(2) The Divine Ear Element

1. [407] It is now the turn for the description of the divine ear element. Herein, and also in the case of the remaining three kinds of direct-knowledge, the meaning of the passage beginning, “When his concentrated mind …” (D I 79) should be understood in the way already stated (XII.13f.); and in each case we shall only comment on what is different. [The text is as follows: “He directs, he inclines, his mind to the divine ear element. With the divine ear element, which is purified and surpasses the human, he hears both kinds of sounds, the divine and the human, those that are far as well as near”(D I 79).]

2. Herein, with the divine ear element: it is divine here because of its similarity to the divine; for deities have as the divine ear element the sensitivity that is produced by kamma consisting in good conduct and is unimpeded by bile, phlegm, blood, etc., and capable of receiving an object even though far off because it is liberated from imperfections. And this ear element consisting in knowledge, which is produced by the power of this bhikkhu’s energy in development, is similar to that, so it is “divine” because it is similar to the divine. Furthermore, it is “divine” because it is obtained by means of divine abiding and because it has divine abiding as its support. And it is an “ear element” (sota-dhātu) in the sense of hearing (savana) and in the sense of being a soulless [element]. Also it is an “ear element” because it is like the ear element in its performance of an ear element’s function. With that divine ear element … he hears …

Which is purified: which is quite pure through having no imperfection. And surpasses the human: which in the hearing of sounds surpasses, stands beyond, the human ear element by surpassing the human environment.

3. He hears both kinds of sounds: he hears the two kinds of sounds. What two? The divine and the human: the sounds of deities and of human beings, is what is meant. This should be understood as partially inclusive. Those that are far as well as near: what is meant is that he hears sounds that are far off, even in another world-sphere, and those that are near, even the sounds of the creatures living in his own body. This should be understood as completely inclusive.

4. But how is this [divine ear element] aroused? The bhikkhu [408] should attain jhāna as basis for direct-knowledge and emerge. Then, with the consciousness belonging to the preliminary-work concentration,^[1] he should advert first to the gross sounds in the distance normally within range of hearing: the sound in the forest of lions, etc., or in the monastery the sound of a gong, the sound of a drum, the sound of a conch, the sound of recitation by novices and young bhikkhus reciting with full vigour, the sound of their ordinary talk such as “What, venerable sir?”, “What, friend?”, etc., the sound of birds, the sound of wind, the sound of footsteps, the fizzing sound of boiling water, the sound of palm leaves drying in the sun, the sound of ants, and so on. Beginning in this way with quite gross sounds, he should successively advert to more and more subtle sounds. He should give attention to the sound sign of the sounds in the eastern direction, in the western direction, in the northern direction, in the southern direction, in the upper direction, in the lower direction, in the eastern intermediate direction, in the western intermediate direction, in the northern intermediate direction, and in the southern intermediate direction. He should give attention to the sound sign of gross and of subtle sounds.^[2]

5. These sounds are evident even to his normal consciousness; but they are especially evident to his preliminary-work-concentration consciousness. ^[3] As he gives his attention to the sound sign in this way, [thinking] “Now the divine ear element will arise,” mind-door adverting arises making one of these sounds its object. When that has ceased, then either four or five impulsions impel, the first three, or four, of which are of the sense sphere and are called preliminarywork, access, conformity, and change-of-lineage, while the fourth, or the fifth, is fine-material-sphere absorption consciousness belonging to the fourth jhāna.

6. Herein, it is knowledge arisen together with the absorption consciousness that is called the divine ear element. After that [absorption has been reached, the divine ear element] becomes merged in that ear [of knowledge].^[4] When consolidating it, he should extend it by delimiting a single finger-breadth thus, “I will hear sounds within this area,” then two finger-breadths, four fingerbreadths, eight finger-breadths, a span, a ratana (= 24 finger-breadths), the interior of the room, the veranda, the building, the surrounding walk, the park belonging to the community, the alms-resort village, the district, and so on up to the [limit of the] world-sphere, or even more. This is how he should extend it by delimited stages.

7. One who has reached direct-knowledge in this way hears also by means of direct-knowledge without re-entering the basic jhāna any sound that has come within the space touched by the basic jhāna’s object. And in hearing in this way, even if there is an uproar with sounds of conches, drums, cymbals, etc., right up to the Brahmā-world [409] he can, if he wants to, still define each one thus, “This is the sound of conches, this is the sound of drums.”

The explanation of the divine ear element is ended.

Footnotes and references:

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[1]:

“With the consciousness belonging to the particular concentration that constitutes the preliminary work. The meaning is: by means of consciousness concentrated with the momentary concentration that occurs in the form of the preliminary work for knowledge of the divine ear element. The occasion of access for the divine ear element is called preliminary-work consciousness, but that as stated refers to multiple advertings” (Vism-mhṭ 401).

[2]:

“The sound sign is the sound itself since it is the cause for the arising of the knowledge. Or the gross-subtle aspect acquired in the way stated is the sound sign” (Vism-mhṭ 402).

[3]:

“This is momentary-concentration consciousness, which owing to the fact that the preliminary work contingent upon the sound has been performed, occurs in one who has attained the basic jhāna and emerged for the purpose of arousing the divine ear element” (Vism-mhṭ 402).

[4]:

“‘Becomes merged’ is amalgamated with the divine ear element. He is called an obtainer of divine-ear knowledge as soon as the absorption consciousness has arisen. The meaning is that there is now no further need of development for the purpose” (Vism-mhṭ 403).