That which can be known is now
(1m-10m)
Tadao: I have a question about viriya and it has been discussed many many times but I still do not understand what viriya is. I'm wondering whether there are many different types of viriya or viriya is just one cetasika or not. And and also I've never ever been able to understand why viriya and khanti are the same cetasika because in Abhidhamma, sabhava dhammas, realities, have only one function and one characteristic but in the case of viriya it is shared with khanti and that point is something I would never understand. But anyway I'd like to know how can we develop? It's sort of full of self but how can we develop viriya? That's what I would like to know.
A. Sujin: Is there I who can do anything?
Tadao: There shouldn't be, there is no I who can perform the function of viriya.
A. Sujin: And in order to understand that actually there's no I at all, there must be the understanding of what is there that can be known. All right, open a bottle, please. Do you need something to open it? But when it's so tight, we need to have more viriya to open it, can that be the same thing but with different aspects? When it's so easy there must be viriya but when it's harder it needs more viriya and when it's so hard to get rid of the idea of self it needs not just viriya but also khanti, in all aspects, in all situations. So as much as we can understand it's not just the word in the book but at the moment when it's there. Because there must be... it's not just like seeing, no need to have viriya to see, it's conditioned already. But at the moment when you do something, even eating, stretching out your hand, there must be viriya, to move it, unknown. But when it's more difficult it takes more viriya and can that be said that it's not just a simple or it is an easy viriya but it is khanti, not just only that.
Even right now there must be viriya to hear, to listen, to think of that but it's so very difficult to understand, even that which is now experiencing, no one at all. And with only some moments of viriya it's impossible to realize that but when there's more and more understanding that: it can be known but even not now but from moment to moment, it can begin to understand that which now is experiencing. When we say seeing it seems so very simple but when we understand that characteristic which is no one but it's just the moment of arising and experiencing, that's all.
And there are so many different cittas from moment to moment, that's why seeing doesn't have viriya with it but at the other moments there is viriya, even it's so very weak it's unknown. But when it's more and more there can be the understanding of how much it takes, not only viriya but it needs more time to develop, like khanti, to understand this moment of seeing. That's why beginning to understand, no matter what in a day, there is no one at all but no thinking because the confidence of that which is not self is not strong enough. That's why it takes time, no one there at all. So not trying to do anything it's more easy than just trying to find out the way to develop it.
Leave it to conditions, that is the beginning of becoming real understanding of the word no-self because actually, it's not just the word, it's this moment, no-one, seeing sees, thinking thinks, developing by themselves, not by anyone at all. If there's no hearing, and no other cetasikas as sankhara khandha, it's impossible to condition a little more understanding of that-which-can-be-known-is-now. Otherwise, we just turn away from this moment and try to find out by ourselves, to understand this and that.
Tadao: I can see that viriya is easily accompanied by the notion of I. I'm going to do something or I am going to strive to achieve something. So you are saying be careful, do not try to develop viriya with the notion of self, it's the wrong practice. I think that is what you are saying.
A: Sujin: So, what for, trying to have viriya?
Tadao: To learn more, to understand more.
A. Sujin: As I? No self, this is against the current of desire. The point is no-I which means not anyone who can try to understand that but from hearing, little by little, it will wash away just very little misunderstanding of there-are-many-things-around-here, including I-am-here, actually before there can be the understanding of what is as it is, right now. But the truth is that it's conditioned, it arises and falls away. That's why the words of the truth should be studied carefully but not with the desire to get rid of the I but understanding the truth and understanding itself performs the function of letting go even from the very beginning. If in the beginning there's no letting go, what's the point of listening? It would be condition for more and more attachment to the I, unknowingly. This is the trick of attachment, lobha, with ignorance, all the time, is here, this moment. That's why no-I is listening now but the moment when it's there it hears and it understands the words, which will begin to understand the meaning of the word, that it's about just what is there now.
So one who knows dhamma is the one who knows that any moment is dhamma, whatever is there is dhamma. That is the clearer understanding about no self, little by little. And no need to think about whether there is viriya or not at that moment because no one can know, they arise together with other cetasikas, they fall away together, so rapidly. That's why just learn, at that moment, to understand better and better. Actually, what we are learning is about right now, that which appears, to understand the truth, to let go the idea of self. So it's not the self trying so hard to know it but it's the moment of listening and seeing how deep it is, how subtle it is.
That's why it will let go the idea of wanting or trying with the idea of "I'll try", but from hearing, understanding is there, and then it's gone. All right, it's a proof of how much understanding of no-one-there, otherwise the I is there, again and again, all in one's life. That's why pañña develops, of everything by conditions. Because if there is still no understanding of just-that, it cannot get rid of the idea of self, the self is there. That's why no-one, just listening and understanding and dhammas perform as dhammas, different ones, now, right now. And pañña begins to understand that which appears, not that which is not there, to be known. For example, after seeing there is viriya, with what cetasikas, with what cittas? No one knows. It's not to force knowledge, but to know that it cannot be known, from the very beginning because even that which is now appearing is not known yet. There is the self who tries so hard to understand this and that but what about understanding that which is now appearing?