Only a reality

Nama is the reality which experiences an object. Is there now an experience? Is there seeing? It is the seeing which sees and then falls away. Do we still cling to a notion of self who sees? If that is so, understanding of seeing should be developed when seeing appears, until its characteristic is truly known as "only a reality" which is conditioned and does not stay, which is beyond control. Is there hearing? It is the hearing which hears. Hearing has nothing to do with seeing, it is a completely different reality arising because of its own conditions. The charac- teristic of hearing can be known when hearing appears. It can be studied with mindfulness, just for a moment, and this is the way to begin to develop panna.

Seeing now is conditioned, hearing now is conditioned. If we understand that each moment is a new situation which is conditioned already it will help us to be mindful of the present object which is there already, instead of preferring another situation, another object to the present one.

Acharn Sujin reminded us that it is lobha which lures us away from the present object to another object. We were wondering when and to what object lobha lures us away. Do we not want to be aware of the present object? When we are in an unpleasant or dangerous situation we have aversion, we are frightened, and while we are wishing for the situation to be changed we forget to be mindful of the present object. We overlook what is right at hand. There are bound to be moments with aversion, even strong aversion, but can there not be in between moments that we begin to study with awareness the characteristic of the present reality? If we truly understand that each moment is conditioned already and beyond control, we will come to see the meaning of anatta, not self.

We should find out in all sincerity when lobha lures us away from the present object. We often think of concepts and then the reality of the present moment is thinking. Is there mindfulness of such a moment, or do we believe that we would rather know seeing, hearing or visible object? Is there a very subtle clinging? We may not notice that we try to direct sati to what we think should be the next object of awareness. Also lobha which lures us away from the present reality can be object of awareness. Right understanding can know everything, all the details of our daily life. If there can be awareness of any object in daily life it indicates that there is less clinging to particular objects.