1. “Now if internally the eye (ear/ear/nose/tongue) is intact but externally forms do not come into range, nor is there a corresponding engagement, then there is no appearing of the corresponding type of consciousness.
2. If internally the eye is intact and externally forms come into range, but there is no corresponding engagement, then there is no appearing of the corresponding type of consciousness.
3. But when internally the eye is intact and externally forms come into range, and there is a corresponding engagement, then there is the appearing of the corresponding type of consciousness.
“The form of what has thus come into being is gathered under the form clinging-aggregate. The feeling of what has thus come into being is gathered under the feeling clinging-aggregate. The perception of what has thus come into being is gathered under the perception clinging-aggregate. The fabrications of what has thus come into being are gathered under the fabrication clinging-aggregate. The consciousness of what has thus come into being is gathered under the consciousness clinging-aggregate. One discerns, ‘This, it seems, is how there is the gathering, meeting, & convergence of these five clinging-aggregates. Now, the Blessed One has said, “Whoever sees dependent co-arising sees the Dhamma; whoever sees the Dhamma sees dependent co-arising.” And these things — the five clinging-aggregates — are dependently co-arisen. Any desire, embracing, grasping, & holding-on to these five clinging-aggregates is the origination of stress. Any subduing of desire & passion, any abandoning of desire & passion for these five clinging-aggregates is the cessation of stress.’ And even to this extent, friends, the monk has accomplished a great deal. (MN 28)
1. Why do you call it ‘form’?
Because it is afflicted.
2. Afflicted with what?
With cold & heat & hunger & thirst, with the touch of flies, mosquitoes, wind, sun, & reptiles. (SN 22.79)
3. What is form?
The four great existents and the form derived from them. (SN 22.56)
3.1 What are the four great existents?
They are the earth property, the liquid property, the fire property, & the wind property.
3.1.1 What is the earth property?
The earth property can be either internal or external.
3.1.1.1 What is the internal earth property?
Whatever internal, within oneself, is hard, solid, & sustained [by craving]: head hairs, body hairs, nails, teeth, skin, flesh, tendons, bones, bone marrow, kidneys, heart, liver, pleura, spleen, lungs, large intestines, small intestines, contents of the stomach, feces, or whatever else internal, within oneself, is hard, solid, & sustained: This is called the internal earth property. And that should be seen as it actually is with right discernment: ‘This is not mine, this is not me, and this is not myself.’ When one sees it thus as it actually is with right discernment, one becomes disenchanted with the earth property and makes the mind dispassionate toward the earth property.
3.1.2 What is the liquid property?
The liquid property may be either internal or external.
3.1.2.1 What is the internal liquid property?
Whatever internal, belonging to oneself, is liquid, watery, & sustained: bile, phlegm, pus, blood, sweat, fat, tears, skin-oil, saliva, mucus, fluid in the joints, urine, or whatever else internal, within oneself, is liquid, watery, & sustained: This is called the internal liquid property.
3.1.3 What is the fire property?
The fire property may be either internal or external.
3.1.3.1 What is the internal fire property?
Whatever internal, belonging to oneself, is fire, fiery, & sustained: that by which (the body) is warmed, aged, & consumed with fever; and that by which what is eaten, drunk, chewed, & savored gets properly digested, or whatever else internal, within oneself, is fire, fiery, & sustained: This is called the internal fire property
3.1.4 What is the wind property?
The wind property may be either internal or external.
3.1.4.1 What is the internal wind property?
Whatever internal, belonging to oneself, is wind, windy, & sustained: up-going winds, down-going winds, winds in the stomach, winds in the intestines, winds that course through the body, in-&-out breathing, or whatever else internal, within oneself, is wind, windy, & sustained: This is called the internal wind property. (MN 28)
4. What is the origination of form?
(a) From the origination of nutriment comes the origination of form. (SN 22.56)
(b) One enjoys, welcomes, & remains fastened to form. As one enjoys, welcomes, & remains fastened to form, there arises delight. Any delight in form is clinging. From clinging/sustenance as a requisite condition comes becoming. From becoming as a requisite condition comes birth. From birth as a requisite condition, then aging & death, sorrow, lamentation, pain, distress, & despair come into play. Such is the origination of this entire mass of stress & suffering…..This, monks, is the origination of form. (SN 22.5)
