The Sense Bases and Elements

"The sense bases": the twelve sense bases are these — the eye-base, the form-base, the ear-base, the sound-base, the nose-base, the smell-base, the tongue-base, the taste-base, the body-base, the tangible-base, the mind-base, and the mental-object-base. Herein: the determination should be known by meaning, characteristic, exact number, order, concise and detailed scope, and by how they should be regarded.

Herein, by way of specific meaning, firstly: it sees (cakkhati), therefore "eye" — the meaning is that it tastes and clarifies visible form. It renders (rūpayati), therefore "form" — the meaning is that, undergoing a change of color, it makes known what has come into the heart. It hears, therefore "ear." It is uttered (sappati), therefore "sound" — the meaning is that it is spoken forth. It smells, therefore "nose." It signals (gandhayati), therefore "smell" — the meaning is that it points to its own substrate. It calls forth (avhayati) life, therefore "tongue." Beings relish it (rasanti), therefore "taste" — the meaning is that they enjoy it. It is the "coming" (āya) of base, taint-ridden states, therefore "body" (kāya) — "coming" here meaning the place of their arising. It is touched, therefore "tangible object." It understands, therefore "mind." They bear their own characteristic, therefore "mental objects" (dhammā).

But non-specifically, it should be understood as "āyatana" in the sense of extending, of stretching out what has come, and of leading onward what has been extended. For, with respect to the eye and visible form and the rest, mind and mental-factor states, belonging to their respective doors and objects, arise, spring up, strive, and exert themselves by way of their respective functions such as experiencing — this is what is meant. And these states extend, stretch out, that very coming-into-being — this is what is meant. And this suffering of saṃsāra, occurring since time immemorial, exceedingly extended, they lead onward, keep in motion, for as long as it does not cease — this is what is meant. Thus, all these states are called "āyatana" in the sense of extending, of stretching out what has come, and of leading onward what has been extended.

Moreover, "āyatana" should be understood in the sense of a dwelling-place, a mine, a meeting-place, a birthplace, and a cause. For thus, in ordinary usage, in such phrases as "the abode of the lord, the abode of Vāsudeva," a dwelling-place is called "āyatana." In such phrases as "a gold mine, a silver mine," it means a mine. But in the teaching, in such phrases as "the birds resort to that delightful haunt," it means a meeting-place. In such phrases as "the southern road is the birthplace of cattle," it means a place of origin. In such phrases as "one attains eyewitness capability in this or that matter, given the right condition," it means a cause.

And in the eye and the rest, too, those various mind and mental-factor states dwell, since their occurrence depends on them — hence the eye and the rest are their dwelling-place. And in the eye and the rest, they are diffused, since they are dependent on them and take them as object — hence the eye and the rest are their mine. And the eye and the rest are their meeting-place, since they converge there by way of basis, door, and object in each respective case. And the eye and the rest are their place of origin, since they arise there, by way of being their support and object. And the eye and the rest are their cause, since, in their absence, those states too are absent. Thus, by these reasons as well — the sense of a dwelling-place, a mine, a meeting-place, a place of origin, and a cause — these states are called "āyatana," a base.

Therefore, by the meaning already stated: the eye, and that which is a base, is the "eye-base" ... and mental objects, and that which is a base, is the "mental-object-base." Thus, firstly, the determination by meaning should be understood here.

"By characteristic": the determination should be understood here by way of the characteristics of the eye and the rest. And their characteristics should be understood in exactly the manner already stated in the discussion of the aggregates.

"By exact number": that is, by their being of just this many. This is what is meant: since the eye and the rest are, after all, simply mental-object states, why, this being so, were twelve bases spoken of, rather than simply saying "the mental-object base" alone? By reason of the determination of the doors and objects for the arising of the six consciousness-groups, this distinction among them arises, and so twelve were stated. For the consciousness-group comprised within the eye-consciousness process has the eye-base alone as its door of arising, and the form-base alone as its object; likewise for the others, each with its own respective pair. But for the sixth, only a portion of the mind-base, called the life-continuum, is its door of arising, and only the mental-object base, which is not shared with the others, is its object. Thus, by reason of the determination of the doors and objects for the arising of the six consciousness-groups, twelve were stated. Thus, the determination by exact number should be understood here.

