THE WAY OF SKILLFUL ATTENTION

What is the one thing in life we can truly control?

Without recourse to spiritual books, YouTube videos, or scriptures—only our everyday and ordinary experience and the knowledge we’ve gained from living life—you may arrive at this empowering thought:

“I can choose where to put my attention.”

I understand Sayadaw U Tejaniya’s most foundational teaching to be:

Learn how to direct your attention skillfully, with a kind and warm heart, and most especially, with wisdom.

The practice begins by making our own lives more skillful, warm-hearted, and wise.

Then, somewhat magically, the practice evinces the potential of transferring these qualities by our simple presence to others around us, in ever-widening circles.

Let me offer a simple koan-like instruction from Sayadaw which invites deep contemplation, wise conversation, or both.

Understood correctly, and practiced to its end, this single instruction can liberate the mind from its egregious habit of constantly creating unnecessary suffering:

“DON’T FOCUS ON OBJECTS.”