Wise Attention Empowering Our Spiritual Path (Yonisomanasikara)

0:00 So we are continuing on the same topic but this is a very important topic this vice attention which is why I am dedicating quite a bit of time and I want to spend a bit of time explaining why it is important and how it is done or developed. Report an error in the passage at 0:00 Highlight the passage at 0:00

0:23 I want to start start by saying SABBA PAPASA AKARANA KUSALASA UPASAMPADA SACHITTA PARIO DAPANA ETANG BUDDHA NASASANA So this is the teaching of all the Buddhas. So there was not only just this one Buddha. There were many Buddhas before that. And all of the Buddhas, their teachings And what is this? means refrain from doing anything that is bad or unwholesome. Report an error in the passage at 0:23 Highlight the passage at 0:23

1:00 So do what is good or what is wholesome. And is really purify your mind or cultivate your mind. And this is the teaching of all the Buddhas. Report an error in the passage at 1:00 Highlight the passage at 1:00

1:18 So how do we do this? How do we refrain from doing unwholesome things? How do we do the wholesome things? And how do we cultivate the mind? So the method, the way, the way of application of the mind in doing these things, that is by wise attention. So that is why it is so important. Report an error in the passage at 1:18 Highlight the passage at 1:18

1:46 Now, I may have mentioned in the last talk as well, but here again, I would like to mention anybody who is intent on awakening, even the first stage of enlightenment, which is called stream winning or Sotapatti. The Buddha described in many, many suttas. It's around everywhere. Maybe I have a reference here. Maybe it is in, for example, in the Sanyuttanikaya. Report an error in the passage at 1:46 Highlight the passage at 1:46

2:19 Chapter 55, Sutta number 5. It says, this is said, a factor for stream entry, a factor for stream entry. What now Sāriputta is a factor for stream entry. So it's actually not factor, factors. So association with superior persons, that is Sampurisa Sansevana. Report an error in the passage at 2:19 Highlight the passage at 2:19

2:46 Venerable sir is a factor for stream entry. Hearing the true dhamma is a factor for stream entry. That is saddhamma savanam. Careful attention is a factor for stream entry. And that is that wise attention. Practicing in accordance with the dhamma is a factor for stream entry. And that is dhammanu dhamma patipat. Report an error in the passage at 2:46 Highlight the passage at 2:46

3:01 or you'll need someone to seek out. Report an error in the passage at 3:01 Highlight the passage at 3:01

3:12 So this is just straight from the sutta and there are many other suttas indicating that this wise attention is a very critical important way of how you develop or cultivate the path, cultivate your mind, the entire path, all of the spiritual faculties. All of the 37 enlightenment factors, the 37 bodhipakya dhammas, all of them are cultivated through wise attention. Report an error in the passage at 3:12 Highlight the passage at 3:12

3:42 So that is why it is so important. That is why it is there. So the purpose of association of the wise people, as we discussed last time, also we discussed the sutta, starting from the wise person, ending to the eradication of delusion, is the... Association of the wise person, sapuri self. And then listening to the teachings. Then those are the two external things. Report an error in the passage at 3:42 Highlight the passage at 3:42

4:09 So once you have a good friend, a good teacher, and you have the teachings available, then the internal things, how do you use them is through wise attention and applying yourself. That is keeping your sīla and all of those things. So therefore understanding how do you do Yoniso Manasikara is very important. Before I go into explaining that, I also want to read out another few very simple small suttas. Report an error in the passage at 4:09 Highlight the passage at 4:09

4:39 And this one is from Anguttara Nikaya, Book 1, Sutta No. 311. Here the Buddha says, Because I do not see even a single thing on account of which an arisen right view arises. arises and and a recent right view increases so much as wise attention for one of vice attention and a recent right view arise And in so many of our previous dharma talks, we have mentioned how important it is to have right view, how right view can bring so much peace. Report an error in the passage at 4:39 Highlight the passage at 4:39

5:22 So much ease, so much joy, happiness and how right view guide us on the spiritual path. And it is in fact the first factor of the Noble Eightfold Path. It is the starting point, right view. So therefore, even for doing the right view, your Niso Manasikara, wise attention is what gives rise to it. Report an error in the passage at 5:22 Highlight the passage at 5:22

5:46 It's not only for that, but for all of the factors it is said in elsewhere in the suttas, all of the noble eightfold path is to be cultivated through vice attention. And this is another one. This is from Anguttara Nikayavan, sutta number 67. And here the Buddha says, because I do not see even a single thing that so causes unarisen wholesome qualities to arise and arisen unwholesome qualities to decline. Report an error in the passage at 5:46 Highlight the passage at 5:46

6:14 decline as wise attention for one who attends wisely and a reason wholesome qualities arise and a reason wholesome qualities Now think for a moment. Isn't that what we want? Isn't that nice? We want our wholesome qualities, wholesome mind states to increase. Yeah, and we want our unwholesome qualities and unwholesome mind states to decline, right? So this is excellent. Report an error in the passage at 6:14 Highlight the passage at 6:14

6:47 So this is also why it is so very important. And I'll read one more thing just to highlight the importance, right? And this one is from Anguttara Nikaya, Book 1, Sutta No. 75. Because I do not see even a single thing that so causes an arisen factors of enlightenment to arise and arisen factors of enlightenment to reach fulfillment by development as wise attention. Report an error in the passage at 6:47 Highlight the passage at 6:47

