What Is Mindfulness

0:00 This is what should be done By one who is skilled in goodness And who knows the path of peace Let them be able and upright Straightforward and gentle in speech Humble and not conceited Contented and easily satisfied Report an error in the passage at 0:00

0:25 Unburdened with duties and frugal in their ways, peaceful and calm and wise and skillful, not proud and demanding in nature, let them not do the slightest thing that the wise would later reprove. Wishing in gladness and in safety, may all beings be happy, wherever living beings there may be, whether they are weak or strong, omitting none, the great or the mighty, medium, short or small, dosi. Report an error in the passage at 0:25

1:11 The Seen and the Unseen Those living near and far away Those born and to be born May all beings be happy Let none deceive another Or despise any being in any state Let none through anger or ill will Wish harm upon another Report an error in the passage at 1:11

1:40 Venerable Damita Satsang Outwards and unbounded, freed from hatred and ill will, whether standing or walking, seated or lying down, free from drowsiness, one should sustain this recollection. This is said to be the sublime abiding by not holding to fixed views. The pure-hearted one, having clarity of vision, being freed from all sense desires, is not born again into this world. Report an error in the passage at 1:40

2:51 Okay, so I think now I have about like half an hour to give a short dharma talk. So, yeah, Report an error in the passage at 2:51

3:10 just to... To sort of warm up to the subject, I just had a TV Taj Ram Brahm this evening and I asked about the Armadale group, you know, how long he has been teaching and, you know, subsequently the Saṅgha, the Bodhinyana Saṅgha was teaching the Armadale group. He said about 40 years. Report an error in the passage at 3:10

3:37 So I'm based in Sri Lanka, but when I listen to Ajahn's talks, I hear about, you know, every now and then about, you know, this name come up once in a while. So I heard about it earlier on. So he also expressed his appreciation as a very good... a group of practitioners from early on supporting the Bodhiyana monastery and the saṅgha so i just wanted to sort of start my little dharma talk with that sense of appreciation so today i was thinking okay what should i talk about and this this topic of sati The mindfulness came up. I've been thinking about it lately and even giving some dharma talks here in Perth. Report an error in the passage at 3:37

4:40 I was invited to do some teachings. So I wanted to talk about the satip, the mindfulness. So what is mindfulness? When we, you know, the Pāli term behind it is sati, usually, those who know Pāli. Report an error in the passage at 4:40

5:08 Now, in different contexts, you see there is a little bit of subtle nuances, you know, that this term takes in the suttas. In general, we translate it as mindfulness. Right, now... It is a good translation. Then we should ask ourselves, what is this thing called mindfulness? What is it to be like being mindful? Report an error in the passage at 5:08

5:40 What does it mean? Now, on top of our head, we could think of, or we could sort of relate to our, by looking at our own practice, we could say that being mindful is that You're being aware of what's happening, what's happening in front of you, around you, and so forth. And the term sati, in a general sense, even in the Pāli, you see that is the usual sort of a sense you get. Report an error in the passage at 5:40

6:16 But there are a few places Lord Buddha precisely defines the term sati. So if I quote from a sutta, please excuse me with my paali here. I'm going to recite the paali first. So generally it is defined as like this. So sati means that sati mahoti, parmena sati nepake, sama nagato, cirakatampi, cirabahasitampi, sarita, anusarita. Report an error in the passage at 6:16

6:55 So that is sort of a definition. So if I translate it, it means basically one is mindful and very sort of mindful. He or she is sort of practicing mindfulness. Report an error in the passage at 6:55

7:17 Then the most important sentence comes. chira katampi chira bahasitampi sarita anot sarita so So, whatever like you spoken, you were told or you heard, basically, you know, it was told for, you know, ages ago, like for a long time ago, but you remember. You remember what was told, you know, a time ago. And you can remember the Sarita and Anussarita. Report an error in the passage at 7:17

7:52 You can thoroughly remember it. Basically, if I summarize this definition, it means that being mindfulness is that you should be able to remember what you have done, what you have spoken, or what you were told by a teacher or someone. So in this case, particularly in the dharma context, as a practitioner. So if I boil down it further, it is like... Report an error in the passage at 7:52

8:26 It's about memory, remembering something. But yet, the sati is translated as mindfulness, you know, being mindfulness. And how should we understand this sort of, you know, this disparity? Now, if we look at these other suttas, this topic of sati, you know, comes in other suttas. Report an error in the passage at 8:26

8:52 And there, it's not just the term sati. But it goes with the sati and the sampajanya. I am sure you've heard about this term. So when Lord Buddha talks about the sati and the sampajanya, then you see that there is more to this mindfulness than being aware of your surroundings or what's in front of you. Report an error in the passage at 8:52

9:22 So then if you look at... What the sati and the sampajanya means, now the sampajanya, it appears in the Maha Satipaṭṭhāna Sutta as well. Report an error in the passage at 9:22

9:41 Like, you know, you stretch a limb, you know, then you sort of, you are aware of it. You know, all this sort of how the body sort of Samminjite, pasarite. Report an error in the passage at 9:41

