Parami, to get closer to the truth


Excerpt from the discussion with Ajahn Sujin in BKK / on Zoom on Sep 17th 2023.

[0:00 - Beginning to be a careful person]
[A.Sujin] What is that? Is there nothing or what? In order to understand the very subtle reality, it has to begin to be careful person, considering carefully to understand the truth deeper and deeper. It's not just the word but it's there now to be known and what can be known it's just only when it's there, right now, otherwise how can there be the understanding of what we have said. What we have said: just about what is there now, every moment to be understood as it is, one by one. Without beginning to be careful person, considering each word in order to understand the truth, the truth cannot be realized at all because only right understanding can realize the truth. Just the word and the thought cannot realize the truth at all, but the understanding of what is said, about what is there now, is the beginning to understand the reality which is now appearing as we have said. There cannot be the understanding of what we have talked together, all at once, but it has to be just understanding the truth of each reality which is there hidden never talked about before and then beginning to hear the word about it to consider whether it's true or not, ultimate truth or not. So, is there this moment? Not the moment of working or talking about different realities, but just right now, is there a moment? To be truthful to each word of reality, to understand whether what is there now, isn't that what we have talked about many many times? So now it's time to understand what is there now and there can be a little more understanding of the truth of it to begin to understand the truth clearer and clearer as it can appear to right understanding when time comes. If the truth of this moment is not known how can there be the understanding of anything? beginning to be careful, thinking carefully, considered carefully in order to have wise consideration of what is there.

[03:24 - So subtle that it's not known even it's talked about]
It's not just hearing, it's not just thinking, but it has to be careful and wise considering about the truth of each reality which is taught and is there now, otherwise how much understanding of what we have heard? Each word of a reality is so very very deep and very very subtle because it is not known even it's talked about. So, what is there now? Isn't it so subtle? Is it easy to know? This is the subtle and wise, carefully considering to understand the wisdom of the Buddha. So the answer to: what is there now is very important too, it shows how much understanding from hearing, considering.

[Rithy] Visible object is there.

[A. Sujin] It seems easy, right? What is seen is that which can be seen and we call it visible object, right? Be truthful to the truth, more confidence of the truth, What is seen now?

[Rithy] Visible object at the moment of seeing, but now there are people and things, so moha is there.

[A. Sujin] How much understanding of visible object as visible object? Is what is seen now just visible object or khun Jon and khun Sarah and everyone here? So since it doesn't appear as just visible object, it is someone seeing or something seen all the time, right? Only idea of: it's only visible object, but not the way it appears at that level of understanding, to be truthful, to understand the nature of visible object. Consider a little more about the nature of visible object. If the reality of that which is seen as it is, as that that can be seen, there is no Jonothan, no Sarah, right? Nothing at all, only that which is seen, is that true, a little more confidence? What is seen now is not Sarah, see, not Sarah. The moment when it appears, the moment when it appears it cannot appear as khun Sarah at all. If there isn't a little more careful considering about the truth, how can there be moments of understanding that which appears as no one at all? Is that right?

[06:03 - No one there, no thing, no shape no form]
Not just the word, visible object, but the truth of visible object: when it appears no one there at all, no thing there at all, no shape no form at all, only the nature of that which is seen is there, when it is experienced. And this is the ultimate truth of what He said about reality as no one and no thing at all. Didn't the Buddha teach about this truth? Visible object is only visible object. And at the moment of realizing the truth, no Sarah no Jonothan, no one there at all, only that which is seen, nothing else. Otherwise it cannot be moment of realizing the truth of that which is seen as: a reality only. And this is the understanding of the truth of: how to understand it, not just hearing, considering, taking it for: it's just visible object, that's not enough. But understanding how much ignorance is there right now, seeing visible object as many things and many people. Just consider the truth of it in order to understand how much ignorance of what is seen now there is. Since what is seen now is people and things, it's not the moment of understanding the truth of seeing and that which is seen. Beginning to understand the high, so very great understanding of the Buddha when he realized the truth it has to be as he said, from His enlightenment, how great wisdom to understand the truth, directly, when it's there: now. So now it's time to understand the great wisdom of the Buddha and His Teachings about the truth.

[08:17 - Sacca, adhitthana, nekkhama, viriya, and khanti-parami, to get closer to the truth]
And when the understanding of visible object is there, that it has to be just that which is seen, not changing at all, not anyone at all, that is sacca-parami. So, again now, what is seen, now?

[Rithy] Colors.

[A. Sujin] Really? :) the truth is there, see, it has to be firm confidence, adhitthana-parami, to know that the truth now can be realized because it's so true. And in order to get closer, closer to the truth, it has to just let go of wrong understanding, otherwise it's still someone all the time, and that is nekkhama-parami. And without viriya, listening again and again and again, to attend to the characteristic of that which is now appearing, it's viriya-parami, at any moment, no delay, no excuses, and that is khanti-parami. Otherwise how can there be a little more understanding and getting closer and closer to understand that which now doesn't appear as it is, to know the moment when it appears as it is. That's why listen again, consider again again and again: suta-maya-pañña, cinta-may-pañña, bhavana-maya-pañña. That's why we learn more about what is there now, each moment is different by conditions, so, what is there from moment to moment?