Page 30 - Dhamma Practice
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past problems. As we think about them, we suffer and cry. When we experience suffering, we feel cramped— correct? We feel heavy, as though the weight of the world is on our shoulders.
Now, think of the issue that causes us suffering. How do we feel? Do we feel heavy? As mentioned just now, we must remove the feeling of “self”. Now, try to expand this feeling of “self”. It will feel like a heavy lump around our heart, correct? It will feel tight here. Now let it expand so that it is bigger than our body and continue to expand without boundaries. How do we feel? Expand this feeling of heaviness. We are not expanding the issue that causes the heaviness. Rather, we are expanding the feeling of heaviness. As the feeling of heaviness expands, it will gradually fade and eventually disappear. This is an easy way to extinguish suffering. Why?
Whenever our mind is expanded, it is unburdened, without “self”. When we have no feeling of “self” and our mind is unburdened—by nature, nothing can exist in an empty space and must fade away and cease. The reason why anything can exist is because there is a receiver—“we” are the receiver. Hence, this is the easiest way to extinguish suffering. But, it depends on how often we practice it. When we practice vipassana and we think about this and that issue—and they feel heavy—try to expand the feeling and see whether it disappears. Practice this until we gain expertise. Every time suffering emerges,