dullness, I— I start putting in effort more. One— one of my teacher told me, every time I notice my sleepiness, my teacher told me, "Sleepiness and samādhi is a brother."
EnglishBecause the mind cannot stable, cannot sleepy. Mm-hmm. Because of the mind's calm and stable, that's why it's easy to sleep. Clumsiness can come. So that time, every time I sleepy, then I can adjust it a little bit, the samādhi come.
EnglishThat— that adjustment's still, um, not that— not there yet. So at least, um, what I saw is, at least when the dullness comes up, then I notice that, um, I notice the dullness, I— I will put in more effort at that time and see where's my attention. That's why I only need effort and wisdom. That's it. Yes. They are working, then they— they are becoming stronger, then sleepiness, they relieve.
EnglishAnd then? So, um, so today's guided, I'm awake. And when I'm awake, I notice that, because I— usually if sleepiness come, I make sure I open my eyes because the next moment I know my eyes is going to close. And so it's like I open my eyes and when I open my eyes, the mental state is changed, probably because there's another sense door.
EnglishYes. It can come. Okay. It's very obvious. Yes. So that also helps with the, um, that sleepiness. Wake up. Yeah, wake up on that.
EnglishSleepiness, at least, because of the closed eye, is help— helping to sleepy. Yeah. Open the eye, it's wake— more awake, alert, because of light. And also seeing objects is so obvious. Previously, even I tried opening my eyes, the sleepiness would. Sleepiness. Stop. Yeah, it's still there. And then I'll find myself holding the eyes and I'll be doing this.
EnglishSo at least this time, I know. We need to adjust when this. Mm-hmm.
EnglishNext.
EnglishWhat you notice? What you discovered?
EnglishUm, one new time, um,
Englishuh, there was, uh, some pe— some people was talking and I noticed, um,
EnglishI— I noticed the mind was, uh, hearing and eating. Then I asked the mind, "Where's your attention?" Mm-hmm. Is it, uh, obviously
Englishit's, uh, sort of, uh, hearing something. So then I asked the mind, "Where's your attention?" Then the mind come back to eating instead of paying attention to the sound. And then when I reflected, uh, back, what happened just now, uh, there was actually a wanting, a wanting to, uh, to have a, like, a, a quiet meal.
EnglishMm-hmm. Then I— I also asked the mind, "How come just now I can't— I can't, uh, I can't— I— I can't do the contemplation?" I mean, I can't question the mind just now. "How come I can only drink after?" Then, uh, uh, there's a do no mind arise. What mind arise? The do no mind, do no what to do mind arise.
EnglishMm-hmm. Then when that mind arise, there— there was an incident when you pass by and also the do no mind also arise. So when that answer came, that incident also came back. So I saw the do no mind.
EnglishUm,
Englishsometimes we walking, um,
Englishuh, sometimes the reality and the concept comes. The concept might— the concept will come in, "Oh, uh, she again." And then the reality will come in, just the seeing. It— it— it sometimes it just come— just come parallel. And, uh, when walking just now, there was wind and there was
Englishsun.
EnglishUm,
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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.…