"By order": here too, among the orders already mentioned — order of arising and the rest — only order of teaching fits. For among the internal bases, the eye-base, having a visible and impinging object, is evident, and was therefore taught first; then the ear-base and the rest, having invisible but impinging objects. Or alternatively: among the internal bases, the eye-base and the ear-base were taught first, being of great benefit as the cause of unsurpassed seeing and unsurpassed hearing; then the three beginning with the nose-base; and, since all five have their own respective domain-objects, the mind-base comes last, while, among the external bases, the form-base and the rest, being the domain of the eye-base and the others, come in between, each in its proper place. Moreover, this order should also be understood by way of the determination of the causes for the arising of consciousness. For it was said: "in dependence on the eye and forms, eye-consciousness arises ... in dependence on the mind and mental objects, mind-consciousness arises." Thus, the determination by order should be understood here.

"By concise and detailed scope": concisely, since the mind-base and a portion of the mental-object base are included under the name "name," and the remaining bases under "form," all twelve bases amount to nothing more than name-and-form. In detail, however, among the internal bases, firstly, the eye-base, by way of its own nature, is simply eye-sensitivity — but, by way of the distinction of condition, destiny, class, and person, it is of virtually unlimited variety. Likewise the four bases beginning with the ear. The mind-base, by way of the distinction of wholesome, unwholesome, resultant, and functional consciousness, is of eighty-nine varieties, or a hundred and twenty-one varieties; but, by way of the distinction of physical basis, mode of practice, and the rest, it is of virtually unlimited variety. The form-, sound-, smell-, and taste-bases are of virtually unlimited variety by way of the distinction of dissimilar conditions and the rest. The tangible-base is of three varieties, by way of the earth-, fire-, and wind-elements; but by way of the distinction of conditions and the rest, it is of many varieties. The mental-object base is of many varieties, by way of the distinction in the intrinsic nature and variety of the aggregates of feeling, perception, and formations, of subtle matter, and of Nibbāna. Thus, the determination by concise and detailed scope should be understood.

"By how they should be regarded": here, all conditioned bases should be regarded as neither coming nor going. For they do not come from anywhere before their arising, nor do they go anywhere after their dissolution; rather, before their arising, they had not yet obtained their own nature, and after their dissolution, their nature is utterly broken up — they occur, in the interval between what precedes and what follows, entirely dependent on conditions, without any power of their own. Therefore, they should be regarded as neither coming nor going. Likewise, as without striving and without activity. For it does not occur to the eye and visible form and the rest, "oh, might consciousness arise from our combination" — nor do they strive, by way of being a door, a basis, or an object, for the purpose of producing consciousness, nor do they engage in any activity; rather, it is simply a natural law that, given the combination of eye and visible form and the rest, eye-consciousness and the rest come to be. Therefore, they should be regarded as without striving and without activity.

Moreover, the internal bases should be regarded as like an empty village, being devoid of any stable, beautiful, pleasurable, or self-nature. The external bases should be regarded as like village-raiding bandits, since they assault the internal bases. For it was said: "monks, the eye is struck by pleasing and displeasing forms," and so on, in detail. Moreover, the six internal bases should be regarded as like six animals, and the external bases as like their respective feeding-grounds. Thus, the determination by how they should be regarded should be understood here.

This, firstly, is the detailed exposition of the sense bases.

Immediately following this, "the elements" are the eighteen elements: the eye-element, the form-element, the eye-consciousness-element; the ear-element, the sound-element, the ear-consciousness-element; the nose-element, the smell-element, the nose-consciousness-element; the tongue-element, the taste-element, the tongue-consciousness-element; the body-element, the tangible-element, the body-consciousness-element; the mind-element, the mental-object-element, and the mind-consciousness-element. Herein: the determination should be known by meaning, characteristic, exact number, order, concise scope, exactly how many actual things each covers, condition, and by how they should be regarded.

