Sayadaw U Tejaniya's "50/50" teaching refers to the recommended balance of awareness during a walking meditation practice, which reflects his broader approach to integrating mindfulness into daily life.
The core idea, often explained in the context of walking, is to divide your attention:
- 50% on the Primary Object (Movement/Body): This is the traditional focus of walking meditation—being aware of the sensations and movements of the body, such as the lifting, moving, and placing of the feet, or the general feeling of the body walking.
- 50% on the Mind's State (Mental Object/Attitude): This is Sayadaw U Tejaniya's key emphasis. It means simultaneously keeping an awareness of your mind's attitude, feelings, and energy while you are walking. You check for things like:
- Is the mind relaxed or tense?
- Is there craving, aversion, or delusion present (the defilements)?
- Is the mind interested, judging, or bored?
- Is the effort level right (not too tight, not too lazy)?
Broader Significance in His Teachings
This "50/50" principle highlights several core aspects of Sayadaw U Tejaniya's meditation approach:
- Focus on the Observing Mind: He teaches that the quality of the observing mind is more important than the object being observed. By being 50% aware of your mind's state, you are strengthening the "knowing" mind, which is the source of wisdom.
- Developing Wisdom (Panna): The main goal is not just concentration (Samadhi) but the cultivation of wisdom (panna). By constantly checking your attitude, you are investigating the defilements (greed, aversion, delusion) in real-time, which is the mechanism for insight and wisdom.
- Natural and Relaxed Practice: His approach encourages a relaxed, natural, and continuous awareness throughout the day, rather than straining for intense, focused concentration during formal sitting. The 50/50 split prevents you from becoming overly absorbed or tight by trying to force awareness onto a single object.
- Practice in Daily Life: This method is highly adaptable for laypeople. Whether washing dishes, talking, or driving, the practice is to maintain a simple, continuous awareness of the main activity while simultaneously monitoring your internal mental state.
In short, the 50/50 teaching is a practical instruction for practicing awareness with the right attitude, which for Sayadaw U Tejaniya, is the foundation for deep insight.
