The Teachings of Ajahn Suchart.
31st August, 2022
“He has the Dhamma inside his heart.”
Question: Will there be a chance that a Sotāpanna might not encounter Dhamma or the real teaching in his remaining rebirths?
Than Ajahn: He has the Dhamma inside his heart. He has seen the Noble Truths. A Sotāpanna knows that his mental suffering arises from his own craving, so his goal is to get rid of his own craving. He doesn’t need anybody to teach him, and he can progress by himself although it might be slower if he doesn’t have a teacher to guide him, that’s the only difference.
If he has a teacher, someone who has attained a higher level of attainments, the teacher can guide him, but if he doesn’t have a teacher, he has the Noble Truths as a standard for him to practise. If he doesn’t have a teacher his progress might be slow because he might not know how exactly to get rid of his craving and he might have to do trial and error which can take a longer time in order to progress. But he knows his goal is to get rid of his craving because he knows the craving is the one that makes him feel sad or unhappy. He tries to search for the cessation of his craving, such as when he is sad or unhappy, he will ask himself: what am I craving for? What do I desire for? And once he finds it, he will find a way to stop that craving.
…….
Question: How does one know that he had entered the stream in his previous life?
Than Ajahn: He will have the same ability. A Sotāpanna will never doubt the Buddha, the Dhamma or the Sangha. A Sotāpanna will never be attached to his own body. He knows that this body is temporary, this body doesn’t belong to him, and he is not afraid of aging, sickness or death.
…….
Question: Can a Sotāpanna occasionally break precepts?
Than Ajahn: He will not break precepts because he knows that the body is not worth breaking the precepts for. He knows if he breaks the precepts he will feel bad and he doesn’t want to feel bad by his own actions, so a Sotāpanna will not break any precept.
By Ajaan Suchart Abhijāto
Youtube: Dhamma in English
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCi_BnRZmNgECsJGS31F495g
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