English
Next, "elements" means eighteen elements: eye-element, form-element, eye-consciousness-element, ear-element, sound-element, ear-consciousness-element, nose-element, smell-element, nose-consciousness-element, tongue-element, taste-element, tongue-consciousness-element, body-element, touch-element, body-consciousness-element, mind-element, phenomena-element, mind-consciousness-element. In this regard— By meaning, by characteristics, etc., by order, by that which is unconditioned; by conditions, then to be seen, to be known is the decision. There, "by meaning" means the eye, etc. It sees, so it is the eye. It takes form, so it is form. The consciousness of the eye is eye-consciousness— in this way, the determination of the eye and so on should be understood according to their specific meanings. But in a general sense, it establishes, it is established, an establishment, it is established by this, or it is established in this— so it is an element (dhātu). For worldly elements, being established as causes, like elements of gold and silver, establish gold and silver, and various kinds of suffering in transmigration. And like a burden by burden-bearers, they are borne by beings, they are sustained—this is the meaning. And these are merely the establishment of suffering, because they are not subject to control. And by these, as instruments, the suffering of transmigration is continued by beings. And that which is thus established is established, is placed, in these very elements—this is the meaning. Thus, each phenomenon among the eye and so on, as far as possible, establishes, is established, and so on, is called an element (dhātu) by way of meaning. 518. Moreover, just as for the sectarians there is no self by nature, it is not so with these; but these sustain their own nature, so they are elements. Just as in the world, various parts of rocks like green vitriol and red arsenic are called elements, so these too are elements, like elements. For these are various parts of knowledge and the knowable. Or, just as the designation "element" applies to the constituents of the body, which is a collection, such as blood and lymph, which are distinguished by mutually dissimilar characteristics, so too the designation "element" should be understood for these constituents of existence, which is called the five aggregates. For these, the eye and so on, are distinguished by mutually dissimilar characteristics. Moreover, "element" is a designation for that which is merely inanimate. Thus, the Blessed One, in passages like "This person, bhikkhu, is of six elements," taught the doctrine of elements to remove the notion of a living soul. Therefore, by the meaning stated above, the eye and that element is the eye-element... ...the mind-consciousness and that element is the mind-consciousness-element. Thus far, the determination here should be understood by meaning. 519. From the perspective of characteristics and so on, the determination here should be understood from the perspective of the characteristics and so on of the eye and so on. And indeed, their characteristics, etc., should be understood in the manner stated in the exposition of aggregates. As for "in order," here too, among those stated previously, such as the order of arising, only the order of teaching is appropriate. And this is stated in terms of the sequential arrangement of cause and effect. The eye-element and form-element, this pair indeed is the cause, and the eye-consciousness element is the effect. Thus everywhere. 520. As for "so many," it means "because of being so many." This is said: For in various suttas and Abhidhamma passages, "element of radiance, element of beauty, element of infinite space, element of infinite consciousness, element of nothingness, element of neither perception nor non-perception, element of cessation of perception and feeling" "element of sensuality, element of ill-will, element of harming, element of renunciation, element of non-ill-will, element of non-harming" "element of pleasure, element of pain, element of joy, element of sorrow, element of equanimity, element of ignorance" "element of initiative, element of exertion, element of effort" "inferior element, middle element, superior element" "earth element, water element, fire element, wind element, space element, consciousness element" "conditioned element, unconditioned element" "the world is of many elements, of various elements" and other such elements are seen. If it is asked, "This being the case, why, without making a classification based on all of them, is only this classification of eighteen made?" Because all elements existing by nature are included within them. Indeed, the form-element itself is the element of radiance. But the element of beauty is connected with form, etc. Why? Because it is a beautiful sign. For a beautiful sign is the element of beauty. And that is not found apart from form, etc. Or, form, etc., which are