Q&AInsight Meditation Society Retreat1 May 2014
Dharma Discussion group D2 — Working with Past Trauma, Sleepiness, and Right Speech
Sayadaw U Tejaniya · 2 hr 2 min
Original audio: Burmese · English interpretation
0:00−2:02:15
Uses compressed audio.
AI-written summary
The group interview clarifies facing defilements directly instead of using metta as a suppressing antidote, and resolving painful memories with right view. The teacher discusses the causes of sleepiness, mindful right speech, and maintaining right attitude toward physical pain and attachment.
Topics
Talks in this retreat
Insight Meditation Society Retreat · 35 talks
- 111 hr 47 minDharma Discussion group A2 — Working with Depression, Reactions, and Simplicity30 Apr 2014
- 122 hr 10 minDharma Discussion group B2 — Concept, Reality, and Observing Mind30 Apr 2014
- 1332 minGuided meditation — Strengthening Awareness Rather Than Following Objects1 May 2014
- 141 hr 27 minDharma discussion C2 — Concepts and Experience, Being Aware of Awareness1 May 2014
- Viewing152 hr 2 minDharma Discussion group D2 — Working with Past Trauma, Sleepiness, and Right Speech1 May 2014
- 1624 minGuided meditation — Four Right Efforts and Developing Awareness2 May 2014
- 172 hr 15 minDharma Discussion group E2 — Natural Awareness, Dealing with Pīti and Effort2 May 2014
- 181 hr 52 minDharma Discussion group F2 — Taking Care of Awareness, Thinking Productively, and Working with Sleepiness2 May 2014
- 1934 minGuided meditation — Present Moment Knowing and Momentum of Awareness3 May 2014
- 201 hr 39 minDharma Discussion group A3 — Doubt, Nature of Awareness and Objects, and Dukkha3 May 2014
Transcript
EnglishThis is May 1 at IMS, and this is Discussion Group D.
EnglishSo the first group, you want to just raise your hand so I'm not touched yet? I can get a glance. Okay.
EnglishYes. Yes.
EnglishI have some experience to report, and then a question that I think might be related. I'm not sure. I'm still investigating. Okay.
EnglishSo last night, in the middle of the night, I woke up suddenly from a strange dream, and awareness was just really strong and clear and just present, and I was awake. And it just seemed that
Englishthe awareness—I had this very strong sense that the awareness
Englishhas no preferences. And I mean, I know that. You've been saying that. But I had this very strong experiential sense of it.
EnglishYeah, and I was awake for I don't know how long.
EnglishSo the question that I have has to do—it has to do with metta. You talked about this in the hall also. So a couple days before, I was having lots of
Englishcomparing and judging of all the just typical at a retreat. Oh, I like the way that person bows. I don't like the way that person walks. The typical stuff like that. And it's a habit pattern that I've sort of developed here at IMS of doing metta for everybody. Just as you pass somebody, you just think, "Maybe they're all in."
EnglishAnd that sort of counteracts that judging and comparing. But you said not to do the metta.
EnglishSo I thought, "All right. Well, all right." It felt odd not to do the metta because it sort of is a habit now. But I didn't do it. And so then I was just with the judging and the comparing, which is painful. And I thought, "Okay. Yeah, good. All right. I get to see this and have a chance to let it play out a little bit."
EnglishAnd it did. It sort of worked its way out.
EnglishSo I guess my question is, the awareness has no preferences. Also, in the hall today, you said, "Don't follow the objects," which is great. I love that. That was great.
EnglishSo
Englishit just seems like everybody's walking around as an object.
EnglishAnd I'm not
Englishrelating to them in a warm, caring way. It just feels like that can't be right, right?
EnglishI don't know. I'm trying to work with the two different ideas and see how they go together, and I'm just not quite sure. Okay.
[Burmese segment]
EnglishSidi di dieu we. Yeah. He just wants to point out to you, when you woke up and the awareness was really good and it had no preferences, he said it wasn't your awareness that was awareness itself. Right. Yes. Yes. And nabero.
English
Englishdi IMS, di Ma'ah atuh, tuh.
[Burmese segment]
Englishbale. Tiao loam.
[Burmese segment]
Keep listening by topic
Suggestions for what to listen to next · Based on the topics of this talk. No account history needed.
- Week 1 day 5 group C — Cause and Effect, Right Effort, and Letting Go of ExpectationsSayadaw U Tejaniya1 hr 33 min
Shares topics with this talk
- Questions and answers — Right Effort, Learning from Desires and Love Without AttachmentSayadaw U Tejaniya1 hr 56 min
Shares topics with this talk
- Group F · session 1 — Working with Defilements and Right EffortSayadaw U Tejaniya2 hr 20 min
Shares topics with this talk
- Interview groups A and B · session 2 (priority for group B) — Natural Speed, Concept and Reality, and Working with CravingSayadaw U Tejaniya1 hr 46 min
Shares topics with this talk
- Q&A group E 1 — Seeing Everything as an Object and the Role of WisdomSayadaw U Tejaniya1 hr 47 min
Shares topics with this talk
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.…