9:42 Sampajanakari Hoti. Report an error in the passage at 9:42

9:55 Basically, bodily movements, you are aware of those movements. The term is the sampajanya there. So when this full term of sati sampajanya is used, then you see the sampajanya is the awareness part of this mindfulness, which is like more obvious to us. We are trying to be aware of what's happening. And then... Report an error in the passage at 9:55

10:25 What is the sati? Sati is, according to this definition I've just read to you, you are remembering something. You are, you know, there are these two-fold, you know, actions happening while you are sort of practicing sati. You are aware of your surroundings and you remember something related to that. Ajahn Brahm would put it like remembering the instructions. Report an error in the passage at 10:25

11:01 So it's basically you experience a certain thing, it may be something happening in your mind or some external thing, an event happens right now, you are aware of it and then you know actually how to relate to that experience by remembering the instructions. What the Lord Buddha... Report an error in the passage at 11:01

11:30 has told to you know to respond you know how to how to respond to this this particular situation what what what had the teachers told you you know in order to deal with such a thing what are your experience you know your prior experience how it's like let's say someone criticizes you and you know actually it's happening you are aware of it but the anger comes Report an error in the passage at 11:30

12:02 Part of the mindfulness is there, but it's not complete. Because if you let the anger grow and take over the mind, usually people would say, yeah, I'm aware of the anger. My anger is coming. Anger is a problem for me. I'm aware of it, but I don't know sometimes what to do. Report an error in the passage at 12:02

12:27 And they try to sort of develop mettā, meditation, then and there, but you know, it wouldn't work either. So then, if you give in, then it is like a partial sort of a sati. You know, actually it is there, but we are not quite sure actually how to relate to it. But maybe you remember in instruction that you try to be kind. Report an error in the passage at 12:27

12:54 You try to understand that, Time and time again, sometimes people praise you, sometimes blame you. You know, the criticizer also happens. It's part of life. It is a deal you get, you know, when you have a pair of ears. When you have ears, you get pleasing sounds and you get like displacing sounds as well. It is a very normal thing. Report an error in the passage at 12:54

13:27 Like, you know, we see adverts sometimes and then you see like an asterisk sign, you know, star sign, you know, at the end of some statement and then says it, what is it? Conditions apply. You know, it's at the bottom in small print. So you got two years, but the conditions apply. You know, look at this small print. It says, you know, you may hear the good, the praise and the blame. So that's part of the deal. Report an error in the passage at 13:27

13:56 So you try to contemplate something like that, you know, something I would do sometimes. It depends on how you sort of practice. If you have like ready, you know, ready to go mettā, you can sort of deploy it then and there. If you have done meditation beforehand, otherwise try, you know, just start in the mettā then and there sometimes, like might not kind of give that boost of energy to sort of push back that anger. Report an error in the passage at 13:56

14:24 But if it is available early on, then you can sort of apply or you can contemplate something, you know, with something, you know, in line with what I've just said, something like that. So where did that instruction or that course of action came? It's from memory. It was from the suttas I read. It's from the instructions my teachers gave to me. Report an error in the passage at 14:24

14:52 Or it may be my... previous experiences you know it's from my previous experiences if I go down so I'm getting you know I'm facing this fork you know in front of me if I take you know down to the to the left let's say that is towards the anger and you know actually how that ended up last time you remember that remember the the definition of the sati is that you remember what you said what you've done So you bring back that memory. Okay, if I go down that way, okay, you know actually how that's going to end up. Report an error in the passage at 14:52

15:29 So the idea is you're not going to go that way. Basically, let's say you're taking to the right side. So something like that. So because of that, the mindfulness has these two sides to it. Just being aware is not good enough. Report an error in the passage at 15:29

15:50 I'm sure you've heard about this story, I mean this anecdote, like a simile rather, from Ajahn Brahm, so the security guard simile. So let's say some house in Perth has a security guard, you know, the house owner is all for a party or something, and he says to the guard, Watch out for burglars. You know, it had happened early on, you know, recently in the neighborhood. You need to be careful. Be on alert of any sort of trespassers. Report an error in the passage at 15:50

16:27 That was the instruction. And then, you know, he or she went on for whatever they, you know, went out for, and then they, you know, then they come back. Then realize that Report an error in the passage at 16:27

16:45 Some thieves actually broken into the house, and then certain things are gone missing, and then they rush back to the security guard at the gates. Report an error in the passage at 16:45

16:57 Didn't you know, actually, didn't you see that people have sort of broken into the house? And they say, yes, the security guard says, yes, I noticed that. said that Report an error in the passage at 16:57

17:12 The thief went in. Then I noted the thieves going in, thieves going in, thieves going in. And then I saw your sort of big LED screen, TV, that TV actually bringing out by the thieves. And the security guard contemplated, the TV is going out, the TV is going out, the TV is going out. So on with the money and anything else in the house. So you know actually where I am going with this. Report an error in the passage at 17:12

17:49 Sometimes just noticing, just labeling is not enough. Now the house owner asks, why didn't you call police? Why didn't you stop it? Report an error in the passage at 17:49

