Mil 3.3.8
8. Distinguishing Characteristic of Contact Question
8. Phassalakkhaṇapañha
from: Examination Chapter
8. Distinguishing Characteristic of Contact Question
The king asked: “Venerable Nāgasena, do contact and also feeling arise where mind consciousness arises?” “Yes, your majesty, where mind consciousness arises, there too contact, feeling, perception, intention, applied thought, and examination arise, and all mental states that arise there are led by contact.”
“Venerable Nāgasena, what is the distinguishing characteristic of contact?” “Touching, your majesty, is the distinguishing characteristic of contact.”
“Please give me an analogy.” “Suppose, your majesty, that two rams were fighting. One of these rams is to be seen as the eye, the other ram is to be seen as form, and the meeting of the two is to be seen as contact.”
“Give me another analogy.” “Suppose, your majesty, that two hands were clapped together. One of these hands is to be seen as the eye, the other hand is to be seen as form, and the meeting of the two is to be seen as contact.”
“Give me another analogy.” “Suppose, your majesty, that two cymbals were clanged together. One of these cymbals is to be seen as the eye, the other cymbal is to be seen as form, and the meeting of the two is to be seen as contact.”
“You are clever, Venerable Nāgasena!”
Distinguishing Characteristic of Contact Question eighth
8. Phassalakkhaṇapañha
Rājā āha— “bhante nāgasena, yattha manoviññāṇaṁ uppajjati, phassopi vedanāpi tattha uppajjatī”ti? “Āma, mahārāja, yattha manoviññāṇaṁ uppajjati, phassopi tattha uppajjati, vedanāpi tattha uppajjati, saññāpi tattha uppajjati, cetanāpi tattha uppajjati, vitakkopi tattha uppajjati, vicāropi tattha uppajjati, sabbepi phassappamukhā dhammā tattha uppajjantī”ti.
“Bhante nāgasena, kiṁlakkhaṇo phasso”ti? “Phusanalakkhaṇo, mahārāja, phasso”ti.
“Opammaṁ karohī”ti. “Yathā, mahārāja, dve meṇḍā yujjheyyuṁ, tesu yathā eko meṇḍo, evaṁ cakkhu daṭṭhabbaṁ. Yathā dutiyo meṇḍo, evaṁ rūpaṁ daṭṭhabbaṁ. Yathā tesaṁ sannipāto, evaṁ phasso daṭṭhabbo”ti.
“Bhiyyo opammaṁ karohī”ti. “Yathā, mahārāja, dve pāṇī vajjeyyuṁ, tesu yathā eko pāṇi, evaṁ cakkhu daṭṭhabbaṁ. Yathā dutiyo pāṇi, evaṁ rūpaṁ daṭṭhabbaṁ. Yathā tesaṁ sannipāto, evaṁ phasso daṭṭhabbo”ti.
“Bhiyyo opammaṁ karohī”ti. “Yathā, mahārāja, dve sammā vajjeyyuṁ, tesu yathā eko sammo, evaṁ cakkhu daṭṭhabbaṁ. Yathā dutiyo sammo, evaṁ rūpaṁ daṭṭhabbaṁ. Yathā tesaṁ sannipāto, evaṁ phasso daṭṭhabbo”ti.
“Kallosi, bhante nāgasenā”ti.
Phassalakkhaṇapañho aṭṭhamo.