Dhamma is right here, so very close: from head to toe
Dhamma discussion with Ajahn Sujin on Zoom on Sat Aug 30th 2025. (part 2)
Citta is the chief, it arises to experience the object clearly
So now, be firmly confident of each reality, each reality which arises and experiences the object has its proper quality or characteristic and its own function; that which arises to experience must have its function. So, the function of that which is the chief is citta, a reality; its function isn't to like or to dislike or to remember or to feel, it just performs the function of experiencing the object clearly; the other realities, the other nama, cannot experience the object clearly. That's why there are dhammas, and two different kinds of realities, one arises to experience the object; the other kind arises but cannot experience the object. So, from one word, dhamma, there must be the nama-dhamma and the rupa-dhamma; from one dhamma to be two kinds of dhamma. And regarding the nama-dhamma, there are two kinds too: the reality which arises and experiences, performing the function of experiencing the object clearly is citta; and the other nama-dhamma: attachment, aversion, feeling, remembering, are all nama, because they experience the object and they perform their own function; they cannot perform the other's function. For example, the reality which arises to attach, to like, to cling, is not the one which dislikes or hates, see.
So, there are many different nama-dhammas, and different rupas too; so, we learn about the ultimate truth of no-one, all are dhammas conditioned to arise and fall away instantly, beyond anyone's expectation or understanding because it's so very deep and so very profound. That's why learn to understand the deep, profound characteristics of each reality, otherwise, there must be the idea - I see, I hear, I like, I dislike, because of the reality which arises and experiences - no-one there, so it's "I", the seeing is "I", the hearing is "I"; but the Buddha enlightened the truth - no-I, no-one, no permanent reality - that which arises and falls away is so very short.
Citta is pure, but cetasikas condition it to be unwholesome
Is it clear? [Ajahn, nama-dhamma, the other kinds of dhamma...] Excuse me, the other kind of nama-dhamma also experiences the object, but not as the chief, it has its own characteristics, its own function. For example, the one which arises to attach or to like cannot dislike, its function is to arise to be attached; that's why they are citta and cetasika, the two kinds of nama-dhamma. So now, from one word, dhamma, there are two words: nama-dhamma and rupa-dhamma, and then there are three words: citta, cetasika, and rupa, because there are two kinds of nama, citta can never be cetasika because its function is just to experience the object, no other functions; it cannot like or dislike, it cannot feel, it cannot remember, as the other kind of realities which arise and experience. So these two kinds, the citta and the cetasikas, arise together, conditioning each other's arising to perform their function; Citta arises to perform the function of citta, and cetasikas, the other mental qualities, nama, arise and experience the object, the same object, because they arise together, experience the same object, fall away together. That's why citta and cetasikas arise together all the time, the citta cannot arise without cetasikas, and the cetasikas cannot arise without citta; but citta itself cannot be unwholesome or wholesome, so, the word for citta is pandara - it's pure, but the cetasikas which arise with one citta, conditions citta to be unwholesome, because there is attachment, ignorance; and the other moment ignorance and irritation, and so on.
Understanding the world, what is there from moment to moment
That's why we learn a little more, from dhamma into two kinds of dhamma: nama-dhamma and rupa-dhamma; and for nama-dhamma, there are two kinds: citta, the chief of experiencing, and cetasikas; arising together, experiencing the same object, but having different functions, different characteristics. And no matter in Vinaya or Suttanta or Abhidhamma, all about dhammas: citta, cetasika and rupa; and the last one, nibbana: not citta, not cetasika, not rupa, but it's not daily life. That's why, understanding the world means understanding what is there from moment to moment, and why is it the world? Because it's there, if it wasn't there, no world at all; if there is no citta, can there be any world? [No.]
Not at all, so seeing is a world, of seeing, the world of colors only.
No understanding of the truth, taking it by nimitta, by the sign of each reality, the sign of seeing right now, not only one seeing. Because as soon as one opens one's eye, so many things around, seen, not just only one moment; so what appears is by way of nimitta, just the sign of seeing, and the sign of that which is seen. Nimitta, the world appears by way of nimitta, the sign of one reality; like the sign of seeing, many seeing right now, just only one seeing cannot be realized, so, it's the world of nimitta. Eons and eons and eons and eons ago, so very deeply rooted or accumulated; until just the word of truth, one by one, can condition the understanding of the truth - three rounds. The first round is only hearing, considering the truth of each moment as it's not permanent. So, in truth, what appears does not appear as it is, is that right? [Yes, Ajahn.]
By way of nimitta.
Dhamma is right here, so very close: from head to toe
So, it has to begin to understand the truth firmer and firmer, otherwise it's not the study of dhamma, because dhamma is there: from head to toe, is that right? [Yes.]
So close, so very close, but no thought about it, no attention to any reality even it's so close, hardness here, hearing here, seeing here; so, sound impinges on here, visible object impinges on here, see; and thinking is there too, not far away.
