English
Likewise, as without effort and without activity. For it doesn't occur to the eye, forms, etc., "Oh, if only consciousness would arise due to our combination!" Nor do they engage in activity as a door, a base, or an object for the production of consciousness. But it is simply the nature of things that eye-form contact gives rise to eye-consciousness, etc. Therefore, they are to be seen as without effort and without activity. Moreover, the internal are to be seen like an empty village, being devoid of permanence, beauty, and happiness. The external are like village-destroying thieves. Likewise, the internal are to be seen like snakes, and the external like their prey. This is the distinction in how they are to be seen. In this way, the decision here should be understood by the method that is beyond the text. The Commentary on the Outline of the Analysis of the Sense Bases is finished. Commentary on the Outline of the Analysis of the Elements Now, regarding the meaning of the Outline of the Analysis of the Elements, "Eighteen elements": "Dhātu" means that which establishes, is established, is an establishment, is established by, or is established in. For worldly elements are established as causes. They establish and produce various kinds of suffering in saṃsāra, and they are established and sustained by beings. They are merely the establishment of suffering, and through these causal elements, suffering in saṃsāra is experienced by beings, and the suffering that has been established is established and placed in these elements. With these meanings, as appropriate, they are called "elements." Or, just as among the parts of the aggregate called the body, such as blood and bile, there is mutual difference. The designation "element" applies to things defined by characteristics of non-existence. Similarly, the designation "element" should be understood in the case of the aggregate of five aggregates, called self, in relation to the eye and so on. However, because they maintain their own nature in the sense of being common to the mundane and supramundane, they are called elements. This is merely a designation for a lifeless entity; therefore, according to the meaning explained, the eye and that element are the eye-element. Thus, the meaning of the words here is the same for the rest. Here, the distinction of the Dhamma should be understood in the manner stated in the sense bases. Furthermore, the five-door adverting consciousness, the receiving consciousness, and the investigating consciousness are called the mind-element. However, all consciousness excluding the five sense consciousnesses and the mind-element is called the mind-consciousness element. The rest is very easy to understand. Here, in the Vibhaṅga method, in the Suttanta section, first, six elements are enumerated: "the earth element, the water element, the fire element, the air element, the space element, and the consciousness element." The first five are distinguished as internal and external, and the last is distinguished as six types of consciousness. Another six elements are enumerated: "the happiness element, the suffering element, the joy element, the sorrow element, the equanimity element, and the ignorance element," and they are distinguished accordingly. Again, another six elements are enumerated: "the desire element, the ill-will element, the harmfulness element, the renunciation element, the non-ill-will element, and the non-harmfulness element." Thus, it should be understood that these eighteen elements, each belonging to the three realms, are described in three sets of six, in terms of their nature, characteristics, nutriment, basis, object, application, and absence. This is the method of the Suttanta section. However, in the Abhidhamma section, the eighteen elements are enumerated only in terms of their nature. The sense-organ and sense-object elements are distinguished in the manner stated in the sense bases. But the seven consciousness elements are: "What is the eye-consciousness element? The consciousness that arises dependent on the eye and forms... the eye-consciousness element. This is called the eye-consciousness element... the body-consciousness element. "What is the mind-element? The consciousness that arises immediately after the cessation of the eye-consciousness element... the body-consciousness element... or the first thought that arises in relation to all Dhammas..." That is consciousness…and so on…this is called the mind-element. "What is the object-element? The feeling aggregate, the perception aggregate, the mental formation aggregate, and that form which is invisible and non-resistant, included in the object-base, and the unconditioned element…and so on…this is called the object-element. "What is the mind-consciousness element…and so on…immediately after the arising and ceasing of the mind-element, consciousness arises…and so on…depending on mind and objects, consciousness arises…and so on…this is called the mind-consciousness element" (Vibha. 