1 | FIVE SENSE OBJECTS AND FIVE STRANDS OF SENSUAL PLEASURE
Sayadaw: There are so many experiences we encounter day after day. We mostly react to everything we see, hear, smell, taste and touch with greed (lobha) and aversion (dosa). That is why the five sense objects are called the five strands of sensual pleasure (kāmaguṇa). If delusion (moha) is not present, then those five sense objects become mere objects of observation. They become dhamma objects (dhammārammaṇa).
If you include the mind, there are six sense objects. All of those six sense objects are arising all day long. The fact that they are arising is neither good nor bad. If there is pushing and pulling on them, then the mind is not truly knowing. If it's good and you like it, you pull it in; if it's bad and you don't like it, you will push it away. When the five sense objects are no longer the five strands of sensual pleasure but have become dhamma objects, only then will one begin to become disenchanted with these things. Only when they become dhamma objects will the characteristics of impermanence (anicca), suffering (dukkha), and non-self (anattā) become apparent. Only then will one reach the stage of dispassion.
What's happening now is that we are watching with awareness every day. In a moment, thinking "this smell is nice," we take in that smell; thinking "this taste is good," we take that in; with tactile contact, thinking "this texture is good," we end up liking it.
Right now, in my room, there is a shawl. Every time I touch it, a mind of liking arises. Its texture is very soft. Knowing this is not because I am forcefully aware of it. Every time I touch it, I know it; and I also know that the mind is liking it. I also know that the softness of the shawl and the liking are two separate things. Every day, whenever the five sense objects impinge, if there is no wisdom (paññā), then greed and aversion are strong. Even when looking with wisdom, the likes and dislikes are happening in many tiny ways.
Only when these likes and dislikes are no longer present will there be true peace. To put it in grand terms, only when mind-matter (nāma-rūpa) cease to arise will there be peace. There is a disenchantment with these mind-matter (nāma-rūpa) happening. This "disenchantment" is not a disliking with aversion (dosa)—it's seeing the defilements (kilesa) as not beneficial. If you practice that intensely, you will become free. The path is very clear, anyway.
The acts of seeing, hearing, smelling, tasting, and touching are impinging at the sense doors every day. We don't have to intentionally and deliberately chase after them to be aware of them. It's just knowing, merely knowing, and being aware of them. As mentioned before, the softness and the liking are happening by themselves. We are just knowing them, just being aware. That's why I often tell yogis that practicing Dhamma is not about doing something extremely strenuous. If the faculty of knowing is maintained and gains momentum over time, wisdom will come. For beginners, it's a bit different. For them, the wisdom is not very strong. You have to stir the wisdom a little bit, you see. You have to develop investigation-of-dhamma (dhammavicaya) a little. Later, when it becomes stronger and gains momentum, it's no longer necessary. Just know more; it will improve by itself. Just know the nature of the Dhamma (dhammasabhāva) more; you don't need to do anything else.
I realize that to gain understanding, for wisdom to arise, you don't need to forcefully chase after it. With that shawl I mentioned, every time I touch it, that mental state of liking arises. It is pleased with its texture. Whenever I think about it, it appears. Don't try to prevent it from happening. Instead of running around trying to prevent it from happening, just know it as it is. Only then will you understand more deeply. If you try to prevent it, if you suppress it, it's like you are blocking the wisdom. Then you won't understand. There is a taste in just going along suitably with how it's happening, knowing it, and then understanding dawning. The moment you turn your thoughts towards the Dhamma, the wisdom starts working. You just need to arouse right thought (sammāsaṅkappa). If you recall it, the work of Dhamma practice happens by itself. Sometimes, of course, you forget. When mindfulness returns and you turn your thoughts back to the Dhamma, the Dhamma practice will happen by itself again. That’s why the saying goes: "If you don't do what is good, you will do what is bad; if you don't do what is bad, you will do what is good."
If delusion (moha) is present, it's true that the five sense objects are the five strands of sensual pleasure. For the ordinary mind of a common worldling (puthujjana), the five sense objects are merely the five strands of sensual pleasure.