Savaka-sangho, the properties of the one who has realized the truth
Excerpt of the Dhamma discussion (En-Vn) with Ajahn Sujin on Zoom on Sun Feb 16th 2025.
Mp3 audio file: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1XKWcfxthwYB_dT2eTOC6lo0lQEWxu0GJ
Savakha-sangho, understanding correctly and behaving corrrectly
The virtues of the sangha, ok... suppatipanno savakasangho, savaka, everyone knows... so, the savakasangho. Suppatipanno, just accomplished with, following the Teachings means doing, speaking, following the words of the Buddha, right? Suppatipanno savakasangho, all savakas just follow the Teachings, behave according to the Teachings, develop right understanding according to the Teachings of the truth only, the Teachings of the Buddha about the truth, to become accomplished, to become savakasangho.
And ujuppatipanno, what's the meaning of uju? [Something like straight.] Yes, straight to the truth. Is it that? Getting straight to the truth, not turning left, not right, or another way, right now. Straight to understand the truth, what is there now? That which can be known is there right now, appearing as it is. Seeing sees, no I, not I, not anyone at all. Suppatipanno savakasangho, ujuppatipanno, and what?
[ñayappatipanno savakasangho.] ñaya, according to the truth, can it be listening to the word of the truth carefully, straightly to the truth, understanding it now, what is there, straight to that object right now. Listening about it, and considering it, and behave or develop right understanding to understand its truth.
Isn't that the meaning of savaka? Listening to the truth, considering it carefully, understand it, and just walking straight, so to understand the truth. Or it's the behavior, the deeds and speech and whatever in life, just following the Teachings because of understanding the very precious reality, right understanding is best of all. Understanding correctly, behaving correctly to eradicate defilements or ignorance about what is there now. The core of the Teachings, no matter about what by words.
Suppatipanno, the words are not just to be understood but to be followed
Suppatipanno, su is wholesome, suppatipanno savakasangho. Wholesome moments in life through deeds and speech and mind. From hearing, considering, three stages, three rounds of ariyasacca. It includes the meaning of the three rounds of ariya-sacca. Otherwise, how can there be the enlightenment to the truth of what is there now as it is? No matter what word is used, listening to the truth, su-pati-panno. And understanding that it is not just to be translated or it is not just to be understood, but to follow the path leading to the eradication of unwholesome realities. Until even the wholesome realities, which are causes too for whatever arises, are completely eradicated, never to arise again. Suppatipanno, not just to listen or just to remember, but to behave according to what is taught about the truth, su-pati-panno. The words are not just to be understood, but to be followed, to develop right understanding too, that is the path leading to understanding the truth, being su-pati-panno. Otherwise, we would go wrong or the other way, no understanding of what is taught, not just to understand, but to behave or to follow. Developing right understanding according to what is understood, as it is now, little by little, suppatipanno. Isn't that right, pure behavior? That's why the word is not just to be listened to, to be understood, but to understand the value, the preciousness of the reality which understands the truth, otherwise how can there be suppatipanno, any wholesome deeds?
Ujuppatipanno, straight to the truth. Dhamma... its first round is to understand the truth, the second round is according to the understanding of the truth, it develops in order to understand what is there, little by little. Straight to the truth right now, what is there? A reality, what reality? It experiences the object, and that which is there, the object, cannot experience anything... straight to the truth, to understand the truth, to follow the truth, to develop the understanding of the truth, ujuppatipanno.
ñayappatipanno, deeper understanding what is there behaving in a day
ñayappatipanno, to understand deeper and deeper and deeper, down to that which is so deep, to realize now that what is there has arisen and fallen away instantly, by way of nimitta. Without understanding the truth, just listening to the translation of the word, how can there be the understanding of what is there behaving in a day? Kusala sila, akusala sila, and abyakata sila. Each word conforms with the other words about the ultimate truth, until no doubt about what is the meaning of that, what does it mean, and what is the benefit of understanding that. Just to develop right understanding to understand what is there, as we have heard and considered carefully that it is there right now. Suppatipanno savakasangho... ujuppatipanno, according to what is there, real or true... ñayappatipanno, until it is understood, stage by stage, different levels of pariyatti, patipatti, and pativedha.
