English
' BASE OF TACTILE CONSCIOUSNESS What base does tactile consciousness depend on ? It depends on the sensitive material quality of the body, with the exception of the ends of hair, down, nails, epithelial scales of the body, and heat evolving from metabolism both internal and external, derived from the four great essentials of the body which have originated by reason of a moral act performed in the past existence as giving by way of charity a tangible object owing to craving for tangible objects. This sensitive material quality exists diffused through the body as something resembling oil. When- ever an unpleasant tangible object comes in contact with it, then tactile consciousness accompanied by pain arises and perceives the sense impression. This base is formed of the eight inseparables, sensitive material quality of the body and vital force of psychic life and constitutes the group known as * body-decad.* ILLUSTRATIONS SHOWING THE ARISING OF FIVE DOOR SENSE-IMPRESSIONS How could the arising of the five-door sense-impressions be illustrated ? Just as a sound arises when a drum is struck with a stick, so do the five sense impressions arise when the five sense fields come in contact with the five sensory organs. That 122 the sensitive material quality is like the face of the drum, contact of the five sense objects is like striking the drum with a stick, and the five sense-impressions like the sound of the drum, should be understood. It can easily be understood if one were to thmk as to how fire arises on striking a match stick on a box of matches. These five sensitive material qualities are like five blind strong men possessed of their limbs and other organs, and the five classes of consciousness that are dependent on the (ivc bases are like five deformed and limbless men possessing eye si^ht. Just as, when the limbless man gets on the back of the blind strong man, both could reach any destination thev desire, so could the five classes of consciousness, which depend on the five blind sensitive material qualities, perceive the sense impressions like their reaching the desired destination. RECIPIENT AND INVESTIGATING CONSCIOUSNESS In a process of thought the state of consciousness immediately following and contiguous to the five classes of sense cognition is known as the recipient consciousness. It first receives the impressions already perceived by them, and the one following next is investigating consciousness, which has the function of investigating what is received and coming to a decision. When unpleasant objects such as visual object and so on come within the avenue of the five doors immoral resultant consciousness of eye, ear, nose, tongue, and body arise, and also the immoral resultant recipient consciousness and investigating consciousness. Whenever any of the immoral classes of consciousness with the exception of that accompanied by distraction gives rise to rebirth in the four planes of misery, this immoral resultant investi- gating consciousness performs the three functions of rebirth, life continuum and redecease. During the span of lite the seven classes of immoral resultants arise, according, to circumstances,, from all the twelve classes of immoral consciousness by way of resulting effects. 1^3 SEVEN IMMORAL RESULTANTS In the seven planes of fortunate sense experience, these seven immoral resultants arise from immoral acts done in the past in any subsequent existence. With the exception of the realm of unconscious beings, in the other 1 5 Brahmalokas immoral resultants of visual con- sciousness and auditory consciousness, recipient and investigat- ing results arise. These occur when the Brahmas view the world of men or come thereto, and as results of immoral acts done in previous existences. EIGHT MORAL RESULTANTS When a pleasant object comes within the avenue of the sense doors then the eight classes of moral resultants such as visual consciousness and so on arise, as a result of moral deeds done in previous existences. INEFFECTIVE CLASSES Five door turning to impressions arises when either an un- pleasant or a pleasant object comes in contact with any of the • live doors such as eye door and so on, by way of directing the attention of consciousness to the sense impressions. This is also known as kriyn mano dhatu (§C0 c2)®2S)jc)jC^) or ineffect- ive element of mind. Mind-door turning to impressions is known as man5 viiiiiana dhatu (®®253a S.'3^3€^ o)dt^) or element of mind cognition. It is the 19 classes of consciousness that arise as the life continuum (bhavanga Q0©o®), which turn to objects perceived by the five classes of sense impressions as sight, hearing, odour, taste and touch. Consciousness of aesthetic pleasure is that which makes an Arahat laugh over subtle objects and so on. 124 HOW THE EIGHT CLASSES OF MORAL CONSCIOUSNESS ARISE (i) Out of the morally beautiful classes of consciousness, the features of the first great class are thus :— As the sub-commentary states, " yada pana yo deyyadhamma patiggahakadi sampattin " (OB^ CJ3DaDJ<S5Ge Q^^ cSoroOOODSSa^ tO^t^^^) and so on, whenever suitable articles for offering and suitable reci- pients are fortunately present and one were to give charity or observe the eight precepts or perform any other moral act with pleasure and heedful of the resulting effects that will doubtless take place, that is connected with knowledge (kammassakata nana ®2)CS5Sf35 £5^3-€^j), and when undetermined by another person or unstimulated by a preceding state of consciousness, then the first class of moral consciousness known as automatic consciousness accompanied by joy and connected with knowledge arises. (2) As stated in respect of the first class, when any moral action is done such as giving charity and so on with pleasure and connected with knowledge in the belief that all mental actions have resulting effects and determined by a second person, when the individual delays to perform this act owing to craving for possessions, who is a good friend and who states that a person of your position should not be without giving alms and all the fortune you enjoy in this existence is due to your having given alms in previous existence, or having seen others giving alms, he makes up his mind to do the same, that is, impelled by a preceding state of consciousness, then the second class known as volitional consciousness accompanied by joy and connected with knowledge arises. (3) Children, who had seen alms being given by their parents, no sooner than they encounter a Bhikkhu, would with pleasure offer anything in their possession, or having been taught by parents they salute a priest with great reverence by keeping the hands raised well above the head with the fingers together and in apposition, the two forearms and the two legs in apposition with the head inclined downwards, then the third class known as automatic consciousness accompanied by )oy and disconnected from knowledge arises. 1^5 (4) Whenever parents enjoin a child to offer this to the Bhikkhu or salute him with reverence, and such orders are carried out with pleasure, then the fourth class known as volitional consciousness accompanied by py and disconnected from knowledge arises. (5) Whenever, by reason of one being not so fortunate as to possess suitable offerings or recipients, he with indifference and connected with knowledge in the belief that giving alms brings in good results, undetermined by a second person or unstimulated by a previous state of consciousness, very often by reason of the practice m previous existences, gives alms or performs any other moral act, then the fifth class known as Automatic con- sciousness accompanied by indifference and connected with knowledge arises. (6) Whenever the same act as stated in respect of the 5th class is performed, being determined by a second person or impelled by a previous state of consciousness, then the sixth class known as volitional consciousness accompanied by in- difference and connected with knowledge arises. (7) Whenever, owing to a child being not so fortunate as to own suitable offerings or recipients and having seen his parents performing moral acts, he automatically gives anything he possesses to a Bhikkhu or salutes him with reverence, then the seventh class known as Automatic consciousness accompanied by in- difference and disconnected from knowledge arises.