“It is in this way, bhikkhus, that in dependence on the diversity of elements there arises the diversity of contacts … the diversity of elements does not arise in dependence on the diversity of contacts.”
(External Pentad)
6 (6) Diversity of External Elements
At Sāvatthı̄. “Bhikkhus, I will teach you the diversity of elements. Listen to that and attend closely, I will speak….
“And what, bhikkhus, is the diversity of elements? The form element, the sound element, the odour element, the taste element, the tactile-object element, the mental-phenomena element. This, bhikkhus, is called the diversity of elements.”
7 (7) Diversity of Perceptions
At Sāvatthı̄. “Bhikkhus, it is in dependence on the diversity of elements that there arises the diversity of perceptions; in dependence on the diversity of perceptions that there arises the diversity of intentions; in dependence on the diversity of intentions that there arises the diversity of desires; in dependence on the diversity of desires that there arises the diversity of passions; in dependence on the diversity of passions that there arises the diversity of quests.
“And what, bhikkhus, is the diversity of elements? The form element ... the mental-phenomena element. This, bhikkhus, is called the diversity of elements. [144]
“And how is it, bhikkhus, that in dependence on the diversity of elements there arises the diversity of perceptions … that in dependence on the diversity of passions there arises the diversity of quests?
“In dependence on the form element there arises perception of form; in dependence on perception of form there arises intention regarding form; in dependence on intention regarding form there arises desire for form; in dependence on desire for form there arises passion for form; in dependence on passion for form there arises the quest for form....227
“In dependence on the mental-phenomena element there arises perception of mental phenomena; in dependence on perception of mental phenomena there arises intention regarding mental phenomena; in dependence on intention regarding mental phenomena there arises desire for mental phenomena; in dependence on desire for mental phenomena there arises passion for mental phenomena; in dependence on passion for mental phenomena there arises the quest for mental phenomena.
“It is in this way, bhikkhus, that in dependence on the diversity of elements there arises the diversity of perceptions … that in dependence on the diversity of passions there arises the diversity of quests.”
8 (8) Not Diversity of Quests
At Sāvatthı̄. “Bhikkhus, it is in dependence on the diversity of elements that there arises the diversity of perceptions … (as in preceding sutta) ... in dependence on the diversity of passions that there arises the diversity of quests. The diversity of passions does not arise in dependence on the diversity of quests; [145] the diversity of desires does not arise in dependence on the diversity of passions; the diversity of intentions does not arise in dependence on the diversity of desires; the diversity of perceptions does not arise in dependence on the diversity of intentions; the diversity of elements does not arise in dependence on the diversity of perceptions.228
“And what, bhikkhus, is the diversity of elements? The form element ... the mental-phenomena element. This, bhikkhus, is called the diversity of elements.
“And how is it, bhikkhus, that in dependence on the diversity of elements there arises the diversity of perceptions … that in dependence on the diversity of passions there arises the diversity of quests? That the diversity of passions does not arise in dependence on the diversity of quests ... that the diversity of elements does not arise in dependence on the diversity of perceptions?
“In dependence on the form element there arises perception of form; [… in dependence on passion for form there arises the quest for form. Passion for form does not arise in dependence on the quest for form; desire for form does not arise in dependence on passion for form; intention regarding form does not arise in dependence on desire for form; perception of form does not arise in dependence on intention regarding form; the form element does not arise in dependence on perception of form.] ... 229
“In dependence on the mental-phenomena element there arises perception of mental phenomena; [146] … in dependence on passion for mental phenomena there arises the quest for mental phenomena. Passion for mental phenomena does not arise in dependence on the quest for mental phenomena … the mental-phenomena element does not arise in dependence on perception of mental phenomena.
“It is in this way, bhikkhus, that in dependence on the diversity of elements there arises the diversity of perceptions … that in dependence on the diversity of passions there arises the diversity of quests. That the diversity of passions does not arise in dependence on the diversity of quests ... that the diversity of elements does not arise in dependence on the diversity of perceptions.”
9 (9) Diversity of External Contacts (1)
At Sāvatthı̄. “Bhikkhus, it is in dependence on the diversity of elements that there arises the diversity of perceptions; in dependence on the diversity of perceptions that there arises the diversity of intentions; in dependence on the diversity of intentions that there arises the diversity of contacts; in dependence on the diversity of contacts that there arises the diversity of feelings; in dependence on the diversity of feelings that there arises the diversity of desires; in dependence on the diversity of desires that there arises the diversity of passions; in dependence on the diversity of passions that there arises the diversity of quests; in dependence on the diversity of quests that there arises the diversity of gains.230
“And what, bhikkhus, is the diversity of elements? The form element ... the mental-phenomena element. This, bhikkhus, is called the diversity of elements.
“And how is it, bhikkhus, that in dependence on the diversity of elements [147] there arises the diversity of perceptions … that in dependence on the diversity of quests there arises the diversity of gains?
