Q&ALing Shan Temple Retreat26 Apr 2018
Q&A 07 — Observing Discomfort and Understanding Dukkha
Sayadaw U Tejaniya · 9 min
Original audio: English · Chinese interpretation
0:00−9:02
Uses compressed audio.
AI-written summary
In this Q&A, a yogi reports resistance and helplessness when facing bodily pain. The Sayadaw advises being aware of mental resistance rather than judging suffering (dukkha), and warns against merely intellectualizing impermanence and not-self (anatta).
Topics
Talks in this retreat
Ling Shan Temple Retreat · 25 talks
- 122 hr 1 minGroup 06 — Maintaining Awareness at Six Sense Doors and Right View25 Apr 2018
- 139 minQ&A 06 — Practicing with Right View in Walking Meditation25 Apr 2018
- 141 hr 59 minGroup 07 — Pain as Dhamma and Dealing with Emotions26 Apr 2018
- 152 hr 44 minGroup 08 — Momentum of Awareness and Knowing the Meditating Mind26 Apr 2018
- Viewing169 minQ&A 07 — Observing Discomfort and Understanding Dukkha26 Apr 2018
- 171 hr 13 minGroup 09 — Checking the Attitude and Accepting with Wisdom27 Apr 2018
- 181 hr 53 minGroup 10 — Dealing with Sleepiness and Natural Awareness27 Apr 2018
- 1912 minQ&A 08 — Right Reflection and Understanding Dukkha27 Apr 2018
- 201 hr 54 minGroup 11 — Recognizing Nature and Thoughts Instead of Concepts28 Apr 2018
- 212 hr 16 minGroup 12 — Working with Pain, the State of Mind, and the Sense of Self28 Apr 2018
Transcript
ZH
想请问禅师，往内觉知觉察身心的时候，身体的部分的时候，大概目前的话就是会看到脉搏的颤动，全身或是局部的，或是身上的各种酸、痛、刺，各种变化都可以看到，快速的可以看到它这样生起又消失，尤其特别是在动作的变换的时候，会看到总是你什么姿势都不对，而且因为不舒服，所以你赶快把它换姿势了，换了之后没几秒钟，一下子又还是不舒服，还是苦受。只要往内看，大概就是身体的部分，大概就是这样的性质，会让自己，会让自己好像变成不太喜欢往内看，因为看到就是这样的一个无奈，又没办法抽身的一个自己的身心现象，一整堆都是苦，不舒服。请问该如何用功？
English
So she said when she meditates,
English
sometimes there is a pulsation. She felt pulse over the pulsation, pulsation over the body, and most of the time she felt the Vaiṣṇava, subtle Vaiṣṇava, you know, uncomfortable Vaiṣṇava arise and pass away quickly. And then she felt if she is aware in the body, it's dukkha, you know, like, you know, very often, you know, just maybe just a few moments she feels discomfort.
English
In the whole body, you know, is suffering. So she doesn't want to look.
English
She doesn't know what to do. She doesn't want to, when she is aware, she sees, she feels helpless. Yes, because you are thinking about the process and you judge already, this is a dukkha, and also this is not understanding dukkha, you just negative dukkha. You think about this is a bad thing.
English
That's why the mind don't want to look. If you understanding this is dukkha, the mind really interested to watch. Because understanding and judging is different.
ZH
禅师说呢，我们看到身体的苦受或者生灭等等，就是这个变化啊变迁，我们呢，其实呢，就是内心对它有一个看法，就说觉得它是苦的，它是不如意的。其实这是一种想法，不是真正的智慧。就是说对于这种现象，我们已经可能有一个先入为主的观念，觉得这是苦，这是无常，它是不好的。但是如果真的是智慧去了解这些现象的话呢，你会很有兴趣的，哎，怎么会这样，就是智慧是会带给人欢喜的，就是你不会觉得不想看的。
ZH
但是尤其特别是身体姿势的变换的部分，是很真实的那种苦的感觉的感受。如果说是生灭现象的话，还不至于有那么苦的感觉。 就身体变化，就是说你现在拿这个东西，你都觉得是苦的，不舒服。 有时候，比如说躺在床上要入睡之前的那个动作，一直那个好难摆，摆意力，我感觉肩要肩背斜，肩与肩不熟，一直在翻来翻去的，因为哪个姿势都不对，一下子又不舒服，一下子又不舒服。特别这个是很强烈的感觉。
English
Okay, so she said...
