Chapter 7 - Characteristics Inherent In All Rupas

There are four characteristics which are inherent in all rupas. These four characteristics have been classified as different rupas, the “lakkhana rupas” (lakkhana means characteristic), and they are the following:

1. integration (upacaya)
2. continuity or subsistence (santati)
3. decay or ageing (jara)
4. destruction or impermanence (aniccata).

We do not notice that the rupas of our body fall away and that time and again new rupas are produced which fall away again. So long as we are alive kamma, citta, temperature and nutrition produce rupas and thus our bodily functions can continue.

The “Atthasalini” (II, Book II, Part I, Ch III, 327) states that integration and continuity are synonyms for the production of matter, but that these two terms are used so as to make clear the difference in the mode of the production of matter. There is the arising of groups of rupa at the first moment of life, initial arising or “integration”, and there is the subsequent arising of groups of rupa, “continuity”. Throughout our life there is continuity of the production of rupa. When we read the definitions of  integration and continuity, given by the “Atthasalini”( See Dhammasangani § 642, 643, and Visuddhimagga XIV, 66.), the difference in the mode of production will be clearer. The text states:

... integration of matter has the characteristic of accumulation (Accumulation (acaya) is initial arising at birth.), the function of making material things arise at the beginning, leading them, or the fullness of matter as manifestation, integrated matter as proximate cause.

Continuity has the characteristic of continuous occurrence, the function of linking or binding without a break, unbroken series as manifestation, matter bound up without a break as proximate cause. As we see, the function of integration (upacaya) is production of rupas at the beginning of life, whereas the function of continuity (santati) is linking without a break. The seemingly lastingness of the body is only an appearance due to the continuous production of new rupas which replace the ones which have fallen away.

As regards decay, jara, this is defined by the “Atthasalini” (same section, 328) as follows (See Dhammasangani § 644 and Visuddhimagga XIV, 68.): 

... the decay of matter has the characteristic of maturity of matter; leading (to disruption) as function; the lacking of a fresh state (newness), though not devoid of its intrinsic nature (individual essence), as manifestation, like rotten paddy; the maturing matter as proximate cause.

The “Atthasalini” explains terms used by the “Dhammasangani” in reference to decay, such as decrepitude, hoariness, wrinkles, the shrinkage in length of days, the overripeness of the faculties:

... By the word “decrepitude” is shown the function which is the reason for the broken state of teeth, nails, etc., in process of time. By hoariness is shown the function which is the reason for the greyness of hair on the head and body. By “wrinkles” is shown the function which is the reason for the wrinkled state in the skin making the flesh fade. Hence these three terms show the function of decay in process of time.... 

As to the terms “shrinkage in life and maturity of faculties”, these show the resultant nature of this decay. We read:

... Because the life of a being who has reached decay shortens, therefore decay is said to be the shrinkage in life by a figure of speech. Moreover, the faculties, such as sight, etc., capable of easily seizing their own object, however subtle, and which are clear in youth, are mature in one who has attained to decay; they are disturbed, not distinct, and not capable of seizing their own object however gross....

When we notice decay of our teeth, wrinkles of the skin and graying of our hairs, decay is obvious. However, we should remember that each rupa which arises is susceptible to decay, it will fall away completely. As to impermanence, aniccata, the “Atthasalini”, in the same section, states about it as follows (See Dhammasangani § 645 and Visuddhimagga XIV, 69.):

... Fully defined, impermanence of matter has the characteristic of complete dissolution, the merging of matter as function, destruction and evanescence as manifestation, matter undergoing dissolution as proximate cause.

As soon as rupa has arisen, it is led onward to its termination and it breaks up completely, never to come back again. Remembering this is still theoretical knowledge of the truth of impermanence, different from right understanding which realizes the arising and falling away of a nama or a rupa. When understanding has not yet reached this stage one cannot imagine what it is like. One may tend to cling to ideas about the arising and falling away of phenomena but that is not the development of understanding. Nama and rupa have each different characteristics and so long as one still confuses nama and rupa their arising and falling away cannot be realized. Understanding is developed in different stages and one cannot leave out any stage. First there should be a precise understanding of nama as nama and of rupa as rupa so that the difference between these two kinds of realities can be clearly seen. It is only at a later stage in the development of understanding that the arising and falling away of nama and rupa can be directly known. 

The “Atthasalini” (in the same section) compares birth, decay and death to three enemies, of whom the first leads someone into the forest, the second throws him down and the third cuts off his head. We read: 

... For birth is like the enemy who draws him to enter the forest; because he has come to birth in this or that place. Decay is like the enemy who strikes and fells him to earth when he has reached the forest, because the aggregates (khandhas) produced are weak, dependent on others, lying down on a couch. Death is like the enemy who with a sword cuts off the head of him when he is fallen to the ground, because the aggregates having attained to decay, are come to destruction of life. 