“In dependence on the form element there arises perception of form; in dependence on perception of form there arises intention regarding form; in dependence on intention regarding form there arises contact with form; in dependence on contact with form there arises feeling born of contact with form; in dependence on feeling born of contact with form there arises desire for form; in dependence on desire for form there arises passion for form; in dependence on passion for form there arises the quest for form; in dependence on the quest for form there arises the gain of form….
“In dependence on the mental-phenomena element there arises perception of mental phenomena; in dependence on perception of mental phenomena there arises intention regarding mental phenomena … contact with mental phenomena … feeling born of contact with mental phenomena … desire for mental phenomena … passion for mental phenomena … the quest for mental phenomena; in dependence on the quest for mental phenomena there arises the gain of mental phenomena.
“It is in this way, bhikkhus, that in dependence on the diversity of elements there arises the diversity of perceptions … that in dependence on the diversity of quests there arises the diversity of gains.”
10 (10) Diversity of External Contacts (2)
At Sāvatthı̄. “Bhikkhus, it is in dependence on the diversity of elements that there arises the diversity of perceptions … [148] (as in the preceding sutta) … in dependence on the diversity of quests that there arises the diversity of gains. The diversity of quests does not arise in dependence on the diversity of gains; the diversity of passions does not arise in dependence on the diversity of quests ... the diversity of elements does not arise in dependence on the diversity of perceptions.
“And what, bhikkhus, is the diversity of elements? The form element ... the mental-phenomena element. This, bhikkhus, is called the diversity of elements.
“And how is it, bhikkhus, that in dependence on the diversity of elements there arises the diversity of perceptions … that in dependence on the diversity of quests there arises the diversity
of gains? That the diversity of quests does not arise in dependence on the diversity of gains ... that the diversity of elements does not arise in dependence on the diversity of perceptions?
“In dependence on the form element there arises perception of form ... in dependence on the mental-phenomena element there arises perception of mental phenomena … in dependence on the quest for mental phenomena there arises the gain of mental phenomena. The quest for mental phenomena does not arise in dependence on the gain of mental phenomena; passion for mental phenomena does not arise in dependence on the quest for mental phenomena; [149] desire for mental phenomena does not arise in dependence on passion for mental phenomena; feeling born of contact with mental phenomena does not arise in dependence on desire for mental phenomena; contact with mental phenomena does not arise in dependence on feeling born of contact with mental phenomena; intention regarding mental phenomena does not arise in dependence on contact with mental phenomena; perception of mental phenomena does not arise in dependence on intention regarding mental phenomena; the mental-phenomena element does not arise in dependence on perception of mental phenomena.
“It is in this way, bhikkhus, that in dependence on the diversity of elements there arises the diversity of perceptions … that in dependence on the diversity of quests there arises the diversity of gains; that the diversity of quests does not arise in dependence on the diversity of gains ... that the diversity of elements does not arise in dependence on the diversity of perceptions.”
II. THE SECOND SUBCHAPTER
(Seven Elements)
11 (1) Seven Elements
At Sāvatthı̄. [150] “Bhikkhus, there are these seven elements. What seven? The light element, the beauty element, the base of the infinity of space element, the base of the infinity of consciousness element, the base of nothingness element, the base of neither-perception-nor-nonperception element, the cessation of perception and feeling element. These are the seven elements.”231
When this was said, a certain bhikkhu asked the Blessed One: “Venerable sir, as to the light element ... the cessation of perception and feeling element: in dependence on what are these elements discerned?”
“Bhikkhu, the light element is discerned in dependence on darkness. The beauty element is discerned in dependence on foulness. The base of the infinity of space element is discerned in dependence on form. The base of the infinity of consciousness element is discerned in dependence on the base of the infinity of space. The base of nothingness element is discerned in dependence on the base of the infinity of consciousness. The base of neither-perception-nor-nonperception element is discerned in dependence on the base of nothingness. The cessation of perception and feeling element is discerned in dependence on cessation.”232 “But, venerable sir, as to the light element ... the cessation of perception and feeling element: how is the attainment of these elements to be attained?”
“The light element, the beauty element, the base of the infinity of space element, the base of the infinity of consciousness element, [151] and the base of nothingness element: these elements are to be attained as attainments with perception. The base of neither-perception-nor-nonperception element: this element is to be attained as an attainment with a residue of formations.233 The cessation of perception and feeling element: this element is to be attained as an attainment of cessation.”
12 (2) With a Source
At Sāvatthı̄. “Bhikkhus, sensual thought arises with a source, not without a source; thought of ill will arises with a source, not without a source; thought of harming arises with a source, not without a source. And how is this so?