7:18 For one who attends wisely, an arisen factor of enlightenment arise and arisen factors of enlightenment reach fulfillment by development. So there, even the seven bhajangas, the seven factors of enlightenment are developed through attending wisely. So this is just only tiny bit just to highlight how important this wise attention is, yoniso manasikara. Report an error in the passage at 7:18 Highlight the passage at 7:18

7:53 So the other interesting thing is to understand the word yoniso. I mentioned a little bit about this. Last time and I will mention again what that means so the word the Pāli word yoni means the womb. Womb is where things begin right it is a source of things the beginning point where things all come out from the the causes and conditions if you look into the origin of things. Report an error in the passage at 7:53 Highlight the passage at 7:53

8:27 However, when it is mentioned as Yoniso, it is not just only just the source, but it actually has a connotation of wisdom. So when you look into, if you want to do a research into the Sutta Pitaka for the word Yoniso and how this is used, again and again you will see that Yoniso is sort of indicating Report an error in the passage at 8:27 Highlight the passage at 8:27

8:55 An aspect of wisdom. They say yoni so in a way that you inspect or investigate with wisdom. Wisely examine something. Wisely attend to something. Wisely practicing. Wisely looking at something. So it always has this idea of wisdom. Even though Bhikkhu Bodhi translates this word as careful, but careful is also being wise, right? Wise. So, wisdom. Report an error in the passage at 8:55 Highlight the passage at 8:55

9:27 Doing in a good way. Trying to look into the truth. Really trying to find out. Because when we look at something, often, Report an error in the passage at 9:27 Highlight the passage at 9:27

9:40 our mind gets in the way right in the our knowledge for example not the mind but our knowledge gets in the way of things right when you look at something like let's see this is just when you look at this straight away you look at it as saying it's a beanie yeah and then all what you see is just a beanie But if you really keep looking, you would see it's much more than just a beanie. There's many things there. The elements even. Report an error in the passage at 9:40 Highlight the passage at 9:40

10:13 Without words what it is. So being able to just understand what it really is. So just to have an idea, there's another beautiful sutta describing this. So this is now from Sangita Nikaya, chapter 22, sutta number 95. The Buddha says, Because suppose that this river Ganges was carrying along a great lump of foam. Report an error in the passage at 10:13 Highlight the passage at 10:13

10:45 A man with good eyesight would inspect it, ponder it, and wisely investigate it. That's the Yoniso coming up there. Wisely investigate it. And it would appear to him to be void, hollow, insubstantial. For what substance could there be in a lump of form? So too because whatever kind of form there is, whether past, future or present, internal or external, gross or subtle, inferior or superior, far or near a bhikkhu inspects it ponders it and wisely investigates it and it would appear to him to be void hollow in substantial for what substance could there be in for So before it was just the form that floats on top of a body of water, but the latter was referring to all All the form, that is all objects, all things that we see with our sight. Report an error in the passage at 10:45 Highlight the passage at 10:45

12:10 So usually if we attend, not carefully, not wisely, when we see something, sometimes, you know, desire can come up because we see something that is attractive, beautiful, valuable, useful. Then we want to have it, right? Craving comes up. Report an error in the passage at 12:10 Highlight the passage at 12:10

12:33 We attend in a way that we see, we don't investigate wisely. Instead, we see something that is repulsive, an enemy, something you don't want, want to get rid of. So aversion and negativity, ill will might come up based on something that you see. Report an error in the passage at 12:33 Highlight the passage at 12:33

12:56 But the Buddha says, leave aside all of those designations. These are the perceptions, the conventions, the linguistic usage that we use, which is there for a purpose because there is a practical value for these things. That's why those things are there. But see beyond that, because that is where we, usually when we have the designations, when we're stuck with the perceptions and concepts, we are stuck. Report an error in the passage at 12:56 Highlight the passage at 12:56

13:26 And our perceptions get distorted when then we only see that that thing. But if you just put aside all of those things and really with a mind that is unified, that is very peaceful, that is very powerful and really look into it, then what you see is form is just made up of elements. And that's all there is to it. Yeah. Report an error in the passage at 13:26 Highlight the passage at 13:26

13:57 And it is just essentially nothing substantial, nothing so valuable beyond it's just the practical purpose. And still it is impermanent. Anything, even your most valuable thing can break, can disappear, can go away from you. Report an error in the passage at 13:57 Highlight the passage at 13:57

14:19 And it is not within our full control. Certain things we have a little bit of control, we feel. Like when we are driving the car, we feel like that. But you know, we don't have full control over these things. We don't know when the car is going to break down and stop running. And sometimes you can't do anything about it. Report an error in the passage at 14:19 Highlight the passage at 14:19

14:37 Even the mechanic can't fix it. Yeah. So like that, we know that these things are not belonging to me, is not within my control. So like this, we sometimes can't see it. But when we have wise attention, yeah. Wise attention, that is what we come to see about everything, about life. So then we don't get so easily carried away and fooled by the world. Report an error in the passage at 14:37 Highlight the passage at 14:37

15:04 We don't get fooled by what we see. We don't get fooled by what we hear, what we taste, what we touch, even the things that we think about. Report an error in the passage at 15:04 Highlight the passage at 15:04

15:17 Think for a moment, you know, throughout the day, how our mind gets carried away, right? We get carried away. We see a sight and we run after it if it is something we like and attractive. And we run away from it if it is something repulsive, difficult or something that you don't like. So we run towards pleasure and run away from pain. And it is all due to how we look at it, how we attend on it. Report an error in the passage at 15:17 Highlight the passage at 15:17

