This is an excellent post. However, there are two separate issues that LDF brought up.
1. Bahiya understood that there was no “person” seeing, hearing, etc.
- Seeing, hearing, etc., are just “processes,” and there is no unchanging “person” (say, Lal) seeing, hearing, etc. (P.S. Now, don’t take this to mean “Lal does not exist.” But the way he responds to a sensory event now is not the same as he would have some years back. There is no “unchanging essence in Lal.” Once Lal stops responding to ANY sensory event with even a trace of lobha, dosa, and moha (avijja), he becomes an Arahant. Then, upon death, “Lal” will not be reborn anywhere among the 31 realms. That will be the end of suffering for “Lal.” This is related to #2 below.)
- For example, see “Seeing Is a Series of ‘Snapshots’”
- Understanding that helps get rid of sakkaya ditthi.
2. The question, “Why does the same sensory event create two different experiences in two minds?” that LDF raised at the beginning is a different (but related) issue.
- Once sensory input is received, each “person” gets attached to it at different levels (or not attached).
- That depends on each person’s gati/anusaya/strength of the sensory input (for example, even though not tempted by a small bribe, one may accept a large one!)
3. There is a lot to think about regarding these two issues. This is real Vipassana! (not Goenka’s Vipassana.)
These are the issues to be discussed. I can write a thousand posts without much effect. Discussions (with much thinking involved) can bring out “hidden concepts” and clarify issues.
- Just reading a post is never enough! But that is all many people do. I am not referring to LDF. He puts a lot of thought into his comments.
