English
The nose, characterized by being the sensitivity of matter fit for odor impact, or characterized by being the sensitivity of matter arisen from kamma, caused by the desire to smell, has the function of drawing in odors, the manifestation of being the basis for nose-consciousness, the base of matter born of kamma, caused by the desire to smell. And this, inside the nose-hole with its accessories, in a place shaped like a goat's foot, benefited, maintained, surrounded, and supported by the elements and so on, as described above, rightly accomplishing the function of the base-door for nose-consciousness and so on, it stands. The tongue, characterized by being the sensitivity of matter fit for taste impact, or characterized by being the sensitivity of matter arisen from kamma, caused by the desire to taste, has the function of drawing in tastes, the manifestation of being the basis for tongue-consciousness, the base of matter born of kamma, caused by the desire to taste. And this, the tongue-tip with its accessories, It stands above the heart, in a shape like an upturned lotus petal, supporting and maintaining the benefits mentioned earlier, along with its retinue, establishing the object-door condition appropriately for mind-consciousness and so on. The body is characterized by the purity of tangible elements fit for contact, or by the purity of elements arising from volitional action, the root of the desire to touch, its essence is the flavor of cohesion in tangible objects, its manifestation is the support for body-consciousness, its basis is the material elements born of volitional action, the root of the desire to touch. But in this body, as far as the portions of earth, water, etc., that are appropriated, it pervades everywhere like oil in a cotton cloth, supporting and maintaining the benefits mentioned earlier, along with its retinue, establishing the object-door condition appropriately for body-consciousness and so on. Some say, "The eye is the purity of elements with a predominance of fire, while the ear, nose, tongue, and body have a predominance of space, air, water, and earth." Others say, "The eye has the nature of fire, while the ear, nose, tongue, and body have the nature of space, earth, water, and air." And they give reasons accordingly: "Because of the cooperation of fire, etc., and because of being the object of qualities such as form of fire, etc." They should be told: Who ever said that "sense faculties must exist only with cooperative natures," or that "forms, etc., are qualities of fire, etc.?" For in inseparable elements, it cannot be said, "This is the quality of this, this is the quality of that." But if they should say, "It should be desired that 'forms, etc., are qualities of fire, etc.,' because the greater abundance of forms, etc., is seen in combinations where fire, etc., are predominant," they should be told: We would desire it, if the smell of liquor, which has a predominance of water, were greater than the smell of cotton, which has a predominance of earth, and if the color of cold water were less than the color of hot water, which has a predominance of fire. But since neither of these is the case, therefore abandon this particular determination of the elements that are the basis for them. Just as in a single inseparable group of elements, form, taste, etc., are different from each other, so too the eye These are all supported by karma. But is there no specific reason for them? No, there is not. What then is the principle? Karma itself is the unique cause, Specifically for the beings born of craving. For when there is a distinction in beings, A sense-faculty does not arise. "For sense-faculty is of similar beings, Not of dissimilar beings," say the ancients. Thus, due to the distinction of karma, In these distinguished minds, Eye and ear are non-contact apprehenders, Grasping objects beyond reach, Because they are the basis for consciousness, With their bases not clinging to the object. But nose, tongue, and body are contact apprehenders, Grasping objects by way of their bases, And themselves clinging to their bases, Because they are the basis for consciousness. Some, however, say, "Eye and ear are indeed contact apprehenders, Because in the case of the moon and forms, Though situated far away, Consciousness arises through the union of swift eye-rays, And in the case of sounds, Through the impact of a series of sounds arriving at the ear-hole. Therefore, consciousness does not arise In the case of forms and sounds Obstructed by a wall or located in a broken mountain cave." But even for them, The ability of the eye to connect rays With the moon, trees, etc., far and near, Without a perceptible difference in time, And the ability of sounds, near and far, To arrive and strike the ear-hole Without a known difference, Must be accepted as the cause of the arising of consciousness. Thereafter, the acceptance of the ability Of those same sounds