robertk wrote
A glimpse of the nature of the present moment would show its value
and that its whole substance breaks down the compact and gradually aids in comprehending
the conditionality of every element.
Dear robertk: As our BB noted, I too admire your patience, whatever the labels are "Abhidhamma" or "sutta" your convictions help you become the person you are,
gentle, kind, and very professional,
so if abhidhamma enabled you this level of spiritual development, then that is to be admired. Some sutta followers may not have this level of sophistication, where Dhamma is concerned. So, nothing is ever cut and dry.
To get back to the issue here, you are referring to the
glimpse of the nature of the present moment
Why is the present moment important in a
soteriological sense? The true aspirant
(whether lay or robed) should s/he not observe how suffering arises in the present moment? if s/he wants to be free from suffering?
Can you explain how suffering arises in a simple manner, (let us imagine the words sutta and abhidhamma do not exist) just based on Paticca samuppada, Buddha's fundamental teaching.
You also wrote
comprehending the conditionality of every element.
What is conditionality? Does it not mean how consciousness arises (every moment) based on a sense organ coming into contact with a sense object? There are 6 of these, and in Chinese agama suttas they call these
six realms. And I truly believe these are the only realms we experience.
In one of these realms, name and form come together creating a new consciousnes every second.
Understanding this is crucial to the serious practitioner.
You wrote
conditionality of every element.
How do you understand the word
element in the context of dependent Origination?
The earliest suttas present it as only eye consciousness, ear consciousness, smell consciousness, taste consciousness, touch consciousness, and consciounesss that arises due to thought or mental activity.
Does the abhidhamma understanding of
element differ from this?
If so how does it improve an understanding of Paticca samuppada?
For Buddha
form of name and form, referred to images arising in the mind due to craving as reported in the Fire sermon.
When sutta writers came under influence of abhidhamma, they called that form, something physical. (Dhammasangani to be safe,
called form physical and mental)
I think this is the biggest confusion that abhidhamma created for those who are bent on being free of suffering. For those who want to live wholesome lives without harming others Abhidhamma is not a problem.
With love