18:06 All you wanted me to do is just be aware and be careful, which I did. So that was the answer. Sometimes it happens to us also. We try to be careful, we are watchful, but the anger or the lust or these killers come in unhindered sometimes and then they do whatever they do and they go off. Report an error in the passage at 18:06

18:34 So just being aware is not enough. That memory has to come, you know, what should be the instructions, what happened last time, you know, when this thing happened, you know, what was the, you know, the outcome, you know, how this thing ended up. So then I know actually how to respond to this situation. So sampajanya, or the clear awareness, how it is translated, is that for reading the situation in front of you and the sati, This mindfulness is for, you know, it is, the task of it is that, you know, how to respond to it. Report an error in the passage at 18:34

19:21 You read the situation with the sampajanya and you respond to it in a good way. So then you can say that, you know, in normal Eightfold Path, the seventh factor is The Sama Sati. So we practice Sati, we practice mindfulness, but in order to the Sati become Sama Sati, which is the correct or the right mindfulness, you need to have the correct instructions to bear. Report an error in the passage at 19:21

20:02 You should sort of bring them into the situation. Otherwise, it'll be just Sati. Which is not kind of the sati that Lord Buddha wanted us to practice. You know, he wants more. He wants this sati to be driven by the sammaditti, which is the right view. Now, in the right view, if you define it, it's about the Four Noble Truths. Report an error in the passage at 20:02

20:36 You know, there is the suffering and there is the reason behind it, which is the wanting or the craving or the taṇhā. And the solution is that you go against that wanting, that attachment, that craving. Report an error in the passage at 20:36

20:53 And that's the third noble truth. And the fourth, the Noble Eightfold Path, basically built around that idea of... You know, wearing away of your attachments and letting go and all these sort of wearing away of craving. So that is the view. And then you see that's the right view. And then you see the right intention or the motivations, the sammasankapa. Report an error in the passage at 20:53

21:25 Then that right view actually manifested in more sort of a day-to-day situation. You know, what we experience in day-to-day situations. Like, you know, the thoughts of the motivation of renunciating things, you know, giving up things. Report an error in the passage at 21:25

21:50 Which is like non-ill will. Which is like non-harm. Basically, the third noble truth is, you know, played out things and Report an error in the passage at 21:50

22:03 In a more sort of a practical way now, you know, the view is there at the background and then we start to set our intentions, our motivations around that, you know, three areas of letting go basically. So if we have them at the background, when we are aware of something, when the sati is there, Report an error in the passage at 22:03

22:34 And these instructions also will come naturally. You are aware of something and you know actually how to respond according to the right view and the right intentions. If the intentions and the views are not right, you can't expect the mindfulness to be right as well. So that's why Ajahn Brahm... Insist on this term, you know, the term he coined, kindfulness. It's not some sort of a fancy new agey term. Report an error in the passage at 22:34

23:11 He's basically explaining in a very nice way, not just sati, you know, you need to have that sense of kindness. Because the kindness basically covers this sense of letting go. You know, to be kind to someone, You are not like, you are trying to be kind unconditionally. You are not saying, if you are kind to me, then I will be kind to you. Report an error in the passage at 23:11

23:41 Or if you do like this or act like this, then I'll be kind to you. It's not like that. Being kind means that you accept the person or the thing as it is, as they are, and despite their imperfections, you try to be kind. So kindness means letting go. Actually, at the background, the third noble truth is there. You're letting go of your craving, your attachment, your wanting, you know, how the world should be, how the world shouldn't be. Report an error in the passage at 23:41

24:12 You know, the shoulds or shouldn'ts, either way, it's wanting, isn't it? So, being kind is that you give up bit by bit. It's, you know, at the beginning, it seems like, oh, I'm being kind, and, you know, the so-and-so is the subject. subject of my kindness. Report an error in the passage at 24:12

24:34 Subject to my kindness. So sometimes we have this hesitation or all other sort of doubts about whether so-and-so is actually worthy of our kindness or anything like that. But the thing is, although it appears like an external thing that you give the kindness, Report an error in the passage at 24:34

25:04 You know, it originates in you. Actually, it is mostly about you at the end of the day. If you are being kind, you become kind first. And then it will be conveyed in a way, you know, other person also will notice actually you are being kind. In order to understand it more, I would like to point out this analogy from an older... Report an error in the passage at 25:04

25:31 Commentary, you know, the classical commentaries from Venerable Buddhaghosa back in classical period. So he says that anger is, you know, being angry and, you know, the anger is like hot charcoal. You are trying to throw hot charcoal, like burning amber, like, you know, charcoal at someone. Report an error in the passage at 25:31

25:57 And the anger is like that. In order to throw this charcoal at someone, you know, you need to pick it up. So you are the one actually get burns first before, you know, thrown at someone. Report an error in the passage at 25:57

26:15 So in the same way, if you are being kind and, you know, you are being, you know, trying to be, you know, practice mettā and all, that means actually you heal first, then this external person. We will receive it. It will be subject to your kindness. So it's about us, mostly. And of course, it's not only about us, but it's a gift for the others as well. Report an error in the passage at 26:15

