Glossary
pasada-rupas = sensitive material qualities
gocara-rupas = material qualities of sense objects
bhava-rupas = material qualities of sex
hadaya-vatthu = heart base
jivita-rupa = material quality of life
ahara-rupa = material quality of nutrition
jati = birth
jara = decay
aniccata = death
bhavana = meditation; mental development
samatha-bhavana = development of tranquility
vipassana-bhavana = development of insight
Dr. Mehm Tin Mon writes in "The Essence of Buddha Abhidhamma" (1995: pp. 233 - 235):
Eighteen nipphanna-rupas
The eighteen rupas comprising 4 great essentials, 5 pasada-rupas, 7 gocara-rupas (to be counted as 4, excluding tangibility), 2 bhava rupas, hadaya-vatthu, jivita-rupa and ahara-rupas are caused and conditioned by kamma, citta, utu (tejo) and ahara (oja). So they are called nipphanna-rupas.
Each of these 18 rupas have their innate properties such as hardness for pathavi and heat for tejo. So they are also called sabhava-rupas.
Each of these 18 rupas also have the three sankhata-lakkhatanas (innate signs or marks) - viz., jati (birth), jara (decay) and aniccata (death). So they are also called sa-lakkhana-rupas.
Because they may change in state, form and colour, etc., due to heat and cold, etc., they are known as rupas.
Because they should be contemplated as anicca (impermanence), dukkha (unsatisfactoriness) and anatta (not-self), they are called sammasana-rupas.
Ten anipphana-rupas
The ten rupas comprising pariccheda-rupas, 2 vinnatti-rupas, 3 vikara-rupas and 4 lakkhana-rupas are not caused and conditioned by kamma, citta, utu and ahara. So they are known as anipphanna-rupas.
They are also known as asabhava-rupas because they do not have innate properties, asalakkhana-rupas because they do not have sankhata-lakhanas, as arupas because they are not changeable by heat or cold, etc., and as asammasana-rupas because they should not be contemplated in insight meditation.
All the rupas are just one in the following aspects:
1. ahetuka - all are rootless;
2. sappaccaya - all are related to the causes (kamma, citta, utu, and ahara);
3. sasava - all serve as objects for defilements;
4. sankhata - all are conditioned by the four causes
5. lokiya - all are connected with the world of five aggregates of attachment
6. kamavacara - all come within the range of sense objects;
7. anarammana - all do not perceive objects;
8. appahatabba - all are not eliminated by maggas.
Readers may consult the Chart No. 8 on rupas in Dr. Mon's book "The Essence of Buddha Abhidhamma" for a quick review.
A note on bhavana (meditation) (Mon, 1995: 356-357):
'Bhavana' is generally rather vaguely translated as 'meditation'. It is better called 'mental development'. It is a process of mental culture that produces so much good effect that it should be developed repeatedly in one's mind.
There are two kinds of bhavana:
(1) samatha-bhavana = development of tranquility, and
(2) vipassana-bhavana = development of insight.
Samatha-Bhavana
'Samatha' means tranquility which is the concentrated, unshaken, undefiled and peaceful state of mind. It is called 'calm' because it calms down the five hindrances (nivaranas) including passions.
In essence, 'samatha' stands for the ekaggata-cetasika (samadhi) present in lokiya-kusala cittas or lokiya-kiriya cittas. It refers to that samadhi (concentration) which can calm down the five hindrances and also to the higher jhana-samadhi which can calm down the lower jhana factors - viz. Vitakka, vicara, paiti and sukha.
Vipassana-Bhavana
'Vipassana' means 'insight', i.e. the intuitive insight into the impermanency (anicca), misery (dukkha) and impersonality (anatta) nature of all bodily and mental phenomena of existence.
In essence, 'vipassana' stands for the panna-cetasika (wisdom) present in maha-kusala cittas and maha-kiriya cittas.
Bhadantachariya Buddhagosa expounds in the Vissuddhimagga (2. Knowledge of Contemplation of Dissolution: XXI, 10):
When he repeatedly observes in this way, and examines and investigates material and immaterial states, [to see] that they are impermanent, painful, and not self, then if his knowledge works keenly, formations quickly become apparent.
Once his knowledge works keenly and formations quickly become apparent, he no longer extends his mindfulness to their arising or presence or occurrence or sign but brings it to bear only on their cessation as destruction, fall and break-up.
Vissuddhimagga, XXI, 11:
When insight knowledge has arisen in him in this way so that he sees how the field of formations, having arisen thus, ceases thus, it is called Contemplation of dissolution at that stage, with reference to which it is said:
'Understanding of contemplation of dissolution, after reflecting on an object - how is this knowledge of insight?
Consciousness with materiality as its object arises and dissolves. Having reflected on that object, he contemplates the dissolution of that consciousness.
"He contemplates": How does he contemplate?
He contemplates as impermanent, not as permanent;
he contemplates as painful, not as pleasant;
he contemplates as not self, not as self;
he contemplates dispassionate, he does not delight;
he causes fading away of greed, he does not inflame it;
he causes cessation, not origination;
he relinquishes, he does not grasp.
Contemplating as painful, he abandons the perception of pleasure.
Contemplating as not self, he abandons the perception of self.
Becoming dispassionate, he abandons delight.
Causing fading away, he abandons greed.
Causing cessation, he abandons originating.
Relinquishing, he abandons grasping.
Consciousness with feeling as its object… Consciousness with perception as its object… with formations as its object… with consciousness as its object… with eye as its object… (etc) … with ageing-and-death as its object… Relinquishing, he abandons grasping.
The substitution of the object,
The transference of understanding,
The power of adverting - these
Are insight following reflection.
Defining both to be alike
By inference from that same object,
Intentness on cessation - these
Are insight in the mark of fall.
Having reflected on the object
Dissolution he contemplates,
Appearance then as empty - this
Is insight of Higher Understanding.
Skilled in the three contemplations,
And in the fourfold insight too,
Skilled in the three appearances,
The various views will shake him not.
Knowledge is in the sense of that being known and understanding in the sense of the act of understanding that. Hence it was said: "Understanding of contemplating dissolution, after reflecting on an object, is knowledge of insight".
And this is said by the Ancients (Vissuddhimagga XXI, 21):
'With vision of those present purified
'He infers those past and future to be like;
'He infers that all formations disappear,
'Like dew-drops when the morning sun comes up'.
In future Abhidhamma classes, we will study more about rupa.
Bibliography
Bhadantacariya Buddhaghosa, (no date), “The Visuddhimagga”, translated from the Pali by Bhikkhu Nanamoli, Singapore Buddhist Meditation Centre, Singapore
Dr. Mehm Tin Mon, 1995, “The Essence of Buddha Abhidhamma”, publisher Mehm Tay Zar Mon, Yangon
Our Reference: LAN2 I:abhi74.rtf