Adhisila: when the truth is there, directly known

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[Little Hang] Ajahn, I've asked many times about sila but still not clear what I've heard, that adhisila, adhicitta, adhipañña sikkha are also the development of satipatthana.

[Ajahn Sujin] We have to consider the truth of reality because you see that without a reality which can experience an object, can there be what we use the word sila? Sila is the behavior of the reality which arises and experience an object, otherwise how can we talk about sila and samadhi, adhisila and adhicitta and adhipañña? So now we are talking about the reality which arises to experience an object, otherwise the word sila doesn't have any meaning at all. There are many different characteristics of the realities which can experience an object: they arise together to be a moment of kusala or moment of akusala, or vipaka or kiriya. We can sum up the functions or the characteristics of realities as kusala dhammas, akusala dhammas, abyakata dhammas, and sila is the manner, the behavior of that which experiences, so it can be akusala sila, kusala sila, and abyakata sila.

At this moment, can the behavior of citta be sila? Kusala, or akusala or abyakata? If we don't know we just talk about how and how and how, but now what we're talking about it's sila, which is the behavior of the reality which can experience an object, which are so very numerous, they are different, each one. Is the akusala citta, and cetasikas which arise together... are [they] sila? And when it's the wholesome moment experiencing an object, is that sila? Understanding the wholesome sila and then unwholesome sila in general, it's different from when there can be moment of adhisila, that's why we have an another word, adhi (higher), not just only sila.

That's why this is the difference between sila and adhisila, adhicitta and adhipañña, because it has another word, [adhi]sila, so it's different from [the] ordinary sila that people know. The reality which is now appearing can be studied and its truth can be realized, but without learning about the truth of what is there now can there be any moment of enlightening the truth? And the development of the understanding of the truth of what is there now is the way to realize the truth, that's why it's different from other moment which is only wholesome, but no understanding of the truth of what is there now.

So there can be moment of understanding whether now it is sila or a adhisila, when there is right understanding of the difference. Without understanding the truth of the reality as no one and no thing it's impossible to have the adhisila because it's not the way which can develop to realize the truth. The truth is there now, is there any understanding of the truth? So that it can be not only sila but adhisila.

But the adhisila is not just intellectual understanding about the sila and about the reality right now, but it is the moment [which is] directly aware and understands the truth of it, conditioned by conventional understanding about it. As long as it's not the direct understanding with awareness of an object right now it's not adhisila. Is it clear? Now, is it sila or adhisila?

[L. Hang] Now it must be I think akusala sila because the akusala citta arises very often right now.

[A. Sujin] That is thinking, but we're talking about realities which do not appear as they are yet. That's why we just talk about sila, what is it? And is akusala moment sila? Is kusala moment sila? Is this kusala moment adhisila or not yet?

[L. Hang] No, adhisila must be the direct understanding, Ajahn.

[A. Sujin] And are there many stages of understanding? Does it just arise to appear clearly as vipassana-ñana? Or moment of directly understanding, with direct awareness?

[L. Hang] It needs the development of pañña, Ajahn.

[A. Sujin] So, there are many degrees of understanding, the moment of beginning to understand directly whatever is now appearing is much different from the moment when the reality appears well, stage by stage.

At moment of directly understanding what is there as it is right now it's different from just thinking about it. So the understanding understands that it is different, so it's not just the same as when one just reads or thinks about it, but the truth is there, directly known. It's adhisila and there are many stages, developed from moment to moment until it it's clear understanding of that object, and even vipassana-ñanas have many degrees too, all are adhisila because it is different from moment without direct understanding of what is there now. In order to understand reality better and clearly we should study just one word at a time, without pañña can there be direct understanding of what is there now? Just remembering that, what is the meaning of satipatthana and sati-sampajañña? Is it enough when there is no direct understanding of whatever is there now? At moment of directly understanding what is there, right understanding knows or understands what is meant by adhisila or adhicitta and adhipañña but it's so very weak in the very beginning.

That's why just few moments with understanding directly it's not enough: according to how much accumulation of the clinging to it as something there, cannot be just completely eradicated instantly at all. But when there is direct awareness and understanding the truth, it's different from just thinking about it. That's why this is the difference between sila and adhisila. Any words more? Is it not clear, adhisila?

[L. Hang] So, Ajahn, what is, where is the factor of sila in the 37 factors that lead into enlightenment?

[A. Sujin] Can citta arise without cetasikas?

[L. Hang] No, not at all, cannot.

[A. Sujin] What does that mean?

[L. Hang] It's still not clear, Ajahn.

[A. Sujin] Can phassa cetasika be lokuttara? At that moment, is it adhisila, adhicitta, adhipañña? Together?

[L. Hang] Yes, Ajahn.