26:48 So, Report an error in the passage at 26:48

26:52 kindfulness, that term actually goes very deep, deeper than we think it is. So I would like to offer this uh my reflection dharma reflections for today's uh session so i hope it was helpful wishing you good luck with your practice so thank you thank you for listening So now it's time to do some meditation, right? Report an error in the passage at 26:52

27:31 So half an hour? Okay, so I'll give you like a quick Report an error in the passage at 27:31

27:43 yeah like preparation before the meditation so so we know before we sit for meditation we we bring this you know we set up our mindfulness you know we bring these instructions to our mind because you know it's not just being awareness but you know you're bringing this memory to your you know you Remind yourself of these instructions. So along with that teaching, what we do is that we tell ourselves, we make a determination that I'm going to meditate now for half an hour. Report an error in the passage at 27:43

28:28 That's the first thing we are going to tell us. And then I'll be guiding throughout the meditation. And this is... Not the time to think about the past and the future. You know, you have plenty of time to think about it later. But you wanted to do this. You logged in to practice meditation. So now is the time to meditate. Not to think about the past and the future or any fantasy. Report an error in the passage at 28:28

29:01 So reminding of that is useful. You know actually what you're doing right now. Report an error in the passage at 29:01

29:11 You've set up the mindfulness, established the mindfulness now. Now, eyes closed. Report an error in the passage at 29:11

29:23 Find a comfortable posture. Report an error in the passage at 29:23

29:32 Pay attention to your posture and Report an error in the passage at 29:32

29:39 attend to your body. If there are any adjustments need to be done, do Report an error in the passage at 29:39

29:50 it now. Report an error in the passage at 29:50

29:54 Having a straight back is useful. If you are leaning against the back of the chair, sometimes you might fall. Take a Report an error in the passage at 29:54

30:34 few deep breaths and relax. Today Report an error in the passage at 30:34

· · · silence, 1 minute

31:18 we are going to do some breath meditation but before we get into that we are going to anchor leaning against the chair. Report an error in the passage at 31:18

· · · silence, 1 minute

31:30 Our mindfulness in our body in general. Report an error in the passage at 31:30

31:39 We are going to pay attention to our body from top of our head to toes. We are going to scan casually. Not a thorough kind of a scan, but Report an error in the passage at 31:39

31:58 casually. It's an easy task to do. So let's start with the top of your head, face, Report an error in the passage at 31:58

32:14 neck. Report an error in the passage at 32:14

32:21 Shoulder, arms, palms, Report an error in the passage at 32:21

32:31 fingers, arms, shoulder, chest, back, tummy, Report an error in the passage at 32:31

32:54 buttocks, legs, feet, Report an error in the passage at 32:54

33:03 toes, feet, Report an error in the passage at 33:03

33:11 legs, Report an error in the passage at 33:11

33:17 buttocks, tummy, back, Report an error in the passage at 33:17

33:28 chest, Report an error in the passage at 33:28

33:33 shoulder, arms, Report an error in the passage at 33:33

33:38 fingers. Report an error in the passage at 33:38

33:45 Arms, shoulder, neck, face, Report an error in the passage at 33:45

33:55 top of your head. Report an error in the passage at 33:55

34:03 So do some body scanning. Back and forth. Be in the body. Just Report an error in the passage at 34:03

34:17 casually scan. Do Report an error in the passage at 34:17

· · · silence, 1 minute

35:21 you feel the body? Report an error in the passage at 35:21

· · · silence, 1 minute

36:26 This exercise of watching body. This is good enough. This is good enough. This is good enough. I Report an error in the passage at 36:26

36:45 don't want anything else. Right now. Report an error in the passage at 36:45

36:51 I would rather stay with the body. This is good enough. This is good enough. This is good enough. We Report an error in the passage at 36:51

· · · silence, 1 minute

38:18 have been scanning through the body Report an error in the passage at 38:18

38:29 amongst the sensations we felt. The sense of breathing is Report an error in the passage at 38:29

38:45 also there. So gradually let's come to the breath. Report an error in the passage at 38:45

38:58 Invite the breath. To take the center stage of your awareness, you Report an error in the passage at 38:58

39:13 may ask this question from you. Am I breathing right now? How do I know? What are the indications? Report an error in the passage at 39:13

39:31 Let the mind find the answer. How Report an error in the passage at 39:31

39:38 do you know you are breathing? Pay attention. Report an error in the passage at 39:38

39:51 Stay with that experience. Report an error in the passage at 39:51

39:56 Just stay with it. Report an error in the passage at 39:56

40:07 Stay with this amazing bodily process of breathing in. Breathing out. It Report an error in the passage at 40:07

40:22 happens all the time without even your knowing. Why not pay attention to that for a moment and Report an error in the passage at 40:22

