Dhamma with Ajahn Sujin

Ekaggata, one-pointing to the object which citta is now experiencing [Vincent] Ajahn, a dhamma friend was asking how come we don't discuss concentration, samadhi? [A. Sujin] Before hearing the words of the Buddha was there anyone interested in samadhi? We can think that we have samadhi, that one's doing something with samadhi and samadhi is just concentrating or focusing on what is there appearing, but in truth the Buddha enlightened the nature of samadhi, not as everyone used to think about it, as concentration: the Buddha enlightened all realities as they are. So, what did He say about samadhi? To help the others to understand what He meant by samadhi, or what is samadhi in truth. People talk a lot about samadhi, but what is samadhi? Do they or anyone know? What is samadhi, is it real? So we can talk about everything without understanding the nature of each one, each reality, for example samadhi. There can be questions about any reality, to consider it, realize th

Cetana, urging those that are there now to do it Excerpt from the Dhamma discussion with Ajahn Sujin on Zoom on Sat Feb 10th 2024. [Alan] To what extent can kamma be understood? [A. Sujin] Is kamma the word or the reality? [Alan] Kamma is the reality, yes, intention. [A. Sujin] Okay, if we just want something like food and we just sit still will there be food for us? [Alan] No, there is intention which makes it happen, yes. [A. Sujin] So, can we say that that is cetana or will to do? [Yes.] So it depends on the level of cetana, for example, it arises with each citta, not only with (those with) lobha or dosa, so, then it has no will to kill or to do anything yet as [what] we take it for killing, teaching or whatever is there. That's why we have to understand the nature of each reality, when it's so very slight and when it's stronger, until it conditions such a deed. Without willing or intention, can anyone be killed? [No.] That's why just having anger, sli

Excerpt from the Dhamma discussion with Ajahn Sujin on Zoom on Sat Feb 10th 2024. 0:00 - No attention to or even thinking about the nature which sees because it does not appear [Eve] Tan Ajahn, please, when I join the zoom meeting I'm testing viriya, the energy and the effort to continue listening and it's continuing but in a sense letting go, not with an eye to the results. Because if I wait for understanding, it's a long wait... [A. Sujin] Okay, would you like to let go of the ignorance of seeing right now? [Yes.] How long will it take? Because there's no attention to or even thinking about the nature which sees because it does not appear, what appears is only that which is seen. So, even there is seeing right now, without energy or viriya arising with it at all, but who knows? Because moments after that, when there are conditions, viriya is there. That's why we learn to understand dhammas as no one at all, all by conditions. And why doesn't seeing a

Excerpt from the EN-VN Dhamma discussion with Ajahn Sujin on Zoom on Sun Feb 4th 2024. 0:00 - The Buddha's hints or the way to understand all the subtle truths [Tam B.] We discussed a little bit about manasikara, I think it would be helpful if we can hear more. [A. Sujin] If the Buddha didn't say anything about the difference between what is there in a moment, citta and cetasikas, there wouldn't be any hint or any way to understand the truth that is so very subtle, all of them. For example even just a moment of seeing, there must be phassa, otherwise there couldn't be the moment of seeing at all, but whenever there is seeing, thee other cetasika like manasikara attends to that which is seen because all cetasikas experience the same object which citta experiences. That's why phassa is there, sañña, viriya is there, unknown, but they are there, cetana is there. Manasikara is there, that which attends to the characteristic which appears, wisely or unwisely

Paramattha sacca, the truth of that which is real (Excerpt from the Dhamma discussion with Ajahn Sujin on Zoom on Mon Jan 22nd 2024.) [Sundara] If someone was asking you about paramattha sacca, what would your response be? [A. Sujin] Paramattha, is it real? [Sundara] Absolutely, Tan Ajahn. [A. Sujin] And sacca is the truth of it, right? So, when we talk about paramattha sacca: the truth of that which is real. For example seeing is real, but what is the truth of it? [Sundara] That's a difficult one Tan Ajahn Understanding what is true and what is real [A. Sujin] That's why without understanding what is true and what is real there cannot be the understanding of anything which appears because they do not appear as they are at all, arising and falling away, does anything appear to arise and fall away now? But what is the truth, paramattha sacca, the ultimate truth? Before it arises it's not there, as soon as it has arisen it's gone. This is so very true but it

