Dhammasangani
Enumeration of Phenomena
400 B.C. | 124,932 words
*english translation* The first book of the Abhidhamma (Part 3 of the Tipitaka). The Dhammasangani enumerates all the paramattha dhamma (ultimate realities) to be found in the world. According to one such enumeration these amount to: * 52 cetasikas (mental factors), which, arising together in various combination, give rise to any one of... * ......
Chapter IV - Categories Of Form Under Fourfold Aspects
[Derivation — Work of Karma.]
[877-880] What is that form which is
(i.) derived and the issue of grasping?
The spheres of the five senses; the potentialities of sex and vitality, or whatever other form exists through karma having been wrought, whether it be in the sphere of visible forms,[2] odours, or tastes, the element of space, the integration or subsistence of form, or bodily nutriment,
(ii.) derived and not the issue of grasping?
The sphere of sounds, bodily and vocal intimation, the lightness, plasticity, and wieldiness of form, or whatever other form exists which is not due to karma having been wrought, whether it be in the spheres of visible forms, odours, or tastes, the element of space, the integration or subsistence of form, or bodily nutriment.
(iii.) underived and the issue of grasping?
[Form] due to karma having been wrought, which is in the sphere of the tangible and the fluid element.
(iv.) underived and not the issue of grasping?
[Form] not due to karma having been wrought, which is in the sphere of the tangible and the fluid element.
[Derivation — Production of Karma.]
[881-884] What is that form which is
(i.) derived and both the issue of grasping and favourable to it?
(ii.) derived and not the issue of grasping but favourable to it?[3]
(iii.) underived and both the issue of grasping and favourable to it?
(iv.) underived and not the issue of grasping but favourable to it?[4]
The four answers are respectively identical with those in the preceding group.
[Derivation — Impact.]
[885-888] What is that form which is
(i.) derived and impingeing?
The spheres of the five senses, and of visible form, sound, odour and taste.
(ii.) derived and non-impingeing?
Sex . . . and bodily nutriment.
(iii.) underived and impingeing?
The sphere of the tangible.
(iv.) underived and non -impingeing?
The fluid element.
[889-892] What is that form which is
(i.) derived and gross?
(ii.) derived and subtle?
(iii.) underived and gross?
(iv.) derived and subtle?
Answers respectively identical icith those in the preceding group.
[Derivation — Proximity.]
[893-896] What is that form which is
(i.) derived and remote?
Sex . . . and bodily nutriment.
(ii.) derived and near?
The spheres of the five senses, and those of visible form, sound, odour and taste.
(iii.) underived and remote?
The fluid element.
(iv.) underived and near?
The sphere of the tangible.
[Work of Karma — Visibility.]
[897-900] What is that form which is
(i.) the issue of grasping and visible?
The sphere of visible form which is due to karma having been wrought.
(ii.) the issue of grasping and invisible?
The spheres of the five senses;
sex and vitality,
or whatever other form exists through karma having been wrought,
whether it be in
the spheres of odour, taste, or the tangible,
the elements of space or fluidity,
the integration or subsistence of form, or bodily nutriment.
(iii.) not the issue of grasping[5] and visible?
The sphere of visible form which is not due to karma having been wrought.
(iv.) not the issue of grasping and invisible?
The sphere of sound,
bodily and vocal intimation,
the lightness,
plasticity,
wieldiness of form,
the decay,
or the impermanence of form,
or whatever other form exists which is not due to karma having been wrought,
whether it be in
the spheres of odour, or of taste, or of the tangible,
the elements of space, or of fluidity,
the integration or subsistence of form,
or bodily nutriment.
[Work of Karma — Impact.]
[901-904] What is that form which is
(i.) the issue of grasping and impingeing?
The spheres of the five senses, or whatever other form exists through karma having been wrought in
the spheres of visible form, odour, taste or the tangible.
(ii.) tlie issue of grasping and non-imping eing?
Sex or vitality, or whatever other form exists through karma having been wrought in
the elements of space or fluidity,
in the integration, or subsistence of form,
or in bodily nutriment.
(iii.) not the issue of grasping and impingeing?
The sphere of sound, or whatever other form exists which is not due to karma having been wrought in the spheres of the other four kinds of sense-objects.
(iv.) not the issue of grasping and non-impingeing?
Bodily and vocal intimation,
the lightness,
plasticity,
wieldiness,
decay,
or impermanence of form,
or whatever other form exists which is not due to karma having been wrought in
the elements of space or fluidity,
in the integration or subsistence of form,
or in bodily nutriment.
[Work of Karma — Great Phenomena.]
[905-908] What is that form which is
(i.) the issue of grasping and great phenomenon?
The sphere of the tangible and the fluid element which are due to karma having been wrought.
(ii.) the issue of grasping and not great phenomenon?
The spheres of the five senses,
sex,
vitality,
or whatever other form exists through karma having been wrought,
in the element of space,
in the integration or subsistence of form,
or in bodily nutriment.
(iii.) not the issue of grasping but great phenomenon?
The sphere of the tangible and the fluid element which are not due to karma having been wrought.
(iv.) not the issue of grasping nor great phenomenon?
The sphere of sound,
bodily and vocal intimation,
the lightness,
plasticity,
wieldiness,
decay
and impermanence of form,
or whatever other form exists which is not due to karma having been wrought,
whether it be
in the spheres of visible form, odour, or taste,
in the element of space,
in the integration or subsistence of form,
or in bodily nutriment.
[Work of Karma — Bulk.]
[909-912] What is that form which is
(i.) the issue of grasping and gross?
(ii.) the issue of grasping and subtle?
(iii.) not the issue of grasping and gross?
