Kasina, the sign which is not people and things

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[Little Hang] In vipassana if citta has concept as object then pañña can understand that it's not a reality, but samatha cannot distinguish between concept and reality...

[A. Sujin] So at the moment of vipassana how strong pañña is there that it can understand what is there as it is. Even from the very beginning to the end, clearer and clearer and clearer, understanding the reality right now as it is, right now or anytime when it's strong enough, developed enough to realize the truth of what is there as no one. Otherwise it cannot be vipassana, the degree of understanding at level of vipassana, when there is still I or not understanding the truth as no one there at all. So, vipassana is not just being aware and beginning to develop the understanding of that as it is, but it is moment of unexpectedly realizing the nature which is not self, so clearly, beyond expectation, that's why it is vi-passana, clear comprehension or clearness of pañña, which understands the truth as no one there at all.

And when there is clear understanding of what is vipassana and what samatha bhavana, there can be more understanding of the truth as what it is, it is only right understanding at level of samatha, no understanding of the characteristic of reality as no one there at all, or it's the moment of: never mind about how strong calmness or ekaggata cetasika is, but right understanding is there, understanding just one characteristic at a time, little by little.

The difference between samatha bhavana and vipassana bhavana should be known clearly from the very beginning. And I think that we better have the understanding of the development of samatha, on its own, and the development of vipassana: they are quite different. Because those who do not have any understanding of the reality at all, can develop samatha only once they have understood how to develop samatha, not just by intention at all.

Right understanding of the characteristic of reality can understand what samatha is, but those who do not have any understanding of the characteristic of reality at all, [they] can just be able to understand the development of samatha and just understand what samatha is, but [they] cannot know what vipassana is.

So, the Buddha taught about everything so [that] now we can have better understanding of one method or one development at a time, whether it is samatha or whether it is vipassana, so that there can be clearer understanding of what is what. Without pañña, right understanding at all, can there be a moment of understanding the difference between akusala moment and kusala moment? If not how can there be the understanding of what samatha bhavana is?

So the one who develops samatha bhavana must have the right understanding of that level, of what is wholesome and what is not wholesome. So, samatha doesn't mean just to sit and concentrate, focusing on one object with desire or attachment to fix only only one object at a time, no understanding of whether it's akusala or kusala at all, so it's not the meaning of calmness at all.

Anyone who just sits and tries to concentrate or focus on only one object cannot develop samatha, calmness, at all because of no understanding of that very moment. Some people sit and anyone just sitting, no words, no talking at all, are they developing samatha? So samatha bhavana is not just sitting quietly, not speaking, not thinking about anything at all, mistaking those who are sitting quietly as those who are doing or practicing or having samatha bhavana, but in truth who knows? So, in truth what is samatha bhavana? And what is samatha?

[L. Hang] Ajahn, I think that samatha is passaddhi cetasika...

[A. Sujin] But what about this very moment? Without the understanding of [this] moment, whether it is wholesome, samatha, or not, it's impossible to develop higher or more calmness at all. At moment of giving things away, what is there at that moment? Samatha or just ordinary wholesome citta? So, without right understanding, can there be the development of samatha? And what level of understanding can develop samatha, what is the difference between samatha bhavana and vipassana bhavana?

[L. Hang] Samatha cannot understand anything about reality, Ajahn.

[A. Sujin] Yes, and what can one understand, to develop samatha? Why developing samatha? Because one can give away things, one can observe sila. but why does one develop samatha, is there any reason?

[L. Hang] He can see the danger of akusala.

[A. Sujin] Yes, so is there more kusala moments in a day, while understanding that, the danger of akusula. Is there a little more kusala in a day, being more kind, more compassion[ate]? So, the understanding of the danger of akusala can condition more wholesome moments in a day, that is the beginning to have more calmness, but it's not [of] the degree of samatha development, which is samatha bhavana.

In a day there are moments of nivarana, all kinds of nivarana, no one sees the danger of it, but for those who can understand the moment of no calmness at all at moment of any kind of nivarana still being there, [they] see the danger of nivarana dhammas too.

All depends on different levels of right understanding, seeing the danger of unkindness, for example, can condition moment of: how can it be done. And there can be more kindness and compassion for whatever situation is there. So, at any moment of unwholesomeness it means that that moment does not see the danger of unwholesomess at all.

Can samatha bhavana understand the danger of ignorance? The person who develops samatha bhavana, does he see the danger of ignorance? So, what does that person see, that is dangerous? Does anyone see the danger of experiencing the sensuous object all the time? Anytime, even right now.