objects of wholesome results, are themselves the element of beauty; thus, it is merely form, etc. In the element of infinite space, etc., the mind is merely the mind-consciousness element. , the rest are the element of mental phenomena. But the element of the cessation of perception and feeling does not exist in reality. It is merely the cessation of two elements. The element of the sense-sphere is merely the element of mental phenomena. As it is said: "Therein, what is the element of the sense-sphere? Thought and thinking connected with the sense-sphere, wrong intention." Or it is all eighteen elements. As it is said: "Having made Avīci hell below the boundary, and having included the Paranimmitavasavattī devas above, whatever aggregates, elements, and sense-bases, forms, feelings, perceptions, volitional formations, consciousness are within this interval, are within this range, are included herein, this is called the element of the sense-sphere." The element of renunciation is indeed the element of mental phenomena. By the saying, "All wholesome phenomena are the element of renunciation," the element of mind-consciousness also exists. The elements of ill-will, harmfulness, non-ill-will, non-harmfulness, happiness, suffering, joy, sorrow, equanimity, ignorance, initiation, departure, effort are indeed the element of mental phenomena. The elements of inferiority, mediocrity, and superiority are merely the eighteen elements. For the inferior elements are the eye, etc., which are inferior elements; the mediocre and superior are mediocre and superior. But in the ultimate sense, unwholesome elements of mental phenomena and mind-consciousness are inferior elements. Worldly wholesome and indeterminate elements, both the eye element, etc., are mediocre elements. But supramundane elements of mental phenomena and mind-consciousness are superior elements. The elements of earth, fire, and air are indeed the element of touch. The elements of water and space are indeed the element of mental phenomena. The element of consciousness is merely the summary of the seven elements of consciousness, such as eye-consciousness. Seventeen elements and a part of the element of mental phenomena are the conditioned element. But the unconditioned element is merely a part of the element of mental phenomena. The world of many elements, various elements, is merely the eighteen kinds of elements. Thus, because all existing elements are included therein, only eighteen are stated. 521. Furthermore, eighteen are stated to remove the perception of a living entity in consciousness, which has the nature of knowing, for those who perceive a living entity. For there are beings who perceive a living entity in consciousness, which has the nature of knowing. For others, declaring its manifoldness through the division of eye, ear, nose, tongue, body, mind-element, and mind-consciousness-element, and its impermanence due to its dependent arising from eye-forms and so on, the Blessed One, desiring to uproot the long-cherished notion of a living being, declared the eighteen elements. And furthermore, also according to the disposition of those to be trained. And for those beings to be trained by this teaching, which is neither too brief nor too extensive, according to their disposition, the eighteen were declared. Indeed, in various ways, by brevity and by expansion, he declares the Dhamma, so that, struck by the power of the True Dhamma, darkness vanishes in a moment, and departs from the hearts of beings to be trained. Thus here, to that extent, the determination should be understood. 522. As to 'conditioned': The eye-element, by its nature, is reckoned as one phenomenon, by way of eye-sensitivity. Similarly, the ear, nose, tongue, body, form, sound, smell, taste elements, by way of ear-sensitivity and so on. But the tangible-element is reckoned as three phenomena, by way of earth, fire, and air. The eye-consciousness-element is reckoned as two phenomena, by way of wholesome and unwholesome resultants. Similarly, the ear, nose, tongue, body-consciousness elements. But the mind-element is reckoned as three phenomena, by way of five-door-adverting, wholesome and unwholesome resultants, and receiving. The Dhamma-element is reckoned as twenty phenomena, by way of the three immaterial aggregates, the sixteen subtle material forms, and the unconditioned element. The mind-consciousness-element is reckoned as seventy-six phenomena, by way of the remaining wholesome, unwholesome, and indeterminate consciousnesses. Thus here, the determination of the conditioned should also be understood. 523. As to 'condition' here: The eye-element, for the eye-consciousness-element, is a condition by six conditions: dissociated, pre-arisen, presence, non-disappearance, support, and faculty. The form-element is a condition by four conditions: pre-arisen, presence, non-disappearance, and object. Similarly, for the ear-consciousness-element and so on,