15:51 Based on how we attend on a thing, we are constantly running towards or away. Attraction, repulsion, and all kinds of mind states coming up. Fear comes up. Anger comes up, sadness come up, joy come up, love come up, desire come up, equanimity come up, compassion come up, all sorts of things. The way we look at things, the sights, sounds, touches, tastes, even mind, objects, ideas, we get carried away like a slave. Report an error in the passage at 15:51 Highlight the passage at 15:51

16:32 We are being carried away. If we do not attend wisely, if we attend unwisely, which is called ayoniso manasikara, all of these things take us in the direction of saṃsāra. Because we get fooled. We see something substantial in something that is inherently not substantial. We see something very solid in something essentially Report an error in the passage at 16:32 Highlight the passage at 16:32

17:05 Void. Void. An essence. Void of a sense of self. Void of an essence. Real essence. This is the thing. These things are quite deep in meaning and can easily be misunderstood. But it is important to understand what is meant by void. What is meant by empty. Empty of a permanent controlling. essence that is what it is yeah even our body what we take to ask me or somebody else this can be quite confronting and difficult if we are new to this idea so that's all right if it is difficult and because it is quite profound you can live to one side but this is where we are getting to because if we fully understood then we are fully enlightened so that is all right this is quite a profound point but the way we get to is by really attending wisely and how do you attend wisely is by with a mind that is unified in a mind that is one pointed and a mind that is free from the hindrances and that is when the clear seeing can happen so Report an error in the passage at 17:05 Highlight the passage at 17:05

18:30 learning this is really important yeah this is when it comes to meditation Because last time also we spoke about vice attention and also sati sampajanya, that is mindfulness and clear comprehension in breath meditation. Report an error in the passage at 18:30 Highlight the passage at 18:30

18:48 But right now I'm just talking about just in like a practice of vipassanā in the sense that trying to see things for what they are. Report an error in the passage at 18:48 Highlight the passage at 18:48

18:59 But this is essentially done after the mind has come out of deep meditation. Vipassanā means V means clear. Passana means seeing. So clear seeing happens when the mind is very profound. So after deep meditation. Then it is through Yoniso Manasikara that the insight come up. Even the insight that comes up at the time of full enlightenment also happens as a result of Seeing that this body and mind and feelings and perceptions, this is called as five aggregates of Panchupada and Akhanda in Pāli. Report an error in the passage at 18:59 Highlight the passage at 18:59

19:48 Seeing that all of those five things that consist of a being are essentially empty of any permanent essence, a sense of self that is lasting, an agency inside of us. It is empty of these things. It is just a conditioned process. We see it in a very profound way as an experience of the mind because we can understand it a little bit intellectually as we read these things, hear about them and reflect on them. Report an error in the passage at 19:48 Highlight the passage at 19:48

20:25 But we are still here. Our attachments are still here. Our cravings are still here as yet unenlightened. It's a very profound thing, but it happens when the hindrances go down, when the defilements are down, and as the process of attending wisely, the realization comes. So this is how even the wise attention takes us all the way into enlightenment. This is just like a little overview, little bit of understanding how powerful this is. Report an error in the passage at 20:25 Highlight the passage at 20:25

20:59 This is the tool. This is the way that we Apply our mind, way of using. But we are quite good experts in this way, but in the way of Ayoniso Manasikara, we know very well how to do it. So I have to explain that also to see. Ayoniso Manasikara, the only difference is, it is still the way of attending, but the way of attending is based on greed, hatred and delusion. Report an error in the passage at 20:59 Highlight the passage at 20:59

21:29 The root defilements. And this is what keeps you in saṃsāra. So how do you attend unwisely? It is when you see something. You try to look for the signs of beauty. Or you see some food and you say, oh, I like it. It looks yummy. I want to have it. Then cravings come up. And even if you are a diabetic and not supposed to have that thing, you want to have it. Report an error in the passage at 21:29 Highlight the passage at 21:29

22:01 Strong desire starts to come. So we know how to attend into things. That's how you think about things and how you direct your mind. But how you do, if it is skillful or unskillful. Unskillful gives rise to defilements. Greed comes up. Hatred comes up. And ignorance prevails. Report an error in the passage at 22:01 Highlight the passage at 22:01

22:28 And this is also like the extreme forms of Ioniso Manasikara, unwise attention, is what breaks into what we call as proliferation, papancha. How we have one or two bits of information and we fill in the gaps and make up a big story. And we have a big story about what has happened. Think for a moment, if your loved one, I was getting delayed to come home in the evening. Maybe they usually come home every day around about 5 or 5.30. Report an error in the passage at 22:28 Highlight the passage at 22:28

23:06 Now it's about 6.30, they haven't come home. And imagine, you know, then you start to wonder little bits and pieces. Did they get sick? Did they meet with an accident? Did they get lost? Or, you know, did they go somewhere without telling me? All kinds of things, isn't it? And no substantial information, but we will start attending, creating stories. Report an error in the passage at 23:06 Highlight the passage at 23:06

23:40 And that is an extreme of Ioniso Manasikar, unwise attention. And you know the result of these things, right? The result of these things is you can have anxiety come up, worry come up. Sadness come up or even strong desire, anger, any of these things can come up if you attend in an unwise way. Report an error in the passage at 23:40 Highlight the passage at 23:40