4.1 What are the nutriments?
Physical food, gross or refined; contact as the second, intellectual intention the third, and consciousness the fourth. These are the four nutriments for the maintenance of beings who have come into being or for the support of those in search of a place to be born. (SN 12.64)
5. What is the cessation of form?
(a) From the cessation of nutriment comes the cessation of form. (SN 22.56)
(b) As one doesn’t enjoy, welcome, or remain fastened to form, any delight in form ceases. From the cessation of delight comes the cessation of clinging. From the cessation of clinging/sustenance, the cessation of becoming. From the cessation of becoming, the cessation of birth. From the cessation of birth, then aging & death, sorrow, lamentation, pain, distress, & despair all cease. Such is the cessation of this entire mass of stress & suffering…..This, monks, is the disappearance of form. (SN 22.5)
6. What is the path of practice leading to the cessation of form?
And just this noble eightfold path is the path of practice leading to the cessation of form, i.e., right view, right resolve, right speech, right action, right livelihood, right effort, right mindfulness, right concentration… And any brahmans or contemplatives who by directly knowing form in this way, directly knowing the origination of form in this way, directly knowing the cessation of form in this way, directly knowing the path of practice leading to the cessation of form in this way, are — from disenchantment, dispassion, cessation, lack of clinging/sustenance with regard to form — released, they are well-released. Those who are well-released are fully accomplished. And with those who are fully accomplished, there is no cycle for the sake of describing them. (SN 22.56)
7. What is the allure of form?
(a) The fact that pleasure & happiness arises in dependence on form: that is the allure of form.
(b) See also sixteen years old girl simile. (MN 13)
8. What is the drawback of form?
(a) The fact that form is inconstant, stressful, subject to change: that is the drawback of form.
(b) See also sixteen years old girl simile. (MN 13)
9. What is the escape from form?
The subduing of desire & passion for form, the abandoning of desire & passion for form: that is the escape from form. (SN 22.57)
1. Why do you call it ‘feeling’?
Because it feels.
2. What does it feel?
It feels pleasure, it feels pain, it feels neither-pleasure-nor-pain. (SN 22.79)
3. What is feeling?
(a) These six classes of feeling — feeling born of eye-contact, feeling born of ear-contact, feeling born of nose-contact, feeling born of tongue-contact, feeling born of body-contact, feeling born of intellect-contact.
(b) “These three kinds of feeling: pleasant feeling, painful feeling, & neither-pleasant-nor-painful feeling.” (MN 44)
4. What is the origination of feeling?
(a) From the origination of contact comes the origination of feeling.
(b) One enjoys, welcomes, & remains fastened to feeling. As one enjoys, welcomes, & remains fastened to feeling, there arises delight. Any delight in feeling is clinging. From clinging/sustenance as a requisite condition comes becoming. From becoming as a requisite condition comes birth. From birth as a requisite condition, then aging & death, sorrow, lamentation, pain, distress, & despair come into play. Such is the origination of this entire mass of stress & suffering…..This, monks, is the origination of feeling. (SN 22.5)
5. What is the cessation of feeling?
(a) From the cessation of contact comes the cessation of feeling.
(b) As one doesn’t enjoy, welcome, or remain fastened to feeling, any delight in feeling ceases. From the cessation of delight comes the cessation of clinging. From the cessation of clinging/sustenance, the cessation of becoming. From the cessation of becoming, the cessation of birth. From the cessation of birth, then aging & death, sorrow, lamentation, pain, distress, & despair all cease. Such is the cessation of this entire mass of stress & suffering…..This, monks, is the disappearance of feeling. (SN 22.5)
6. What is the path of practice leading to the cessation of feeling?
And just this noble eightfold path is the path of practice leading to the cessation of feeling, i.e., right view, right resolve, right speech, right action, right livelihood, right effort, right mindfulness, right concentration….And any brahmans or contemplatives who by directly knowing feeling in this way, directly knowing the origination of feeling in this way, directly knowing the cessation of feeling in this way, directly knowing the path of practice leading to the cessation of feeling in this way, are — from disenchantment, dispassion, cessation, lack of clinging/sustenance with regard to feeling — released, they are well-released. Those who are well-released are fully accomplished. And with those who are fully accomplished, there is no cycle for the sake of describing them. (SN 22.56)
7. What is the allure of feeling?
(a) The fact that pleasure & happiness arises in dependence on feeling: that is the allure of feeling.
