Q&ASpirit Rock Meditation Center Retreat27 Apr 2015
Group B · session 1 — Watching Defilements Objectively as Natural Processes
Sayadaw U Tejaniya · 1 hr 42 min
Original audio: Burmese · English interpretation
0:00−1:42:34
Uses compressed audio.
AI-written summary
In this group interview, the teacher clarifies observing defilements as natural processes rather than attempting to dispel them. He emphasizes maintaining right attitude and understanding the relationship between knowing and the known.
Topics
Talks in this retreat
Spirit Rock Meditation Center Retreat · 38 talks
- 11 hr 8 minMorning instructions day 1 — Five Spiritual Faculties and Right Attitude26 Apr 2015
- 234 minMorning instructions day 2 — What Is Knowing and What Is Known27 Apr 2015
- 31 hr 40 minGroup A · session 1 — Mind's Reaction to Pain and Open Awareness27 Apr 2015
- Viewing41 hr 43 minGroup B · session 1 — Watching Defilements Objectively as Natural Processes27 Apr 2015
- 540 minMorning instructions day 3 — Recognizing Thoughts and Valuing Awareness28 Apr 2015
- 61 hr 32 minGroup C · session 1 — Investigating Aversion, Observing Objectively, and the Role of Wisdom28 Apr 2015
- 738 minMorning instructions day 4 — Differentiating Object and Knowing29 Apr 2015
- 81 hr 54 minGroup D · session 1 — Working with Delusion and Understanding the Mind29 Apr 2015
- 91 hr 27 minGroup E · session 1 — Investigation, Stillness, and Subtle Intentions29 Apr 2015
- 102 hr 20 minGroup F · session 1 — Working with Defilements and Right Effort29 Apr 2015
Transcript
English
I have a question at this time, but one might come up as we're talking. Do you want to know
English
whether I'm going to ask a question or not? One at a time.
English
Oh, you mean you're the second group? No, I'm in the first group, but— Then please just ask. Okay. You don't have to go in order in the first group. In the first group, it's just a free-for-all. Okay. It doesn't have to be a question either. You could just describe what's going on. Yeah. Okay.
English
Yeah. Sierra, for Sierra the purpose—
English
So for Sierra, the purpose of the interview is really for yogis to express, to let him know how their practice is going. To tell him what they're doing, how they're doing it, how they feel.
English
And that's how he can help you to see more into your Of course, if there's any doubts, you're confused, you don't know what to do, yes, you can pull it up.
English
? We will begin.
English
Yes.
English
So I think I understand right view and right intention, right attention. And I can set that up, but shortly thereafter, defilements will come, inevitably. As objects. As objects.
English
So I guess I'm unclear as to what to do with them, and how to end up with a better balance of
English
percentage, I guess, of right view versus defilement view. Does that make sense? Where is the defilement? In the way you watch, or is that what you're watching? So let me give an example is the best way to go about that. So pain arises, and there's aversion. And I can see the aversion.
English
To the pain. To the pain. I can also see the craving to change the pain. And so is that it? I just watch those things happening? Or am I actually attempting to have less aversion?
[Burmese segment]
English
So
English
there's pain. You recognize the aversion to the pain, the desire to have, you know, to have something happen to the pain.
English
And he says the right view that you want to bring in is that this aversion and this craving, these are nature. And having adjusted your view towards these two defilements, you then watch these defilements.
English
You're not trying to change them. You're not trying to make it go away. They don't have to go away. What could possibly be understood about the nature of
English
aversion or craving when we can watch them and consider, you know, and have the attitude that these are just forces of nature? And if we have that attitude and watch, what might we begin to understand? And the reason we—he's often, it's in some of his—in some of the writing, he says, "Wait and watch."
[Burmese segment]
English
The initial—our initial application of right view is always
English
not strong. Because it's an intellectual application of right view. knowledge . We've heard about it, we've thought about it, so it's still just intellectual. But we're trying to go—we're going to try and apply it. And he says, "So of course, at that time," he says, "this intellectual application doesn't have as much power as if it was actually right view," right?
English
But he says, "That's fine." So we try our best. And because we try to bring in this right view, there is some help. And he says, "But what happens is, because we're attempting to bring in this view which makes it more possible to view what is happening as it is,
English
we might then slowly get glimpses into its nature." When you do get glimpses into the nature, that's when right view is becoming, like, true right view is becoming fed into your consciousness, right? Into your understanding. And he says, "When those right views then sort of become strong enough, or there is, like, a sudden, sometimes, seeing into the right view," he says, "in those times, then we truly then see the nature of what is happening as it is."
English
Yeah?
[Burmese segment]
English
Sierra says, "You know, when we have any negative experience, whether it's pain or emotions or whatever, whatever we consider to be negative sound," he says, "the mind's instant reaction is resistance to this experience."
English
And he says, "We have to ?
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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.…