Listen, Listen and Listen

There 3 kinds of listeners of the Dhamma, namely

1. One with high wisdom who likes to listen to short Dhamma, knows the matter and not the mind, and was taught the 5 aggregates
2. One with medium wisdom who likes to listen to not so short and not so long Dhamma, knows mind but not matter, and was taught the 12 bases of 10 1/2 of it are matter and the other 1 and 1/2 mind
3. One with low wisdom who likes to listen to long Dhamma, know not of mind and matter, and was taught 18 kinds of elements

"What are these 18 kinds of elements?" asked Sayadaw U Sumana in tonight's Dhamma Talk at BMBMC.

These 18 kinds of elements can be classified into 3 groups of elements, namely

1. 6 objects (striking elements)
2. 6 sense doors (recipient elements)
3. 6 consciousness

These 3 groups of elements constitute what we conventionally know as the human being. Therefore, said Sayadaw, if one understand this through the practice of Vipassana Meditation, one will then knows that there is actually no human being.

In the beginning, a meditator cannot comprehends all the objects forms from the 6 sense doors according to Sayadaw. Why? This is because in the beginning, a meditator's mindfulness is weak, his concentration is not strong and wisdom not high.

The wandering mind of the meditator comes and go, striking the sense bases (eye, ear, tongue, body, nose and mind doors) just like the match stick strikes the match box. As flame ignited when these two came into contact, so too is our consciousness arises when the objects elements came into contact with the sense door elements. Like a small child who does not understands the mechanics of igniting a match sticks, beginners in meditation may not see these three elements in their noting process.

Sayadaw said that it is easy to do noting for the way to note is simple. Any people can do that. But in Vipassana Meditation, one should note with understanding. When one notes for example seeing, one should notes and understands the presence of the elements be there 1 or 2 of the elements (either object, sense door or consciousness).

Meditators are advised to note with understanding so that the noting process will be devoid of the 3 kinds of clinging namely

1. clinging with attachment
2. clinging with conceit
   
3. clinging with wrong views

If in noting seeing, one had the notion that it is "I who see" then one notes with the clinging with conceit. Similarly, if one had the notion that the seeing belongs to oneself then one has the clinging with wrong views.

"Be mindful with the object," advises Sayadaw in concluding tonight's talk, "Let it be free from like or dislike. Then only will one gain the Insight Knowledge in his practise."

Sadhu, Sadhu, Sadhu.