(b) See also Jhanas simile. (MN 13)
8. What is the drawback of feeling?
(a) The fact that feeling is inconstant, stressful, subject to change: that is the drawback of feeling.
(b) See also Jhanas simile. (MN 13)
9. What is the escape from feeling?
The subduing of desire & passion for feeling, the abandoning of desire & passion for feeling: that is the escape from feeling. (SN 22.57)
1. Why do you call it ‘perception’?
Because it perceives.
2. What does it perceive?
It perceives blue, it perceives yellow, it perceives red, it perceives white. (SN 22.79)
3. What is perception?
These six classes of perception — perception of form, perception of sound, perception of smell, perception of taste, perception of tactile sensation, perception of ideas.
4. What is the origination of perception?
(a) From the origination of contact comes the origination of perception.
(b) One enjoys, welcomes, & remains fastened to perception. As one enjoys, welcomes, & remains fastened to perception, there arises delight. Any delight in perception is clinging. From clinging/sustenance as a requisite condition comes becoming. From becoming as a requisite condition comes birth. From birth as a requisite condition, then aging & death, sorrow, lamentation, pain, distress, & despair come into play. Such is the origination of this entire mass of stress & suffering…..This, monks, is the origination of perception. (SN 22.5)
5. What is the cessation of perception?
(a) From the cessation of contact comes the cessation of perception.
(b) As one doesn’t enjoy, welcome, or remain fastened to perception, any delight in perception ceases. From the cessation of delight comes the cessation of clinging. From the cessation of clinging/sustenance, the cessation of becoming. From the cessation of becoming, the cessation of birth. From the cessation of birth, then aging & death, sorrow, lamentation, pain, distress, & despair all cease. Such is the cessation of this entire mass of stress & suffering…..This, monks, is the disappearance of perception. (SN 22.5)
6. What is the path of practice leading to the cessation of perception?
And just this noble eightfold path is the path of practice leading to the cessation of perception, i.e., right view, right resolve, right speech, right action, right livelihood, right effort, right mindfulness, right concentration….And any brahmans or contemplatives who by directly knowing perception in this way, directly knowing the origination of perception in this way, directly knowing the cessation of perception in this way, directly knowing the path of practice leading to the cessation of perception in this way, are — from disenchantment, dispassion, cessation, lack of clinging/sustenance with regard to perception — released, they are well-released. Those who are well-released are fully accomplished. And with those who are fully accomplished, there is no cycle for the sake of describing them. (SN 22.56)
7. What is the allure of perception?
The fact that pleasure & happiness arises in dependence on perception: that is the allure of perception.
8. What is the drawback of perception?
The fact that perception is inconstant, stressful, subject to change: that is the drawback of perception.
9. What is the escape from perception?
The subduing of desire & passion for perception, the abandoning of desire & passion for perception: that is the escape from perception. (SN 22.57)
1. Why do you call them ‘fabrications’?
Because they fabricate fabricated things.
2. What do they fabricate as a fabricated thing?
For the sake of form-ness, they fabricate form as a fabricated thing. For the sake of feeling-ness, they fabricate feeling as a fabricated thing. For the sake of perception-hood… For the sake of fabrication-hood… For the sake of consciousness-hood, they fabricate consciousness as a fabricated thing. (SN 22.79)
3. What are fabrications?
(a) These six classes of intention — intention with regard to form, intention with regard to sound, intention with regard to smell, intention with regard to taste, intention with regard to tactile sensation, intention with regard to ideas. (SN 22.56)
(b) These three fabrications, friend Visakha: bodily fabrications, verbal fabrications, & mental fabrications. (MN 44)
3.1 What are bodily fabrications?
In-&-out breaths are bodily fabrications.