So, what are the qualities, the behaviour of the ariyan savaka, or the savaka, again? Suppatipanno savaka-sangho, is it clear now? What's the meaning of suppatipanno? [Well accomplieshed, Than Ajahn.] So, without understanding, just practicing or concentrating on an object, is that suppatipanno? [No, Than Ajahn.] And what else, after suppatipanno?
Ujuppatipanno, straight to the truth of what is there now
[Ujuppatipanno.] What is there now, straight to the truth of it. Not without any understanding at all, because to get straight on the truth, not on the false or the fake, it needs more and more understanding of what is there, even if it's there, seeing, it's so very, very difficult to understand the nature which experiences the object because only the object which is experienced shows up, but not as it is, only by way of nimitta. So, straight to the truth, it's only the nimitta of seeing, the nimitta of hearing, the nimitta of whatever arises, because just only a single moment cannot be realized at all, but seeing is not hearing.
So now, don't mind at all how many moments, but it's there to be known, to be studied, that it's the reality which just arises to see, no one at all. Just a moment of seeing by that which arises to see, and then gone... straight to the truth, to understand the truth, the ultimate truth. Not going wrong to the right or to the left, but the middle truth... can it be, the meaning of it?
And only the right understanding of the truth can be developed again and again, little by little, straight to the truth, that what is there now arises and falls away, instantly. It doesn't matter, because what is there experienced in life it's only through six doorways. Even what is there, not appearing, gone, and even what is there arising, being the nimitta, appearing right now, it's not the nimitta of cetana, it's not the nimitta of feeling, or the nimitta of sañña... why? It's the chief in experiencing the object, but when sañña appears to be known, it's by way of the nimitta of sañña, because now it seems like there are so many things around, in truth just one, that which impinges on the eye can be seen, and it's gone instantly. Straight to the truth.
Savaka-sangho, the one who has studied carefully and straightly to the truth
So, would anyone like to be savakasangho? Just wanting to be, or understanding the quality of each moment, to develop, to become savakasangho. Isn't this the first round of ariya-sacca? That which is now appearing arises and falls away, non-stop, by conditions, on and on and on and on, from moment to moment, from life to life. Without understanding the truth, the reality, the nature, the quality of that which is there, different from others, there must be the idea of someone or something.
At moment of hearing the Teachings about the truth of what is there, is that suppatipanno? Not just hearing, but considering the nature of that, which cannot be the object of studying without conditions, to be that very moment, any moment, by conditions. Are we now suppatipanno savakasangho? Or little by little, to become suppatipanno savakasangho, ujuppatipanno savakasangho, ñayappatipanno savakasangho, samicippatipanno savakasangho.
[Is it correct to say that the bhikkhus are the field of merit? We look forward to hear your comments, Ajahn.]
Yes, to whom do you pay respect? [To pañña, to kusala.] How come having pañña? What you've just recited, suppatipanno... svakhato bhagavata dhammo, paying respect to that person, who studied carefully, straightforwardly to the truth. Is that right? Not deviating to other sides, left or right, but straight to the truth, paying respect to that person, right? Not just paying respect to the good one, that's all. That's why the Buddha taught about Dhamma, the qualities which he developed in order to realize the truth. The properties of the one who has realized the truth have to be from the very beginning suppatipanno savakasangho, ujuppatipanno savakasangho, ñayappatipanno savakasangho, samicippatipanno savakasangho. Is that right? Only those who have such qualities, they do not have money or just fame and all, but the properties of being the enlightened one must have such qualities, we pay respect to that, from the very beginning until the end. Enlightened to the truth, stage by stage, until no more akusala at all, even of the level of asava and anusaya, we pay respect to that.
And what is the way to be such ariya-sangha? It's only by the qualities or the properties, not wealth or fame, but suppatipanno, understanding the three rounds of ariya-sacca. So they are the qualities or the properties of those who develop right understanding, to be accomplished in what they have developed to that degree. When it's not that degree yet, it's not the eight ariya-savakas, the four pairs, sotapannas, sakadagami, anagami, arahatta. Without these qualities that they have developed, no way to have such properties of the ariya-savakas.
#Dhammahome source video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y9fzmBN34pU