English
there mind-consciousness also arises. Eye-consciousness does not command mind-consciousness, 'Where I arise, you too arise there,' nor does mind-consciousness command eye-consciousness, 'Where you will arise, I too will go there.' There is no communication between them, they arise by their own nature." "How, venerable Nāgasena, is it by way of the door that where eye-consciousness arises, there mind-consciousness also arises? Make an analogy." "What do you think, great king, suppose there was a king's border city with strong walls and gates, and one door. If a man wished to exit from there, by which would he exit?" "By the door, venerable sir, he would exit." "Then if another man wished to exit, by which would he exit?" "Where, venerable sir, the former man exited, he too would exit there." "Now, great king, does the former man command the latter man, 'Where I go, you too go there,' or does the latter man command the former man, 'Where you will go, I too will go there'?" "No, venerable sir, there is no communication between them, they go by way of the door." "Just so, great king, by way of the door, where eye-consciousness arises, there mind-consciousness also arises. Eye-consciousness does not command mind-consciousness, 'Where I arise, you too arise there,' nor does Mind-consciousness commands eye-consciousness: 'Where you will arise, I too will arise there.' There is no conversation between them; they arise due to the door. "How, Venerable Nāgasena, by habit, where eye-consciousness arises, there mind-consciousness also arises? Give an analogy." "What do you think, O King, if a first cart goes, then by which way would the second cart go?" "By which, Venerable Sir, the first cart went, that too would go by that way." "Now, O King, does the first cart command the second cart: 'By which way I go, you too go by that way'? Or does the second cart command the first cart: 'By which way you will go, I too will go by that way'?" "No, Venerable Sir. There is no conversation between them. They go by habit." "Just so, O King, by habit, where eye-consciousness arises, there mind-consciousness also arises. Eye-consciousness does not command mind-consciousness: 'Where I arise, you too arise there.' Nor does mind-consciousness command eye-consciousness: 'Where you will arise, I too will arise there.' There is no conversation between them. They arise by habit." "How, Venerable Nāgasena, by frequent practice, where eye-consciousness arises, there mind-consciousness also arises? Give an analogy." "Just as, O King, in the crafts of sealing, counting, reckoning, and writing, for a beginner there is slowness, but after some time, by repeated action with carefulness, there is no slowness. Just so, O King, by frequent practice, where eye-consciousness arises, there mind-consciousness also arises. Eye-consciousness does not command mind-consciousness: 'Where I arise, you too arise there.' Nor does mind-consciousness command eye-consciousness: 'Where you will a will arise, I too will arise there.’ There is no conversation among them, they arise by association.” “Venerable Nāgasena, where eye-consciousness arises, does mind-consciousness also arise there? … Where ear-consciousness arises, … Where nose-consciousness arises, … Where tongue-consciousness arises, … Where body-consciousness arises, does mind-consciousness also arise there?” “Yes, great king, where body-consciousness arises, mind-consciousness also arises there.” “Now then, Venerable Nāgasena, does body-consciousness arise first, and mind-consciousness afterwards, or does mind-consciousness arise first, and body-consciousness afterwards?” “Body-consciousness, great king, arises first, and mind-consciousness afterwards.” “Now then, Venerable Nāgasena, … there is no conversation among them, they arise by association.” “You are clever, Venerable Nāgasena.” The seventh question on eye-consciousness and so on. 8. The Question on the Characteristic of Contact 8. The king said: “Venerable Nāgasena, where mind-consciousness arises, does contact also arise there, and feeling also?” “Yes, great king, where mind-consciousness arises, contact also arises there, feeling also arises there, perception also arises there, volition also arises there, initial application also arises there, sustained application also arises there, all phenomena headed by contact arise there.” “Venerable Nāgasena, what is the characteristic of contact?” “The characteristic of touching, great king, is contact.” “Give an analogy.” “Just as, great king, two rams might fight, of these, just as one ram, so should the eye be seen; just as the second ram, so should form be seen. Just as their coming together, so should contact be seen.” “Give a further analogy.” “Just as, great king, two hands might clap, of these, just as one hand, so should the eye be seen. Just as the second hand, so form should be seen. As their coming together, so contact should be seen.” “Give a further simile.” “Just as, great king, two rams might butt each other, of them, as one ram, so the eye should be seen. As the second ram, so form should be seen. As their coming together, so contact should be seen.” “You are clever, venerable Nāgasena.” The Eighth Question on the Characteristic of Contact. 