The Wise Investigator

An interview with Sayadaw U Tejaniya in Tricycle Magazine.   In this interview the Sayadaw explains how taking an interest in life as it is can lead to liberation.

The Wise Investigator

Joseph Goldstein

I felt compelled to do a post on Joseph Goldstein today.  He is an excellent teacher who clearly and succinctly explains the Buddha’s teachings.  Joseph is easy to listen to, and he often uses personal experiences to explain how he reached his understandings.

I have been regularly listening to Joseph’s teachings since my retreat in Myanmar where I first discovered him.   At the moment I am particularly interested in the Satipatthana Sutta – The Discourse on the Establishing of Mindfulness. By listening to Josephs’ talks on this Sutta, and in particular on the five aggregates, my understanding has improved.  This clarity has allowed me see different ways to practice which has been extremely helpful.

Alan Wallace

I recently discovered Alan’s teachings while on retreat in Chiang Rai.  He was introduced to me through a friend who is one of his students.

Alan was ordained by H.H. the Dalai Lama at devoted fourteen years to training as a Tibetan Buddhist Monk.  Since 1976 he has taught Buddhism, philosophy and meditation all around the world.

He has a very clear, easy to follow style.

More detail on Alan can be found at alanwallace.org.

Thich Nhat Hanh

Last night I went to the Thich Nhat Hanh talk held at the Royal Hall, Siam Paragon.  It was a fully booked out show, not surprising considering that the event was free.  And of course, Thich Nhat Hanh is very popular in Thailand.

I continue to get very teary when I go to this type of event, a place where real learning happens.  The event was kicked off with some very beautiful singing by the monks and nuns.  It was heart opening.

It was an excellent talk, focusing on suffering and how to deal with suffering.  I found it very useful and inspiring.

Sayadaw U Tejaniya

Focus: Mindfulness and Wisdom.

I’ll never forget the Sayadaw’s constant reminders that a yogi’s job is:

• To have right view of the experience.
• To have awareness
• To maintain awareness

Sayadaw repeated these roles frequently, I can still hear his voice stressing these points.

You are a Beautiful Flower Ready to Blossom

Intelligence and innocence are strongly linked.  They must always be together; otherwise you will have ignorance or cunning.  When they are together you have openness, receptivity.  You have a heart that is open to wonder.  If one can keep these two qualities together then she needs nothing else.  It will lead to the ultimate goal of self-realization.

The Mind and Time

When there is no mind there is no time.

The mind is like the pendulum of a clock.  It swings from the past to the future, from the past to the future, from one extreme to the other.

When the pendulum is still – sitting in the middle.  We are in the present.  And time has stopped.

Maybe I am not who I think I am

Maybe I am not who I think I am.  I need to question who I am.  Use my curiosity to  question my deepest identity.

Ego is just a pattern of thinking.  It is a self-referential pattern of thinking.  It is possible to break free of that pattern of thinking.

It is not about stopping thinking.  The cause of suffering is about ‘identification with thinking’, not the thinking itself.  It is not about stopping your mind from thinking.  You are not your mind or your thinking.  You must be something that is other than your ego.  What is this real you?

Your true nature is conscious spirit.

Greed

Some great learnings from Osho regarding greed*…..

What are you greedy for….objects, success, wealth, attention….?

You can be greedy in many ways – for sex, money, food, etc.  Greed is about wanting/desiring, not about needing.  Desires are unlimited, and your needs are small.  Greed is about tomorrow, not today.  Don’t sacrifice a single moment of today for tomorrow.  Greed does not exist in the present moment.

Ajahn Pannyavaro, Mahasi Meditation

Ajahn Pannyavaro, Abbot of Bodhi Tree Monastery, Eastern Australia spoke at the beautiful Ariyasom Villa on Sukhumvit Soi One.

The abbot made it very clear from the start of his dialogue that the Mahasi method comes from the Satibatana Sutra. The method is ‘sati’.  It is not Vipassana. Vipassana (or insight) is one of the outcomes of this type of meditation.