to produce consciousness Only when they are situated there. And the non-arrival of forms and sounds Obstructed by a wall or cave Is due to the absence of a supporting condition. Otherwise, one should not assume That their connection with the sense-faculty Is running. The prevention of arrival is the prevention of arising, And just as their connection with the sense-faculty is, Due to the absence of a supporting condition, So is the arising of consciousness, it should be understood. Granted that the eye is a non-contact apprehender, Since it grasps the moon and other objects Even when they are far away, But how can the ear be a contact apprehender, Since it is unable to grasp the sound Together with the visible bodily movements, etc., Of those cutting trees or washing clothes far away, But only a faint sound? Is it that, in making contact, it does not grasp what has not arrived? Even there, because the initial sounds of things like axes and clothes are faint, there is no successive coming of faint sounds arising from the movement of branches and leaves being cut by a hand, nor is there a going to the path. But later, with the force of rubbing and friction, the going to the path occurs only for the great sounds that arise, remaining right there; otherwise, distinctions of far and near would not exist, as with odors and the like. Therefore, these are objects not arrived at, and the sense organs, beginning with the nose, are to be known as having arrived at their objects. These are similar to snakes, porpoises, birds, dogs, and jackals. Just as a snake does not delight in a place swept outside, but prefers a hidden place among grass, leaves, thickets, and anthills, so too the eye prefers a hidden place among women, men, flowers, vines, and paintings, rather than a smooth wall. And just as a porpoise prefers a hidden place in the water, rather than moving about outside, so too the ear prefers a hidden place in holes and crevices. Just as a vulture or other bird prefers to soar in the sky, rather than on the ground or in trees, so too the nose, being upturned, prefers the sky, in order to draw in the wind that carries odors. Just as a dog, seeking meat, prefers the village, with its mind intent on kitchens and the like, rather than wandering outside the village, so too the tongue prefers moisture. And just as a jackal, seeking meat, prefers the charnel ground, rather than wandering outside the charnel ground, so too the body, even having obtained pleasant tactile sensations such as a bed not clung to, prefers what is clung to. For beings, not obtaining something clung to, will even lie down placing their knees between their arms and holding their head in their hands. Light, openings, wind, water, paths, and support are the causes of the arising of consciousness in these. Thus, the distinction of these five sense faculties is to be understood by way of their characteristic, function, manifestation, proximate cause, support, object, preference, and cause. Eye-striking Uncharacteristic is form, the taste of being the object of eye-consciousness, its manifestation is being the field of experience, its basis is the four great elements, as of mind, so too, the basis of all derived form should be understood, but we will speak of the distinction. Now this form is of many kinds, such as blue, yellow, red, white, black, madder, shadow, sunlight, light, darkness, and so on. But some say, "Darkness is merely the absence of light, therefore, the forms present there are not seen," that is not right. Just as the shadow of blue sapphire and other things, different from light, is a color-base, so too, the shadow of walls, roofs, ground, mountains, etc., being dense, covering forms like pots, darkness, different from light, should be seen. Characteristic of sound is striking the ear, the taste of being the object of ear-consciousness, its manifestation is being the field of experience. It is of many kinds, such as song, drum sounds, and so on. Characteristic of smell is striking the nose, the taste of being the object of nose-consciousness, its manifestation is being the field of experience. It is of many kinds, such as root-smell, heartwood-smell, and so on. Characteristic of taste is striking the tongue, the taste of being the object of tongue-consciousness, its manifestation is being the field of experience. It is of many kinds, such as root-taste, acrid taste, and so on. Characteristic of femaleness is the female faculty, the taste of declaring "female," its manifestation is being the cause of female signs, marks, and behaviors. Characteristic of maleness is the male faculty, the taste of declaring "male," its manifestation is being the cause of male signs, marks, and behaviors. For both of these, being the cause of male and female signs, etc., does not exist in reality, because the conditionality of these is not yet established, but only from the arrival that is their generative condition.