24:05 So important to catch ourselves throughout the day. Mostly what we attend, how we attend is in an unwise way. And that is when we end up with all sorts of negative emotions. But anytime you catch yourself becoming peaceful, Report an error in the passage at 24:05 Highlight the passage at 24:05

24:29 Compassion coming up in your heart. Affection that is like the mettā coming up in your heart. Your mind is equanimous. You are able to deal with things with wisdom in the right way. Then the way you are attending is wise. This also happens sometimes. So now a really good example about this to remember and this is like the practical things. Report an error in the passage at 24:29 Highlight the passage at 24:29

24:58 Day to day life. How wise attention and unwise attention can be used for our advantage. Not the unwise attention, the wise attention to be used to our advantage and how unwise attention can be avoided. Report an error in the passage at 24:58 Highlight the passage at 24:58

25:20 So this is the usual example that I always use and this is when you are faced with a difficult person. Somebody who says or does something that is not quite right. Something that is hurtful or harmful to yourself or to others or to many people. They're doing the wrong thing. When something like this is happening, how we attend is, how dare they do this? They shouldn't be doing this. Report an error in the passage at 25:20 Highlight the passage at 25:20

25:53 This is not right. This is unacceptable. This is hurtful. This is problematic. So when we think about it and when we attend on that person, direct our mind in this way, irritation, agitation, or even anger can come up. And if you continue on and on and on with that, you might even go and punch, give them a punch, right? Or do something about it. Report an error in the passage at 25:53 Highlight the passage at 25:53

26:23 And by action also, you might do something that is unskillful. Report an error in the passage at 26:23 Highlight the passage at 26:23

26:30 However, there is also a choice. Yeah, there is a choice. So next time you can also think, yes, what they're doing is not right. But why are they doing it? Another way to look at the situation, right? Another way to look at it. Why are they doing this? Looking for the causes, looking for the reasons, trying to understand what is going on. Report an error in the passage at 26:30 Highlight the passage at 26:30

27:01 How to understand this situation in a way that is skillful because anger or ill will or negativity doesn't get anything helpful done, right? Recognition of what they're doing as unskillful is helpful but your anger or irritation or agitation isn't helpful because with an angry, agitated, irritated mind, if you try to say something or do something, it's always always unskillful you never really achieve something that is really And if you allow a bit more wisdom to come up, you might be able to deal with the situation in a way that is actually useful. Report an error in the passage at 27:01 Highlight the passage at 27:01

27:47 So that is why it is important to avoid having these negative mind states based on an external stimuli or situation or a person. Report an error in the passage at 27:47 Highlight the passage at 27:47

27:58 So when you attend wisely, that is trying to understand. For example, as you try to look into the matter, you might understand, oh, they have got wrong information. That's why they behave like that. Or they have a different worldview to you. So that's why they're behaving like that. Or they are actually a bit crazy. Report an error in the passage at 27:58 Highlight the passage at 27:58

28:19 They're actually mentally not well. Or they may be suffering. They may be having some problems. Sometimes you don't know exact reason and we can't find out exact reasons and it's not right for us to try and try to figure everything out why somebody's doing what they're doing. We'll never know all the causes and conditions. But when we look at this for causes and conditions, we open our heart to understanding the person or the situation, why this is happening, why they're behaving. Report an error in the passage at 28:19 Highlight the passage at 28:19

28:52 And then also you look into the matter. It doesn't matter what it is, but if their behavior is unskillful, then we know with right view that intentional actions have consequences. Intentional actions by body, speech, and mind have consequences. This is karma and vipaka. So if whatever they're doing is unskillful, harmful and hurtful for other people and to themselves then there will be consequences that they have to reap yet they don't know these things yeah they're conditioned by something and that is why they are behaving in this way that is unskillful Report an error in the passage at 28:52 Highlight the passage at 28:52

29:41 So then compassion can start to come up in the heart. Instead of saying, yes, they deserve to be punished, they deserve to, you know, reap the bad karmic consequences, we go to the next step and actually build up compassion. Yeah? It is not fair. Saṃsāra is not fair. Yeah? Because of our conditioning. Report an error in the passage at 29:41 Highlight the passage at 29:41

30:04 Due to lack of mindfulness, due to lack of understanding of right view and all these teachings, people do all kinds of unskillful things in the world. But they can't say excuse saying, I didn't know. Yeah, I didn't know. They have to reap karmic consequences. So when we see this, This is where big compassion comes up. This is also, you know, the Buddha's compassion. Buddha is known as Mahakarunika, right? Report an error in the passage at 30:04 Highlight the passage at 30:04

30:36 Huge compassion. When the Buddha saw the world, the people in the world. Blind as they are with all these defilements, running around, roaming in saṃsāra, conditioned by all sorts of things, doing intentional actions that are unskillful by body and speech and mind, and reaping difficult consequences. Report an error in the passage at 30:36 Highlight the passage at 30:36

31:00 Imagine the compassion that propped up in the Buddha's mind. So this is how. And we too... Have this option when there is a difficult situation, a difficult person to look at the problem in a different angle. So this is wise attention. You attend wisely to understand. There are different ways, different ways of attending wisely. Report an error in the passage at 31:00 Highlight the passage at 31:00

31:26 And I'm not going to be able to cover everything, but this is your whole spiritual journey. This is what we are trying to learn and understand day by day by reading, listening and practicing this dharma path, refining, yeah, vice attention, how to attend wisely to the various aspects of our life, starting from our difficult person or difficult situation all the way. Report an error in the passage at 31:26 Highlight the passage at 31:26

