Page 73 - Dhamma Practice

The quicker we can extinguish conscious phenomena, the less kamma we will make. Furthermore, unwholesome kamma will be shortened, wholesome kamma will be lengthened. Unwholesome mind shortens, wholesome mind lengthens. Vipassana focuses on the contemplation of the emergence-cessation of the physical and mental phenomena. Every time we experience the emergence-cessation of the physical and mental phenomena, it is like cutting the cycle of birth and death. Why? This is because the cycle of birth and death is caused by the existence of conscious phenomena.
I used the example of anger because anger is an obvious phenomenon. When we are angry, we think about numerous things—limitless and unending. If we were to die at that moment, die while we are angry—how would we be reborn? Some people have resentment and carry vengeance for many lives. Some people resolve never to meet particular persons in the next life! Every time they make merits and make dedications, they will always resolve never to meet those particular persons in the next life. But, every time they make such resolutions, the faces of those people appear in front of them. However, if they make dedications to and wish to share happiness with those people, then the faces of those people would gradually fade away. This is why we are taught to share loving-kindness with others, in order to remove attachments, to extinguish vengeance.
67