“In dependence on the sensuality element there arises sensual perception;234 in dependence on sensual perception there arises sensual intention; in dependence on sensual intention there arises sensual desire; in dependence on sensual desire there arises sensual passion; in dependence on sensual passion there arises a sensual quest. Engaged in a sensual quest, the uninstructed worldling conducts himself wrongly in three ways—with body, speech, and mind.
“In dependence on the ill will element there arises perception of ill will;235 in dependence on perception of ill will there arises intention of ill will; in dependence on intention of ill will there arises desire [driven by] ill will; in dependence on desire [driven by] ill will there arises passion [driven by] ill will; in dependence on passion [driven by] ill will there arises a quest [driven by] ill will. Engaged in a quest [driven by] ill will, the uninstructed worldling conducts himself wrongly in three ways—with body, speech, and mind.
“In dependence on the harmfulness element there arises perception of harming;236 in dependence on perception of harming there arises intention to harm; in dependence on intention to harm there arises desire to harm; in dependence on desire to harm there arises passion to harm; in dependence on passion to harm there arises a quest to harm. Engaged in a quest to harm, [152] the uninstructed worldling conducts himself wrongly in three ways—with body, speech, and mind.
“Suppose, bhikkhus, a man would drop a blazing grass torch into a thicket of dry grass. If he does not quickly extinguish it with his hands and feet, the creatures living in the grass and wood will meet with calamity and disaster. So too, if any ascetic or brahmin does not quickly abandon, dispel, obliterate, and annihilate the unrighteous perceptions that have arisen in him, he dwells in suffering in this very life, with vexation, despair, and fever; and with the breakup of the body, after death, a bad destination may be expected for him.
“Bhikkhus, thought of renunciation arises with a source, not without a source; thought of non-ill will arises with a source, not without a source; thought of harmlessness arises with a source, not without a source. And how is this so?
“In dependence on the renunciation element there arises perception of renunciation;237 in dependence on perception of renunciation there arises intention of renunciation; in dependence on intention of renunciation there arises desire for renunciation; in dependence on desire for renunciation there arises passion for renunciation; in dependence on passion for renunciation there arises a quest for renunciation. Engaged in a quest for renunciation, the instructed noble disciple conducts himself rightly in three ways—with body, speech, and mind.
“In dependence on the non-ill will element there arises perception of non-ill will;238 in dependence on perception of non-ill will there arises intention of non-ill will; in dependence on intention of non-ill will there arises desire [guided by] non-ill will; in dependence on desire [guided by] non-ill will there arises passion [guided by] non-ill will; in dependence on passion [guided by] non-ill will there arises a quest [guided by] non-ill will. Engaged in a quest [guided by] non-ill will, the instructed noble disciple conducts himself rightly in three ways—with body, speech, and mind.
“In dependence on the harmlessness element there arises perception of harmlessness;239 [153] in dependence on perception of harmlessness there arises intention of harmlessness; in dependence on intention of harmlessness there arises desire for harmlessness; in dependence on desire for harmlessness there arises passion for harmlessness; in dependence on passion for harmlessness there arises a quest for harmlessness. Engaged in a quest for harmlessness, the instructed noble disciple conducts himself rightly in three ways—with body, speech, and mind.
“Suppose, bhikkhus, a man would drop a blazing grass torch into a thicket of dry grass. If he quickly extinguishes it with his hands and feet, the creatures living in the grass and wood will not meet with calamity and disaster. So too, if any ascetic or brahmin quickly abandons, dispels, obliterates, and annihilates the unrighteous perceptions that have arisen in him, he dwells happily in this very life, without vexation, despair, and fever; and with the breakup of the body, after death, a good destination may be expected for him.”
13 (3) The Brick Hall
On one occasion the Blessed One was dwelling at Ñātika in the Brick Hall. There the Blessed One addressed the bhikkhus thus: “Bhikkhus!”
“Venerable sir!” t
hose bhikkhus replied. The Blessed One said this:
“Bhikkhus, in dependence on an element there arises a perception, there arises a view, there arises a thought.”240
When this was said, the Venerable Saddha Kaccāyana said to the Blessed One: “Venerable sir, when, in regard to those who are not perfectly enlightened, the view arises, ‘These are Perfectly Enlightened Ones,’ in dependence on what is this view discerned?” 241
“Mighty, Kaccāyana, is this element, the element of ignorance. [154] In dependence on an inferior element, Kaccāyana, there arises an inferior perception, an inferior view, inferior thought, inferior volition, inferior longing, an inferior wish, an inferior person, inferior speech. He explains, teaches, proclaims, establishes, discloses, analyses, and elucidates the inferior. His rebirth, I say, is inferior.
“In dependence on a middling element, Kaccāyana, there arises a middling perception, a middling view, middling thought, middling volition, middling longing, a middling wish, a middling person, middling speech. He explains, teaches, proclaims, establishes, discloses, analyses, and elucidates the middling. His rebirth, I say, is middling.
The Connected Discourses of the Buddha Page 68