WHAT IS THE RIGHT ATTITUDE FOR MEDITATION?

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WHAT IS THE RIGHT ATTITUDE FOR MEDITATION?

Sayadaw U Tejaniya

Shwe Oo Min Center

 

1. When meditating, don't focus too hard. Don't control. Don't try

to create something. Don't force or restrict yourself.

2. Don't try to create anything; but, don't reject what is happening.

But, as things happen or stop happening don't forget. Be aware of

whatever is happening.

3. Trying to create something is lobha (greed). Rejecting what is

happening is dosa (aversion). Not knowing if something is happening

or has stopped happening is moha (delusion).

4. Only when the observing mind has no lobha, dosa, or soka (worry,

anxiety) inside it, then the meditating mind will arise.

5. You have to double check to see what attitude you are meditating with.

6. You have to accept and watch both good and bad experiences.

7. You only want good experiences. You don't want even the tiniest

unpleasant experience. Is this fair? Is this the way of the Dhamma?

8. Don't have any expectations. Don't want anything. Don't be

anxious. If these attitudes are in your mind, it becomes difficult to

meditate.

9. Why are you focusing so hard when you meditate? You want something

to happen? You want something? You want something to stop happening?

It is likely that one of these attitudes is there.

10. If the mind is getting tired, something is wrong with the way you

are practicing.

11. You cannot practice when the mind is tense.

12. If the mind and body are getting tired, it is time to check the

way you are meditating.

13. Meditating is waiting and watching with awareness and

comprehension and understanding; not thinking; not reflecting; not

judging.

14. Don't practice with a mind that wants something or wants something

to happen. The only result is that you will tire yourself.

15. The meditating mind should be relaxed and at peace.

16. Both the mind and the body should be comfortable.

17. A light and free mind allows you to meditate well. Do you have

the right attitude?

18. Meditating is: Whatever happens, good or bad, accepting,

relaxing, and watching it.

19. What is the mind doing? Thinking? Or being aware?

20. Where is the mind now? Inside? Or outside of one's self?

21. Is the watching/observing mind properly aware? Or only

superficially aware?

22. You are not trying to make things turn out the way you want them

to happen. You are trying to know what is happening as it is.

23. Don't feel disturbed by the thinking mind. You are not practicing

to prevent thinking. To recognize and acknowledge thinking whenever it

arises is what you are practicing.

24. You are not supposed to reject the object (phenomena/ things that

are happening/ being known). You are to know (and thus note/ observe)

the defilements that arise because of the object and thus remove them

(the defilements).

25. Only when there is Saddha (faith/confidence), Vinaya (effort)

will arise. Only when there is Vinaya, Sati (awareness) will become

continuous.

Only when Sati is continuous, Samadhi (concentration) will be

established.

Only when Samadhi is established, then you will know things as

they really are. When you start to know things as they really are,

then Saddha increases further.

26. Just pay attention to what is exactly in the present moment.

Don't go back to the past. Don't plan for the future.

27. The object is not important. The mind that is working in the

background, working to be aware (i.e. the observing mind) is more

important. If the observing (mind) is done with the right attitude the

object will be the right object.