This simile reminds us of the disadvantages of all conditioned realities which do not last and are therefore no refuge. However, when understanding (panna) has not realized the arising and falling away of nama and rupa, one does not grasp their danger. We read in the “Dighanakhasutta” (Middle Length Sayings II, no. 74) that the Buddha reminded Dighanakha that the body is susceptible to decay, impermanent and not self:

But this body, Aggivessana, which has material shape, is made up of the four great elements, originating from mother and father, nourished on gruel and sour milk, of a nature to be constantly rubbed away, pounded away, broken up and scattered, should be regarded as impermanent, suffering, as a disease, an imposthume, a dart, a misfortune, an affliction, as other, as decay, empty, not-self. When he regards this body as impermanent, suffering, as a disease, an imposthume, a dart, a  misfortune, an affliction, as other, as decay, empty, not-self, whatever in regard to body is desire for body, affection for body, subordination to body, this is got rid of. 

Integration, continuity, decay and destruction are characteristics inherent in all rupas, they are not concrete matter, rupas produced by the four factors of kamma, citta, food and temperature. We read in the “Visuddhimagga” (XIV, 79):

...But “matter as characteristic” is called not born of anything. Why? because there is no arising of arising, and the other two are the mere maturing and breaking up of what has arisen...

Rupas have been classified as twentyeight kinds, but not all of them are concrete matter, some are qualities or characteristics of rupa. Summarizing the twentyeight kinds of rupa, they are:

1. solidity (or extension)
2. cohesion
3. temperature
4. motion
5. eyesense
6. earsense
7. nose (smellingsense)
8. tongue (tastingsense)
9. bodysense
10. visible object
11. sound
12. odour
13. flavour
14. femininity
15. masculinity
16. heart-base
17. life faculty
18. nutrition
19. space
20. bodily intimation
21. speech intimation
22. lightness
23. plasticity
24. wieldiness
25. birth or integration
26. continuity.77
27. decay
28. impermanence

As we have seen (in chapter 4), twelve kinds of rupa are gross: visible object, sound, odour, flavour and the three great elements which are tangible object (excluding cohesion), as well as the five sense-organs. They are gross because of impinging; visible object impinges on the eyesense, sound impinges on the earsense, and each of the other sense objects impinges on the appropriate sense-base. The other sixteen kinds of rupa are subtle. What is subtle is called “far” because it is difficult to penetrate, whereas what is gross is called “near”, because it is easy to penetrate (Vis. XIV, 73).

Furthermore, other distinctions can be made. The twelve gross rupas and six among the subtle rupas which are: cohesion, nutrition, life faculty, heart-base, femininity and masculinity are “produced rupa” (nipphanna rupa); they are concrete matter each with their own characteristic which can be directly known. The other ten subtle rupas are “unproduced” (anipphanna); they are not concrete matter. They are: the two kinds of intimation, bodily intimation and speech intimation, which are a “certain, unique change” in the eight inseparable rupas produced by citta; the three qualities of lightness, plasticity and wieldiness classified as vikara rupas (rupa as alteration) (The two kinds of intimation, vinnatti rupas, are sometimes classified together with the three qualities of lightness, plasticity and wieldiness, as vikara rupas.); the rupa space (pariccheda rupa) which delimitates the groups of rupa; the four rupas which are characteristics of rupa, namely birth, continuity, decay and impermanence (For details see Visuddhimagga XIV, 73, 77. The two kinds of intimation produced by citta, the three qualities of lightness, plasticity and wieldiness produced by citta, temperature or nutrition and space which delimits the groups of rupa produced by the four factors and therefore originating from these four factors, are till called “unproduced”, anipphanna, because they are not concrete matter). The “produced rupas” which each have their own characteristic are, as the “Visuddhimagga” (XVIII, 13) explains, “suitable for comprehension”, that is, they are objects of which right understanding can be developed. For example, visible object or hardness have characteristics which can be objects of awareness when they appear, and they can be realized by panna as they are, as non-self. The “unproduced rupas” are not “suitable for comprehension”. If one does not know this distinction one may be led to wrong practice of insight; someone may imagine that he can be directly aware of “unproduced rupas” which are not concrete matter, such as lightness of matter.

Questions

1. Why are integration and continuity synonyms for the production of rupa?
2. Can the rupas of lightness, plasticity and wieldiness be objects of awareness?