31:55 We are constantly looking into our mind and guiding our mind to attend wisely instead of unwisely. And we can only learn also from the results. Sometimes we don't know exactly what's going to happen. You do your very best and you see the outcome. So you attend in one way, you think about in one way at a certain situation or a certain scenario. Report an error in the passage at 31:55 Highlight the passage at 31:55

32:25 And then you see what kind of emotion, what kind of mind states comes up. If it is wholesome, as a result of that, wholesome mind states are increasing, unwholesome mind states are decreasing, then you can be sure that this is wise attention. I have been attending in a wise, skillful way. Report an error in the passage at 32:25 Highlight the passage at 32:25

32:49 But as a result of the way you attended, unskillful, unwholesome mind states increased and wholesome mind states start to decrease, then you can see, okay, this is the wrong way to look at it. This is the wrong way to attend. So this is Ayya Oniso Manasikara. So this is how slowly, slowly you understand how do you do it, how do you know which way is the wise one. Report an error in the passage at 32:49 Highlight the passage at 32:49

33:18 Which way is the unwise way? Because some things are very obvious and clear cut, black and white. But there are many gray areas in our life, gray ways of attending. So we have to push more towards the white. If white is the wholesome, more towards the lighter shades of gray and refining it as we go. Report an error in the passage at 33:18 Highlight the passage at 33:18

33:41 So this is a lifetime of practice and up until all the way to enlightenment, this is what essentially we are doing, how we are dealing with our mind, how we are using our mind essentially. This is what it is. So there are two aspects, two aspects to this Yoniso Manasikara. So Manasikara means attention. Report an error in the passage at 33:41 Highlight the passage at 33:41

34:09 So in the Mulaka Sutta, I can't remember the reference here, the Buddha says, What does that mean? All of the dharma qualities, all of the mind states, all of these things are kept up by attention, manasikara. Report an error in the passage at 34:09 Highlight the passage at 34:09

34:35 So again, going back to our physical person, you know that The moment you keep attending onto that situation in a way that that is wrong, that should not be done, and this way of thinking, the more you continue, the more that anger, irritation is kept up, right? Report an error in the passage at 34:35 Highlight the passage at 34:35

35:02 And if that way of thinking gets broken and you start to think in a different way or something different, the anger ends instantly. And you have done this before, right? You may have come back home from a difficult day, furious, fuming, quite upset. Report an error in the passage at 35:02 Highlight the passage at 35:02

35:24 And then maybe you got a phone call from somebody who you love, somebody who you care. And they said something nice, something beautiful. And suddenly you're now in a different state of mind, attending differently. Oh, how wonderful, how nice, how beautiful. What happened to your anger? Instantly, the anger has ended. Instead, you have love, affection, happiness, beautiful states of mind. Report an error in the passage at 35:24 Highlight the passage at 35:24

35:55 Just by changing. So whatever mind state is kept up by the way that you attend. By the way that you think about things. So this gives one aspect of manasikara. The other aspect of manasikara is how you direct your mind. So again the practical way I make this obvious to people is by asking the question right now what can you smell? Report an error in the passage at 35:55 Highlight the passage at 35:55

36:30 The moment I ask this question You'd have noticed suddenly your mind directed its attention to the nose, right? And try to see whether can I smell something. Report an error in the passage at 36:30 Highlight the passage at 36:30

36:46 And maybe you smelled whatever is in the room. But prior to that, you had a nose that is functional. All those odors and smells were there. But because you didn't give direct attention to the nose, you didn't experience. Your contact didn't happen. Before that, you were probably attending to the sound, just hearing the dharma talk. Or if you're also watching the zoom, just looking at the screen. Report an error in the passage at 36:46 Highlight the passage at 36:46

37:17 So both of those things go one after the other quite fast. So you feel like you're seeing and hearing at the same time, but that's because they swap between, but you didn't attend to your smell. Report an error in the passage at 37:17 Highlight the passage at 37:17

37:30 So that direction, giving attention, is that movement of the mind silently. So there, there is no thinking. That silently directing the mind, changing the attention. So both of these are meant when it is called manasikara. So wise attention, therefore, yoniso manasikara, then is a way of attending that gives rise to deeper understanding, gives rise to Awesome mind stays, gives rise to understanding the truth. So it can be done silently attending, that is during meditations and trying to observe things, the impermanence nature of things, the non-self aspect of things, the unsatisfactory nature of things. Report an error in the passage at 37:30 Highlight the passage at 37:30

38:29 This is called the Tilakana. Or the three characteristics of Anicca, Dukkha, Anattā in everything. So this you do silently by just really looking into it with a clear, powerful mind. The other aspect is actually how you think about things. How you direct your mind in that way. So both of these things are aspects of Yoni Somanasikara. Report an error in the passage at 38:29 Highlight the passage at 38:29

39:00 So especially when it is about reflections, it comes as pati sankha yo niso. So reflecting wisely. For example, for the monastics, there is this pati sankha yo niso comes up that is reflecting wisely is how we eat our food. So when we are to have our meal, before we have our meal, we have a reflection to do, a wise reflection. Report an error in the passage at 39:00 Highlight the passage at 39:00

39:28 Yeah, we eat not for fun, not for pleasure, not for beautification. Yeah, only for the maintenance and nourishment of this body, for keeping it healthy, for helping with the holy life. Yeah, so this is the reflection. So this is pati sankha yoni. So still wisely reflecting. Report an error in the passage at 39:28 Highlight the passage at 39:28