(iv.) not the issue of grasping and subtle?[6]
Answers respectively identical with the four in the next preceding group but one (§§ 901-904).
[Work of Karma — Proximity.]
[913-916] What is that form which is
(i.) the issue of grasping and remote?
(ii.) the issue of grasping and near?
(iii.) not the issue of grasping and remote?
(iv.) not the issue of grasping and near?
Answers identical with those in the preceding group (i.e., with those in §§ 901-904), but having the order of the first and second answers inverted, as ivell as that of the third and fourth.
In the next five groups of four, form is considered as a combination of
(a) 'the issue of grasping and favourable to grasping', and either
'visible',[7]
'impingeing',
'a great phenomenon',
'gross' or
'remote', or the opposites of these five taken successively;
(b) 'not the issue of grasping, but favourable to grasping',
and the five above-named attributes and their opposites taken successively.
Thus the questions are analogous to, and the answers identical with, those in the preceding five groups (§§ 897-916).
[Impact — Faculty.]
[937-940] What is that form which is
(i.) impingeing and faculty?
The faculties of the five senses.
(ii.) impingeing and not faculty?
The five kinds of sense-objects.
(iii.) non-impingeingandfacidty?
Sex and vitality.
(iv.) non-impingeing and not faculty?
Bodily and vocal intimation . . . and bodily nutriment.
[Impact — Great Phenomenon.]
[941-944] What is that form which is
(i.) impingeing and a great phenomenon? The sphere of the tangible.
(ii.) impingeing and not a great phenomenon '? The spheres of visible form, sound, odour and taste.
(iii.) non-impingeing and a great phenomenon? The fluid element.
(iv.) non-impingeing and not a great phenomenon? Sex . . . and bodily nutriment.
[Faculty (Potentiality) — Bulk.]
[945-948] What is that form which is
(i.) faculty and gross?
The faculties of the five senses.
(ii.) faculty and subtle?
Sex and vitality.
(iii.) non faculty and gross?
The spheres of the five kinds, of sense-objects.
(iv.) nonfacidty and subtle?
Intimation . . . and bodily nutriment.
[Faculty (Potentiality) — Proximity.]
[949-952] What is that form which is
(i.) facidty and remote?
Sex and vitality.
(ii.) faculty and near?
The faculties of the five senses.
(iii.) nonfacidty and remote?
Intimation . . . and bodily nutriment.
(iv.) non faculty and near?
The spheres of the five kinds of sense-objects.
[Great Phenomenon — Bulk.]
[953-956] What is that form which is
(i.) a great phenomenon and gross?
The sphere of the tangible.
(ii.) a great phenomenon and subtle?
The fluid element.
(iii.) not a great phenomenon and gross?
The spheres of the five senses and of visible form, sounds odour and taste.
(iv.) not a great phenomenon and subtle?
Sex . . . and bodily nutriment.
[Great Phenomenon — Proximity.]
[957-960] What is that form which is
(i.) a great phenomenon and remote?
The fluid element.
(ii.) a great phenomenon and near?
The sphere of the tangible.
(iii.) not a great phenomenon and remote?
Sex and vitality.
(iv.) not a great phenomenon and near?
The spheres of the five senses and of visible form, sound, odour and taste.
[Form as Seen, Heard, Imagined, Understood.]
[961]
(i.) The sphere of visible form is Form Seen,
(ii.) The sphere of sound is Form Heard,
(iii.) The sphere of odour, taste and the tangible is Form Imagined,[8]
(iv.) All form is Form Cognized by the mind.[9]
Such are the Categories of Form under Fourfold Aspects.
[End of] the Groups of Four.
Footnotes and references:
[1]:
The logical method in this division is familiar enough, namely (where capitals represent positive, and uncials, negative terms), AB, Ab, aB, ab. The former term in the pair combined is, with its negative, a relative constant, there being a series of only six, namely, the concept of form as derived, as the product of karma, as that which breeds karma (literally, is karma-ish or karm-ous), as impressing the senses, as faculty, and as one of the elements (i.e., the opposite of derived, conceived positively).
The latter five of these six are in turn used as the relatively variable term, with the addition of three others: the concept of form with respect to grossness or delicacy, to distance, and to visibility.
[2]:
On sound and karma, see p. 201, n. 4.
[3]:
See § 656, n. 1.
[4]:
Read na before kammassa in the answer.
[5]:
In the printed text read anupadinnam.
[6]:
In the answer to this question the printed text has omitted to insert apodhatu. Cf. §§ 892 and 880.
[7]:
In the answer to the first question, § 917, read na before kammassa.
[8]:
Mutam. I am under the impression that the first three members of this group are survivals of an older tradition, belonging to an age when the five senses had not been co-ordinated by psychological analysis comparable to that effected by the earlier Buddhist school, and when mano and its function, expressed here (in part) by this old past participle, were more vaguely conceived.
In the Prashna Upanishad , e.g., which may or may not be older than the Abhidhamma, either the five senses are grouped as above under man as, eye and ear, or the last two are alone held worthy to rank with the divine elements of life. If it be contended that the former interpretation is not plausible, it should be remembered that, in the far older Brihadaranyaka Upanishad (i., 5, 3), it is said that by man as we know when we are touched from behind.
It is as though the tradition were endeavouring to say. Smell, taste, touching, without the aid either of sight or of hearing, require a greater effort of inference, of mental construction, of imagination, to realize the external cause, or potential concrete mental percept, than either sight or hearing. Buddhaghosa, who here resumes his parable (Asl. 338), paraphrases mutam by munitva janitabbatthena, and by phusitva pi nanuppattikaranato.
[9]:
Manasa vinnatam, that is, manovinnanena janitabbam. Ibid.