From the vision of true reality

To see and to know things as they really are which is yathabhutam, first of all, does not mean to see them from their own side or from the side of the Five Aggregates in which we are bound.  To see and to know things as they really are means to see them from the vision of true reality which is free of avidya or ignorance.  This passage from the Samyutta-Nikaya illustrates what I mean.

“When one see this thus as it really is (yathâbhûtam) with correct wisdom (prajñâ), the mind (citta) becomes dispassionate and is liberated from the taints (âsrava) by nonclinging” (S. iii. 45).

Seeing directly into reality (yathabhutam) we attain perfect apprehension (âjñâ) and Bodhi.  If yathabhutam were only a matter of seeing a moss covered rock as a moss covered rock or seeing my life of samsara as just samsara, this would be a false yathabhutam.  It would be modern Zen!

Things are not true reality.  For the sake of discussion, we might consider things as true reality which is composed, the side that we, in our spiritual blindness, cling to—but shouldn’t!  We have to go beyond all compositions.  Composed reality is a false picture of things as they really are (yathabhutam).  There is more to moss covered rocks than their stark temporal appearance.  They are an amazing illusory composition which hides tathatâ/suchness:  tathatâ being empty of everything we can imagine.

 

Comments

[kojizen]

Access to Insight leaves out another very important Sutta in the Radhasamyutta. It is the Mara Sutta (SN 23.1, S.iii.189). The Zennist mentions it several times. The Sutta puts into question the self-is-bad theory. We learn, instead, the 5 aggregates are the bad boys. They belong to Mara the evil dude. The Buddha is saying that our self (attâ) transcends Mara's aggregates.

[Eidolon]

Once again, I point out that Thanissaro Bikkhu's translation of the Samyutta Nikaya online simply skips this section 45 that you are always quoting, as follows in the Table of Contents; there is a jump from Section S. iii 42 to Section S, iii 47. What is going on?:

SN 22.43: Attadiipaa Sutta — An Island to Oneself {S iii 42; CDB i 882} [Walshe].
Presaging the famous words he would utter in his final days, the Buddha elaborates on his advice to "be an island unto yourself."

SN 22.47: Samanupassana Sutta/Samanupassanaa Sutta — Assumptions/Ways of Regarding {S iii 46; CDB i 885} [Thanissaro | Walshe].
The Buddha speaks on the assumptions that underlie self-view.