พระอาจารย์อธิบายว่าความหนาวสั่นจนกลัวขณะเห็นองค์พระเกิดจากมลทินที่ยังเหลืออยู่ ซึ่งอกุศลนำมาทำให้กลัวเพื่อให้เลิกนั่ง แต่กุศลกำลังชำระมลทินอยู่ ประสบการณ์ดีจึงปรากฏขึ้นได้ ให้กำหนดรู้อยู่กับองค์พระต่อไปไม่ต้องกลัวPra Ajarn explains that the shivering fear while seeing the Buddha image comes from remaining impurity, which the unwholesome uses to make one afraid so one will stop sitting — but the wholesome is clearing that impurity, so good experiences can appear. Keep noting awareness with the Buddha image and don't be afraid.
Someone related that in meditation their mind was very happy — still and so cool the whole body shivered — and they saw the Buddha image very clearly within a crystal sphere, but felt a chill of fear and didn't dare look in, and asked whether this was wholesome or unwholesome.
The Pleasant Cool That Turns to a Chill Comes From Remaining Impurity
Normally the inner state is cool and pleasant, but if im remains, it turns cold enough to chill. Seeing the Buddha image and feeling great is good — keep noting awareness with the Buddha image. While impurity remains and one isn't yet pure, as one stays with the Buddha image, merit flows in, and it clears the impurity away.
The Unwholesome Uses Impurity to Make One Afraid, So One Will Stop Sitting
The unwholesome takes the remaining impurity and uses it to make us afraid, so we'll stop sitting. Normally it uses impurity to veil things — to keep us from reaching, seeing, or knowing. But when has cleared the impurity so much that it can no longer hold that veil, it takes what impurity is left and uses it to make things feel abnormal. All bad experiences arise from impurity.
The Wholesome Clears Impurity Until It Can No Longer Veil, and Good Experiences Appear
The wholesome clears impurity until it can no longer veil the good states, and good experiences appear. All of it is a matter of impurity versus purity, of the wholesome versus . Where there's impurity, it creates bad experiences; the wholesome brings purity to cleanse, letting us see according to reality in each moment — so there's no need to fear. Through our effort, we come to be freed from the veiling elements of and to reach the inner Triple Gem.