The Natural Way of Development - Dhammas take their own natural course


Questioner: Is it true that the sotapanna, the person who has attained the first stage of enlightenment, does not recognize his father or mother?
Sujin: The sotapanna clearly realizes the dhamma that sees as a type of nama. After seeing he knows what it is that was perceived, namely a person, a being or  a thing he can think of. Thinking is another type of nama that arises and then falls away. Is there anybody who sees and then does not know the meaning of what was seen? If that is the case the Buddha would not have recognized Ananda or Moggallana, or anything at all. Then there would be only the nama that sees and no other types of nama that recognize what was seen. However, dhammas take their own natural course, they are what they are. Apart from the nama that sees there is, after the seeing, also the nama that knows the meaning of what was seen.

Topic 198