That's why we learn to understand what is taken for things, and someone or something - in truth, just only a moment of arising of realities - each one is different. Arising and falling away so very rapidly that can never be known, until the enlightenment of the Buddha, how precious moment in life. As the blind cannot see anything, even though the light is there all day, likewise no understanding of the truth of what is there at all, it does not appear as it is, as it is - to pañña it has to be in darkness, because only just one dot of light at moment of seeing, otherwise it's all in darkness, darker than when we turn off the light, because there is still the idea - it's dark. So, the darkness of ignorance, see; eons and eons ago, that's why listening to the truth, respectful of the truth, learning to understand - dhamma is dhamma, no one can change it, no one can do anything, because actually no-one at all, only dhamma. That's why understanding the term, the word of Dhamma, while the others just take it for the Teachings of the Buddha, but what about dhamma, only about dhamma, whatever is real. So, don't be careless, just taking the word for granted, that it's understood, but it's so deep, that the more understanding, the more subtle it gets, and that is the way to let go the very subtle truth of each reality right now, one by one.
Anger is real, it experiences the object it gets angry with
Even they are together, right understanding begins to understand the truth of each one, to know that what are there, not only citta, but citta is the chief of experiencing, but there is the mental reality, cetasika, also experiencing the object, arising together, performing its function, different functions for each cetasika, and citta itself is only the chief of experiencing the object, no matter what cetasikas it arises with, performing their functions of cetasika. So, citta cannot perform the function of cetasika, and cetasika cannot perform the function of citta, and each cetasika cannot perform the function of the other cetasika. Each is conditioned to be, and then gone instantly, That is the subtlety of life, of the world, of dhammas. So, is it true? No-one, is it deep? [Yes, it is so deep.]
And that is the understanding of dhamma, that is so deep, so true, abhidhamma, paramattha-dhamma, ariya-sacca-dhamma, see - what is real is dhamma; anger is real, it experiences the object it gets angry with.
So, citta experiences the object - no one knows; it just attends to the object which is experienced, each moment, from seeing what is seen, hearing what is heard, touchig what is touched, smelling what is smelled, tasting what is tasted, thinking what is thought about. But there must be the chief of experiencing that object each moment, so very very rapidly, conditioning the whole world: to be the mountain, and the sun, and the moon, and everything, but if there was no citta at all, see, nothing could appear. So, all depends on citta, in one aspect, without citta, nothing could be there at all, no sun, no moon, no sky, see. Is this dhamma? So, more understanding of dhamma, more confidence of dhamma: it's the only way. At the very moment of understanding, it let go, it wears away ignorance and attachment, so very little compared to that which has been accumulated for eons and eons and eons, see.
Study just one word in order to understand more
So, are you still keeping on studying to understand the truth, which can be understood at moment of hearing, considering? it leads to the deeper understanding, deeper and deeper. So now, who's the Buddha? See, the great virtues of wisdom, beyond anything in all the universes. Even devas and brahmas came to see Him, to ask questions and so on, to pay respect to Him, see At your land, now, India: places like Savatthi, where one understood the meaning of the word; so, it's a good opportunity to share the understanding with the others - the most precious gift; so now, study just one word in order to understand more. So, not just the word nama-dhamma: two different kinds of nama-dhamma - citta is the chief, it's been arising for eons and eons and eons, non-stop, just one moment at a time. As soon as it's gone, it conditions the next one, and that is anantara-paccaya - no one can stop the way citta is, because as soon as it has fallen away, it conditions the next citta, right now, how many minutes? See; citta arises and falls away, by way of anantara-paccaya; no one can stop paccayas, conditions for whatever arises. So, the chief of experiencing, the citta, and the cetasikas condition the next citta and cetasikas instantly, because each one has anantara-paccaya.
Sankhara-dhamma: nothing can arise alone
So now, we learn about the truth of what is there, little by little; we will learn more, not just about citta and cetasikas only, but having firm confidence of dhamma and sankhara-dhamma, conditioned reality. It needs conditions, sankharas, for its arising; so, whatever is conditioned is sankhara-dhamma. So, is hardness sankhara-dhamma? [Yes, Ajahn.] Why? [I don't know the answer.] That's why we're learning, even just the word - we can read about the word, but no understanding. We read about dhamma, but if there's no studying, considering, we take dhamma wrongly, not clear at all, very superficially - nama, rupa, that's all; but the truth is that - nothing can arise alone, see, because it needs the right conditions for its arising; and the conditions arises together, too.
That's why nothing can arise alone, even hardness, it needs the other rupas, maha-bhuta rupas; everyone's heard about these; even hardness cannot arise alone, without the other rupas arising together, supporting each others to arise. There are all together four kinds of rupa, as the mahabhuta rupa, the primary rupas - pathavi, tejo, apo, vayo; and you've heard the word about pathavi, it's not just the earth, but it's whatever is hard or soft. It's real, it's one of the main primary rupas, for other rupa to arise, like smell, or visible object or color; without the four primary rupas, no other rupas can arise, that's why it is also sankhara-dhamma. So, we don't just learn about the word - no understanding, but to understand the meaning of sankhara-dhamma: whatever arises cannot arise alone, what does it mean? There must be other realities arising together, and each conditions the others to arise; that's why pathavi, the hardness, conditions heat and cold, and heat and cold conditions such and such. That's why we learn little by little, but have more and firmer understanding; confidence of the truth is more important than just reading and hearing the word without careful considering. So, is there any question?
Mp3 audio file: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1XdBCtyKr_fa72WUugryqx6sOauxybKDu
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