Glossary
rupa = matter, materiality
upada-rupa = derivative or secondary material properties dependent on the four great essentials
pasada-rupa = sensitive material qualities
cakkhu-pasada = sensitive part of the eye
sota-pasada = sensitive part of the ear
ghana-pasada = sensitive part of the nose
jivha-pasada = sensitive part of the tongue
kaya-pasada = sensitive part of the body
gocara-rupa = material qualities of sense objects
rupa-rammana = visible form (vanna)
sadda-rammana = sound (sadda)
gandha-rammana = smell (gandha)
rasa-rammana = taste (rasa)
photthabba-rammana = tangible object (pathavi, tejo, vayo)
bhava-rupa = material qualities of sex
itthi-bhava = material quality that imparts femininity
purisa-bhava = material quality that imparts masculinity
hadaya-vatthu = the heart base
Last week we studied the four essentials (the four great elements): pathavi-dhatu (earth element), apo-dhatu (water element), tejo-dhatu (heat element) and vayo-dhatu (wind element).
Today we will learn that there are 24 derivatives (24 upada-rupas) or secondary material properties dependent on the four great essentials. Like the earth are the essentials; like trees are the derivatives that spring there from. Dr Mehm Tin Mon explains in "The Essence of Buddha Abhidhamma" (pp. 228-230):
The 4 great essentials together with the 24 derivatives make up 28 kinds of rupa with different properties.
They may be counted as 11 kinds of material qualities as follows:
1.Essential material qualities – pathavi, apo, tejo, vayo.
2.Sensitive material qualities – eye, ear, nose, tongue and body.
3.Material qualities of sense-objects – visible form, sound, odour, taste and tangibility.
4.Material qualities of sex – femininity and masculinity.
5.Material quality of base – heart-base.
6.Material quality of life – vital force.
7.Material quality of nutrition – edible food.
8.Material quality of limitation – the element of space.
9.Material qualities of communication – bodily intimation and vocal intimation.
10. Material qualities of mutability – material lightness, pliancy, adaptability together with the two forms of intimation.
11. Material qualities of characteristics – material productivity, continuity, decay and impermanence.
(a) Fiva pasada-rupas
(Sensitive Material Qualities)
They are the sensitive parts of the organs – eye, ear, nose, tongue and body. They tend to clarify the co-existing material qualities. They receive the impressions of the sense-objects.
1.Cakkhu-pasada = sensitive part of the eye; it spreads in 7 layers in the pupil of the eye where images appear.
2.Sota-pasada = sensitive part of the ear; it spreads in the place shaped like a ring inside the ear-holes.
3.Ghana-pasada = sensitive part of the nose; it spreads in the place shaped like the leg of a goat inside the nostrils.
4.Jivha-pasada = sensitive part of the tongue; it spreads in the middle upper surface of the tongue.
5.Kaya-pasada = sensitive part of the body; it spreads throughout the whole body sensitive to touch, excluding head-hair, body-hair, finger-nails, toe-nails and hard dried skin.
(b) Seven Gocara-rupas
(Material Qualities of Sense Objects)
They are the five sense-objects observed and frequented by panca-vinnanas.
1.Rupa-rammana = visible form (vanna)
2.Sadda-rammana = sound (sadda)
3.Gandha-rammana = smell (ghandha)
4.Rasa-rammana = taste (rasa)
5.Photthabba-rammana = tangible object (pathavi, tejo, vayo)
Notes:
(1) The names in brackets are the essential elements of the five senses. Note that there are 7 elements in all.
(2) Owing to its subtlety, apo cannot be felt by the sense of touch. For instance, when we put our hand in water, the cold felt is tejo, the softness is pathavi, and the pressure is vayo. Thus only these three fundamental elements are regarded as tangible.
(c) Two Bhava-rupas
(Material Qualities of Sex)
1.Itthi-bhava = material quality that imparts femininity; it spreads all over the body of the female.
2.Purisa-bhava = material quality that imparts masculinity; it spreads all over the body of the male.
Note: These two rupas differentiate the male from the female.
(d) Hadaya-vatthu
(The Heart Base)
Hadaya-vatthu is the heart base which spreads in the blood inside the heart. It is the seat of consciousness (mano-vinnana). Hadaya-vatthu is not one- there are billions of hadaya-vatthus spread in the blood of the heart.
Next week, we will study the remaining derivatives of the four great essentials. These are: jivita-rupa (material quality of life), ahara-rupa (material quality of nutrition), pariccheda-rupa (material quality of limitation), vinnatti-rupas (material qualities of communication), vikara-rupas (material qualities of mutability) and lakkhana-rupas (material qualities of characteristics).
Dr Mehm Tin Mon writes (1995: p. 432):
... it is only the Buddha Abhidhamma which fully and correctly explains the co-relations between the various factors of mind and matter in the form of the majestic Law of Dependent Origination which vividly describes the rounds of rebirth undergone by each individual. Furthermore, the Abhidhamma clearly exposes the theoretical as well as the practical aspects of the Noble Eightfold path, also know as the Middle path; by which the mind is purified from defilements in seven stages by developing mental concentration and vipassana insight.
In the Visuddhimagga it is stated (XIV, 34):
Herein, all kinds of states whatsoever that have the characteristic of 'being molested' (ruppana) by cold, etc., taken all together should be understood as the materiality (rupa) aggregates.