39:53 So, and when it came to that form, the piece of form that is floating, trying to understand the hollowness of it, that is wisely investigated. Yeah. So all of these things are aspects, slightly different versions of Yoniso Manasikara. Report an error in the passage at 39:53 Highlight the passage at 39:53

40:15 So I'm saying all of these things, it's still not complete, but, you know, at the end of the day, it is important for you to try it out, see in your own mind. And then you can see what is and how to do Yoniso Manasikara. So Report an error in the passage at 40:15 Highlight the passage at 40:15

40:36 let me see what else that I had here. Okay, so Yoniso Manasikara is also how somebody understands the dependent origination, paticcasamuppada, another big subject. Some of you may not be familiar with this term, but for those of you who know this, this is again looking into conditionality, the direction of your mind into what gives rise to what. Report an error in the passage at 40:36 Highlight the passage at 40:36

41:07 Like last sermon, we were talking about the ignorance sutta, right? What gives rise to ignorance? ignorance and then we Then when you wisely attend, you understand the five hindrances. Then you understand what gives rise to five hindrances. Then when you wisely attend, you understand it is the three misconducts by body, speech and mind. Report an error in the passage at 41:07 Highlight the passage at 41:07

41:32 Like that even conditionality looking into what gives rise to what. This is wise attention. So quite interesting, quite powerful and it's the fundamental thing. The way of dealing with our mind. So this is all maybe I will say for today. For now, let's see and see what questions, comments people might have today. So please unmute and ask or you can put into the chat. Report an error in the passage at 41:32 Highlight the passage at 41:32

42:13 Did it make sense about, you know, directing the mind and how where anger comes up, you can instead build up compassion? Did everybody get the point of attending? Yeah, in the same way you can use it also for sadness, yeah? When one of your loved ones have died, for example. This is when it is so difficult, right? So when we direct the mind thinking about the person saying how you can't live without them or how you wish them to be there, how difficult it is, how sad it is. Report an error in the passage at 42:13 Highlight the passage at 42:13

42:49 When you think like that, sadness and grief is kept up in your mind. But instead, if you try to direct your mind, thinking about the good qualities of that person, your loved one, or they were such a nice person, they did many good things, how lucky I was to have them in my life, I had this opportunity. Report an error in the passage at 42:49 Highlight the passage at 42:49

43:13 Yeah, if you think like that, then joy can come up instead of sadness. These things are possible. These things are very possible. So I encourage you to try this out. Don't try with the most difficult emotions and the most big ones. Then, you know, it might be hard at the beginning, but try with simple ones, like little irritations, little sadness, little anxieties, small ones. Report an error in the passage at 43:13 Highlight the passage at 43:13

43:43 See, how am I thinking about these things? How am I directing my mind? And then think, how can I change? How else can I look at it so that it is a bit more wholesome? Report an error in the passage at 43:43 Highlight the passage at 43:43

44:00 And one of the practical advices that I also want to give you is even though you know the technique, When things are happening sometimes it becomes difficult to do and I have mentioned this again and again in previous dharma talks as well and the reason is sometimes we don't have enough mental energy. Report an error in the passage at 44:00 Highlight the passage at 44:00

44:20 Our mind is not strong enough even though we know I have a choice to look at the problem or the difficult situation in another way. You are sometimes a lot more oppressed by the situation. The emotions are too strong. The mind can be too weak. So it's difficult to do the right thing. It is difficult to attend in the wholesome way, in the wise way. Because the mind is a bit... Report an error in the passage at 44:20 Highlight the passage at 44:20

44:50 a week at that time which which happens yeah this is how this happens at a time when the trigger is big or when you're busy when you already have lots to do or sick or various reasons it can be because we have not been meditating enough not enough joy states so in those occasions what we do is instead of attending into that object in that way you change the object so this is where I always mention you can go for a walk yeah instead of thinking about the problem thinking about the difficult person or the situation you go for a walk in the nature and you just change the attention into something else yeah you can either give attention to the movements of your feet Or you can watch the beautiful nature, the trees, the birds or the little insects. Or you can look at the clouds or you can feel the sunlight on your face, the wind on your body, anything. Report an error in the passage at 44:50 Highlight the passage at 44:50

45:59 So again, that is changing your attention, right? You change the object. So you have a little break, yeah? From that very oppressing situation into something else that is either neutral or very inspiring. Then when the mind has a break, it has time to become peaceful. Report an error in the passage at 45:59 Highlight the passage at 45:59

46:25 And then you can even do something that arouses much more joy. And then once you have enough energy, you can come back to the difficult situation or the difficult person and see whether you can look at the situation in a different way. So this is just practical advice. I've mentioned this many times, but this is such an important practical advice. You can never say it enough times before people get it really fully and also before people start using it. Report an error in the passage at 46:25 Highlight the passage at 46:25

46:59 So you need to hear this and I need to say this many, many, many times. So I'm sorry if you think that, oh, here she goes again. I've heard this many times, almost every other dharma talk she mentions this, but it is so important. Yeah, vice attention, how to do it in the right way and doing it, not just hearing about it, applying it in our life is so important. Report an error in the passage at 46:59 Highlight the passage at 46:59

