English
They also call it a special reason with a cause, and a special reason brought to an end by a cause, and a special reason grasped by a cause. "Of them" means of consciousness and co-arisen conditioned material forms. "Do not experience" means do not attain. "For it is not possible to know" by this it shows that these are descriptions of reality. Even a description of reality can be a distinguishing factor by way of similarity of occurrence. "Decay is known" means destruction is revealed. "Of the abiding" means of the feeling that is abiding. Another kind is otherwise. The state of being otherwise is otherwise-ness. It means transformation by way of old age. The arising of the earth element, its abiding, its manifestation, its appearance. This is the arising of suffering, this is the abiding of diseases, this is the appearance of old age and death—this is the connection. "Otherwise" means if it is taken differently from this. It means if many arisings and cessations are taken in one material-immaterial aggregate by way of various phenomena. "Transformation of form "life" thus, the two intimations, and the three beginning with lightness. All derived material qualities, because they arise dependent on the four great elements, by the reckoning of the great elements, they would be four each. With this intention, "or of all" and so on was said. Or of all derived material qualities like eye, etc., in each single kalāpa, there should be a multitude, is the connection. Why should there be a multitude? He says "of the four great elements" and so on. If so, in one thought-moment, even the lightness, etc., would be only one each. Then for what purpose were they stated as two each? He says "body-lightness, mind-lightness, etc." "Not having considered this meaning" means "not having thought about such a decisive state." In the Vibhāvanī text, "following the mind" means having arisen with that mind and ceasing together with that same mind, it will follow the mind. "The consequence" is the consequence of mental factors. "Having arisen earlier" means "having arisen earlier together with one mind." "At the moment of the mind's dissolution" means at the moment of dissolution of another mind of equal seventeen (moments). Similarly, the consequence for material qualities cannot be prevented, is the connection. "The consequence" is the consequence of mental factors. "Enough with the elaboration" means, like in the commentaries on the three feelings in Abhidhamma, it becomes meaningless with excessive elaboration. "Meaningless" means the elaboration in the Vibhāvanī is indeed meaningless. 69. In the meaning of the word 'contact'. "He contacts" means strikes the object, collides with it. And that collision is not an obstruction of the object like a hostile impact, but rather, like a bee gathering nectar from lotus flowers, not merely staying at the knowing, but for the manifestation of the object's essence, it is indeed a coming together with the object. To show this, he says "and contact here" and so on. "Having struck" means having struck, having reached. "Having approached" is a synonym for that. How is this meaning clear? He says "because" and so on. There, "because" means that which... because. “Experiencing it” means experiencing that taste of the object, feeling arises, seeing the arising of feeling, the touching of the object becomes clear in knowledge—this is the intention. And this is characterized by contact, its function is impinging, its manifestation is the coming together, its proximate cause is the object that has come into range. Here, coming together means the meeting, the convergence, the combination of the three: door, object, and consciousness. Thus it is said: “Dependent on the eye and forms, eye-consciousness arises; the coming together of the three is contact,” and so on. “Its function is impinging” means its task is to impinge properly on the object. Because its task is impinging, it becomes the coming together of the three and manifests, appears, as the forefront for the knowledge of the contemplation of phenomena. “Its manifestation is the coming together.” Manifestation is also called a sign, as in “the sign of the banner-chariot.” That which has the coming together as its manifestation is “sannipātapaccupaṭṭhāno.” Or, its manifestation is feeling. Like smoke for fire. The analysis is: that which has the fruit of feeling as its manifestation. In the Aṭṭhasālinī, however, having asked, “Why is contact mentioned first here?” the view of the Great Commentary is presented: Because of the mind’s first impingement. For when the mind first impinges on the object, contact arises, touching the object. Therefore, it is mentioned first. Having been touched by contact, one feels by feeling. One perceives by perception. One wills by volition. Therefore it is said: “Touched, bhikkhus, one feels; touched, one perceives; touched, one wills.” Moreover, this contact, just as a pillar, having reached a palace, is a strong condition for the other materials, even so, it is a strong condition for co-arisen, associated phenomena. Therefore, it is mentioned first. But the compiler says: “This is not a reason, for of phenomena arisen in a single moment, it is not possible to say, ‘This arose first, this later.’ Even in the case of contact being a strong condition, the reason is not seen.” Having rejected that view, this was said: "By way of the teaching sequence itself, contact was mentioned first." Therein, "by way of the teaching sequence itself" means by the order of the teaching itself. There is no other reason than that, this is the intention. But among those two views, the view of the Great Commentary is indeed appropriate. For what was said there: "being the first incidence of consciousness." Therein, "first incidence" this was said due to the predominance of function. But not because it arose separately first, without other mental factors. Just as that: "Whatever dhammas, O monks, are unwholesome, partaking of unwholesome, siding with unwholesome." "All of them are preceded by mind, mind arises first for those dhammas." In this Sutta, due to the predominance of function, it was said: "mind arises first for those dhammas." But it should be understood that it did not arise separately first without all mental factors. Even in the state of being a strong condition, the reason for contact is indeed seen. Contact is the cause, contact is the condition, for the manifestation of the feeling aggregate. Contact is the cause, contact is the condition, for the manifestation of the perception aggregate. Contact is the cause, contact is the condition, for the manifestation of the volitional formations aggregate, for thus it was said. Therefore, due to the predominance of contact itself among all mental factors, and due to contact itself being a strong condition, contact was mentioned first, it should be understood. And here, consciousness, in the sense of knowing the object, is the forerunner, the chief, the eldest of contact and others, all mental factors. But contact, in the sense of impinging upon the object, is the forerunner, the chief, the eldest of all mental factors. This is the distinction between the two. Here, the objector, thinking that "touching" is only the function of resistant forms, objects with "But surely..." and so on. "But surely..." indicates that he objects. "Of non-resistant nature" is a special reason. "Anything" means any object. But this contact. "The attainment of a change of mind" means becoming changed by agitation, trembling, stiffness, disgust, fear, terror, stupefaction, and so on. ṃ. "The arising of distinct feelings" means: dependent on pleasant contact, pleasant feeling, dependent on painful contact, painful feeling, and so on, in this way, it establishes the arising of distinct feelings in accordance with distinct contacts. Here, "contact" (phusana) is of two kinds: material contact and mental contact. Therein, material contact is the function of the tangible elements. Mental contact is of two kinds: contact of feeling and contact of knowledge. Therein, contact of knowledge is the penetration of knowledge. Moreover, the attainment of jhānas, paths, fruits, and Nibbāna is also called "contact." The wise touch Nibbāna. The unsurpassed security from bondage. I touch the bliss of renunciation. frequented by noble ones, and so on. This might be merely an analogy, for someone of dull wisdom, is the intention. "This" is a word that causes saliva to flow. But for the discerning, it is proper to clarify subtle contact by means of a very evident example of contact. Therefore, it says "but for the very evident," and so on. 70. In the meaning of the word "feeling." "Or of persons endowed with it" means of persons endowed with feeling. "Or pleasant" means or of good taste. "Or unpleasant" means or of bad taste. "What does it feel?" means which does it feel. "It feels even pleasure" means it feels even pleasant feeling. Or "How does it feel?" means in what way does it feel. "It feels even pleasure" means it feels by being pleasure. It is said that it feels by way of being pleasure. Thus in the remaining passages too. "Engaged in other functions" means engaged in other tasks. The state of being a chief is dominance. The function of a faculty. "And having done thus" is a word indicating an acquired quality. Food fit for a king is royal food. "Likeness to a cook" means likeness to a royal cook. There, the cook, while preparing the king's meal, takes a little to know the taste, places it on the tip of his tongue, and examines the taste. But he is not empowered to eat as he wishes. Only the king is empowered to eat as he wishes. Feeling is like the king. The other mental factors are like the cook. 71. In the sense of the word 'saññā'. "Sañjānāti" means knows well. And knowing well is not like the diverse knowing of consciousness. Nor is it like the knowing as it truly is, of wisdom.