No use just to accept but to understand the truth: it cannot be denied

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(Excerpt from the Dhamma discussion with Ajahn Sujin Boriharnwanaket in Bangkok / on Zoom (am Fri Feb 3rd 2023). Suitable for beginners.)

[Mai] When Sarah gives more information in details I think it's so difficult for me to keep thinking about that so I just accept it.

[A. Sujin] What do you mean "I accept it", is it true?

[Jonothan] We cannot necessarily say it's true if there's no actual understanding we can only say what the Buddha taught...

[A. Sujin] Accepting untruth?

[Jonothan] Who knows, possible.

[A. Sujin] No use to just accept, whether it's true or not, but to understand the truth: it cannot be denied.

[Jonothan] The key word there is: understand.

[Tam B.] What about when things cannot be verified by our current understanding?

[A. Sujin] But the Buddha didn't just say the words: what is there? Seeing is only one moment and after that what conditions what? Without vitakka (cetasika, mental factor) the next moment cannot share the object which seeing [just] saw at all. That's the reason why after sampaticchana (the citta following seeing) there must be other moments too. Not just to believe but to understand the way it is, the paccaya (condition) is there too. Just to let go of ignorance, to understand a little more, a little more, otherwise there's only thinking, accepting, "I believe" and so on.

[Mai] That's why I just commented that it's just very individual feeling at that moment.

[A. Sujin] And what did the Buddha say about that?

[Mai] Sorry, about what?

[A. Sujin] You've just talked about those moments, sometimes this and sometimes...

[Mai] Ignorance...

[A. Sujin] He talked about everything, to be understood as no one, but when you have such idea, no understanding of Dhamma at that very moment.

[Mai] How can I say: this thinking here is different from thinking...

[A. Sujin] It doesn't matter what you say, the truth is that, but what is there? To be different from moment to moment, this is the way to understand dhamma as it is.

[Mai] Thinking's by conditions, right?

[A. Sujin] What conditions can be known? And what is there can be known gradually, little by little, not trying to experiencing it, but to understand its truth, whether it's known or not.