40:40 feel what's it like. Report an error in the passage at 40:40

· · · silence, 1 minute

41:56 Breathing in. Report an error in the passage at 41:56

42:00 Breathing out. Are Report an error in the passage at 42:00

42:06 you breathing? Report an error in the passage at 42:06

42:11 Find out. Report an error in the passage at 42:11

· · · silence, 1 minute

43:28 This being with the breath. This exercise of watching the breath. Report an error in the passage at 43:28

43:42 This is good enough. This is good enough. This is good enough. I don't Report an error in the passage at 43:42

43:55 want anything else right now. I Report an error in the passage at 43:55

44:01 would rather stay with the breath. Report an error in the passage at 44:01

44:07 This is good enough. This is good enough. This is good enough. Stay Report an error in the passage at 44:07

· · · silence, 2 minutes

46:47 with the breath. Are Report an error in the passage at 46:47

46:53 you breathing? Before Report an error in the passage at 46:53

· · · silence, 7 minutes

53:54 we conclude our meditation, let's take a few more minutes to Report an error in the passage at 53:54

54:09 feel, to remember how the meditation went today. Report an error in the passage at 54:09

54:20 What did Report an error in the passage at 54:20

54:29 Have a little bit of a replay Report an error in the passage at 54:29

54:37 when you meditate next time. Report an error in the passage at 54:37

· · · silence, 1 minute

55:58 Okay, hope you had at least some quiet time. So, do we have any questions now? Now is the time. Hi Report an error in the passage at 55:58

56:24 Bandi. Thank you. I have to say that... I don't even, I can't even get past or get to mindfulness. You know, I could spend 15 minutes thinking, not even be aware of it. So just saying I practiced a long time, but I must be doing something wrong. Right. So, yeah, sometimes, like, it depends on, like, before we, you know, sit to meditation. Report an error in the passage at 56:24

57:06 What we had been doing also affects actually how it's going to play out in our meditation. So if you are being busy and doing things, then straight away coming from that busyness and sitting down, sometimes it takes a while to sort of settle. The mind actually needs some time to settle. Report an error in the passage at 57:06

57:39 So, you know, usually teachers give a simile of like, you know, slowing down train, like, you know, it's not easy to sort of slow down a train, right? Like, you know, you have to gradually apply brakes and reduce the speed. Otherwise, usually, you know, what would happen is that, you know, it will derail, you know, if you try to sort of stop it as it is. Report an error in the passage at 57:39

58:06 In the same way, The mind had been working, you know, with its speed. So straight away if you ask the mind to take up a subtle object, like breath for an instance, it won't, you know, stay on the rail. It'll kind of derail eventually because it had been moving very, very fast. So what basically... speed Report an error in the passage at 58:06

58:39 It's again about how to manage that excess energy. If you can dump that energy, so to speak, and slow down your mind, so that's actually one of these principles actually we need to pay attention to. Report an error in the passage at 58:39

59:01 Because of that, if you had a busy day, we sometimes don't... Go to like a sitting meditation straight away. But we start with a little bit of a walking meditation first. Because, you know, you are working. Now you, if you ask the mind to settle to a very simple object, which doesn't do, you know, which doesn't have that much to do, you know, from working to no work at all, you know, it has this huge contrast. Report an error in the passage at 59:01

59:42 And the mind wouldn't settle to it. Mind doesn't like it because, you know, you're coming from this happening sort of a situation to like, you know, next to none, next to nothing, like happening kind of a thing. So what you do, you find a meditation, deliberately you are doing a meditation with some, you know, with some work to do. Report an error in the passage at 59:42

1:00:07 Like walking meditation, you have work to do. So as monks also, we know actually, Walking meditation is the foremost of the methods to dump your energy, that excess energy, to calm the mind. Sometimes it might be even sweeping first. If I'm sort of walking in the, you know, some walking path in the outside, I may pick up a broom first and sweep around, you know, the leaves and stuff first. Report an error in the passage at 1:00:07

1:00:40 Because sweeping... also a simpler form of work it's not kind of you don't have to sort of think about too much but still it gives a little bit of work because you know your mind loves working so uh so you start with the sweeping first and then after two or three minutes okay the sweeping is done maybe you know as much as you like and then you know keep the broom aside and then you start to walk again like casually you know nothing kind of a Very serious, strenuous sort of meditation or anything. Just casually walk up and down, being aware of your walking. Report an error in the passage at 1:00:40

1:01:24 And eventually, there are instructions how to do the walking meditation. Then you can maybe switch to that sort of more serious form of walking meditation eventually. So bit by bit, you see you're slowing down. Pull one lever at a time to slow down. And the more we are skillful around this energy management, so to speak, it'll be more practical. Report an error in the passage at 1:01:24

1:02:00 It'll be, how to put it, you might get good results rather than sitting with a lot of energy. But, you know, the mind wouldn't settle anyway. It happens. I mean, even as monks, you know, we work sometimes, you know, then before we go to a retreat situation, that's what definitely, you know, we do. We sort of bring down that energy first. Oh, and I just did walking meditation because it's 7 a.m. Report an error in the passage at 1:02:00

