Saṃyutta Nikaya
Nidāna Vagga
14. [3.] Dhātu-Saṃyuttaṃ
I. Nānattavaggo Pathamo
i. Ajjhatta-pañcakaṃ
Chapter XIV
Connected Discourses on Elements
1 Diversity (External Pentad)
Sutta 9
Paṭhama Phassa [Lābha-Nānatta] Suttaṃ
Diversity of External Contacts (1)
Translated by Bhikkhu Bodhi
Copyright Wisdom Publications.
Reproduced with permission.
[1][pts][olds] Thus have I heard. On one occasion the Blessed One was dwelling at Sāvatthi in Jeta's Grove, Anāthapiṇḍika's Park.[ed1]
"Bhikkhus, it is in dependence on the diversity of elements that there arises the diversity of perceptions;
in dependence on the diversity of perceptions that there arises the diversity of intentions;
in dependence on the diversity of intentions that there arises the diversity of contacts;
in dependence on the diversity of contacts that there arises the diversity of feelings;
in dependence on the diversity of feelings that there arises the diversity of desires;
in dependence on the diversity of desires that there arises the diversity of passions;
in dependence on the diversity of passions that there arises the diversity of quests;
in dependence on the diversity of quests that there arises the diversity of gains.[1]
"And what, bhikkhus, is the diversity of elements?
The form element;
the sound element;
the odour element;
the taste element;
the tactile-object element;[ed2]
the mental-phenomena element.
This, bhikkhus, is called the diversity in elements."
"And how is it, bhikkhus, that in dependence on the diversity of elements there arises the diversity of perceptions;
in dependence on the diversity of perceptions there arises the diversity of intentions;
in dependence on the diversity of intentions there arises the diversity of contacts;
in dependence on the diversity of contacts there arises the diversity of feelings;
in dependence on the diversity of feelings there arises the diversity of desires;
in dependence on the diversity of desires there arises the diversity of passions;
in dependence on the diversity of passions there arises the diversity of quests;
in dependence on the diversity of quests there arises the diversity of gains?
"In dependence on the form element there arises perception of form;
in dependence on perception of form there arises intention regarding form;
in dependence on intention regarding form there arises contact with form;
in dependence on contact with form there arises feeling born of contact with form;
in dependence on feeling born of contact with form there arises desire for form;
in dependence on desire for form there arises passion for form;
in dependence on passion for form there arises the quest for form;
in dependence on quest for form there arises gain of form.
In dependence on the sound element there arises perception of sound;
in dependence on perception of sound there arises intention regarding sound;
in dependence on intention regarding sound there arises contact with sound;
in dependence on contact with sound there arises feeling born of contact with sound;
in dependence on feeling born of contact with sound there arises desire for sound;
in dependence on desire for sound there arises passion for sound;
in dependence on passion for sound there arises the quest for sound;
in dependence on quest for sound there arises gain of sound.
In dependence on the odour element there arises perception of odour;
in dependence on perception of odour there arises intention regarding odour;
in dependence on intention regarding odour there arises contact with odour;
in dependence on contact with odour there arises feeling born of contact with odour;
in dependence on feeling born of contact with odour there arises desire for odour;
in dependence on desire for odour there arises passion for odour;
in dependence on passion for odour there arises the quest for odour;
in dependence on quest for odour there arises gain of odour.
In dependence on the taste element there arises perception of taste;
in dependence on perception of taste there arises intention regarding taste;
in dependence on intention regarding taste there arises contact with taste;
in dependence on contact with taste there arises feeling born of contact with taste;
in dependence on feeling born of contact with taste there arises desire for taste;
in dependence on desire for taste there arises passion for taste;
in dependence on passion for taste there arises the quest for taste;
in dependence on quest for taste there arises gain of taste.
In dependence on the tactile-object element there arises perception of tactile-objects;
in dependence on perception of tactile-objects there arises intention regarding tactile-objects;
in dependence on intention regarding tactile-objects there arises contact with tactile-objects;
in dependence on contact with tactile-objects there arises feeling born of contact with tactile-objects;
in dependence on feeling born of contact with tactile-objects there arises desire for tactile-objects;
in dependence on desire for tactile-objects there arises passion for tactile-objects;
in dependence on passion for tactile-objects there arises the quest for tactile-objects;
in dependence on quest for tactile-objects there arises gain of tactile-objects.
In dependence on the mental-phenomena element there arises perception of mental-phenomena;
in dependence on perception of mental-phenomena there arises intention regarding mental-phenomena;
in dependence on intention regarding mental-phenomena there arises contact with mental-phenomena;
in dependence on contact with mental-phenomena there arises feeling born of contact with mental-phenomena;
in dependence on feeling born of contact with mental-phenomena there arises desire for mental-phenomena;
in dependence on desire for mental-phenomena there arises passion for mental-phenomena;
in dependence on passion for mental-phenomena there arises the quest for mental-phenomena;
in dependence on quest for mental-phenomena there arises gain of mental-phenomena.
It is in this way, bhikkhus, that in dependence on the diversity of elements there arises the diversity of perceptions;
in dependence on the diversity of perceptions there arises the diversity of intentions;
in dependence on the diversity of intentions there arises the diversity of contacts;
in dependence on the diversity of contacts there arises the diversity of feelings;
in dependence on the diversity of feelings there arises the diversity of desires;
in dependence on the diversity of desires there arises the diversity of passions;
in dependence on the diversity of passions there arises the diversity of quests
in dependence on the diversity of quests there arises the diversity of gains.
[ed1] Abbreviated Nidana expanded throughout this samyutta.
[ed2] Bhk. Bodhi includes italicized bracketed items by reference only.
[1] [230] This attempt to combine into one series the discrete sequences beginning with contact and perception leads to some strange incongruities, which become even more bizarre among the negations of the following sutta. Elsewhere contact is said to be the condition for the manifestation of the aggregates of feeling, perception, and volitional formations (e.g., at 22:82 (III 101, 33 — 102,2), and see 35:93 (IV 68, 15 — 16)); yet here contact and feeling are said to be dependent on perception and intention. Neither Spk nor Spk-pt shows any signs of uneasiness over the discrepancies nor tries to justify them.
At MN I 111, 35 — 112,13 a sequence of mental phenomena is given as follows: contact > perception > thought > conceptual proliferation > obsession by perceptions and notions arisen from proliferation. The texts often treat thought (vitakka) as identical with intention (saºkappa); proliferation (papañca) includes craving (taṇhā), which is synonymous with desire (chanda); and obsession (samudācāra) may comprise passions and quests, etc. This would then give us a more cogent version of the series. Spk does in fact refer to one elder, Uruvelāyavāsī Cūḷatissa Thera, who said: "Although the Blessed One inserted contact and feeling in the middle of the text, having turned the text back (Pāliṃ pana parivaṭṭetvā) we get: perception, intention, desire, passion, quest, and gain in regard to the stated object (form, etc.), 'gain of form' being the object gained together with craving; then there is contact as the (mental) contact with the object gained and feeling as the experiencing of the object. In such a way this pair — contact with form and feeling — is found."
Spk continues on its own: "And here, perception, intention, contact, feeling, and desire are found both in the same javana process and in different javana processes, while passion, quest, and gain are found only in different javana processes."
