Realities, understanding the truth of that which is different from the others

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(Suitable for beginners) - Jotika: What is reality?

A. Sujin: Is there any truth now? So, what is it, to be truthful to the truth? When there is a truth, a truth now, what is that truth? This is the development of understanding, from hearing and considering and then right understanding can answer, rightly, not wrongly because it's true. What is the truth of this moment? Is there any truth now?

J. There's feeling.

Su. Okay, is that abhidhamma?

J. Yes, it belongs to Abhidhamma I think.

Su. When there's no understanding of what abhidhamma means, how can there be the understanding that now even such moment it's so real, it's conditioned, no one's forced it or controlled it or made it arise at all, it's there already. That's why no need to think about what will be future moment because now what is there should be known, that it's just like now, no matter future or past or present. What is there is conditioned, uncontrollable and then gone. This is the meaning of dhamma, which is abhidhamma, nobody can control and actually they cannot be taken for anything because it's there just very very briefly. It's conditioned to be there and then no more, is that true?

J. Yes, it's true.

Su. That's why, can it be known, little by little, one by one, more directly, little by little, until just only one appears to be known, clearer than when they arise together, so very rapidly. And this is the meaning of dhamma, which is abhidhamma, no matter it's what. It has its own characteristic, its own function, its own conditions for its arising and cannot stay at all, just very shortly and then gone. This is the absolute truth or abhidhamma, each dhamma is abhidhamma and is there now, in every moment there must be something. When there is no understanding we take it for I or thing, but actually we have to learn to understand the truth, to be truthful to the truth of that which is now appearing, what is seen. When there is no considering about its truth, how can there be the moment of letting go that as not me, not anything at all because actually it's gone completely, never to arise again in samsara. Is it not true? And when it's so true, it is the first noble truth, the arising and falling of whatever is now. We don't have to wait, we don't have to look for it, we don't have to go anywhere at all because it is right now, unknown as usual because it's covered up by ignorance from eons and eons ago, very very very difficult to lift it, to open it up, but the moment of hearing about it, there can be moment of understanding the truth of it and be truthful to the characteristic of that which cannot be changed and it's conditioned, just there and then gone. This is the absolute truth.

So, learning or studying Dhamma doesn't mean just the word, talking about it, but the characteristic of that which is known according to what the Buddha said. There can be understanding of any word about any reality in Tipitaka because what is there as conditioned reality cannot be taken for anyone because no one can make it arise and no one can prevent its falling away instantly. That is the meaning of suññata, nothing again because, before its arising, from nothing, to be something and then nothing, that's all. From moment to moment, the stream of bhavanga, not experiencing anything, just like moment of being fast asleep, like the moment of birth and death, not experiencing any object through the six doorways. That's why nothing can appear as the object of bhavanga, it's the stream of bhavangas until it's interrupted by sense-door process and mind-door process, never lasts, just arises and falls away, that's all. This is life, the way it is, but the truth is that there must be a reality, which has its own characteristic, its own function, its own proximate cause and manifestation, different because of different characteristics, just like now. So anyone can hear the Teachings about the truth anywhere, anytime. Only when there is hearing there can be a moment of remembering what is said, what is asked, what is talked about and then, after considering, there can be understanding of what we are talking about, even abhidhamma, even anatta, no one.

It doesn't mean that there is nothing because there must be activities as usual, getting up, doing something and they're gone, but all are dhammas, different dhammas, but when there is no understanding is I or things all the time, from life to life, that's why it's so very very subtle but there can be, little by little, understanding the characteristic which is there, not just when one reads, open the book or listen to the word but not understanding that it's just talking about the truth of what is there now, anytime. For example, seeing is a reality, it appears and there can be moment of listening to the truth of it, it is a reality that is conditioned to arise to experience an object through the eye-door, eye-sense, and it arises at the eye-base. And this is a truth, beginning to understand that that cannot be taken for anything at all, it's only one characteristic of a reality. Whatever arises falls away, never to return in samsara, no matter when, no one can find it because it's completely gone.

