Dhammassavana (Listening to the Dhamma)

"Dhammasavana" means listening to the Dhamma of the Enlightened One.

The five benefits of Dhammasavana are –

(1) Getting fresh knowledge
(2) Understanding known facts more clearly
(3) Resolving of skepticism and doubt
(4) Acquiring right belief and
(5) Clarity of mind through development of confidence and wisdom.

Listening to the Dhamma with a view to getting the five benefits I mentioned above is “true” Dhammasavana.

Some attend Dhamma discourses because they are friendly with the preacher; some for the jokes and humorous anecdotes; some for the fear of accusation as being too lazy; some to assess the ability of the preacher.  One can get “no” benefit from listening to the Dhamma with such ignoble intentions.

Once, a Chairman was crossing a river in a rowboat when the boatman warned him that the boat leaked a bit. The Chairman thought that this meant the water from inside the boat leaked and oozed into the river; so there was no cause for worry.  In a while, he noticed the seat of his pants becoming wet.  He was alarmed and exclaimed, “This boat does not leak; it even lets in water! “.

So, the true aim of listening to the Dhamma is to let our evil thoughts to ooze out.  We should be very careful lest we should let in more evil into our minds.

Source : by Ye' Thu Aung (Vipassana meditation)