After the Dhamma talk we returned to the Onra hotel where Sujin and many Thai people were staying.
Around 5 pm my daughter was looking out at the street from our 12th floor room and saw a violent argument. We called the hotel reception to notify the police.
A drug addict (as we found out in the news report the next day) was confronted by a police officer and the man stabbed the officer several times and then took the officer’s pistol and started walking up and down street firing off occasional shots.
We recorded video on phone in case it was needed but eventually a police swat team came and shot the perpetrator. The policeman was also deceased.
My children had questions about kamma and result and made it an opportunity to learn more about Dhamma. My 5 year old commented that the policeman had already being reborn and that the body was now only a body.
She was much interested in also what would happen to the killer.
I explained that beings depend on kamma and he would be reborn according to that. I said we can’t say for sure that he would go to a bad destination as perhaps he had done much good at other times and one of those kammas could condition the next birth.
In the lobby of the hotel that evening several Cambodian people came to meet Sujin for a discussion in English which my family attended and we mentioned this event. She said to the children that even that is dhamma and can be understood. I have heard Sujin say that so many times, in different situations, pleasant or unpleasant. And this is the way of Dhamma - there are only moments -the different jati (There are four jatis: akusala, kusala, vipaka, kiriya) all conditioned. When they arise they can be understood.
The discussion carried on with questions about the development of satipatthana. Someone wanted to know how to have satipatthana . It reminded me of when I was relatively new to Buddhism - the desire for results can be very strong and that merely hinders understanding.
The way to develop has to start at the beginning - by learning and considering the teachings - no technique that can short cut this.
Dispeller of Delusion. Section on Satipatthana
- |276| Furthermore, seven things lead to the arising of the
investigation-o£-states enlightenment factor: (1) asking questions,
(2) the act of cleansing the basis, (3) imparting of evenness to the
five faculties, (4) avoidance of persons of no understanding, (5)
1311.cultivation of persons of understanding, (6) reviewing the field for
the exercise of profound knowledge, (7) being resolved thereon.- Herein, (1) “asking questions” is repeated questioning about
the meaning of the aggregates, elements, bases, faculties, powers,
enlightenment factors, path factors, jhäna factors, tranquillity and insight.
Another said she wanted to have less aversion and this is a common question. However it is not really the right attitude if we want to develop satipatthana only to have a more peaceful life. The aim is to learn what life really is and so to gradually eliminate the wrong view of self. Everyone knows when irritation or anger is present, but this sort of awareness is not satipatthana - it is merely sanna, and with the idea that “I am angry”. When there is real understanding anger is known as merely a conditioned dhamma, it is not my anger. Thus it can be an object for satipatthana.
Samyutta nikaya 45:177, Hindrances
“Bhikkhus, there are these five hindrances. What five?
“The hindrance of sensual desire, the hindrance of ill will, the hindrance of sloth and torpor, the hindrance of restlessness and remorse, the hindrance of doubt. These are the five hindrances.
“This Noble Eightfold Path is to be developed for direct knowledge of these five hindrances, for the full understanding of them, for their utter destruction, for their abandoning.”
An issue that newcomers to Dhamma sometimes have is reconciling the truth about anatta that is a key teaching of the Buddha with the suttas that stress viriya - effort or energy. Because we make efforts in our usual endeavours it is natural to think it is similar efforts that will secure Dhammic success. But the viriya of the eightfold path arises with alobha, non-attachment. And all viriya, right or wrong is only a conditioned element.
Thein Nyun explains in the forward to Dhatukatha ( of the Abhidhamma) of Pali Text Society, the “Discourse on Elements, ”
But because the functions of the energies give rise to the concepts of continuity, collection and form the ideas arise of
(1) the initial effort that has to be exerted when a deed is about to be performed and
(2) the care that has to be taken while the deed is being performed to its completion. And this leads to the subsequent ideas (3) “I can perform”
and (4) “I can feel”, …
Thus these four imaginary characteristic functions of being have bought about a deep-rooted belief in their existence. But the elements have not the time or span of duration to carry out such function.
Understanding the details about conditions helps us to understand the momentary nature of viriya and assist in lessening the long held conviction in a self, a manager who is performing actions.
Sujin stresses the importance of careful consideration of the Dhamma and that this should go along with awareness of what is arising at the six doors now.
So her explanations are much more than theoretical; she shows the practical application of the Dhamma in daily life. She encourages everyone to understand the Dhamma now, recognizing that each experience, whether seeing, hearing, or thinking, is an opportunity to understand the true nature of reality and reduce attachment to the wrong view of self.
Then again she also stresses that there is no self who can make sati arise. Sati is anatta.
This seeming conundrum is the way things are. There is no technique that we can do to make sati arise and no one can tell us exactly how to have sati. But if the understanding of the Dhamma is gradually growing at times understanding and sati can arise.
One of my turning points was gradually learning that because sanna (saññā ) and vinnana (viññana) know the object and some of its characteristics it is easy to mistake simple awareness - the type without satisampajanna - for something more. Hence it is critical to learn what satisampajanna is as it arises.
The discussion carried on and I suggested to Sujin that it was getting late and we should finish as there would be long sessions at the hall the next days… She said she was happy to continue and so it went on. It is inspiring to observe how a life of Dhamma means she is always ready to help. It seems to my coarse level of comprehension that her expression of Dhamma is even clearer than it was several decades ago.
Perhaps we wish we could be like this when we are Sujin’s age ( or now). Or we feel we are not doing enough, not really striving in the manner suggested by the texts. But there is no point in comparing. In the Dhammadina sutta 500 merchants came to see the Buddha.
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May the Buddha please advise and instruct us. It will be for our lasting welfare and happiness
“So, Dhammadinna, you should train like this: ‘From time to time we will undertake and dwell upon the discourses spoken by the Realized One that are deep, profound, transcendent, dealing with emptiness.’ That’s how you should train yourselves.”“Sir, we live at home with our children, using sandalwood imported from Kāsi, wearing garlands, perfumes, and makeup, and accepting gold and money. It’s not easy for us to undertake and dwell from time to time upon the discourses spoken by the Realized One that are deep, profound, transcendent, dealing with emptiness.
As with these merchants I am usually distracted and immersed in the five strands of sense pleasures. However, there are opportunities to learn in my own circumstances. And in reality there are only different moments, some kusala, some akusala, some indeterminate: learning to see this there can be a breaking down of even ideas about “my circumstances”.
It is fortunate that we are still able to study and consider the Dhamma. Even some of those who met the Buddha couldn’t do this. In the Dhammapada Commentary (verse 251) it talks about five men who came to listen to the Buddha. And as he taught the Dhamma only one listened attentively. The others were distracted: one fell asleep as he sat, another drew lines on the ground, a third tried to shake a tree, and the fourth gazed at the sky.
Then again are we sometimes like the men. We have good intentions to do something but conditions are such that it is not carried out. No point in regretting this - much better to understand a little more about accumulations and other conditions.