So, there is no I, learning to have more confidence about the truth of each reality which appears. By then, little by little, there can be a moment of attending or thinking, in the beginning, about that which is there, which was heard, like seeing now. No thought about it, just hearing more and more and who knows at what time there can be the development of understanding the nature of a reality, which sees. Which sees, it arises otherwise there cannot be seeing, it's conditioned to arise just to see and then gone, how can that be anyone? Seeing's gone completely. It cannot be taken from me or mine or what. It's just that which is there and this is the meaning of abhidhamma, dhamma is whatever is real and abhi-dhamma, no one can control it, does not belong to anyone at all. Just beginning to have the idea of letting go of wrong understanding, which has been developed from life to life on and on. So much, to know it, because it's there and gone very very rapidly. And this is the truth. So having heard about this it's not me, but it's the moment of understanding or no understanding, by conditions. Some may have very very clear understanding, but some cannot have anything understood as it is, just hearing and it's gone, but it's there all the time, hearing again, considering it again and beginning to understand what is right, what is true and what is not, and this is sacca, to be truthful to the truth of that which is now appearing, but not for long at all, because at moment of thinking, at moment of hearing, there cannot be seeing together. Just begin to have a little clearer understanding of a reality and a moment, different moments, from moment to moment, no me, no one, but without the realities conditioned to arise and performing their functions there would be nothing, no one at all.

Just develop the truthfulness to the truth and that understanding will gradually let go of the very strong clinging to what is there as something, all the time. As we use the term upadāna, but it is this moment, so very very strong that it cannot let go the idea of something from whatever is there to be seen, even right now. To understand the truth, that's all. It's pañña, right understanding, which can understand what is there as it is, no one. True or not? Even from hearing, it can come in any moment, unexpectedly, from hearing again and again and again, it develops little by little, to have the moment of considering what is there, no I who is thinking, but even that moment is conditioned to let go the I from whatever is there, no matter it is feeling, vedana, or memory, sañña, or whatever, like or dislike of what degree. And this is the understanding of Dhamma, because Dhamma is not in the book, it's not at the meditation center. Anywhere anytime, just right now and then gone.

J. So the citta and the cetasikas are there all the time working together.

Su. That's why the Buddha taught a lot about each different moment, how many cetasikas arise with such citta. For example, seeing is conditioned by kamma, seven cetasikas are enough to condition this moment of seeing, it's there just to see, it doesn't perform the function of thinking liking and so on, but just seeing, only a moment, and this is how much wisdom, the great wisdom of the Buddha who enlightened the truth more than this, much more than this, unfathomable wisdom, nobody can understand how much he has, different from the others, no matter those in heaven or brahma or anywhere in the universe. So understanding the truth is the best thing in one's life because it can condition more understanding, after hearing again, unexpectedly, who knows what will be the next moment of understanding the truth, or hearing more about it, with more interest, more truthful to the truth.

J. It needs a lot of confidence.

Su. So each word of the Buddha can be understood, about its reality. And what is the confidence of the truth? Right understanding developing to be so strong, enough for the reality right now to show up as it is, clearer a little clearer, until no doubt about what we've heard, about the truth of it, arising and falling away instantly as nimitta. That's why each word should be understood, clearer and clearer, not just remembered. So, what is meant by meditation? It's not only hearing and falling [away] instantly, but what is it? Without understanding how can anyone just follow that which one does not understand the purpose, what for? Why does one listen to the words of the Teachings? To understand what's now, that which is there, whether it's true, as He said. So when it's so true one can imagine what is meant by enlightenment, not just this, much more than this. Because this is only intellectual understanding while seeing right now, even now while it sees, there are so many many many seeings, many many processes of seeing, not taking into account the other processes in between. That's why this is life and ignorance cannot understand it.

And when it is ignorance without attachment, it's so funny because, even it's there, it's not known. I was looking for something, which was there in front [of me]. If there is attachment, taking it for something, it's not ignorance only, but when there's no attachment, no aversion, but it is the moment of not knowing anything, even it's there, so realities are there, but it depends on how much understanding to understand it. For example right now, all are dhammas, each moment, different ones, by conditions. Beginning to see that no one can make it arise, it's there already. Even thinking right now, no one can make it arise, by conditions, just thinking about what was experienced before, in different manners, by different conditions, all are conditioned realities, otherwise they cannot arise at all, and there are so many many conditions.

That's why in order to understand the conditions for realities, there must be the understanding of the truth of that which is different from the others. For example, right now, seeing is not that which is seen. Is there any moment thinking about that, considering each one as a different one? The experiencing cannot be that which is seen at all. So, at this moment, what is seen? It's seen already, but the experiencing is not known because it doesn't show up, no idea about it, no thought about it, no beginning to understand that it's there, that which experiences, so that the object which is appearing now can be experienced. So many unknown realities, from day to day, from moment to moment. So, why does one go to the meditation center? Attachment, just wanting something, but what does one expect [by] going there, what for? Not clear, just the I, wanting to what? Not known because what should be known is right now, no need to go anywhere at all.

J. So the attachment is helping being less attached...

Su. ...Having wrong understanding, wrong practice, sīlabbatapārāmasa, ditthupādāna...

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