Three Psycho-physical Elements

The Nidana-Vagga of the Samyutta-Nikaya says: ^[1]

Lokasamudayanca bhikkhave desessami lokanirodhanca,

1) Kathanca bhikkhave lokasamudayo?

1. Cakkhuncapaticcarapeca uppajati cakkhu-vinnanam, tinnam- sangatiphasso, phassapaccaya vedana, vedanapaccaya tanha, tanhapaccaya upadanam, upadanapaccaya bhavo, bhavapaccaya jati, jatipaccaya jara- marana sokaparideva dukkhadomanassupayasa sambhavanti, evametasa kevalassa dukkhandhassa samudayo hoti.
2. Sotanca paticca saddeca uppajjati sotavinnanam, tinnam sangati phasso; peyyala;
3. Ghananca paticca gandheca uppajjati ghanavinnanam tinnam sangati phasso; peyyala;
4. Jivhanca paticca raseca uppajjati jivhavinnanam tinnam sangati phasso, peyyala;
5. Kayanca paticca photthabbeca uppajjati kayavinnanam tinnam sangati phasso, peyyala;
6. Mananca paticca dhammeca uppajjati manovinnanam tinnam sangati phasso, peyyala, dukkhakkhandhassasamudayo hoti, evanca bhikkhave loka samudayo.

2) Kathanca bhikkhav lokanirodho?

1. Cakkhunca paticca rupeca uppaj- jati cakkhuvinnanam tinnam sangati phasso, phassanirodha vedana nirodho, vedananirodha tanhanirodho, tanhanirodha upadananirodho, upadananirodha bhavanirodho, bhavanirodha jatinirodho, jatinirodha jaramarana sokaparideva dukkha domanassa upayasa nirujjhanti; evametassa kevalassa dukkhakkhandhassa nirodho hoti; evanca bhikkhave loka-nirodho.
2. Sotanca paticca sadde ca uppajjati sotavinnanam, tinnam sangati phasso, phassanirodha vedana nirodho, vedananirodha, tanhanirodho, tan hanirodho tanhanirodha upadananirodho, upadananirodha bhavanirodho, bhavanirodha jatinirodho, jatinirodha jaramarana sokaparideva dukkha domanassupayasa nirujjhanti; evametassa kevalassa dukkhakkhandhassa nirodho hoti; evanca bhikkhave lokanirodho.
3. Ghananca paticca gandhe ca uppajjati ghanavinnanam, tinnam sangati phasso, phassanirodha vedana nirodho, vedananirodha tanhanirodho tanhanirodha upadananirodho, upadananirodha bhavanirodho, bhavanirodha jatinirodho, jatinirodha jaramarana sokaparideva dukkhadomanassupayasa nirujjhanti; evametassa kevalassa dukkhakkhandhassa nirodho hoti, evanca bhikkhave lokanirodho.
4. Jivhanca paticca rase ca uppajjati jivhavinnanam, tinnam sangati phasso, phassanirodha vedananirodho, vedananirodha tanhanirodho, tanha-nirodha upadananirodho, upadananirodha bhavanirodho, bhavanirodha jatinirodho, jatinirodha jaramarana sokaparideva dukkhadomanassupayasa nirujjhanti, evametassa kevalassa dukkhakkhandhassa nirodho hoti, evanca bhikkhave lokanirodho.
5. Kayanca paticca photthabbe ca uppajjati kayavinnanam tinnam san-gati phasso, phassanirodha vedananirodho, vedananirodha tanhanirodho tanhanirodha upddananirodho, upadananirodha bhavanirodho, bhavanirodha jatinirodho, jatinirodha jaramarana sokaparideva dukkhadomanassupayasa nirujjhanti, evametassa kevalassa dukkhakkhandhassa nirodho hoti; evanca bhikkhave lokanirodho.
6. Mananca paticca dhamme ca uppajjati manovinnanam, tinnam sangati phasso, phassanirodha vedananirodho, vedananirodha tanhanirodho, tanhanirodha upadananirodho, upadananirodha bhavanirodho, bhavanirodha jatinirodho jatinirodha jaramarana sokaparideva dukkhadomanassupayasa nirujjhanti; evametassa kevalassa dukkhakkhandhassa nirodho hoti, evanca bhikkhave lokanirodho.

The Buddha said:

1) 'I will teach you, monks, the origin of repeated birth and passing away of beings in this world.

1. What, monks, is the origin of beings ? On account of the eye, and visible object, eye-consciousnes arises. Impression (phassa) is the conjunction of the three; through phassa vedana (feeling) arises; through vedana, tanha (craving) arises; through tanha, upadana (grasping) arises; through upadana, bhava (process of becoming) arises; through bhava, jati (rebirth) arises; through jati, jaramarana (decay and death), soka (sorrow), parideva (lamentation), dukkha (pain), domanassa (grief) and upayasa (despair) arise. Thus arises this whole mass of suffering.
2. On account of the ear and sound, ear-consciousness arises. Phassa is the conjunction of the three; through phassa, vedana arises; through vedana, tanha arises; through tanha, upadana arises: through upadana bhava arises; through bhava, jati arises; through jati, jara- marana, soka, parideva, dukkha, domanassa and upayasa arise. Thus arises this whole mass of suffering.
3. On account of the nose and odour, nose-consciousness arises. Phassa is the conjunction of the three; through phassa, vedana arises; through vedana, tanha arises; through tanha, upadana arises; through upadana, bhava arises; through bhava, jati arises; through jati, jara- marana, soka parideva, dukkha, domanassa and upayasa arise. Thus arises this whole mass of suffering.
4. On account of the tongue and taste, tongue-consciousness arises. Phassa is the conjunction of the three; through phassa, vedana arises; through vedana, tanha arises; through tanha upadana arises; through upadana, bhava arises; through bhava, jati arises; through jati, jara-marana, soka, parideva, dukkha, domanassa and upayasa arise. Thus arises this whole mass of suffering.
5. On account of the body and bodily impression, body-consciousness arises. Phassa is the conjunction of the three; through phassa, vedana arises; through vedana, tanha arises; through tanha, upadana arises; through upadana, bhava arises; through bhava, jati arises; through jati, jara-marana, soka, parideva, dukkha, domanassa and upayasa arise. Thus arises this whole mass of suffering.
6. On account of mental element and mental-object element, mind-consciousness arises. Phassa is the conjunction of the three; through phassa, vedana arises; through vedana, tanha arises; through tanha, upadana arises; through upadana, bhava arises; through bhava, jati arises; through jati, jara-marana, soka, parideva, dukkha, domanassa and upayasa arise. Thus arises this whole mass of suffering. This is the origin of beings.