3.1.1 Why are in-&-out breaths bodily fabrications?
In-&-out breaths are bodily; these are things tied up with the body. That’s why in-&-out breaths are bodily fabrications.
3.2 What are verbal fabrications?
Directed thought & evaluation are verbal fabrications.
3.2.1 Why are directed thought & evaluation verbal fabrications?
Having first directed one’s thoughts and made an evaluation, one then breaks out into speech. That’s why directed thought & evaluation are verbal fabrications.
3.3 What are mental fabrications?
Perceptions & feelings are mental fabrications.
3.3.1 Why are perceptions & feelings mental fabrications?
Perceptions & feelings are mental; these are things tied up with the mind. That’s why perceptions & feelings are mental fabrications. (MN 44)
4. What is the origination of fabrications?
(a) From the origination of contact comes the origination of fabrications. (SN 22.56)
(b) One enjoys, welcomes, & remains fastened to fabrications. As one enjoys, welcomes, & remains fastened to fabrications, there arises delight. Any delight in fabrications are clinging. From clinging/sustenance as a requisite condition comes becoming. From becoming as a requisite condition comes birth. From birth as a requisite condition, then aging & death, sorrow, lamentation, pain, distress, & despair come into play. Such is the origination of this entire mass of stress & suffering…..This, monks, is the origination of fabrications. (SN 22.5)
5. What is the cessation of fabrications?
(a) From the cessation of contact comes the cessation of fabrications.
b) As one doesn’t enjoy, welcome, or remain fastened to fabrications, any delight in fabrications ceases. From the cessation of delight comes the cessation of clinging. From the cessation of clinging/sustenance, the cessation of becoming. From the cessation of becoming, the cessation of birth. From the cessation of birth, then aging & death, sorrow, lamentation, pain, distress, & despair all cease. Such is the cessation of this entire mass of stress & suffering…..This, monks, is the disappearance of fabrications. (SN 22.5)
6. What is the path of practice leading to the cessation of fabrications?
And just this noble eightfold path is the path of practice leading to the cessation of fabrications, i.e., right view, right resolve, right speech, right action, right livelihood, right effort, right mindfulness, right concentration…And any brahmans or contemplatives who by directly knowing fabrications in this way, directly knowing the origination of fabrications in this way, directly knowing the cessation of fabrications in this way, directly knowing the path of practice leading to the cessation of fabrications in this way, are — from disenchantment, dispassion, cessation, lack of clinging/sustenance with regard to fabrications — released, they are well-released. Those who are well-released are fully accomplished. And with those who are fully accomplished, there is no cycle for the sake of describing them. (SN 22.56)
7. What is the allure of fabrications?
The fact that pleasure & happiness arises in dependence on fabrications: that is the allure of fabrications.
8. What is the drawback of fabrications?
The fact that fabrications are inconstant, stressful, subject to change: that is the drawback of fabrications.
9. What is the escape from fabrications?
The subduing of desire & passion for fabrications, the abandoning of desire & passion for fabrications: that is the escape from fabrications. (SN 22.57)
10. “Well then — knowing in what way, seeing in what way, does one without delay put an end to the effluents?
There is the case where an uninstructed, run-of-the-mill person — who has no regard for noble ones, is not well-versed or disciplined in their Dhamma; who has no regard for men of integrity, is not well-versed or disciplined in their Dhamma — assumes form to be the self. That assumption is a fabrication.
11. Now what is the cause, what is the origination, what is the birth, what is the coming-into-existence of that fabrication?
To an uninstructed, run-of-the-mill person, touched by that which is felt born of contact with ignorance, craving arises. That fabrication is born of that. And that fabrication is inconstant, fabricated, dependently co-arisen. That craving… That feeling… That contact… That ignorance is inconstant, fabricated, dependently co-arisen. It is by knowing & seeing in this way that one without delay puts an end to the effluents. (SN 22.81)
1.Why do you call it ‘consciousness’?
Because it cognizes
2. What does it cognize?
It cognizes what is sour, bitter, pungent, sweet, alkaline, non-alkaline, salty, & unsalty. (SN 22.79)
2.1 And what does it cognize?
It cognizes ‘pleasant.’ It cognizes ‘painful.’ It cognizes ‘neither painful nor pleasant.’ ‘It cognizes, it cognizes’: Thus it is said to be ‘consciousness.'” (MN 43)
3. What is consciousness?
These six classes of consciousness — eye-consciousness, ear-consciousness, nose-consciousness, tongue-consciousness, body-consciousness, intellect-consciousness.