1:02:36 here. Okay. But, you know, I wake up and I'm like, okay, what am I going to do? And my mind starts going, so. And I always feel like I'm cheating with walking meditation, like the serious meditation is the sitting, but I like walking meditation. Good for you. So sometimes like teachers like Ajahn Chah sometimes says like, oh yeah, if the mind is bothering you, walk one hour or two hours or three hours or even four hours, like something like that. Report an error in the passage at 1:02:36

1:03:05 So sometimes just to kind of get the mind sort of slowed down sometimes. It takes up even that. And it is not unusual to do such long stretches of walking meditation as well. I'm not asking you to do it like that, but it might kind of help. Oh, great. Thank you. This is great. My Report an error in the passage at 1:03:05

1:03:44 question is about saddhi in the definition relating to remembering. So with that, How do we then when we're trying to focus or practice and understand or realize anattā and sort of this idea of not this fixed self but then when you sort of collect all these memories it really I feel like for me at least it feels more of this story of myself and I have these preferences and I did this and this person did that to me so then I find it more hard to just be in the present and then maybe see somebody and just see them again you because I bring with me all Right, Report an error in the passage at 1:03:44

1:04:34 that's a good question. So when I said memories, it's not ordinary memories. You know, it's a context, you know, it is within this context of practicing of sati or your spiritual development. It's not like our ordinary... memories so how do we balance those two sort of concepts right Report an error in the passage at 1:04:34

1:04:52 sort of memories per se, but you know it comes with that too. Let's say... Now, you know, when you are meditating, bringing that... Venerable Damita das remembers you know if the meditation goes well fine you know you can stay with it without trouble but then you know in the next sitting sometimes the mind is not that calm mind wants to you know think of something else you know things like that then you need to memorize or you need to you know remind the mind remind ourselves that Now it's the time to meditate. I can think these things later on. You know, look, mind, you know, we want to meditate, right? Report an error in the passage at 1:04:52

1:06:04 So that's why I came to this retreat or this session. I want to do it. So that is what I'm going to do. That's what I'm going to do. So you remind these things, you know, these instructions. It's not like... Like very, really ordinary, something not related to your practice, that kind of a memorization. That actually doesn't help. Report an error in the passage at 1:06:04

1:06:30 It'll kind of distract you. Let's say in a more kind of a daily, you know, like a day-to-day situation, outside the formal practice, you start, you know, you're talking to someone. Report an error in the passage at 1:06:30

1:06:50 Someone you know very well, but a certain topic might come up and then, you know, actually if this thing come up, actually how did, you know, it ended up last time or something. You know, that memory will remind you to be careful not to trigger, trigger ourselves or trigger someone else or something like that. Report an error in the passage at 1:06:50

1:07:17 Simple things like that. So basically memory is that, like, you know, like after we do a project or something, you know, what they say, okay, we try to summarize what are the lessons learned from that project. So we don't need to repeat the same mistakes again and again. So it is something like that. It's not just, you know, something, you know, so-and-so said this to me or things like that. Report an error in the passage at 1:07:17

1:07:49 Otherwise, as you said, that sort of thing actually will, it won't kind of be helpful for you, yeah. So I think, so that I needed to clarify that part. I think after I, you know, I think I answered your question. What do you think? Have I answered your question? Yes, Venerable. For me, I sort of realized, because as you were saying, Ajahn Brahm says that like, Remembering the instructions. So I realized for me ultimately the sati is more like remembering and linking back to the dharma. Report an error in the passage at 1:07:49

1:08:27 That's the truth in the Buddhist teachings. Yes. That's how you can isolate what is relevant versus what's not. Yes, exactly. Now, there's this one sutta. When Venerable Sāriputta was asked, you know, there are like series of questions. questions. Report an error in the passage at 1:08:27

1:08:50 It comes to this topic of the sensory strain. And Venerable Sāriputta was asked, what is the cause for the sensory strain? And Venerable Sāriputta says, it is the mindfulness. And then he is asked again, what is the cause for the mindfulness? And the answer is the yoniso manasikara, which is, what's the technical term for it? Report an error in the passage at 1:08:50

1:09:17 I mean, the translation of it. Report an error in the passage at 1:09:17

1:09:23 You think in line with the Dhamma, if I translate it like that. You try... Wise attention, exactly. That's what I was looking for. Basically, means you try to bring, you know, you try to think in line with the Dhamma. Like, you know, you wisely attend to these things. So, wise attention... This sort of contemplation actually leads to sati. Report an error in the passage at 1:09:23

1:09:57 So when I mention about this memorization, like bringing out this sort of something related to dharma, in line with the dharma or the instructions, so it can be something we learn from a sutta or from a teacher or something. you know some experience we had early on actually how it went last time you know things like that or you know something we have already contemplated you know these things are the memories actually come into that process actually you know once it is injected we are empowered with this with dharma so we can you know relate to it more very very sort of a helpful way i think the idea is clear right so Report an error in the passage at 1:09:57