ZH
几乎整个晚上都大概都在看这个东西了。 Okay, okay.
English
She said her body, she has actual pain, or you know, when she lies down in the bed, no matter how, in whatever position, she feels uncomfortable. Whole night she is struggling. So it's true dukkha. Okay, so better to watch than not paying, better to watch your resistance.
English
Ah, okay. Okay? The mind is now not happy with this object. So that's why you need more aware of your mental process.
ZH
禅师说这个情况呢，就是说最好不要去观察身体的这种不舒服，其实是心已经不开心了，就是说不喜欢了。就是这个时候呢，去观察内心的这种抗拒，这种不喜欢，就是尽量可以就是说用平等心去对待这些东西。其实这个是更大的苦，就是内心的这种烦恼是更大的苦。
English
So, and also I want to remind you one thing. So niccha dukkha anattā is this understandable.
English
If you are not understanding, don't think too much about the niccha dukkha anattā. Because I have experienced one foreigner, a Europe yogi, they are not Buddhist. They are other religious, but they want to become Buddhist. They tried to Buddhist. They learned from Buddhist, then they saw the niccha dukkha anattā.
English
Then they contemplate about this niccha dukkha anattā thinking. And slowly what happening, they become depressed. Then they ask me, "Why this happened?" Then I explain about this. Because you are not understanding very well about niccha dukkha anattā yet. Then you thinking. Thinking, understanding, thinking only, the meaning, thinking, not deeply understanding yet.
English
So you think this niccha is impermanent, but you have a lot of craving. Still have lobha very strong. The lobha want to be permanent. And also you think about dukkha, the mind want to be sukha. Craving is very strong, the mind want to be sukha. And also you think anattā, you cannot control anything. The craving, the delusion want to be controlled, want to be permanent.
English
So then if your defilement very strong, then your thinking is worse than thinking is weak. So they become conflict. And the craving cannot get what they want, and they become depressed.
ZH
禅师呢，就提醒大家啊，就是关于这个三法印，这个苦、无常、无我，苦、无常、无我，对。她说呢，很多时候呢，我们学佛都对这些理论很熟，但是未必有真正的这个智慧，真正的了解。所以呢，当真正的智慧不在的时候呢，我们想太多的时候呢，禅师说不要想，不要想这个苦、常、无我，不要整天去想，就是去自己观照好过。就是如果想得太多的话呢，可能有不良的后果。她就举了一个例子，说有一个西方的禅修者，他不是佛教徒，但是他急于求成，他就去学了很多佛法，然后就去这样去思维，就是去想苦、无常、无我。但是问题是说，他只是去在思维层面去了解，去这样看，就是改变他的观念。虽然他就是说这样去思维，但是呢，譬如说啊，禅师举例就说，他虽然觉得是无常，他接受佛教讲的无常，他觉得什么都是无常，但是他本身的这个染心，就是他的烦恼，比如说贪心是很强的，他是想有常的。他真的不，他不是真的相信无常。另外呢，就是说他觉得就是说苦的，就是说他觉得这些都是不如意的，但是呢，这个贪心呢，也是想追求如意的事，追求乐。他没有说减少了贪心，而真的去能理解这个东西。完了呢，他就说我们佛教讲无我啊，他呢，就是肯定是还有我嘛，对不对，我们都有自我，这个更难，他想控制，想要嘛，有我。所以当他有这，虽然思维层面是这样想，但是他内里呢，是做不到，那他又强制自己去这样想的话呢，其实呢，他当贪心达不到他想要的东西呢，这个禅修者呢，就会就是很灰暗，就是会抑郁，就觉得很沮丧，会很负面。所以就是说对于佛教这个，我们讲的这个苦、无常、无我呢，就是说还是不要想那么多，反而就是说去实修，就是尽量去像禅师这样教的去修。
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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.…