Page 20 - Extinguishment of self, in search of dhamma
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separate, then, the thoughts would ow in and then ow out. But, if we always have a sense of self, then the thoughts cannot ow out. This is called thinking with a sense of self. This will lead to the feeling of like and dislike. Therefore, if we extinguish the feeling of satisfaction/dissatisfaction or the feeling of like/dislike and be contented to experience how the thoughts emerge and cease, then the thoughts will cease more easily. The mind can organize itself better.
Therefore, when contemplating thoughts, which is called “experiencing the mind within the mind”, we should have the intention to experience how the thoughts emerge and cease. According to the principles of vipassana, when we contemplate the Three Characteristics of Beings (Trilaksana), we should desire to see how it (Translator’s note: Thoughts phenomenon) emerges and ceases. Because this is the nature of the thoughts; the true nature of the aggregates (khandha). They do not exist for a long period. Do you notice how many stories we think about each minute; each ve minutes? This shows that they (Translator’s note: Thoughts) change very quickly; they cease very quickly. Their existence is very brief. If we know this, they will ow away, ow away. There is no receiver, only experiencer.
We must have the intention to experience the emergence and cessation (Translator’s note: Of the thoughts phenomenon). By experiencing the emergence or cessation, our mindfulness will steadily strengthen. And, we will