"Let's teach again with an example. Take about one viss of good quality white wax, pure white wax.
When you put it in the sun, doesn't it become soft? When it's soft, you can mold it into any shape you want - like a magnificent white elephant with tusks. Put it on the table.
If I ask the Dhamma audience what they see, how would they answer? They see a white elephant, right? Isn't this worth contemplating? They see a white elephant. #This_is_seeing_with_the_eyes_given_by_parents.
Now, put that white elephant in the sun again. When it becomes soft, if you knead it like dough, turning it back and forth, do you see an elephant or wax? Just a lump of wax, think about it.
Then, taking that one viss, divide it into one kyat (tical) pieces each. Make a hundred different figures - various animals, humans, devas, brahmas, petas and asuras of all kinds.
After making these hundred figures, put them on the table. If I ask all the Dhamma audience what they see, how would they answer? They see a hundred figures. Remember, this is seeing with the eyes given by parents. A hundred figures, isn't this worth contemplating?
Once again, put them in the sun. After they've softened, gather them all together and roll them into one. When you knead it like this, do you see a hundred figures or just a lump of wax? Just a lump of wax, right?
So, while our ordinary eyes see many figures, what really exists - many figures or just a lump of wax? We find it's just a lump of wax."
This analogy teaches about the difference between conventional truth (sammuti-sacca) and ultimate truth (paramattha-sacca), showing how what appears as many distinct forms is ultimately just one substance, just as the seemingly solid world of conventional reality resolves into ultimate elements (dhātus) when examined with wisdom.
"Now, touch it with the wisdom-hand given by the Buddha. #Do_you_find_wax_or_do_you_find_softness? What you find is pathavī (earth element) that is soft. Put that soft substance in water. Doesn't it become hard? #This_is_gentle_pathavī, it's becoming hard.
Take earth, very hard earth. When you put it in water and moisten it a bit, doesn't it become soft? That's #rough_pathavī. When it rains on the earth, doesn't it become hard?
When it rains, mud appears, doesn't it become soft? With wax, it becomes soft in the sun, but when put in water, doesn't it become hard? This is #pathavī_dhātu (earth element) [slight audio distortion]. Think about it.
Do you see wax or do you see hardness? Do you see wax or do you see softness? Isn't hardness and softness taught as pathavī? Can you still find wax? #If_you_can't_find_wax_can_you_find_the_31_planes_of_existence? Why can't you find them? Isn't this worth investigating? These are the essential points.
What the mind perceives - #with_ordinary_eyes_you_see_31_planes. Think about it. But when looking with the eye of wisdom, do you see wax or do you see the nature of hardness? Do you see many figures or do you see hardness and softness? #This_is_pathavī. Isn't this worth investigating?
When you know the truth, doesn't the wrong view disappear? This is what we call contemplation, analysis, practice. Without such examples, #sitting_there_blankly_would_you_understand? Think about it.
#Sitting_is_to_help_you_see_the_khandhas (aggregates). Walking meditation is to help you see the khandhas. Standing is to see the khandhas. Lying down is to see the khandhas. #At_all_six_sense_doors_we_need_to_see_the_khandhas. Isn't this worth contemplating..."
This teaching demonstrates how to move from conventional reality to ultimate reality through direct observation of the elements (dhātu), particularly the earth element (pathavī), and how this understanding leads to seeing the true nature of the five aggregates (khandhas) at all six sense doors (dvāra).
Take earth, very hard earth. When you put it in water and moisten it a bit, doesn't it become soft? That's #rough_pathavī. When it rains on the earth, doesn't it become hard?
When it rains, mud appears, doesn't it become soft? With wax, it becomes soft in the sun, but when put in water, doesn't it become hard? This is #pathavī_dhātu (earth element) [slight audio distortion]. Think about it.
Do you see wax or do you see hardness? Do you see wax or do you see softness? Isn't hardness and softness taught as pathavī? Can you still find wax? #If_you_can't_find_wax_can_you_find_the_31_planes_of_existence? Why can't you find them? Isn't this worth investigating? These are the essential points.
What the mind perceives - #with_ordinary_eyes_you_see_31_planes. Think about it. But when looking with the eye of wisdom, do you see wax or do you see the nature of hardness? Do you see many figures or do you see hardness and softness? #This_is_pathavī. Isn't this worth investigating?
When you know the truth, doesn't the wrong view disappear? This is what we call contemplation, analysis, practice. Without such examples, #sitting_there_blankly_would_you_understand? Think about it.
#Sitting_is_to_help_you_see_the_khandhas (aggregates). Walking meditation is to help you see the khandhas. Standing is to see the khandhas. Lying down is to see the khandhas. #At_all_six_sense_doors_we_need_to_see_the_khandhas. Isn't this worth contemplating..."
This teaching demonstrates how to move from conventional reality to ultimate reality through direct observation of the elements (dhātu), particularly the earth element (pathavī), and how this understanding leads to seeing the true nature of the five aggregates (khandhas) at all six sense doors (dvāra).
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