Dhamma talkOther Dhamma talks27 Jul 2013
Shifting Gears to Neutral
Sayadaw U Tejaniya · 2 min
0:00−2:30
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A yogi asks about shifting to a neutral object like the breath when anger does not dissolve. The teacher explains that using a neutral object helps calm the mind, allowing one to regain strength and return to learn from defilements.
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Transcript
EnglishOkay. Uh, I want to make sure I understand what you said about the neutral object. Yeah. I think that was very helpful, but I want to make sure I got it just right. So say— So anabana or just neutral object? Is it— Uh, when— when you're facing a defilement. Right. So say, say I'm sitting here meditating, and then all of a sudden the radio comes on outside, and I get angry.
EnglishYeah, yeah. I get angry. I get angry. And usually, just the recognition of
Englishmy— of the defilement makes— just makes it dissolve. Yeah. But this time, I start— I recognize it, but it just doesn't go away. Yeah, right. Then I shift to the neutral object, which is my breath. Yes. And stay with that. Let it be— let it be anger. It's— let it be— And just let it be. Shift to the breath. Calm myself down a little bit.
EnglishCalm my mind. And the anger also weaker. Weaker. Weaker. And then it comes— and then I go back to the recognition. Right. Okay. Right. Right. Right. Right. If you continue doing that, you— the neutral object— mind calm down, very calm, also the anger calms. But you cannot learn. If you want to learn, if you're a little bit calmed down, you have the strength, then you come back again.
EnglishBecause you want to learn about this anger. Some people, they use only concentration, then they go back and go. But next time, come again. Next time, come again. So you cannot learn.
EnglishSo that's why you can use the one object to calm down and learn the learning process. It is a calm down and learning. Calm down and learning. And you can apply it many ways. Because daily life is— you can use a lot of this calm down also. Very important. Because many things happen. You also— you cannot maintain all the time awareness, continuously.
EnglishSo sometimes we need calm down. Because of activity is nonstop coming. The mind is— if you cannot stop the defilement, then next— next situation makes more angry. More angry. There is the defilement overwhelming you. Sometimes we need calm down first. Then sometimes I use like this, and I daily life, I practice.
EnglishSometimes I cannot handle my defilement, I use my concentration first. And I— three times I caught this story. And boom, calm again. Okay. Then watch.
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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.…