--- In Pali@..., "Jou Smith" <josmith.1@...> wrote:

> > > > Silananda: That is why sometimes Vipassanaa
> > > > meditation is called "choice-less awareness"
> > >-----------------------------------
> > >Jou: Choice-less awareness is illogical <Snip>
> __________________________
> > Robert: In what way does awareness involve choice?
> __________________________________
>Jou: I can only have intention to do something when there is

another thing to

> intend not to do. I choose to intend to do one rather than the

other.
________________________
Dear Jou,
In a conventional sense we can do this or that as we desire. We go
left, go right, sit down, stand up, it seems there is freewill.
However, this doesn't take account the myriad conditions - past and
present- that are conditioning each action, each thought . Right now
I am in a cafe in Bankgkok: I am trying to concentrate on the letter
but a man is talking loudly on his phone. Thus at one moment there is
seeing , the next hearing, and thinking coming in between. All
changing and alternating so fast.
There can be awareness of the sound or the seeing or the thinking -
and cetana for sure is present - but if there is a hidden idea
that "I" am making awareness arise then I think this is not the
awareness meant by the Satipatthana sutta (on which venerable
Silananda was expounding in his statement).
Robert