(In memory of Nina Van Gorkom. Excerpt from the Dhamma discussion with Ajahn Sujin on Zoom on Sat 6th Jan 2024.) 00:00 - The truth, about this moment: gone [A. Sujin] She would be happy as we would have happy time talking about the understanding of dhammas and sharing with her now, she would be so very happy too, as we are now. As we are now! Appreciating her kusala deeds and understanding that they will bring their result, no matter when its proper time [comes], now or then. So the best thing in life is to understand the truth, happily, joyfully, it's the truth, about this moment: gone. So, is there anything we would share with Nina if she was with us now here, talking about Dhamma? [Jonothan] She liked hearing about the reality of the present moment. 01:02 - Understanding the truth is the best of all conditions [A. Sujin] So very subtle, no matter on what point… even that which conditions the letting go of the idea of self and taking [it] for this or that or something

(Excerpt from the Dhamma discussion with Ajahn Sujin on Zoom on Sat 21st Oct 2023.) [Jotika] It's like kind of hopeless. [A. Sujin] May I ask what's your hope? [Jotika] My hope that is that there is an opening for peace. [A. Sujin] Can you do anything or can someone do anything? [Jotika] I'm sort of sending metta. (sobs) [A. Sujin] Is hope dukkha? [Jotika] No hope. [A. Sujin] No hope, no dukkha but when is hope is dukkha, isn't? Did the Buddha want anyone to have dukkha? [No.] So, he taught about what is dukkha and what is the very, very dangerous [dukkha] because some would like to have pleasant situations instead of unpleasant situations, but at moment of having unpleasant situation is it dukkha? [Dukkha, yes.] And what about the pleasant situation, is it dukkha as well, or is it not dukkha? At moment of having pleasant situation, is it dukkha or is it no dukkha? [Jotika] Yes, in theory it is dukkha. [A. Sujin] See, that's why what is more

Transcribed excerpt from the Dhamma discussion with Ajahn Sujin on Zoom on Mon Oct 16th 2023. 00:00 - What seems to be now it's just everything as some-thing and some-one all the time [A. Sujin] Is it what we are talking about, about iddhi-pada? [Yes] It's not now, but it means the understanding of the point of what is now, to be known, for example, even it's now appearing, it cannot be known, so, iddhi-pada: how can it be known? Without any understanding at all, without the intellectual understanding, how can there be a little more understanding of the subtlety of what is there now and every moment? That's why it has to understand whatever is there as it is, as not self, but what seems to be now it's just everything as something and someone, all the time. That's why life is so short, no one can realize the truth, enlighten the truth that the Buddha had enlightened, but beginning to understand the subtlety, the very profound truth that without understa

Excerpt from the EN-CN Dhamma discussion with Ajahn Sujin on Zoom - Sun Aug 20th 2023 (Suitable for beginner). 00:00 - Citta, the chief of experiencing because arising non-stop [Vincent] Dazhuang had a comment about that which think it's different from what is thought about. [A. Sujin] Is there thinking now? Is it known now? Is there seeing right now? What is seeing and does anyone understand it as it is? And the answer is right now at moment of seeing, what is it? It's easy to say it's a moment of seeing and that means that there must be a reality which sees because the object of seeing is seen, so we simply say that seeing is that which arises to see, but it is not that which is seen, it's the reality which can experience the object which is seen, is that right? But is there any understanding of the reality which sees, as it is? It's not that which is hard or soft, it's not that which is seen, but it's the reality, a reality, which can experience