English
The heart itself is the heart-base, being the support for the mind-element and mind-consciousness-element. Indeed, it is characterized by being the support for these two elements, and it operates by relying on about half a pint of blood within the heart-sac. Although not mentioned in the section on form, its existence should be understood from scripture and reason. There, relying on that form, the mind-element and mind-consciousness-element operate, "that form which is the support for the mind-element and mind-consciousness-element and their associated states..." “Conditioned by the support condition” – this statement from the Paṭṭhāna (Paṭṭhāna 1.1.8) is the traditional teaching. The reasoning should be understood thus: “The two elements, of those in the sense and fine-material realms, have a basis that is a completed entity; because their occurrence is bound to form, like eye-consciousness and so forth. These are dependent on the eye and so forth, because they have that as their other basis; nor do they occur in forms and so forth, nor externally. Nor is it life for them, because it is assigned to another function; nor is it the two states in them, because it occurs even when they are absent. Therefore, that other object, should be known as the physical basis; but this, regarding the pairs of object and support, due to the difference in exposition; was not explained by the Great Seer, in the Dhammasaṅgaṇī text.” 9. That by which one lives is life; that same, due to its dominant role in the preservation of kamma-born forms, is an faculty, thus ‘life-faculty’. Indeed, its characteristic is the preservation of kamma-born forms. For even though co-arisen things last only for their respective moments, it sustains them by being the cause of their occurrence. For kamma alone is not the cause of their duration, just as food and so forth are for food-born things, because kamma is not present at that moment. But this (life-faculty) pervades the entire body, which is sustained by clinging, along with the digestive fire. 10. Food that is eaten by making it into a morsel is ‘morsel food’. This is said to show food as having a basis. However, the essence of food, called ‘nutritive essence’ (ojā), which pervades every limb and is the cause of sustaining the body with faculties, and is the fatty substance of the food to be eaten, is here called ‘food-form’. Indeed, its characteristic is being the cause of sustaining the body with faculties, or its characteristic is bringing forth the eight-component forms of nutritive essence. 11. Due to being perceived by its own nature, such as hardness, it is called ‘nature-form’. Possessing characteristics such as origination and so forth, or impermanence and so forth, it is ‘characterized’. Due to being produced by causes such as kamma and so forth, by its own nature without being delimited, it is called ‘unlimited form’. That which has the nature of being afflicted is ‘form’; that which is associated with it is also ‘form’, just as in “enemy-juice” or “blue water-lily”. This word ‘form’ is conventionally used even for that which does not have that nature. "is afflicted" is specified by the subsequent word "form," thus it is called "form-form," just as "suffering-suffering." Having transcended the state of being delimited, because it is perceived by its own nature, and because it is fit to be contemplated by the superimposition of the three characteristics, it is the form of contemplation. 12. "It does not obstruct" is space. Space itself is space, and because it is an element in the sense of being lifeless, it is the space element. It is that which delimits, by causing the forms contained in each decadic group of eye-decads, etc., to be unmixed with other groups; or it is that which is delimited by them; or it is merely the delimitation of those forms, this is the delimiting form. For it is as if it delimits each and every form-group. Even when there is contact between groups that are other-group-entities, the distinctness of each form, which is the boundary of form, is space. And that delimitation, is itself uncontacted by those forms. Otherwise, there would be no delimitation, due to those forms becoming pervasive. For non-pervasiveness is non-contact. Therefore, the Blessed One said: "uncontacted by the four great elements." 13. It makes known an intention by a moving body, and is itself made known by it, this is bodily intimation. It makes known an intention by speech, which is a sound endowed with consciousness, and is itself made known by it, this is verbal intimation. Therein, bodily intimation is a modification perceived as a condition for the trembling of the form-body. It is a co-operative cause in the firmness, support, and movement of co-arisen forms, generated by the wind element arising from the mind that produces walking, etc. It is distinct from the wind element that causes the trembling of a trembling body. It is like the exertion-modification when one lifts a large stone with all one's might. For it makes known an intention by a trembling body. Indeed, in movements like the swaying of trees, which are devoid of intimation-modifications, the grasping of an intention "this causes that" is not seen. And in movements like the waving of hands, after the grasping of the trembling body, because it is grasped by subsequent mind-door impulsion moments that are not themselves intimating, it is itself made known by the body. But how is intimation? by means of which movements of the hands and so on occur? It is said – In a single cognitive process, among the seven impulsion moments, the wind element arising from the seventh impulsion, accompanied by the modification of intimation, supported by the wind elements arising from the first impulsion and so on, causes the mind-born (matter) to move by being the cause of its arising in another place. But those arising from the former impulsion and so on merely cause stabilization and holding, they are helpful to it. Just as indeed, in a cart to be pulled by seven yokes, the oxen yoked to the seventh yoke alone, supported by the oxen yoked to the lower six yokes, move the cart. But those yoked to the first yoke and so on, merely accomplishing support and holding, are helpful to them. This should be understood in the same way. Movement here is the arising in another place itself, because there is no transference of phenomena even by a hair's breadth from the place of their arising. Otherwise, their non-activity and momentariness would not be. And by "being the cause of arising in another place" it should be understood that just as forms co-arising with it arise elsewhere from the place of their establishment by forms arisen from the lower impulsion moments, so too, it is their arising there together with them. But here, when the mind-born (matter) moves, the other (matter) also moves by its connection, like a lump of dry cow dung thrown into a river current. Similarly, even those wind elements arising from the first impulsion and so on, though unable to cause movement, are accompanied by the modification of intimation, in the direction where one wishes to perform walking forward and so on, due to the arising of a modification of facing that direction. And having done thus, it will be said that even the mind-door adverting is a producer of intimation. The earth element arising from the mind that breaks speech, together with the appropriated forms located at the place of letter production, becomes a condition for friction, this one modification is speech intimation. Whatever needs to be said here, that should be understood in the manner stated for body intimation. But this is the distinction – just as there it was said "immediately after grasping the trembling body," so here it should be connected as "immediately after hearing the sound being heard." And here, stabilization and so on Due to its absence, the method of arising from the seventh impulsion, etc., is not obtained. Indeed, sound arises only together with impact. And impact is certainly found even in the first impulsion, etc. And here, just as having seen forms like a cow's head or palm leaves tied and raised, and then by means of the immediately succeeding, unperceived mind-door process, taking the cognition of the manner of association with water of the cow's head, etc., there is the taking of water; so too, having taken the bodily sounds being uttered and moving, by means of the immediately succeeding, unperceived mind-door process, there is the grasping of the intentional modification, based on previously established connections. This is a common simile for both. 14. Lightness is lightness. Softness is softness. Workability is workability. And these, in order, should be understood as the non-heaviness of forms, like that of a healthy person; the non-stiffness, like that of well-kneaded leather; and the suitability for bodily actions, like that of well-purified gold. Although this triad of lightness, etc., does not abandon each other, their distinctness is spoken of through their respective predominant modifications of form. Indeed, the modification of form that arises from conditions opposing the disturbance of elements causing sluggishness is lightness. That which arises from conditions opposing the disturbance of elements causing stiffness is softness. That which arises from conditions opposing the disturbance of elements causing unsuitability for bodily actions is workability. 15. Accumulation is growth (upacaya); the meaning is 'first accumulation,' as the prefix 'upa-' indicates the primary meaning, as in 'upa-ññatta' (first made known), etc. Continuity is succession (santati), meaning a series. Therein, from the moment of rebirth-linking up to the arising of the eye-decad and other decads, the arising of form in this interval is called growth (upacaya). Beyond that, it is called continuity (santati).