Herein, by way of meaning: it sees, therefore "eye." It renders, therefore "form." The eye's consciousness is "eye-consciousness" — the determination by specific meaning for the eye and the rest should first be understood by this same method as before. But non-specifically: it arranges (vidahati), it is borne (dhīyate), an arrangement, that by which arrangement is made, or that in which it is borne — hence "element" (dhātu). For the elements of the world, established as causes, arrange gold, silver, and the like, exactly as elements of gold and silver ore do; and beings are borne, carried, by this manifold suffering of saṃsāra, exactly as a burden is borne by its bearers. And this is simply the arranging of suffering, since it does not come under one's own control. By these elements, functioning as instruments, the suffering of saṃsāra is meted out to beings accordingly; and that which is thus arranged is borne, is set in place, precisely within these same elements. Thus, each individual state among the eye and the rest, in whatever way it comes to be, is called "element" in the sense of "it arranges" and "it is borne," and so on.

Moreover, just as, for non-Buddhist teachers, the self has no intrinsic nature at all, these elements are not like that — rather, they do bear their own intrinsic nature, hence "elements" (dhātu, from dhāreti, "to bear"). Just as, in ordinary usage, the varied mineral constituents of rock — orpiment, red arsenic, and the like — are called "elements," so too these are elements just as those are elements: for these too are varied constituents belonging to the domain of knowledge. Or, just as the term "element" is applied to the mutually dissimilar, characteristically distinct constituent parts — such as blood and the rest — of the aggregate called "the body," so too the term "element" should be understood for the constituent parts of the personality called the five aggregates: the eye and the rest, each bounded by its own mutually dissimilar characteristic. Moreover, "element" is simply a term for what is lifeless. For thus the Blessed One, in such passages as "this person, monk, is six elements," gave a teaching on elements specifically for the purpose of demolishing the perception of a living soul.

Therefore, by the meaning already stated: the eye, and that which is an element, is the "eye-element" ... and mind-consciousness, and that which is an element, is the "mind-consciousness-element." Thus, firstly, the determination by meaning should be understood here.

"By characteristic": the determination should be understood here by way of the characteristics of the eye and the rest, and their characteristics should be understood in exactly the manner already stated in the discussion of the aggregates.

"By order": here too, among the orders already mentioned, only order of teaching fits — and this is stated by way of the successive determination of cause and effect. The eye-element and the form-element are the pair that is the cause; the eye-consciousness-element is the effect. So it is in every case.

"By exact number": that is, by their being of just this many. This is what is meant: in various passages of the discourses and the Abhidhamma, one finds other elements spoken of as well — "the element of radiance, the element of beauty, the element of the base of infinite space, of infinite consciousness, of nothingness, of neither-perception-nor-non-perception, the element of the cessation of perception and feeling"; "the element of sensuality, of ill will, of cruelty, of renunciation, of non-ill-will, of non-cruelty"; "the element of pleasure, of pain, of joy, of displeasure, of equanimity, of ignorance"; "the element of initiative, of endeavor, of exertion"; "the inferior element, the middling element, the superior element"; "the earth-element, the water-element, the fire-element, the wind-element, the space-element, the consciousness-element"; "the conditioned element, the unconditioned element"; and "the world of manifold, diverse elements." This being so, why, without making a determination by way of all of these, was the determination made at exactly eighteen? Because all these elements, existing by their own nature, are already included within these eighteen.

For the element of radiance is simply the form-element. The element of beauty, however, is bound up with form and the rest. Why? Because it has the sign of beauty as its object, and the sign of beauty is the element of beauty — and this does not exist apart from form and the rest. Or, form and the rest, being the object of wholesome-resultant consciousness, are themselves the element of beauty — thus it is simply form and the rest. Among the elements beginning with the base of infinite space, the mind involved is simply the mind-consciousness-element; the rest is the mental-object-element. The element of the cessation of perception and feeling, however, does not exist by its own nature at all — it is simply the cessation of two elements.