4. What is the origination of consciousness?
(a) From the origination of name-&-form comes the origination of consciousness. (SN 22.56)
(b) One enjoys, welcomes, & remains fastened to consciousness. As one enjoys, welcomes, & remains fastened to consciousness, there arises delight. Any delight in consciousness is clinging. From clinging/sustenance as a requisite condition comes becoming. From becoming as a requisite condition comes birth. From birth as a requisite condition, then aging & death, sorrow, lamentation, pain, distress, & despair come into play. Such is the origination of this entire mass of stress & suffering…..This, monks, is the origination of consciousness. (SN 22.5)
5. What is the cessation of fabrications?
(a) From the cessation of name-&-form comes the cessation of consciousness.
(b) As one doesn’t enjoy, welcome, or remain fastened to consciousness, any delight in consciousness ceases. From the cessation of delight comes the cessation of clinging. From the cessation of clinging/sustenance, the cessation of becoming. From the cessation of becoming, the cessation of birth. From the cessation of birth, then aging & death, sorrow, lamentation, pain, distress, & despair all cease. Such is the cessation of this entire mass of stress & suffering…..This, monks, is the disappearance of consciousness. (SN 22.5)
6. What is the path of practice leading to the cessation of consciousness?
And just this noble eightfold path is the path of practice leading to the cessation of consciousness, i.e., right view, right resolve, right speech, right action, right livelihood, right effort, right mindfulness, right concentration…And any brahmans or contemplatives who by directly knowing consciousness in this way, directly knowing the origination of consciousness in this way, directly knowing the cessation of consciousness in this way, directly knowing the path of practice leading to the cessation of consciousness in this way, are — from disenchantment, dispassion, cessation, lack of clinging/sustenance with regard to consciousness — released, they are well-released. Those who are well-released are fully accomplished. And with those who are fully accomplished, there is no cycle for the sake of describing them. (SN 22.56)
7. What is the allure of consciousness?
The fact that pleasure & happiness arises in dependence on consciousness: that is the allure of consciousness.
8. What is the drawback of consciousness?
The fact that consciousness is inconstant, stressful, subject to change: that is the drawback of consciousness.
9. What is the escape from consciousness?
The subduing of desire & passion for consciousness, the abandoning of desire & passion for consciousness: that is the escape from consciousness. (SN 22.57)
10. “Should consciousness, when taking a stance, stand attached to (a physical) form, supported by form, established on form, watered with delight, it would exhibit growth, increase, & proliferation.
“Should consciousness, when taking a stance, stand attached to feeling, supported by feeling, established on feeling, watered with delight, it would exhibit growth, increase, & proliferation.
“Should consciousness, when taking a stance, stand attached to perception, supported by perception, established on perception, watered with delight, it would exhibit growth, increase, & proliferation.
“Should consciousness, when taking a stance, stand attached to fabrications, supported by fabrications, established on fabrications, watered with delight, it would exhibit growth, increase, & proliferation. (SN 22.54)
11. “Were someone to say, ‘I will describe a coming, a going, a passing away, an arising, a growth, an increase, or a proliferation of consciousness apart from form, from feeling, from perception, from fabrications,’ that would be impossible. (SN 22.54)
12. “If a monk abandons passion for the property of form…
“If a monk abandons passion for the property of feeling…
“If a monk abandons passion for the property of perception…
“If a monk abandons passion for the property of fabrications…
“If a monk abandons passion for the property of consciousness, then owing to the abandonment of passion, the support is cut off, and there is no base for consciousness. Consciousness, thus unestablished, not proliferating, not performing any function, is released. Owing to its release, it is steady. Owing to its steadiness, it is contented. Owing to its contentment, it is not agitated. Not agitated, he (the monk) is totally unbound right within. He discerns that ‘Birth is ended, the holy life fulfilled, the task done. There is nothing further for this world.'” (SN 22.54)