Grammatical Analysis
Dibbasota: [nt.] the divine ear; clairaudience. Formed by dibba (divine, heavenly, luminous) + sota (ear, stream of hearing).
Orthodox Definition
Dibbasota is the second of the six supernormal knowledges (abhiññā). It is the psychic capacity to hear sounds at immense distances, far beyond the range of normal human biology.
The canonical definition states that with the divine ear element, which is purified and surpasses the human, the meditator hears both kinds of sounds: divine (heavenly/deva realm) and human, whether they are far away or near.
The Visuddhimagga provides the operational mechanics: The meditator enters the fourth jhāna, emerges, and expands their auditory attention systematically. They start by focusing on normal sounds nearby, then extend the cognitive field to the sounds of the monastery, the nearby village, the country, and eventually to other cosmic realms. The physical ear drum is not altered; rather, the mind itself directly cognizes the sound waves through the purified mind-door.
Textual References
- Sutta: Sāmaññaphala Sutta (DN 2) – Outlining clairaudience as a fruit of deep contemplative mastery.
- Canonical: Mahāsīhanāda Sutta (MN 12) – The Buddha listing the divine ear as one of his standard operational capabilities as a Tathāgata.
- Commentary: Visuddhimagga (Chapter XIII) – Detailed instructions on expanding the auditory field without becoming overwhelmed by the noise of the cosmos.