47:26 It really empowers us. You feel empowered. You can take charge of your emotional world, good or bad. So this is really important. And then you would question if there is no self, what do you mean you can take charge? But this is the conditioning, just listening to these dharma teachings itself. It's conditioning. That is when you realize you have a choice. Your choice is conditioned by these teachings. Report an error in the passage at 47:26 Highlight the passage at 47:26

48:01 But it's good to know that you have a choice of attend wisely or attend unwisely. And you have an understanding about what is wise and unwise. So it is how we get enlightened or get stuck in saṃsāra. Anyway, so a little bit more reminder. ...of things that you already know. So there are two things. Okay. Michael Holgate is saying, Dear Ayya, is unsubstantial, empty in the lump of form Sutta related to the reduction of... Report an error in the passage at 48:01 Highlight the passage at 48:01

48:49 Enchantment in the form as well as experience being seen as empty of a self. Yeah, it's both things. It's both things. It's both in the sense the thing is the main thing is seeing that it is empty of a self that is the non-self aspect but also seeing Report an error in the passage at 48:49 Highlight the passage at 48:49

49:18 The hollowness of a lot of the things that we give so much importance to. Because we give so much value to things that are essentially just like a lump of soul, lump of form. Report an error in the passage at 49:18 Highlight the passage at 49:18

49:34 So it goes to many different levels. You can even look at the atomic level. Sometimes Ajahn Brahm says this too, even though that even at that level it is true, right? If you think about, if you remember your science classes, atoms and the subatomic particles, yeah, it goes to now also the quantum, yeah, but instead of just that, even just looking at the atom level, you know, the protons are very small and the simile is like the protons are like the size of a football, in a football field. Report an error in the passage at 49:34 Highlight the passage at 49:34

50:16 In the center of the football field, there's a football. That's all the protons that are there. That's a plus. And all the electrons that are going around in the perimeter are like little ping pong balls. Report an error in the passage at 50:16 Highlight the passage at 50:16

50:31 And the rest, imagine the big football field, the space there, it's really empty. Yeah, it's really empty. So that's why an atom of helium has two electrons. So it's air, it's very light and it's mainly very empty. But when it comes to like carbon, there's 12, but the 12 electrons are going very fast because of the fast movement, it gets some solidity, yeah? Report an error in the passage at 50:31 Highlight the passage at 50:31

51:00 And the harder the thing is, the iron or platinum or whatever, there are more electrons moving much faster and it gives that solid feeling. Report an error in the passage at 51:00 Highlight the passage at 51:00

51:12 But you know, there are some forces that keeps the movement of the electrons, which gives that solid feeling to the thing. Imagine, and one of them is gravity, and gravity is the least understood thing in physics. And imagine suddenly the gravity vanishes. So one of those factors vanishes. What will happen to all the atoms? Report an error in the passage at 51:12 Highlight the passage at 51:12

51:35 The electrons stop moving. Everything almost become like nothing, right? Empty. So in that essence also, everything is pretty much, in the physical world, the elements are also empty. But this is not the most profound aspect. It sounds profound in a scientific point of view, but the most profound aspect is though that it is empty of an agency, a sense of self, a controlling thing that lasts. Report an error in the passage at 51:35 Highlight the passage at 51:35

52:09 A sense, permanent essence, that's the most important thing. Like that we take to be myself is empty of a self. But both aspects are important, yeah? Because otherwise we give so much value to these inanimate things. So inanimate things, it's not a sense of self, right? But we still give so much value. Report an error in the passage at 52:09 Highlight the passage at 52:09

52:30 But essentially, what is it? Yeah, just a bunch of elements that we have given. You know, some things have a practical purpose. Other things, look at the, you know, ornaments, very expensive ornaments, right, that people have. Or even jewelry, yeah, gemstones. What is it? Yeah, they shine beautifully. You spend lots of money, but it's a stone, right? Report an error in the passage at 52:30 Highlight the passage at 52:30

52:57 It's a stone, a beautiful, colorful stone. But how expensive is it, isn't it? Can you see? But really, it's just because of... The value we have given the concepts and conventions. This is how we get fooled. And you can see this by advertisements, yeah? New concepts come. I don't have enough understanding to talk about all these cool things like cryptocurrency or whatever, whatever, all these things. Report an error in the passage at 52:57 Highlight the passage at 52:57

53:26 I'm sure you can see how these things are created, concepts and conventions. And once you get stuck into it, they get lots of value. And based on that, you know, so much problems. Report an error in the passage at 53:26 Highlight the passage at 53:26

53:40 And also the empty and hollow nature of experiences. So we run after so much touch, so much hearing. All of those things are also only lasting that much, that long, until the contact is there. So all of those things are how we direct our mind and realize, okay, yes, there is gratification, there is danger, but essentially it's hollow, unsubstantial, nothing. Report an error in the passage at 53:40 Highlight the passage at 53:40

54:19 Really worthwhile there. That's the point. Nothing really valuable that is helpful for you to reduce your suffering. Yeah. To enhance your true happiness isn't there. So some people might argue and say, how can you say that about chocolate cake when I eat that? It's really nice and I feel happy. Yeah. So not in a small scale like that, but even then. So big deal. Report an error in the passage at 54:19 Highlight the passage at 54:19

54:47 Yeah. After a while. It's only that much. And you know how our ideas change, yeah? Our values change. We might like chocolate cake one time and we might get disgusted with it and we start liking something else too. Report an error in the passage at 54:47 Highlight the passage at 54:47

