The Natural Way of Development - Could you explain to me how to be aware?


Questioner: When I receive a Dhamma book about the practice in daily life I read it many times, because I want to be able to practise. However, all the time there is a concept of self, there is self who sees when there is seeing. I cannot realize that colour is rupa, seeing is nama. I keep on thinking about all that has been explained, but I cannot be aware of nama and rupa in the right way. Please, could you explain to me how to be aware?
Sujin: When there is seeing which experiences an object through the eyes, can you at that moment investigate the characteristic of the dhamma that naturally appears? It is essential to know how understanding should be developed, so that later on panna can become accomplished to the degree of the first stage of insight, knowledge of the difference between nama and rupa. First of all sati can be aware and study the different characteristics of nama and rupa which are naturally appearing through any of the doorways. Awareness is different from thinking about nama and rupa, from theoretical understanding that stems from listening to the Dhamma. Awareness of realities is not developed if you, while seeing, think about it with agitation, worry and nervousness; if you think with agitation that what appears is rupa and that seeing is nama. At such a moment there is no investigation, no study of a characteristic of rupa or a characteristic of nama. It is necessary to have first correct understanding of the characteristics of nama and rupa so that satipatthana can arise and be directly aware of them. You should understand that the nama that sees is a reality that experiences something, that it has no shape or form and that it is non-self. It is not necessary to assume a particular posture in order to know realities. It is not necessary to stand first and then see, or to sit or lie down first and then see, so that you would know seeing as it is.
Satipttìhana investigates precisely the characteristic of seeing as a type of reality that experiences something, not “I” or self, not a being or a person. When satipatthana arises and it is aware of the characteristic of rupa appearing through the eyes, that characteristic can be investigated, so that it is known as only a type of reality, not self, not a being or a person.

Topic 198