No one who makes it arise: it's there now

Betty: Tan Ajahn, would you say that the... I guess you're going to call it the cure for the problem, is that we need to listen more read more, study more and of course there will be conditions, but it's not something where we can say all right I must do it, I have to do it, it's not an I doing it, if there are conditions the thought arises in the mind to do, to read more, or there's viriya to read more or to do more then okay, but if it's something where you set a schedule and say, well I have to do this then it's not natural.

A. Sujin: I think that there is a thing around, one by one, and no understanding of life, of that moment, of the reality right then at all. That's why when we hear the term or the word Buddha, what does it mean? The one who has enlightened the truth, and he taught us everything about what is now. So the point of studying the words of the Buddha must be just to understand what is there now. That's why we listen to each word of his teaching, and then consider just to that point: no self no thing, only these words, just no self and no thing. But what it's now appearing is something, all the time, and there is the I who always thinks, likes or dislikes all the time. But the truth is that nothing can be taken to be something permanent at all. It's conditioned to be different, arising and falling away all the time, even right now.

When there is the understanding of: this is true, the absolute truth. That's why we listen, just to understand what is there now, but it's so very very difficult, very very deep to understand that. That's why the Buddha taught for 45 years just to lead the understanding to begin to understand that what we are talking about is just that which is now appearing, otherwise it's useless. But even he said: nothing is self at all, so what is it? Is there. The understanding of that which is not self is that: there's no one who makes it arise arise at all, but it's there now. So there must be conditions for everything to be there, no matter what, but we don't know what is that.

That's why we listen, what is there now? When there is seeing there is that which is seen and no one can make it arise at all, it's there already. And the seeing just arises, no one can make it arise, but it's conditioned to arise and be different from that which is seen because it now sees. So what it's meant by seeing, it's the moment of knowing or experience that which is there, but not with right understanding of the truth, because that which appears as permanent just arises and falls away in split seconds, all the time continuously, no one knows. But when there is listening to the teachings, it begins to understand: it's right. Because even that which is seen it's not the seeing right now. So in order to understand reality right now as it is, we need more words, but there must be the understanding the truth of each word as it is, otherwise it's just keeping on thinking about that all the time, whether what is there is there all the time, what is that which is seen, what is that which sees.

But in life no one thinks about it at all, but the Buddha pointed out what is life, it is this very moment only, and it's conditioned to be different things like: seeing is not that which is seen, and sound is not the hearing and so on, very very quickly coming and going away all the time, by conditions. This is the only way to have less attachment to the idea of self, or I see, I hear, I think. That's why just listen to understand what is there. Each word brings about the understanding of this moment and Buddha knew that that's not enough for anyone to just understand instantly the truth of it until each word of what he said can be directly experienced now. That's why it takes time, viriya and khanti, and the point is to let go the idea of self which is wrong view, because where is the self of just one moment ago? Gone completely, each one so very rapidly. That's why just learn to understand little by little, to know more and more, truer, firmer and firmer, all about just one word: no one there now, no thing at all. At moment of seeing it's not thinking about shape and form and thinking that it's something, as we've been thinking before all the time. But actually right now cannot be seen or understood without the Buddha's words at all, more and more, little by little.

Be careful to understand that what he said must be absolute truth, and it can be understood little by little, until it leads to more understanding from just one word to another word to another word, like what is there now, is it real? Yes, it's real. What is it? No thought about it, that that which sees is not that which is seen. No one makes it arise at all, whatever it is. It's conditioned by its proper condition to arise to be different, even right now, just a moment ago has gone, already, see. Who can hold it, who can take it, who can take it for I? Because it's gone, and the I keeps it on the next moment, which does not known that it's not the same one at all, just once in samsara, what is not appearing, so very rapidly. Is this true? Then listen more and understand more, to have less and less attachment to all five khandhas, because all of us know about what are the five khandhas, what about memory now, remembrance now, what is there? Unknown, it's always there but no one knows. That's why Buddha pointed out whatever is there at this very moment, to be known little by little, until it can be directly experienced the truth of it as not permanent at all.

And this is a point of listening to understand that which is now appearing, not only by words, but by its nature as that which experiences, just one word: experiences, there must be something which is experienced, and usually we just think about that which appears, that which is experienced by whom? No one, but the element, the reality which is there, by conditions, to arise when the conditions are ready, no one can stop its arising at all, but the conditions condition it to arise, to arise. So the Buddha said whatever arises falls away, as soon as it's conditioned the condition is all and then after it has arisen it falls away. Leading to understanding what appears in a day, no choice, no selection to know this or that. All depends on condition to understand different moments in life, as only very temporary, just appears and disappears. Suññata, anatta begin to reveal itself as: this is the truth of what is there now. Is this true? Can it be known directly now, the moment when it arises and falls away? Succeedingly, from moment to moment, so very rapidly, unknown all day, all life, from life to life. Until hearing the truth of the Buddha's word, because of his enlightenment, for us also to begin to understand from his great virtues, his kindness and his wisdom.

So what appears now? ... no one in it, no thing in it. No thought about it, but the question to the the person who came to see him was: is it real? Is it impermanent or is it permanent? The same questions for us now.

So who knows whether there is understanding of that which appears as he taught? Not yet, not yet, not yet. Until listening more, understanding more, which will condition moment of direct understanding with direct awareness of what is now appearing, as it is, unexpectedly. That is the meaning of anatta, and it's going so fast, but what is now appearing is the nimitta, the image of that, which now appears. So where's the I, where's me, can the seeing be I? It's gone. Can hearing be me? It's gone. Can thinking be I? Impossible, is there remembrance now, sañña. Is there phassa now? Not known, until listening to the truth of each moment, and understanding that what appears can be known, while that which does not appear cannot be known. So pañña begins to see or to understand what is it, and where is it, little by little.