184) – Thus it is distinguished. Here, in "among all phenomena, or the first combination," the meaning should be taken as "among all phenomena in the sphere of the five sense-consciousnesses." In "immediately after the arising and ceasing of the mind-element," the "pi" is for aggregation; therefore, the meaning should be taken as "also of the mind-element, also of the mind-consciousness element such as the investigating consciousness and the determining consciousness." In "depending on mind," and so on, the meaning is that in the mind-door, depending on the subconscious mind and the object of the four planes, the adverting and javana arise. This is the Abhidhamma method. In the question-and-answer method, how many of the eighteen elements are wholesome…and so on…how many are blameless? Sixteen elements are indeterminate, two elements are threefold…and so on…ten elements are neither result nor cause-and-effect, five elements are result, the mind-element may be result, may be neither result nor cause-and-effect, two elements are threefold. Ten elements are clung-to and fit for clinging, the sound-element is not clung-to but fit for clinging, five elements may be clung-to and fit for clinging, may be not clung-to but fit for clinging, two elements are threefold…and so on…ten elements may be arisen, may be arising, the sound-element may be arisen, may be unarisen, may not be said to be arising, six elements are threefold. The object-element is always threefold…and so on…the form-element is visible and resistant, nine elements are invisible and resistant, eight elements are invisible and non-resistant. Seventeen elements are not. Indeed, the element of Dhamma is twofold…pe… sixteen elements are without conflict, two elements are twofold – this is the method of questioning. Now, for the meaning: To be seen by way of order, by way of extent, By way of observation, by division of conditions; Here the elements should be understood, A decision beyond the Pāli text. There, firstly, by way of order, even here the order of teaching is fitting. And that is said by way of establishing the sequence of cause and effect. The eye-element, the form-element – this pair is the cause, the eye-consciousness-element is the effect. Thus, everywhere. This, firstly, is the order here. However, by way of extent, those elements that are mentioned in the Suttanta division by the three sixes, and those other many elements that appear in those Sutta and Abhidhamma passages, such as "the element of light…pe… the world of diverse elements, various elements," why are only eighteen mentioned without stating a limit even in terms of those? Because those are included within that. Moreover, by revealing the diversity of consciousness in the nature of knowing, with its distinctions of eye-consciousness, etc., to those who perceive life, and its impermanence due to its dependence on eye, form, etc., and for the sake of eradicating the perception of life long ingrained in that, only eighteen are mentioned. Furthermore – also according to the inclination of those to be trained. For those to be trained are of three kinds: those deluded by the immaterial, those deluded by the material, and those deluded by both. For those three, respectively, the teaching of the aggregates, which reveals the distinctions of the immaterial without excessive brevity or detail, the teaching of the sense bases, which reveals the distinctions of the material, and the teaching of the elements, which reveals the distinctions of both, are suitable; thus, only eighteen are mentioned according to the inclination of those to be trained. And it was said: "In ways both concise and detailed, He reveals the Dhamma in such ways as; By the power of the true Dhamma, destroyed, in a moment, Darkness departs from the hearts of beings to be trained." (Vibha. Aṭṭha. 183); This, here, is the extent. However, by way of observation, all these conditioned elements should be seen as devoid of past and future ends, as empty of permanence, beauty, happiness, and self, and as functioning dependent on conditions. Especially here, The eye-element should be seen like a drumhead, the form-element like a stick, the eye-consciousness-element like a sound. So too, Tissa, the mind, respectively, like a mirror surface, a face, and the reflection of the face. So too, they should be seen like sesame seeds, a wheel, and oil, like a lower fire-stick, an upper fire-stick, and fire. This method applies to the ear-element and so on as well. But the mind-element should be seen, as appropriate, like the forerunners and followers of the eye-consciousness-element and so on. In the mind-object-element, however, feeling is like a dart or a thorn, perception is like an empty fist, volitional formations are like a poisonous tree, subtle form is like a razor wheel, and the unconditioned element should be seen like a safe haven.