The element of sensuality is simply the mental-object-element, or perhaps a little more. As it is said: "herein, what is the element of sensuality? Thought, thinking, and wrong intention connected with sensuality." Or, it is all eighteen elements. As it is said: "having made the lower boundary the Avīci hell, and the upper boundary the devas who wield power over others' creations, whatever aggregates, elements, and bases are found and comprised within that range — form, feeling, perception, formations, consciousness — this is called the element of sensuality."

The element of renunciation is simply the mental-object-element — and, since it is said, "all wholesome states are the element of renunciation," it is also the mind-consciousness-element. The elements of ill will, cruelty, non-ill-will, non-cruelty, pleasure, pain, joy, displeasure, equanimity, ignorance, initiative, endeavor, and exertion are simply the mental-object-element.

The inferior, middling, and superior elements are simply the eighteen elements themselves, reclassified. For the eye and the rest, when inferior, are the inferior element; when middling or superior, the middling and superior element. Strictly speaking, however, the unwholesome mental-object-element and mind-consciousness-element are the inferior element; both the mundane wholesome-and-indeterminate mental-object-element and mind-consciousness-element, together with the eye-element and the rest, are the middling element; while the supramundane mental-object-element and mind-consciousness-element are the superior element.

The earth-, fire-, and wind-elements are simply the tangible-element; the water-element and the space-element are simply the mental-object-element. The consciousness-element is simply an abbreviation for the seven consciousness-elements — eye-consciousness and the rest.

The conditioned element is the seventeen elements together with a portion of the mental-object-element; the unconditioned element is simply another portion of the mental-object-element. And "the world of manifold, diverse elements" is simply these eighteen kinds of element. Thus, it is by reason of the inclusion of all elements, existing by their own nature, within these eighteen that exactly eighteen were stated.

Moreover, exactly eighteen were also stated for the purpose of demolishing, in beings who hold the perception of a living soul precisely within consciousness — whose intrinsic nature is cognizing — that very perception. For there are beings who hold the perception of a living soul precisely within consciousness, whose intrinsic nature is cognizing. Wishing to demolish, in them, the long-held, deeply rooted perception of a living soul, by revealing its manifold nature — by way of the distinction into the eye-, ear-, nose-, tongue-, body-, and mind-elements, and the mind-consciousness-element — and its impermanence, by way of its dependence on the conditions of eye and visible form and the rest, the Blessed One made known the eighteen elements. What is more, they were made known as exactly eighteen also by way of the disposition of those to be guided. For those beings to be guided by this teaching, neither too concise nor too detailed, were made known exactly these eighteen, in accordance with their disposition.

"For, by the method of conciseness and detail, in this way and that, this One makes the teaching known, exactly as is fitting for it; struck down in an instant by the power of the true Dhamma, darkness departs from the hearts of those to be guided." Thus, the determination by exact number should be understood here.

"By exactly how many actual things each covers": the eye-element, firstly, by way of its own nature, amounts to a single state, namely eye-sensitivity. Likewise the ear-, nose-, tongue-, and body-elements, and the form-, sound-, smell-, and taste-elements, by way of ear-sensitivity and the rest. But the tangible-element amounts to three states, by way of earth, fire, and wind. The eye-consciousness-element amounts to two states, by way of its wholesome- and unwholesome-resultant varieties; likewise the ear-, nose-, tongue-, and body-consciousness-elements. The mind-element, however, amounts to three states, by way of five-door-adverting and the wholesome- and unwholesome-resultant receiving-consciousnesses. The mental-object-element amounts to twenty states, by way of the three formless aggregates, the sixteen kinds of subtle matter, and the unconditioned element. The mind-consciousness-element amounts to seventy-six states, by way of the remaining wholesome, unwholesome, and indeterminate consciousness. Thus, the determination by exactly how many actual things each covers should be understood here.

