Seeing impermanence is not enough. It's easy to see that things flicker, but harder to see that sensations are not under my control. As I write this my visual field is flickering in tiny particles, I try to stop them arising but they keep coming up, I try to stop them from changing but they won't yield, I attempt to stop them disappearing but they don't even quiver to my will. Reality doesn't need me, it operates completely on its own. If I look at it without control, will it still happen? Whatever I look at in this way continues to function.

I can give up responsibility because there is no responsibility, I can give up control because there is no control. Can I give up this burden of the me and let reality take care of itself?


- Martin

If you look carefully, you will see that all the sensations of will and control and intent are also not under anythings control except reality's, they all just happen on their own. Try to stop those, and see what happens. Try to stop stopping things and see what happens. Try to make intentions always do what you want and see what happens. Try to make attention always do what you want it to and see what happens. Notice that all intentions, impulses, desires, efforts, actions: all come and go, none are you, all are observed, just stuff happening. This has always been the case, not something any you creates, so don't worry about how thing will be when there is no control, as it is that way now already.

Im having difficulty grasping this. From an ultimate/practice perspective it makes sense. However, conventionally, is there control over action? Or is it just an awareness of an intention/sensation that is already arising and passing of its own conditions?