9. The Question on the Characteristic of Feeling 9. “Venerable Nāgasena, what is the characteristic of feeling?” “Feeling, great king, has the characteristic of experiencing, and it has the characteristic of undergoing.” “Give a simile.” “Just as, great king, some man might perform a service for the king, and the king, pleased with him, might grant him an office. He, endowed with that office, enjoying the five sense pleasures, might think thus: ‘Indeed, I formerly performed a service for the king, and the king, pleased with me, granted me an office. Because of that, I now experience such a feeling.’ “Or again, great king, some man, having done wholesome kamma, after the breaking up of the body, after death, might be reborn in a good destination, a heavenly world. And there, endowed with divine five sense pleasures, he might think thus: ‘Indeed, I formerly did wholesome kamma. Because of that, I now experience such a feeling.’ Thus, great king, feeling has the characteristic of experiencing, and it has the characteristic of undergoing.” “You are clever, venerable Nāgasena.” The Ninth Question on the Characteristic of Feeling. 10. The Question on the Characteristic of Perception 10. “Venerable Nāgasena, what is the characteristic of perception?” “Perception, great king, has the characteristic of perceiving. What does it perceive? It perceives blue, it perceives yellow, it perceives red, it perceives white, it perceives crimson. Thus, great king, perception has the characteristic of perceiving.” “Give a simile.” “Just as , great king, a royal treasurer entering the treasury sees and recognizes the royal treasures, blue, yellow, red, white, and crimson. In this way, great king, recognition is the characteristic of perception.” “You are skillful, venerable Nāgasena.” The tenth question on the characteristic of perception. 11. The question on the characteristic of volition. 11. “Venerable Nāgasena, what is the characteristic of volition?” “The characteristic of intending, great king, is volition, and the characteristic of constructing.” “Give an analogy.” “Just as, great king, some person having prepared poison might drink it himself and make others drink it, he himself would be miserable, and others would also be miserable. Even so, great king, some individual here, having intended unwholesome kamma with volition, after the breaking up of the body, after death, is reborn in a state of woe, a bad destination, a downfall, in hell. And those who follow him also, after the breaking up of the body, after death, are reborn in a state of woe, a bad destination, a downfall, in hell. Or again, great king, just as some person having prepared together ghee, fresh butter, oil, honey, and treacle, might drink it himself and make others drink it, he himself would be happy, and others would also be happy. Even so, great king, some individual here, having intended wholesome kamma with volition, after the breaking up of the body, after death, is reborn in a good destination, a heavenly world. And those who follow him also, after the breaking up of the body, after death, are reborn in a good destination, a heavenly world. In this way, great king, the characteristic of intending is volition, and the characteristic of constructing.” “You are skillful, venerable Nāgasena.” The eleventh question on the characteristic of volition. 12. The question on the characteristic of consciousness. 12. “Venerable Nāgasena, what is the characteristic of consciousness?” “The characteristic of knowing, great king, is consciousness.” “Give an analogy.” “Just as, great king, a city guard seated at the crossroads in the middle of the city would see One might see a man coming from the eastern direction, one might see a man coming from the southern direction, one might see a man coming from the western direction, one might see a man coming from the northern direction. Just so, O great king, whatever a person sees with the eye, that he knows with consciousness. Whatever he hears with the ear, that he knows with consciousness. Whatever he smells with the nose, that he knows with consciousness. Whatever he tastes with the tongue, that he knows with consciousness. Whatever he touches with the body, that he knows with consciousness, and whatever he cognizes with the mind, that he knows with consciousness. Thus, O great king, consciousness has the characteristic of knowing. "You are skillful, Venerable Nāgasena!" The twelfth question on the characteristic of Consciousness. 13. The Question on the Characteristic of Initial Application 13. "Venerable Nāgasena, what is the characteristic of initial application?"