English
Purity of view, purity by overcoming doubt, purity of knowledge and vision of what is the path and what is not the path, purity of knowledge and vision of the way, and purity of knowledge and vision, these five purities are the body. Therefore, in those phenomena which are the ground, Having made acquaintance with knowledge by way of learning and questioning in the dwellings, having accomplished the two fundamental purifications, the five bodily purifications should be developed by one who accomplishes them. This is the summary here. 431. But this is the detailed explanation. As it was said, "phenomena such as aggregates, sense bases, elements, faculties, truths, dependent origination, etc., are the ground." Here, "aggregates" means the five aggregates: the aggregate of form, the aggregate of feeling, the aggregate of perception, the aggregate of mental formations, and the aggregate of consciousness. Discourse on the Aggregate of Form 432. Therein, whatever class of phenomena has the characteristic of being afflicted by cold, etc., all that, taken together, should be understood as the aggregate of form. Though this is of one kind by the characteristic of affliction, it is of two kinds by the distinction of fundamental elements and derived form. Therein, fundamental form is of four kinds: earth element, water element, fire element, and wind element. Their characteristics, functions, and manifestations have been stated in the determination of the four elements. But from the perspective of their proximate cause, all of them have the remaining three elements as their proximate cause. Derived form is of twenty-four kinds: eye, ear, nose, tongue, body, visible form, sound, smell, taste, femininity, masculinity, life faculty, heart-base, bodily intimation, verbal intimation, space element, lightness of form, pliancy of form, adaptability of form, growth of form, continuity of form, aging of form, impermanence of form, and nutritive essence. 433. Therein, the eye has the characteristic of sensitive matter capable of being impinged upon by visible forms, or the characteristic of sensitive matter arisen from kamma rooted in the desire to see. Its function is to grasp visible forms. Its manifestation is the basis for eye-consciousness. Its proximate cause is the fundamental elements born of kamma rooted in the desire to see. The ear has the characteristic of sensitive matter capable of being impinged upon by sounds, or the characteristic of sensitive matter arisen from kamma rooted in the desire to hear. Its function is to grasp sounds. Its manifestation is the basis for ear-consciousness. Its proximate cause is the fundamental elements born of kamma rooted in the desire to hear. The characteristic of sensitive matter capable of being impinged upon by smells, to smell or the eye, characterized by the sensitive matter arisen from kamma rooted in the desire to see; its function is to grasp forms, its manifestation is to be the support for eye-consciousness, its proximate cause is the sensitive matter produced by kamma rooted in the desire to see. The ear, characterized by sensitive matter susceptible to sound-impact, or characterized by sensitive matter arisen from kamma rooted in the desire to hear; its function is to grasp sounds, its manifestation is to be the support for ear-consciousness, its proximate cause is the sensitive matter produced by kamma rooted in the desire to hear. The nose, characterized by sensitive matter susceptible to smell-impact, or characterized by sensitive matter arisen from kamma rooted in the desire to smell; its function is to grasp smells, its manifestation is to be the support for nose-consciousness, its proximate cause is the sensitive matter produced by kamma rooted in the desire to smell. The tongue, characterized by sensitive matter susceptible to taste-impact, or characterized by sensitive matter arisen from kamma rooted in the desire to taste; its function is to grasp tastes, its manifestation is to be the support for tongue-consciousness, its proximate cause is the sensitive matter produced by kamma rooted in the desire to taste. The body, characterized by sensitive matter susceptible to touch-impact, or characterized by sensitive matter arisen from kamma rooted in the desire to touch; its function is to grasp tangibles, its manifestation is to be the support for body-consciousness, its proximate cause is the sensitive matter produced by kamma rooted in the desire to touch. 