2) What, monks, is the passing away of beings?

1. Monks, on account of the eye and visible object, eye-consciousness arises. Phassa is the conjunction of the three; through the extinction of impression, feeling becomes extinguished, through the extinction of feeling, craving becomes extinguished; through the extinction of craving, grasping becomes extinguished; through the extinction of grasping, rebirth becomes extinguished, through the extinction of rebirth, decay and death become extinguished, as well as sorrow, lamentation, pain, grief and despair. Thus takes place the extinction of this whole mass of suffering. This is the passing away of beings.
2. On account of the ear and sound, ear-consciousness arises. Impression is the conjunction of the three; through the extinction of impression feeling becomes extinguished; through the extinction of feeling, craving becomes extinguished; through the extinction of craving, grasping becomes extinguished; through the extinction of grasping, rebirth becomes extinguished, through the extinction of rebirth, decay and death become extinguished, as well as sorrow, lamentation, pain, grief, and despair. Thus takes place the extinction of this whole mass of suffering. This is the passing away of beings.
3. On account of the nose and odour, nose-consciousness arises. Impression is the conjunction of the three; through the extinction of impression, feeling becomes extinguished, through the extinction of feeling, craving becomes extinguished; through the extinction of craving, grasping becomes extinguished; through the extinction of grasping, rebirth becomes extinguished; through the extinction of rebirth, decay and death become extinguished, as well as sorrow, lamentation, pain, grief, and despair. Thus takes place the extinction of this whole mass of suffering. This is the passing away of beings.
4. On account of the tongue and taste, tongue-consciousness arises. Impression is the conjunction of the three; through the extinction of impression, feeling becomes extinguished; through the extinction of feeling, craving becomes extinguished; through the extinction of craving, grasping becomes extinguished; through the extinction of grasping, rebirth becomes extinguished; through the extinction of rebirth, decay and death become extinguished, as well as sorrow, lamentation, pain, grief, and despair. Thus takes place the extinction of this whole mass of suffering. This is the passing away of beings.
5. On account of the body and bodily impression, body-consciousness arises. Impression is the conjunction of the three; through the extinction of impression, feeling becomes extinguished; through the extinction of feeling, craving becomes extinguished; through the extinction of craving, grasping becomes extinguished; through the extinction of grasping, rebirth becomes extinguished; through the extinction of rebirth, decay and death become extinguished, as well as sorrow, lamentation, pain, grief, and despair. Thus takes place the extinction of this whole mass of suffering. This is the passing away of beings.
6. On account of the mental element and mental-object element, mind-consciousness arises. Impression is the conjunction of the three; through the extinction of impression, feeling becomes extinguished; through the extinction of feeling, craving becomes extinguished; through the extinction of craving, grasping becomes extinguished; through the extinction of grasping, rebirth becomes extinguished; through the extinction of rebirth, decay and death become extinguished, as well as sorrow, lamentation, pain, grief, and despair. 'thus takes place the extinction of this whole mass of suffering. This is the passing away of beings.

1. 'Cakkhunca paticca rupeca uppajjati cakkhuvinnanam'. On account of the eye and visible object, eye-consciousness arises.-- 3 psycho-physical elements.
2. 'Sotanca paticca saddeca uppajjati sotavinnanam'. On account of the ear and sound, ear-consciousness arises.-3 psycho-physical elements.
3. 'Ghananca paticca gandheca uppajjati ghanavinnanam'. On account of the nose and odour, nose-consciousness arises.--3 psycho-physical elements.
4. 'Jivhanca paticca raseca uppajjati jivhavinnanam'. On account of the tongue and taste, tongue-consciousness arises.--3 psycho-physical elements.
5. 'Kayanca paticca phothabbeca uppajjati kayavinnanam'. On account of the body and bodily impression, body-consciousness arises.--3 psycho- physical elements.
6. 'Mananca paticca dhammeca uppajjati manovinnanam'. On account of mental element and mental-object element, mind-conscioiisness arises.--3 psycho-physical elements.

Thus there are six triads making in all the eighteen psycho-physical elements.

Here, photthabba means the combination of pathavi (the element of extension), tejo (the element of kinetic-energy) and vayo (the element of motion).

Dhamma-dhatu (mental-object elements) comprise all kammically whole- some, kammically unwholesome and kammically neutral phenomena excepting the former seventeen psycho-physical elements.

Footnotes and references:

[1]:

Samyutta-Nikaya, Nidanavagga Samyutta, Nidana-Samyutta, (5) Gahapati vagga (4) Loka Sutta 6th syn. Edition p. 301.