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should explain the twenty-eight kinds of forms; By characteristics and so on, in due order. 497. Hardness is the earth element, it has the characteristic of roughness; Its function is to be the basis of kalāpas, it is grasped as reception. 498. Binding is the water element, it has the characteristic of flowing; Its function is to bind kalāpas, it is grasped as cohesion. 499. Heat is the fire element, it has the characteristic of warmth; Its function is to ripen, it is grasped as producing softness. 500. The air element is movement, it has the characteristic of distension; Its function is to move, it is grasped as propulsion. 501. Though inseparable everywhere, they have the characteristic of not being mixed; They are discerned in the aggregates of their respective natures. 502. Mutually supported, the basis for other forms; Thus, the great elements occur in kalāpas in four ways. 503. The eye, in the composite eye, located in the seven eye-membranes; In the middle of the black disk, is called 'sensitivity'. 504. By which eye-sensitivity, one perceives forms; This is small and subtle, like the head of a louse. 505. The ear, inside the ear-cavity, covered with reddish hairs; In the shape of a finger-ring, is called 'sensitivity'. 506. Inside, in the place of a goat's hoof, the nose is situated in the nostril; The tongue, in the middle of the tongue, resembling a lotus. 507. Thus, these four, established in their respective places; And body-sensitivity in the body, are fivefold, being grasped. 508. Kap Like oil on a net, Dependent on elements. The sensitivities, guardians of life, Surrounded by form and so on. 509. Like royal daughters, Existing within aggregates. Each serving as a door, For the five-sense-door process. 510. Or for elements worthy of impact, By form and so on, in due order. Or for elements of action, Like the desire to see, and so forth. 511. The sensitivities, characterized by form, And having the function of apprehending. The pair of five-sense consciousnesses, Are taken as doors. 512. Form is the manifestation of elements, Sound is the resonance. Scent is the smelling, Taste is the tastiness. 513. Thus, these four objects, Are dependent on elements. And touch, of three elements, Excluding the water element. 514. Sound there is not fixed, The others exist together. Characterized by their own natures, And by their own doors. 515. The five objects are considered, Of the five-sense-door process. Characterized by impact, On the eye and so on, in due order. 516. And having the function of being the object, Of the pair of five-sense consciousnesses. The pair of five-sense consciousnesses, Are taken as objects. 517. The faculty of femininity, Is spoken of as womanhood, the state of being a woman. Likewise, manhood, the state of being a man, Is named the faculty of masculinity. 518. These two are found everywhere, In the body taken up by clinging. Distinct within aggregates, And existing in distinct continuities. 519. It causes the signs to operate, Of femininity and masculinity. And has the function of manifesting, "Woman" and "man." 520. For women and for men, And for their respective signs. It is taken as the cause, Of their marks, characteristics, and dispositions. 521. By whose destruction beings die, By whose existence they live. By which the distinction is observed, Between living and dead bodies. 522. This is characterized, By the sustenance of karma-born things. Life, having the function of living, Is taken as the bond of existence. 523. For the mind-element, And for the mind-consciousness-element. The base-form, agreed as the heart-base, Is characterized by support. 524. It is taken as having the function of supporting them, By being their bearer. When it is disturbed, Beings become agitated. The body, by whose following, is wearied by the mind's exertion; When it ceases, the stream of consciousness also ceases. Relying on which is established, rebirth in another existence; This, born of kamma, is in the five-constituent realm. In the midst of the heart-cavity, in half a pasata of blood; Taking the primary elements as its basis, it functions like the eye and so on. Edible food, characterized by bringing forth matter; Its function is to sustain the body, it is understood as a support. By which nutrient essence they live, by the power of food's essence; Living beings in the sense-sphere world, that is thus called. The space element, of material forms, is characterized by delimitation; Its function is to define, it is understood as the boundary of matter. In comprehending material phenomena, delimited by their own characteristics, for the benefit of yogis, that which the compassionate one taught. Of those whose nature is delimited, of aggregates, as is fitting; This is indeed of their boundaries, that form is declared. In the successive occurrence of movement and speech sounds; Of the wind and earth elements, that