"By condition": here, the eye-element, firstly, is a condition for eye-consciousness-element by way of six conditioning relations — dissociation, pre-arising, presence, non-disappearance, support, and faculty. The form-element is a condition by way of four — pre-arising, presence, non-disappearance, and object. As for the five sense-consciousnesses, the adverting mind-element is a condition for them by way of five relations — proximity, contiguity, absence, disappearance, and immediately-preceding support — and all five of these, in turn, are conditions for the receiving mind-element. Likewise, the receiving mind-element is a condition for the investigating mind-consciousness-element; that, for the determining mind-consciousness-element; and the determining mind-consciousness-element, for the impulsion mind-consciousness-element. The impulsion mind-consciousness-element, however, is a condition for an immediately following impulsion mind-consciousness-element by way of those same five relations together with the relation of repetition, making six.

At the mind-door, however, the life-continuum mind-consciousness-element is a condition for the adverting mind-consciousness-element; and the adverting mind-consciousness-element is a condition for the impulsion mind-consciousness-element by the same five relations already stated. And it is not only the eye and visible form and the rest that are conditions for eye-consciousness-element and the rest — light and the other factors are conditions as well. Hence the ancient teachers said: "in dependence on the eye, visible form, light, and attention, eye-consciousness arises. In dependence on the ear, sound, an aperture, and attention, ear-consciousness arises. In dependence on the nose, smell, air, and attention, nose-consciousness arises. In dependence on the tongue, taste, moisture, and attention, tongue-consciousness arises. In dependence on the body, the tangible, the earth-element, and attention, body-consciousness arises. In dependence on the life-continuum, the mind, and mental objects, and attention, mind-consciousness arises."

"By how they should be regarded": the meaning is that the determination should be understood here by way of how they should be regarded. For all conditioned elements should be regarded as devoid of anything prior or posterior, as empty of any stable, beautiful, pleasurable, or self-nature, and as occurring entirely dependent on conditions.

In particular, here, the eye-element should be regarded as like the surface of a drum, the form-element like the drumstick, and the eye-consciousness-element like the resulting sound. Likewise, the eye-element is like a mirror's surface, the form-element like a face, and the eye-consciousness-element like the reflected image of the face. Or again: the eye-element is like sesame seeds and sugarcane, the form-element like the mill and its pressing-pole, and the eye-consciousness-element like the extracted oil and juice. Likewise, the eye-element is like the lower fire-stick, the form-element like the upper fire-stick, and the eye-consciousness-element like the resulting flame. The same method applies to the ear-element and the rest. The mind-element, however, according to how it actually arises, should be regarded as either preceding or following the eye-consciousness-element and the rest.

Within the mental-object-element, the feeling aggregate should be regarded as like a dart or a spear. The perception and formations aggregates should be regarded as like one afflicted by the union of that dart or spear — or, for worldlings, perception should be regarded as like an empty fist, since it produces the suffering of mere craving-for-taste; and, since it grasps a sign that does not correspond to reality, as like a forest deer deceived by a scarecrow. Formations should be regarded as like men who are flung into a pit of embers, since they cast one into rebirth-linking. Birth should be regarded as like a thief pursued by the king's men, on account of the suffering that dogs it. The stream of the aggregates, being the cause of every misfortune, should be regarded as like the seed of a poison tree. Matter should be regarded as like a razor-wheel, on account of being the sign for manifold calamities. The unconditioned element, however, should be regarded as deathless, peaceful, and secure. Why? Because it stands opposed to everything that brings misfortune.

The mind-consciousness-element, on account of its lack of any fixed determination among its objects, should be regarded as like a forest monkey; on account of its being hard to tame, like a wild, untrained colt; on account of its falling wherever it pleases, like a stick thrown up into the air; and, on account of its being yoked to the manifold varieties of defilement such as greed and hatred, like a dancer dressed in costume.

Thus, in the Path of Purification, composed for the joy of good people,
in the section on the development of wisdom,
the discussion called "The Discussion of the Sense Bases and Elements"
constitutes the fifteenth chapter.