1.that is of one kind with the characteristic of 'being molested'.
2. It is also of two kinds when classed as (a) primary entity (bhuta) and (b) derived [by clinging] (upadaya).
(Visuddhimagga, XIV, 35):
Herein (a) primary materiality is of four kinds as the earth element, water element, fire element, and air element. Their characteristic, function, and manifestation, have been given under the Definition of the Four Elements; but as to the proximate cause, each has the other three as its proximate cause.
(Visuddhimagga, XIV, 36):
(b) derived materiality is of twenty-four kinds as eye, ear, nose, tongue, body, visible-datum, sound, odour, flavour; femininity faculty, masculinity faculty, life faculty, heart-basis, bodily intimation, verbal intimation; space element; lightness of matter, malleability of matter, wieldiness of matter, growth of matter, continuity of matter, ageing of matter, impermanence of matter, and physical nutriment.
(Visuddhimagga, XIV, 37):
1.Herein, the eye's characteristic is sensitivity of primary elements that is ready for the impact of visible data; or its characteristic is sensitivity of primary elements originated by kamma sourcing from desire to see. Its function is to pick up [an object] among visible data. It is manifested as the footing of eye-consciousness. Its proximate cause is primary elements born of kamma sourcing from desire to see.
(Visuddhimagga, XIV, 38):
2.The ear's characteristic is sensitivity of primary elements that is ready for the impact of sounds; or its characteristic is sensitivity of primary elements originated by kamma sourcing from desire to hear. Its function is to pick up [an object] among sounds. It is manifested as the footing of ear-consciousness. Its proximate cause is primary elements born of kamma sourcing from desire to hear.
(Visuddhimagga, XIV, 39):
3.The nose's characteristic is sensitivity of primary elements that is ready for the impact of odours; or its characteristic is sensitivity of primary elements originated by kamma sourcing from desire to smell. Its function is to pick up [an object] among odours. It is manifested as the footing of nose-consciousness. Its proximate cause is primary elements born of kamma sourcing from desire to smell.
(Visuddhimagga, XIV, 40):
4.The tongue's characteristic is sensitivity of primary elements that is ready for the impact of flavours; or its characteristic is sensitivity of primary elements originated by kamma sourcing from desire to taste. Its function is to pick up [an object] among flavours. It is manifested as the footing of tongue-consciousness. Its proximate cause is primary elements born of kamma sourcing from desire to taste.
(Visuddhimagga, XIV, 41):
5.The body's characteristic is sensitivity of primary elements that is ready for the impact of tangible, data; or its characteristic is sensitivity of primary elements originated by kamma sourcing from desire to touch. Its function is to pick up [an object] among tangible data, It is manifested as the footing of body-consciousness. Its proximate cause is primary elements born of kamma sourcing from desire to touch.
(Visuddhimagga, XIV, 54):
As regards to visible data, etc., which come next, a visible datum has the characteristic of impinging on the eye. Its function is to be the objective field of eye-consciousness. It is manifested as the resort of that too. Its proximate cause is the four great primaries. And all the [following] kinds of derived materiality are the same as this. This [visible datum] is of various kinds as 'blue, yellow' and so on.
(Visuddhimagga, XIV, 55-58):
Sound has the characteristic of impinging on the ear. Its function is to be the object of ear-consciousness. It is manifested as the resort of that too. It is of various kinds as 'drum sound, tabor sound' and so on'.
Odour has the characteristic of impinging on the nose. Its function is to be the object of nose-consciousness. It is manifested as the resort of that too. It is of various kinds as 'root odour, heartwood odour' and so on.
Flavour has the characteristic of impinging on the tongue. Its function is to be the object of the tongue consciousness. It is manifested as the resort of that too. It is of various kinds as 'root flavour, trunk flavour' and so on.
The femininity faculty has the female sex as its characteristic. Its function is to show that 'this is female'. It is manifested as the reason for the mark, sign, work, and ways, of the female.
The masculinity faculty has the male sex as its characteristic. Its function is to show that 'this is male'. It is manifested as the reason for the mark, sign, work, and ways of the male.
Both these are coextensive with the whole body, as body-sensitivity is. But it does not follow that they have to be called either 'located in the space where body-sensitivity is located' or 'located in the space where that is not located'. Like the natures of visible data,etc., these are not confoundable one with the other.
(Visuddhimagga, XIV, 60)
The heart-basis has the characteristic of being the (material) support for the mind-element and for the mind-consciousness-element. Its function is to observe them. It is manifested as the carrying of them. It is to be found in dependence on the blood, of the kind described in the Treatise on Mindfulness of the Body, inside the heart. It is assisted by the primaries with their functions of upholding, etc., it is consolidated by temperature, consciousness, and nutriment; it is maintaining by life; and it serve as physical basis for the mind-element and mind-consciousness-element, and for the states associated with them.
References
Bhadantacariya Buddhaghosa, (no date), “The Visuddhimagga”, translated from the Pali by Bhikkhu Nanamoli, Singapore Buddhist Meditation Centre, Singapore.
Dr. Mehm Tin Mon, “The Essence of Buddha Abhidhamma”, publisher Mehm Tay Zar Mon, Yangon, 1995, pp. 228-230.
Our Reference: LAN2 I:abhi72.rtf