1:10:52 Any more questions? Report an error in the passage at 1:10:52

1:11:17 I'm sorry? No questions? Report an error in the passage at 1:11:17

1:11:28 Okay, so maybe... questions we could ask? Anybody got a question? Report an error in the passage at 1:11:28

1:11:30 Right, I need to unmute. It's not a question, it's just an observation of mine, I think. So what we're doing is when we come to sit, to do our sitting, we bring our experience If I can call it wisdom with us. Yes. It's just the thoughts that come in when people say, oh, this happened, what am I going to do about it? Report an error in the passage at 1:11:30

1:11:56 That's going to happen. So that's the past, that's the future. So your wisdom will tell you, now is not the time for the past or the future. As long as you acknowledge that and you realise that's the past, that's the future, I find it's easier to put them down. Yes. But sometimes I do go into, I mean... Report an error in the passage at 1:11:56

1:12:16 into dreamland, and then you suddenly realize, all right, I can come back to it. That's true. Yes. Yeah. Well said. In Saipha's tradition, satisampejanya, instead of calling it satisampejanya, you hear these two terms like satipanya. You bring this awareness plus the wisdom to it. So it's kind of a more kind of very simplified version of this idea. It's not just the awareness, but the wisdom has to be at the background. So it is a nice way to put it. Report an error in the passage at 1:12:16

1:12:58 Ajahn Chah would call it like Satipanya. Satipanya you see in his teachings sometimes. Report an error in the passage at 1:12:58

1:13:19 Yes? I feel I'm just being a bit of a devil's advocate here. All right. But it's essay. The whole notion of the practice of meditation and how we go about it, there is this thing of us trying to control the mind, which is so contrary to the fact that there is no mind that's mine that can be controlled. Report an error in the passage at 1:13:19

1:13:48 There is just these processes going on and we are kind of, obviously we are trying to introduce some training to slow the whole process down. But when we approach it, it's as if we are creating the, enhancing the sense of self that can have some control, some agency. Report an error in the passage at 1:13:48

1:14:10 Yeah, this feels a bit contradictory sometimes. Yes, that's true. Now, the term viriya needs to be understood correctly. Report an error in the passage at 1:14:10

1:14:31 If you try to sort of... Control the mind, you know, try to stop thoughts. I mean, I don't know whether it is possible at all, but, you know, we use this, we have this energy of trying to change something, but as you said, you know, it will increase the sense of self and sometimes actually it doesn't even help in certain situations. Report an error in the passage at 1:14:31

1:14:58 But there are causes and conditions actually we can set forth. The foremost is that a word of another, right? You know, and according to the suttas, you start, you know, you listen to some dharma and then you start to feel like, oh, that is cool. You know, that is something, you know, very sensible thing. And then you start, you know, your mind start to lean towards that. So then, you know, Lord Buddha talks about the kusala and the akusala. Report an error in the passage at 1:14:58

1:15:34 it. And... You know, if the mind goes to the akusala territory, knowing that, you know, it is akusala and doing something about it, it's also a part of the practice. You know, if you see that in the suttas. But thinking that you are owning all these things, you are actually basically the agent of this process, maybe not the... Report an error in the passage at 1:15:34

1:16:07 The correct way to sort of relate to all this process. The anattā is at the background always. But there is this sense of, you know, you are doing a certain, you know, you are taking an action. There is this sense of virya there. Now, when it came to this idea of kamma, you know, back in the days, Report an error in the passage at 1:16:07

1:16:38 Even before Lord Buddha, there were teachers actually who preached kamma. And when he was asked about what his take on the kamma, he said, I am aham kamma-vadi. I preach kamma. I believe in kamma. But also, I am kiri-vadi, aham viri-vadi, he says. Because mostly, the teachers back in the days, They preach karma, and that means, you know, there are so many karma you have done, you know, these things are going to unfold. You are not in control in these things, you know, when you sort of think about that karma things, the vipaka and stuff. Report an error in the passage at 1:16:38

1:17:29 So there's nothing much you can do. You know, there's such a sense amongst the people who believed in the karma. But Lord Buddha says, Yes, you know, I believe in karma, but I believe in action as well. So because of doing good things, you know, like you start with dhana, you know, you keep sīla, and you practice meditation. Report an error in the passage at 1:17:29

1:18:01 Like Ajahn Brahm would put, you know, you take yourself onto the cushion, and then, you know, you can remind yourself actually what you're going to do, you know, you're going to meditate and stuff. And then you try to sort of let go and, you know, just observe the process, actually, where it takes you to, rather than trying to control it. Report an error in the passage at 1:18:01

1:18:29 So doing that, you know, being in that positive side of the Kosala is something we need to be done. You know, it is something we should do. You know, it is preached. It is in the suttas. It's not like totally inaction kind of a thing. Then the totally inaction thing, basically, it's also a slippery slope. And, you know, it's as if like we are getting ahead of ourselves kind of a situation. Report an error in the passage at 1:18:29

1:18:56 It's like, yeah, you know, there's the anattā at the background, but right now it's a theoretical knowledge for us. We are, you know, we are not really convinced about the anattā yet. If we are convinced, that means we have a magapala. If you don't have a magapala, that means that, okay, you know, we have this sense of self, but we, okay, we at least have an idea. Report an error in the passage at 1:18:56