modification is capability. Of those born together and grasped, by the occurrence of action and speech; Due to the cause of vibration and impact, it follows the mind. This special modification, is declared as 'intimation'; It intimates by the body, and by speech what is thought. Of the predominant wind and earth elements, of the primary elements, some say; That which was taught by the Such-one, for the ease of comprehending the body. The body, by whose power, appears as if with enjoyment; By whose cessation, overcome, it lies as if inanimate. In the world, proliferations occur, created in many ways by it; Fools conceive of a 'body' or 'self', by which they are deluded. This is characterized by being the door of bodily and verbal kamma; Characterized by the form of modification, due to the cause of activity and impact. Its function is to reveal the intention of body and speech, and so; It is understood as the cause of bodily vibration and impact. Lightness, however, of material forms, is characterized by non-sluggishness; Its function is non-slowness, it is understood as light activity. Softness also, of material forms, (is the opposite of) harshness. They are characterized by existence; Their function is not to obstruct, their flavor is to be agreeable, They are grasped as being suitable. 543. The pliancy of material forms Is characterized by fitness for action; Its flavor is the attainment of continuity, It is grasped as being fit. 544. When, having obtained suitable season and food, The mind is free from affliction, Then material form, light, soft, and pliant, Comes into being. 545. And for such material form that has come into being, Divided by the manner of its coming into being, This triad of lightness and so forth Then occurs simultaneously. 546. For the penetration of what is suitable, Beneficial for practice, This attainment of material form with its aspects Was thus declared by the Great Seer. 557. The accumulation of material form Is characterized by the heaping up of material form; Its flavor is the emergence of material form, It is grasped as completion. 548. The continuity of material form Is declared to be characterized by coming into being; Its flavor is uninterrupted connection, It is grasped as non-cessation. 549. Material form arises again and again In the manner of accumulation; For one who observes, the mode of accumulation, Is grasped as birth by the yogi. 550. For one who observes it arising In the manner of uninterrupted connection, Then this mode of continuity Appears in the mind. 551. Thus, by the distinction of apprehension, Birth-form is made twofold; Either by the mode of obtaining meaning, Or simply as arising. 552. Material form, distinct, Is heaped up by taking space as its front; But continuity is its arising From non-existence to existence. 553. Thus, even with distinctions of aspect, The best of all aspects, The illuminator of birth-form, Made birth-form twofold. 554. Aging is the passing of time, Characterized by the ripening of material forms; Its flavor is the fading of newness, It is grasped as oldness. 555. The attainment of the final moment Is characterized by breaking up; Its flavor is impermanence, It is grasped as the state of decay. 556. Thus, characteristic material form Is threefold, having different times; In the phenomena of intrinsic material form, It is characterized by those respective times. 557. That by which material form is characterized, With different aspects moment by moment, The Tathāgata declared this For the purpose of the way of insight. 558. Thus, with its delimitations, With its modifications, with its characteristics, Not difficult to penetrate, By the compassionate One, the Such One. 559. Material phenomena are declared To exist by their intrinsic nature; Internal divided in many ways, how are they distinguished by their origin? 560. The doors give rise, to what is conceived as mind-only. Therefore, internal form, is the sense-base, external and beyond. 561. Color, smell, taste, and nutriment, and the great elements are spoken of as form; Indivisible form, but the other is divisible. 562. As supports for the seven consciousness-elements, each in its own way; The sense-bases and the heart-base, are taught as base by base. 563. Impelled by the five consciousness-grasping signs and so on; The sense-bases, life-faculty, and gender, are faculties, the other is not a faculty. 564. As the face of the arising of the five consciousness-actions; The door is called the sense-base-intimation, the supreme door. 565. The sense-bases and their objects, strike against each other; Therefore, it is called resistant form, the other is non-resistant. 566. By being a door and an object, they are manifest by their very nature; These are coarse, therefore, the rest are called subtle. 567. By their coarse nature, they are easy to grasp there; These are near forms, but the others are far forms. 568. By being grasped by actions,