Page 13 - Extinguishment of self, in search of dhamma

note: silently): “It is painful, it is painful...” Or, they know that it is painful, it is painful, it is painful... then they ignore the sensations.
However, the way to wilfully contemplate sensations without the sense of self is to see clearly whether the sensations that emerge and our mind, or our mindfulness that acts as the contemplator—are they one of the same, or separate? This is where we must really observe, not just imagine. Really observe in the present whether the sensations that are emerging and the mind that contemplate—are they one of the same, or separate? And, also observe that the sensations that emerge each time, how are they different?
For example, after we have been sitting (Translator’s note: Sitting cross-legged during meditation) for a while, (aching) sensations emerge in our knees and they have a dense, lumpy form. This is a characteristic of sensations. When sensations form into a dense lump, observe whether this lump of sensations and the mind that acts as the contemplator—are they one of the same, or separate? This observation will enable us to separate between sensations and the mind; between one mental phenomenon (nama) and another mental phenomenon. Sensations are a mental phenomenon but, in reality, we can worry about terminologies later. For now, we just need to observe whether the mind and sensations—are they one of the same, or separate?
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