1:19:23 Look, that is not the way forward. It's kind of asking for trouble. So until that, you know, we operate in that sort of a realm of conventions. Report an error in the passage at 1:19:23

1:19:39 And after that, you know, these things actually will culminate and take you away from that conventional world. Until that point, we need to be, you know, in that conventional reality and all these teachings actually Lord Buddha talks about. So that's how I would put, you know, how I try to sort of negotiate with this action and, you know, the anattā, you know, the balance of it. Report an error in the passage at 1:19:39

1:20:09 That's why he talks about giving dana and keeping the seal and all these things. It's kind of gradually... Because on the other hand, understanding these principles, you need to have that samādhi, that calmness in your mind. So in order to be calm and all these things, the mind needs to be purified. It is not something we like. Report an error in the passage at 1:20:09

1:20:37 Something we can do, like, okay, I'm going to purify like that, right? So we take up these classic practices, like, you know, giving dana and helping people out and all these things we do. Actually that, after a while you start to see actually it is working and it actually wears away certain stuff from your mind. Report an error in the passage at 1:20:37

1:21:01 And bit by bit you are... It is easy for you to do, sit with your meditation object and things like that. Eventually the hindrances are gone, then you see the things as they are. So this is a process. Report an error in the passage at 1:21:01

1:21:25 You are conditioned by your teachers and the Lord Buddha. And there is this very aspect to it. But eventually, as you said, it's a process, you know. So it's both doing and non-doing kind of a thing. I think this non-doing, doing thing actually is spoken in Zen Buddhism as well, which is in great detail. But, you know, yeah, so it has to be balanced, you know. Report an error in the passage at 1:21:25

1:21:58 It's, yeah, it's a, yeah, it's a dharma talk itself, I guess. so. I don't know if you could say anything in a few minutes about how to teach meditation. How did he guide, did he use guiding in meditation? How did he teach? So his meditation predominantly, what he did is Ānāpānasati. So when you take a kamatana from him, instructions from him. Report an error in the passage at 1:21:58

1:22:41 First he'd ask you to do a little bit of buddhanasati or mettā or asubha, something like that, as a preliminary sort of meditation. Like this chaturarakha in traditionally you hear. And then if you are sort of comfortable enough with that meditation, then you are given the Ānāpānasati. Report an error in the passage at 1:22:41

1:23:07 And then eventually... He talks about the vipassanā. Vipassanā in the sense that it's more like what you see in the Visuddhimagga and this Mahasi vipassanā meditation, sort of a dynamic actually. The way he meditated according to those lineages. lineages and Report an error in the passage at 1:23:07

1:23:41 So he himself practiced asubha, a little bit of a skull nimitta, you know, as one special sort of a meditation object called the skull, as a nimitta. And then eventually this, the vipassanā instructions, you know, you see given in this Mahasi, and we see the Magga in the classical sense. Which is, of course, not Ajahn Brahm's perspective in Vipassanā. So that's basically what he does, what he did. Report an error in the passage at 1:23:41

1:24:18 I had a chance to meet him. I wasn't in Sri Lanka at the time. Report an error in the passage at 1:24:18

1:24:35 Any more questions? Time to conclude? Any more questions? Maybe you could conclude with a short last thing. Thank you. All right. So, yeah. Thank you for being here today. So it's nice actually, you know, practitioners come together and practice like this. I'm glad that, you know, this Armadale group is still sort of going on with the international crowd as well and no longer like the local Armadale group. Report an error in the passage at 1:24:35

1:25:06 So thank you very much for joining from overseas and, you know, it's always nice to see a group of practitioners actually coming together and listening to dharma and meditation. Report an error in the passage at 1:25:06

1:25:18 So I wish you all the best with your practice. That is the most sensible thing we can do, as we understand. So I wish you all the best with your practice and may you realize nibbāna soon. Sadhu, sadhu, sadhu. I'll give you a blessing. Report an error in the passage at 1:25:18

1:25:38 SABHI TIO VIVAJJANTU SABHA ROGO VINASVATU MATE BHAVATVA ANTARAYO SUKHIDI GHAYUKO BHAVA BHAUTU SABHA MANGALANG RAKHANTU SABHA DEVATA SABHA BUDDHANU BHAVENA SABHA DHAMMANU BHAVENA SABHA SANGHANU BHAVENA SADASATTI BHAVANTU TE ABHIVADANA SILISA NICCHANG UDDHA PACHAYINO CHATTARO DHAMMA VARDHANTI AYUVANO Report an error in the passage at 1:25:38

1:26:15 May you be happy and well. May you be peaceful and, you know, realize nibbāna in this very life. Sadhu, sadhu, sadhu. All right. Report an error in the passage at 1:26:15

1:26:34 Sadhu. Thank you. Good night, all. Good night. Good night. All right. Report an error in the passage at 1:26:34

1:26:43 Thank you. Report an error in the passage at 1:26:43