55:04 So then what was that like? It was kind of a very hollow thing at the end of the day, all these things. So it is that. It's quite deep but quite important. So yeah, quite beautiful. Thank you for asking that question. Thank you, Michael. Okay. Okay. Somebody put Sandhika, please unmute and ask the question. Thank you, Venerable Karunika. Report an error in the passage at 55:04 Highlight the passage at 55:04

55:35 This talk was particularly, yeah, resonated with me today. I had a situation where I had to deal with a difficult person today and I was able to Report an error in the passage at 55:35 Highlight the passage at 55:35

55:51 practice compassion so I was pretty pleased with myself that as opposed to kind of having ill will I was like thinking about okay what what might have been happening for this person that they behave like this so I was I was pleased with that but then I was left with this residual kind of sadness and self-pity towards myself and I found myself like Took me ages to get out of that kind of feeling sad and down and not being able to get on with my work. And so I suffered from that. Report an error in the passage at 55:51 Highlight the passage at 55:51

56:30 So I wonder, I mean, I suppose it's what you said about maybe changing that object of attention. But I wonder if you had any thoughts on that. Yeah, well done. First of all, I must congratulate you for achieving that. It's already good, right? As a consequence, at least you didn't do anything unskillful or harmful, which could have happened. Report an error in the passage at 56:30 Highlight the passage at 56:30

56:54 You won't say a word that is unskillful, right? Feeling sad is another issue that we need to deal with, but at least you haven't made bad karma. Yeah, so that's a good plus point. So well done. And then when it comes to, I'm not entirely sure why you were feeling sad or pity, maybe it is to the specific situation. Report an error in the passage at 56:54 Highlight the passage at 56:54

57:15 So that is where we need a little bit more wisdom, a little bit more understanding, building up our mental faculties. So that's all right. This is where we are doing our work. So, you know, so we slowly, slowly build up in a way, how am I trying to understand my perspective with that, whatever information or whatever the situation, why was I feeling, you know, self-pity or sadness? Report an error in the passage at 57:15 Highlight the passage at 57:15

57:40 Then you can investigate that. And try and understand that sometimes, you know, it takes a while because you need a lot of right view and right understanding to change your perspective, your worldviews or information. It's a long process, but this is the starting point. Investigating these things is very helpful. Otherwise, you never have that inquiring mind, right? Report an error in the passage at 57:40 Highlight the passage at 57:40

58:03 You are just left with these emotions of the feelings. Then it's just repeated again and again. This happened, that happened, and you are left with only these things. But now at least we feel that, okay, I can do something about it. Learn something, do something differently, understand. This is how you grow. This is how you grow. I don't know whether you know the beautiful story or the simile, Who Ordered the Truckload of Dung by Ajahn Brahm. Report an error in the passage at 58:03 Highlight the passage at 58:03

58:33 I don't know whether you know this. It's a really nice story. It might come up. We did this Venerable Upeka read out the full story at the Western Sydney University session. When that comes up onto our YouTube channel, you can listen to the full version. I'll tell the very abridged version and that is. Report an error in the passage at 58:33 Highlight the passage at 58:33

58:55 It's like, you know, this difficult situation or the difficult person is like one day you have come back home and you find that you have a huge pile of dung in front of your door. So this is the stinky situation. So you have two options. You can be upset. You can put all the dung in your pockets, up your sleeve, take it around, carry it around and start smelling and be difficult. Report an error in the passage at 58:55 Highlight the passage at 58:55

59:22 Yeah, that is getting under that situation. Or you have a choice. You take a shovel and a wheelbarrow and start taking the pile of dung, taking it to the backyard and shoving it under the ground and grow some fruit trees. And after a period of time, you will have a very sweet tasting mango tree. All the dung gave its, you know, nutrients and you are left with some sweet fruits. Report an error in the passage at 59:22 Highlight the passage at 59:22

59:49 Yeah. So this is the showering the duck. So investigating. So with Yoniso Manasikara, wise attention is how you do it. You investigate the situation. Okay, this is your pile of duck, this difficult situation and the person. So you look at it. What happened? Why? Why did I react? Why did I have this? How did I do? What else can I do? You can try it out next time. Report an error in the passage at 59:49 Highlight the passage at 59:49

1:00:14 I'm sure these things will be repeated by the same person or other people, right? These are common things in our lives. As you happen, you try different things. So you are growing. So this is putting that down under the mango tree. And then later you grow in wisdom. Yeah, you grow in wisdom. Then next time there comes a time similar kind of situation or even worse situation happens, but you respond differently and you are left with wholesome mind states. Report an error in the passage at 1:00:14 Highlight the passage at 1:00:14

1:00:45 You will be left with either equanimity or joy or just complete compassion all the way. Yeah, things like that. So this is work that is to be done. So you slowly, slowly do the work. Report an error in the passage at 1:00:45 Highlight the passage at 1:00:45

1:00:59 Good question. Thank you. And good on you. We're doing good luck. Yeah, it's good to hear that. Report an error in the passage at 1:00:59 Highlight the passage at 1:00:59

1:01:12 Okay. Officially, it's time. Is there more questions? No. All right. So thank you everyone for being here. And so next time we might have a different topic. So you can think about other topics. I might think about other topics next week. We'll see what happens. All right. I think this is enough. Report an error in the passage at 1:01:12 Highlight the passage at 1:01:12

1:01:40 That's all I have to say and I'll see you next time. Report an error in the passage at 1:01:40 Highlight the passage at 1:01:40