That's why those who develop samatha bhavana cannot understand the way to eradicate ignorance and attachment, as much as they can see, it's the danger of experiencing the sensuous object because it conditions all kinds of akusala, clinging or dosa, depending on conditions. Seeing the danger of ignorance and clinging to the sensuous object in a day they try not to cling to the sensuous object, so, citta can be wholesome for them, at that level.

And as long as there is moment of taking what is experienced as something there must be attachment with ignorance. That's why they try to be away from the nimitta of sensuous object as people and things. But citta has to arise and experiences an object, that's why no one can escape from experiencing the sensuous object at all, but instead of taking the mark and sign as people and things, they try to set the mind on just the nimitta or the image of that which is not people and thing.

It is so very difficult to set the mind on the sign which is not people and things, that's why there are many different kasinas, nimitta of color or softness or hardness, for example. When it appears as just hardness, can there be attachment? Because people in a day just want to have hardness by way of things and people. Just fighting for rupa, no matter it is hard or soft, the land and whatever is there. What about not just craving for people and things all around, but even craving for hardness and softness, only that is not known that in truth it's not just craving for things but for the dhatu. Thinking in that way is a thinking to have less attachment to sensuous objects through the five door-ways.

People have many ideas by their accumulations, that's why there are so many methods of thinking about this and that. That's why the object for the development calmness should be known, studied carefully, whether it can really condition calmness, more and more. So, it's a level of understanding the danger of sensuous attachment.

So, the development of samatha cannot be developed at all without the understanding of the danger of clinging to the sensuous object. That's why the object of development of samatha should be studied carefully too, to understand how it is [to be] considered to condition less attachment to that which [one] has been attached before.

That's why those wise people before the enlightenment of the Buddha developed, like the Buddha's teachers before he became enlightened. But the Buddha was so wise that he wouldn't [be satisfied with] the teachings about this method or that method because his accumulations, the paramis to become enlightened. So he knew that those were wrong, not the right way to understand the truth, to enlighten the truth at all. After hearing the teachings of the Buddha, even in the Buddha's time, was there anyone trying to develop samatha, as before?

[Tam B.] I didn't hear the last sentence, Ajahn.

[A. Sujin] Because before hearing the Teachings of the Buddha there could be the understanding of the development of samatha, so, they practiced those level of understanding of samatha, but after hearing the Teachings, who would like to develop samatha as before? Because, [between] spending time to develop samatha and studying the Teachings, what is better?

That's why there were the arahattas without the samatha bhavana and the arahattas with that which had been developed before or together because of the accumulations. Without studying the Teachings of the Buddha very carefully and just following the way without understanding anything, is that the development of samatha bhavana? That's why nothing, no one can develop samatha bhavana without the understanding of the danger of whatever is there clinging to sensuous objects.

So now, does anyone see the danger of sensuous objects or just want to develop samatha? And is samatha bhavana easy to develop? So, it depends on understanding of what is there, samatha bhavana, what is the reality of samatha? And what is understanding the danger of clinging to sensuous objects? And what is the understanding of seeing that ignorance cannot understand anything now? It's so dangerous.

Without the Teachings of the Buddha there cannot be such understanding, understanding the danger of ignorance and all unwholesome realities at all.

So, anybody just sitting and reciting some words, is that samatha bhavana? So, nothing can deceive right understanding of the truth at all. So, without understanding samatha bhavana it's impossible to have samatha bhavana developed.

So the development of samatha can be in daily life, the development of kindness, compassion and it can be parami when there is pañña, understanding the truth that actually there's no one. What are there at any moment must be only different realities conditioned by different conditions. Is this is the answer to your question?

[L. Hang] Ajahn, although I don't understand a lot but I feel that your explanation about samatha is so great, thank you so much, I will listen again and consider again.

[A. Sujin] Because the Buddha taught about everything for 45 years, no matter about what is samatha and what is vipassana and what is just intellectual understanding and so on, everything. So that we will not go wrong, at all. Listen carefully, so much to be understood as it is, as no one, even samatha, nobody at all, only different levels of pañña.

And there are forty objects for the development of samatha, that's why no need just to sit and recite, but daily life, to have more compassion, more kindness, be understanding person and so on, helping the others at any time, it is samatha when citta is kusala, of different degrees. Otherwise it's ignorance, taken wrongly to be samatha but actually it's not [samatha] at all. It's calm at any moments of wholesome cittas, that's all.