434. Some, however, say: "The sensitive matter of elements where fire predominates is the eye; the sensitive matter of elements where air, earth, and water predominate are the ear, nose, and tongue; the body is of all of them." Others say: "The sensitive matter of elements where fire predominates is the eye; the ear, nose, tongue, and body are of elements where space, air, water, and earth predominate." To them it should be said: "Bring forth a Sutta!" Indeed, they will not find a Sutta. Some here give the reason: "Because forms and so forth are supported by the qualities of fire and so forth." To them it should be said: "Who then says that forms and so forth are the qualities of fire and so forth? For in elements that are inseparably present, it is not possible to say, 'This is the quality of this, and this is the quality of that.'" Even if they were to say: "Just as you desire that in those various compounds, due to the predominance of a particular element, earth and so forth have functions like supporting, so too, seeing the predominance of forms and so forth in compounds where fire and so forth predominate, it should be desired that these forms and so forth are their qualities." To them it should be said: "We would desire it, if the smell of a water-predominant exudation were less than the smell in earth-predominant cotton, and if the color of cold water were to diminish compared to the color of fire-predominant hot water." But since neither of these is the case, therefore, these are abandoned as their basis. This specific determination should be understood thus: "Just as even in a single undifferentiated aggregate, the forms, tastes, etc., of beings are mutually dissimilar, so too the eye-sensitivity and so on, even if there is no other specific cause (for their difference)." But what is it that is uncommon to each other? Kamma itself is their specific cause. Therefore, their distinction is due to the distinction of kamma, not due to the distinction of elements. For if there were a distinction of elements, sensitivity would not arise. For the ancients say, "Sensitivity belongs to the similar, not to the dissimilar." 435. Thus, among these, which are distinguished by the distinction of kamma, the eye and ear are apprehenders of non-contact objects, because they are causes of consciousness in objects that are not clinging to their own support. The nose, tongue, and body are apprehenders of contact objects, both by way of their support and by themselves, because they are causes of consciousness in objects that are clinging to their own support. 436. Here, the eye, which in the world is called the eye, adorned with black and white circles, interspersed with blue eyelashes, resembling a blue lotus petal. Of that eye with its constituents, in the place where the body-structure arises, situated opposite in the middle of the black circle surrounded by the white circle, pervading seven eye-membranes, like oil poured onto seven cotton wicks, like a royal prince by the four nurses performing the duties of holding, bathing, adorning, and fanning, being assisted by the four elements performing the duties of supporting, binding, maturing, and stirring, being sustained by season, mind, and food, being maintained by life, surrounded by color, odor, taste, and so on, in size, as much as a louse's head, it stands, appropriately serving as the basis and door for eye-consciousness and so on. And this was also said by the Dhamma General: "By which eye-sensitivity, one perceives forms; This is small and subtle, like a louse's head." Inside the ear-cavity with its constituents, in the place resembling a finger-ring, covered with fine red hairs, the ear, assisted by the elements of the aforementioned kind, being sustained by season, mind, and food, being maintained by life, surrounded by color and so on. Thus, establishing its appropriate state as a base and door for ear-consciousness and so on, it stands. Inside the nostril with its components, in a place shaped like a goat's hoof, the nose, surrounded by support and maintenance of the kind described, establishing its appropriate state as a base and door for nose-consciousness and so on, stands. Above the middle of the tongue with its components, in a place shaped like the tip of a lotus petal, the tongue, surrounded by support and maintenance of the kind described, establishing its appropriate state as a base and door for tongue-consciousness and so on, stands. As far as there is indeed appropriated matter in this body, everywhere, the body, like oil on a cotton wick, becoming indeed surrounded by support and maintenance of the kind described, establishing its appropriate state as a base and door for body-consciousness and so on, stands. And these eyes and so on should be understood like the burrows of their own range, called anthills, water, sky, villages, charnel grounds; and like the burrows of their own range for snakes, crocodiles, birds, dogs, jackals, and so on. 437. Then, among the other forms and so on: Form is characterized by impinging on the eye. Its function is to be the object of eye-consciousness. Its manifestation is to be the sphere of that (eye-consciousness). Its proximate cause is the four great elements. And as this is, so are all derived forms. But where there is a distinction, there we will speak. And this is of many kinds, such as blue, yellow, and so on. Sound is characterized by impinging on the ear.