Mil 3.3.12
12. Distinguishing Characteristic of Consciousness Question
12. Viññāṇalakkhaṇapañha
from: Examination Chapter
12. Distinguishing Characteristic of Consciousness Question
“Venerable Nāgasena, what is the distinguishing characteristic of consciousness?” “Knowing, your majesty, is the distinguishing characteristic of consciousness?”
“Please give me an analogy.” “Just as, your majesty, a town guardian sitting in the middle of the crossroads of the town would see a man coming from the eastern direction, the southern direction, the western direction, and the northern direction. In the same way, your majesty, a person knows with consciousness whatever form he sees with his eyes, he knows with consciousness whatever sound he hears with his ears, he knows with consciousness whatever odour he smells with his nose, he knows with consciousness whatever flavour he tastes with his tongue, he knows with consciousness whatever tangible he touches with his body, and he knows with consciousness whatever thought he knows with his mind. So too, your majesty, knowing is the distinguishing characteristic of consciousness?”
“You are clever, Venerable Nāgasena!”
Distinguishing Characteristic of Consciousness Question twelfth
12. Viññāṇalakkhaṇapañha
“Bhante nāgasena, kiṁlakkhaṇaṁ viññāṇan”ti? “Vijānanalakkhaṇaṁ, mahārāja, viññāṇan”ti.
“Opammaṁ karohī”ti. “Yathā, mahārāja, nagaraguttiko majjhe nagarasiṅghāṭake nisinno passeyya puratthimadisato purisaṁ āgacchantaṁ, passeyya dakkhiṇadisato purisaṁ āgacchantaṁ, passeyya pacchimadisato purisaṁ āgacchantaṁ, passeyya uttaradisato purisaṁ āgacchantaṁ; evameva kho, mahārāja, yañca puriso cakkhunā rūpaṁ passati, taṁ viññāṇena vijānāti. Yañca sotena saddaṁ suṇāti, taṁ viññāṇena vijānāti. Yañca ghānena gandhaṁ ghāyati, taṁ viññāṇena vijānāti. Yañca jivhāya rasaṁ sāyati, taṁ viññāṇena vijānāti. Yañca kāyena phoṭṭhabbaṁ phusati, taṁ viññāṇena vijānāti, yañca manasā dhammaṁ vijānāti, taṁ viññāṇena vijānāti. Evaṁ kho, mahārāja, vijānanalakkhaṇaṁ viññāṇan”ti.
“Kallosi, bhante nāgasenā”ti.
Viññāṇalakkhaṇapañho dvādasamo.