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ourselves means we see what our mental conditions are. But, the way to practice vipassana, we still need to rely on our teachers for guidance. Otherwise, we will not be able to do it correctly. And, if we do not do it correctly, what would be the end results? This is important.
In any case, if we wish to practice vipassana in order to extinguish sufferings, having a clear goal will make it easier. Even if we cannot extinguish sufferings completely, a momentary extinguishment for one or two hours would already be considered very fruitful. The key is for us to extinguish sufferings regularly, without waiting for sufferings to peak. Yes, sometimes when sufferings emerge, we do not extinguish them quickly but instead we fully immerse ourselves in the sufferings until we feel “satisfied” before extinguishment.
When we contemplate the emergence-cessation of the physical and mental phenomena, we become aware of sufferings even before they appear. When we train our mind and our wisdom to see the true nature of the physical and mental phenomena, the emergence of the conscious phenomena will not cause us sufferings. Therefore, do not wait for sufferings to emerge, cultivate our awareness before sufferings appear. When sufferings emerge, we will be fully prepared. We will think: “Yes, we have seen this before”. Sufferings of the physical body can be extinguished by altering our bodily positions. What do we alter to extinguish the sufferings of the mind?