Mano-kamma, without it there cannot be kaya-kamma or vaci-kamma
(Excerpt from the English-Viet Dhamma discussion with Ajahn Sujin Boriharnwanaket on Zoom (Nov 11th 2022). Advanced topic.)
0:00 - Strong wrong view cannot listen to any truth
[Tam B] Ajahn, at the beginning you were talking about wrong view and you said many things that I think very interesting about it and I don't think I really fully got, so maybe it would be helpful if you can elaborate more, thank you.
[A. Sujin] When we talk about a reality, we don't talk just at moment when it conditions deeds and speech, it can be strong even it's not spoken out, it can be so strong that it cannot listen to any truth at all or any other word, is that strong or not strong? Is it strong or is it strong just when it's spoken out? Because if there's no such level of strong clinging it cannot condition such words at all.
1:16 - Mano-kamma, just the moment when there is mind-door process
So, the mano-kamma, in truth just the moment when there is mind-door process is mano-kamma, depending on whether it is gross or very subtle, [of] less degree. So when talking about what mano-kamma is, the commentary (to MN-56, Upali Sutta) says: the mind-door process is mano-kamma: the javana. So, lobha or any akusala in the mind-door process is mano-kamma because it's not the sense-door javana. And now it begins to understand what it's meant by mano-kamma and what degree of it, depending on the accumulation of different persons. Understanding the truth of reality, understanding Dhamma, isn't it strong for those who accumulate it on and on and on?
But [when] we're just talking about the three kinds (doors/dvara) of kamma: kaya-kamma, vaci-kamma, mano-kamma, we don't talk about the processes of mind-door which are all mano-kamma. So, understanding the truth of it, there can be the understanding of whatever is taught about the three kinds of kamma: kaya-kamma, vaci-kamma, mano-kamma.
2:51 - Mano-kamma, the deed came from what was there as mind-door processes
As attachment through the sense-door is so very little, less than... compared to the other moments when it's strong, we can understand that even mind-door processes, or mano-kamma, are the same. So when the ill deed, the wrong deed, has been done, it came from what was there as mind-door processes, the mano-kamma, but since it was done through the kaya, so it is kaya-kamma, and through speech, so it is vaci-kamma. And when there's no intention at all: without mano-kamma, it just happens, by conditions, suddenly, like: no intention to kill... but it's done.
But no matter what is there in Tipitaka, it can be known directly, when it's there, appearing, different degrees of speech and words, and mind-door, but the truth is that: it's by conditions, no-one and no-thing at all. So, each word, each kind of feeling or events depends on different degrees of accumulation. For example, if someone would say: oh, I am bored of life, I don't want to be born again, is that a level of understanding the truth? That's why all kinds of reality should be studied carefully to really understand the truth, whether is this or not. It's not right understanding, but it's a kind of boredom. Can that be the moment of seeing the danger of what is there arising now? Impossible. So, when one says: my life is so boring, I don't want to be born again, there can be the understanding [of] what is there, just saying it or is its meaning like that? Or, what conditions such words? Different degrees of kusula and akusala, it can be known only by pañña, not judging it by way of one's own thoughts or by learning from book because who knows the conditions for such speech? That's why what can be known has to be by one's own considering, not just repeating the words. Two people say the same: life is so dangerous, what about the level or degree of the words spoken? That's why dhammas are paccattam.
[Tam B] What is paccattam, Ajahn?
[A. Sujin] To be known only by oneself.
Is that the answer to your questions?
6:08 - Mano-kamma, without it there cannot be kaya-kamma or vaci-kamma
[Tam B] I think the subject of vaci-kamma, kaya-kamma and mano-kamma is really very deep. I think it's very confusing topic.
[A. Sujin] So, there must be mind-door process, right? [Yes] Can that be kamma, that mind-door process? But the kamma is done through speech or deed... without the mind-door kamma, can there be kaya-kamma or vaci-kamma?
[Tam B] No, cannot.
[A. Sujin] But when something is done, not knowing that: oh, it's killing, or no intention to kill at all, but an ant died by such deed, [but] no intention at all. So, even there is the mind-door process, but the deed it's done through the body, without intention, that's why it's not killing. But when one intends to kill and the killing is done, that is mano-kamma, no matter through speech or body. Is it a little clearer?
- Original dhammahometv source video: