A BUDDHIST MANUAL
Psychological Ethics,
FROM THE PALI
OF THE
DHAMMA-SANGANI
Translated by CAROLINE A. F. RHYS DAVIDS, M.A.
[673] What is that form which belongs to the self
(ajjhattikam) ?^
The spheres of the five senses—this is that form which
belongs to the self.
[674] What is that form which is external (to the self
—
bahiram) ?
The sphere of the five kinds of sense-objects . . .^ and
bodily nutriment—this is that form which is external (to
the self).
[675] Which is that form which is gross (olarikam) ?
The spheres of the five senses and of the five kinds of
sense-objects—this is that form which is gross.
[676] Which is that form which is subtle (suk-
humam) ?
^ See below, §§ 1044, 1045. It will already have been
noted (p. 59, n. J.), that ajjhattam, ajjhattikam does
not run on all fours with our modern psychological term
'
subjective,' or that which belongs to the conscious experi-
ence of the individual. It connotes anything belonging to
an individual organism, physical or mental. Hence, too,
the word '
self ' must here be understood in no narrow
metaphysical, or even psychological sense, but as equiva-
lent to the concrete person or attabhavo (see above^
p. 175, n. 1). It is used in the sense of all but the last
of the four constituents into which Professor W. James-
divides the Self, viz., the material Self (body, clothes,
family, home, property : the Buddhist would only admit
the first item, I fancy), the social Self (recognition from
others), and the spiritual Self (psychic faculties or dis-
positions). ('Principles of Psychology,' 1892, i. 292-296.)
Only the fourth constituent, the '
pure Ego,' was rejected
by Buddhism, as it was, twenty-two centuries later, by
Hume. O/., however, the apparently more '
subjective
'
use in §§ 161 and 1207.
I have felt equal reluctance to foist the (relatively)
modern counterpart 'objective' on to bahiram or bahid-
dha(see § 1045).
^ Bead in full, this should coincide with the latter part
of § 596, beginning at *
the spheres of visible form.'
Femininity . . . and bodily nutriment—this is that form
'which is subtle.^
[677] What is that form which is remote (dure)?
Femininity . . . and bodily nutriment—this is that form
which is remote.
[678] What is that form which is near (santike) ?
The spheres of the five senses and of the five kinds of
sense-objects—this is that form which is near.^
^ The Cy., paraphrasing olarikam by thulam, ex-
plains that this has reference to the material embodiment
of sense-objects and to the fact of sensuous impact, suk-
humam connoting the contrary. Under the latter class
we have, according to my assumption (p. 203, n. 3), the
indriyas of sex and vitality, intimation, space, the modes
of form and the nutritive principle in food. The force of
this effort at dichotomy is, to the modern Western mind,
curious and not obvious. It is suggestive of tradition earlier
than the date of the compiling of the Abhidhamma, as
«arly as the earlier Upanishads—of a time when there
was no definite antithesis between material and immaterial,
extended and unextended. We have seen that the senses,
though 'invisible,' were conceived as species of 'form'
—
nay, that the later Cy. preserved the tradition of their shape
and size. And I incline to think that just as, in the older
Upanishads, soul was a shadowy, impalpable, but '
physi-
cal double of the physical body,' and just as '
when an
early Greek philosopher speaks of to 6v, he does not mean
Being, but Body' (Burnet, 'Early Greek Philosophy,' 27),
so the items in the list divided out in these two answers
are all physical '
forms,' whether patent, impressive, and
pervading, or latent, fine and mysterious.
^ Dure, the Cy. explains, refers to that which on
account of its being difficult to apprehend or discriminate
cannot be discerned by way of the sensuous impact, whether
it be literally far or near at hand. Conversely, s an tike
refers to things which are patent to sense, even though they
may be distant. The content of each division agrees with that
of the preceding division, and we see that, whereas the field
of sense-perception is pronounced to be a relatively patent,
as well as gross concern, the essence of sex, vitality, etc.,
[Basis (vatthu).p
[679] What is that form which is the basis of visual con-
tact (cakkhusamphassassa vatthu)?
The sphere of vision—this is that form which is the basis
of visual contact.
[680] What is that form which is not the basis of visual
contact ?
The sphere of hearing . . .^ and bodily nutriment—this
is that form which is not, etc.
down to the nutritive principle in food, is found to be as
obscure, latent or relatively inaccessible, as it was subtle or
minute. Asl. 337.
^ From § 653 to § 961 the Commentator lapses into
silence, dismissing the reader with the remark that in the
exposition on *
spheres,' etc. (§§ 695-741), the method of
treatment is more detailed than it was above, and, further,
that the category of triplets (§ 742 et seq.) is easy to
understand. To enable the reader to gather with more
ease the drift of this part of the catechizing, I have in-
serted a few headings to indicate whenever there is a
change in the aspect under which 'form' is considered.
Thus we have form considered under the aspect of the
basis (vatthu) in the subjective procedure of coming-to-
know, of the object so apprehended, and so forth.
In all the answers, where lacunae occur, except where
otherwise specified, the formula appears to be the answer
of § 596, with one or more terms omitted, and with the
occasional insertion of 'the sphere of the tangible,' ac-
cording to the sense required by each specific process of
dichotomy.
2 By referring to the standard answer, § 596, it will be
seen that the negatives in the present answer include
* visible forms,' or the objects of the sense of vision. Now,
vatthu means seat, embodiment, or what we might call
physical basis. However, then, the process of sense-stimu-
lation was ultimately conceived, the effective result was
held to take place in the sense-organ (and heart). The
sense-object was defined as the arammanam of the con-
tact. See § 687.
[681] What is that form which is the basis of
the feeUng . . .
the perception . . .
the thinking . . .
the visual cognition
which is born of visual contact ?
The sphere of vision—this is that form which is the basis
of the . . . visual cognition^ which is born of visual con-
tact.
[682] What is that form which is not the basis of the . . .
visual cognition born of visual contact ?
The sphere of hearing . . . and bodily nutriment—this
is that form which is not the basis of the . . . visual cogni-
tion born of visual contact.
[683] What is that form which is the basis of
auditory . . .
olfactory ...
gustatory . .
."^
bodily
contact ?
The sphere of . . .^ body-sensibility—this is that form
which is the basis of . . . bodily contact.
[684] What is that form which is not the basis of . . .
hodily contact ?
^ No hiatus appears, in either the English or Siamese
edition of the text, between rupam and cakkhuvin-
nanassa, but by the context the answer is, of course,
understood to deal in turn with all four mental processes
stated in the question. As usual, only the last term gets an
explicit answer. All four processes must also be under-
stood in the lacuna in § 682 and in § 686.
^ Jivha samphassassa has dropped out of the printed
text.
^ Here, of course, understand the spheres of hearing,
smell, and taste, and in the three following lacunae the
corresponding forms of contact. Proceed similarly in the
next two answers.
The sphere of vision . . . and bodily nutriment—this is
that form which is not the basis of . . . bodily contact.
[685] What is that form which is the basis of
the feeling . . .
the perception . . .
the thinking ...
the . . . cognition of body
that is born of . . . bodily contact ?
The sphere ... of body-sensibility—this is that form
which is the basis of the . . . cognition of body that is
born of . . . bodily contact.
[686] What is that form which is not the basis of the . . .
cognition of body born of . . . bodily contact ?
The sphere of vision . . . and bodily nutriment—this is
that form which is not the basis of the . . . cognition of
body born, etc.
[Me7ital object or idea (arammanam).]
[687] What is that form which is the object in visual
contact ?
The sphere of visible forms—this is that form which is
the object in visual contact.
[688] What is that form which is not the object in visual
contact ?
The sphere of vision . . . and bodily nutriment^—this
is that form which is not, etc.
[689] What is that form which is the object in
the feeling . . .
the perception . . .
the thinking . . .
the visual cognition
that is born of visual contact ?
^ I.e., as in § 596, omitting only '
the sphere of visible
forms,' and inserting, presumably, '
the sphere of the
tangible.'
The sphere of visible forms—this is that form which is
the object in . . . the visual cognition that is born of
visual contact.
[690] What is that form which is not^ the object in the
. . . visual cognition born of visual contact ?
The sphere of vision . . . and bodily nutriment—this is
that form which is not the object, etc.
[691] What is that form which is the object in
auditory . . .
olfactory ...
gustatory ...
bodily
contact?
The sphere of . . . the tangible—this is that form which
is the object in , . . bodily contact.
[692] What is that form which is not the object in . . .
bodily contact ?
The sphere of vision . . . and bodily nutriment—this is
that form which is not the object in . . . bodily contact.
[693] What is that form which is the object in
the feeling ...
the perception . . .
the thinking . . .
the . . . cognition of body
that is born of . . . bodily contact ?
The sphere of the tangible—this is that form which is the
object in the . . . cognition of body that is born of . . .
bodily contact.
^ The negative particle must be supplied in the printed text.
The lacunae in this and following sentences must be filled
up analogously with those in the preceding group. Thus,
in this question, the three other mental processes named in
the preceding question are to be understood; the answer
will be identical with that in § 596, excluding only *
the
sphere of visible forms,' but inserting *
the sphere of the
tangible.' And so on.
[694] What is that form which is not the object in the
. . . cognition of body that is born of bodily contact ?
The sphere of vision . . . and bodily nutriment^—this is
that form which is not the object, etc.
[Sphere of sense (ayatanam).]
[695] What is that form which is the sphere of vision ?
The eye, that is to say, the sentient organ which is derived
from the four Great Phenomena . . . this that is *
an empty
village '
—this is that form which is the sphere of vision.^
[696] What is that form which is not the sphere of vision ?
The sphere of hearing . . . and bodily nutriment—this
is that form which is not the sphere of vision.
[697] W^hat is that form which is the sphere of
hearing . . .
smell ...
taste . . .
body-sensibility ?
The body, that is to say, the sentient organ which is
derived from the four Great Phenomena . . . this that is
*
an empty village '
—this is that form which is the sphere
of . . . body-sensibility.
[698] What is that form which is not the sphere of . . .
body-sensibility ?
^ I.e.y repeat § 596 (into which * the sphere of the
tangible '
does not enter).
- The replies given here and to the four questions con-
densed in § 697 are apparently intended to be those set out
in sets of four expounding the current theory of sense-
reaction, §§ 597-616. Similarly, for the replies to the
questions on sense taken objectively (§§ 699, 701), see
§§ 617-632, 648-651.
The contradictories seem to be described in all four
answers, by a repetition of § 596, with the omission in each
case of the specific item named in the question on the
corresponding positive term, and, presumably, with the
insertion of *
the sphere of the tangible.*
The sphere of vision . . . and bodily nutriment—this is
that form which is not, etc.
[699] What is that form which is the sphere of visible
forms ?
That form which, derived from the four Great Phenomena,
is visible under the appearance of colour . . . this . . .
which is the constituent element of visible form—this is that
form which is the sphere of visible forms.
[700] What is that form which is not the sphere of visible
forms ?
The sphere of vision . . . and bodily nutriment—this is
that form which is not, etc.
[701] What is that form which is the sphere of
sound,
odour,
taste,
the tangible ?
The earthy (solid) element . . . this that is the . . .
element of the tangible—this is that form which is the
sphere of the tangible.^
[702] What is that form which is not the sphere of . . .
the tangible ?
The sphere of vision . . . and bodily nutriment—this is
that form which is not, etc.
[Element (dhatu) .]
[703] What is that form which is the element of
vision ?
The sphere of vision—this is that form which is the
element of vision.
^ In the printed text read rupam phottabba-
yatanam. The answer is, of course, the last of the four
several replies, the three first being understood.
[704] What is that form which is not the element of
vision ?
The sphere of hearing . . . and bodily nutriment^—this
is that form which is not the element of vision.
[705] What is that form which is the element of visible
form ?
The sphere of visible form—this is that form which is
the element of visible form.
[706] What is that form which is not the element of
visible form ?
The sphere of vision . . . and bodily nutriment—this is
that form which is not, etc.
[707] What is that form which is the element of sound
... of odour ... of taste ... of the tangible ?
The sphere of . . .^ the tangible—this is that form
which is the element of . . . the tangible.
[708] What is that form which is not the element of . . .
the tangible ?
The sphere of vision . . . and bodily nutriment—this is
that form which is not the element of . . . the tangible.
[Faculty (indriyam).]
[709] What is that form which is the faculty of vision ?
The eye, that is to say, the sentient organ which is
derived from the four Great Phenomena . . . this that is
* an empty village '^
—this is that form which is the faculty
of vision.
[710] What is that form which is not the faculty of
vision ?
^ Here supply the answer in § 596, omitting the first
term, and inserting '
the sphere of the tangible.'
^ Here, of course, supply the spheres of the other three
senses.
3 For the full formula, see § 597.
The sphere of hearing . . . and bodily nutriment^—this
is that form which is not, etc.
[711] What is that form which is the faculty of hearing
. . . smell . . . taste . . . body-sensibility?
The . . .^ body, that is to say, the sentient principle,
which is derived from the four Great Phenomena . . . this
that is '
an empty village '
—this is that form which is the
faculty of . . . body-sensibility.
[712] What is that form which is not the faculty of . . .
body-sensibility ?
The sphere of vision . . . and bodily nutriment—this is
that form which is not, etc.
[713] What is that form which is femininity (lit., the
female faculty or potentiality) ?^
That which is of the female, feminine in appearance,
characteristics, occupation, and deportment, feminine in
condition and being—this is that form which is femininity.
[713a] What is that form which is not femininity?
The sphere of vision . . . and bodily nutriment—this is
that form which is not, etc.*
[714] What is that form which is masculinity ?
That which is of the male, masculine in appearance,
characteristics, occupation, and deportment, masculine in
•condition and being—this is that form which is mascu-
linity.
[715] What is that form which is not masculinity?
Answer as in § 71Sa.^
^ I.e., answer as in § 596, omitting the first item, and
inserting * the sphere of the tangible.'
2 See §§ 601, 605, 609, 613. ^ gee §§ 633-635.
* [713a] is inadvertently omitted in the printed text.
^ §§ 713a, 715, and 717 are presumably identical with
§ 596, with the successive omission of the term excluded
by each question, and with the insertion always of '
the
sphere of the tangible.'
[716] What is that form which is (the faculty of)
vitality ?
The persistence of these corporeal states, their subsist-
ence, their going on, their being kept going on, their
progress, continuance, preservation, life, life as faculty
—
this is that form which is (the faculty of) vitality.
[717] What is that form which is not (the faculty of)
vitality ?
Ansiver as in § 713a.
[Intimation (vinnatti) .]
[718] What is that form which is bodily intimation ?
Answer as in § 636.
[719] What is that form which is not bodily intimation ?
The sphere of vision . . . and bodily nutriment—this is
that form which is bodily intimation.
[720] What is that form which is vocal intimation ?
Answer as in § 637.
[721] What is that form which is not vocal intimation ?
The sphere of vision . . . and bodily nutriment—this is
that form which is not, etc.^
[Space and fluid.]
[722] What is that form which is the element of
space ?
That which is space and belongs to space, is sky, belongs
to sky, is vacuum, belongs to vacuum, and is not in contact
with the four Great Phenomena—this is that form which
is the element of space.
^ Again, in these two negative categories, § 596 is pre-
sumably followed with corresponding omissions and inser-
tion. See p. 209, note 1.
^ Cf. with §§ 638, 652.
[723] "What is that form which is not the element of
space ?
Answer as § 721.
[724] What is that form which is the element of
fluidity ?
That which is fluid and belongs to fluid, that which is
viscid and belongs to viscid ; the cohesiveness of form—this
is that form which is the element of fluidity.
[725] What is that form which is not the element of
fluidity ?
Answer as m § 721.
[Modes ofform.]
[726] What is that form which is lightness of form ?
That lightness of form which is its capacity for changing
easily, its freedom from sluggishness and inertia—this is
that form which is lightness of form.
[727] What is that form which is not lightness of form ?
The sphere of vision . . . and bodily nutriment—this is
that form which is not lightness of form.
[728-731] Questions on the other two modes of form
'
plasticity ' and *
wieldiness ' are answered hy the descrip-
tions given in §§ 640, 641. The corresj)onding contradictory
terms are described in the same terms as in § 727, viz, : as
in § 596, ivith the omissions and insertion as indicated on
p, 216, n. 5.
[Evolution of form.]
[732] What is that form which is the integration of
form?
That which is accumulation of form is the integration
of form—this is that form which is, etc.
[733] What is that form which is not the integration of
form ?
The sphere of vision . . . and bodily nutriment—this is
that form which is not, etc.
[734-737] Questions on the '
subsistence,' '
decay,' and
'
impermanence ' of form and their contradictories are
ansivered analogously icith those in the group on '
Modes
of form,' the three positives being described as in §§ 642-645.
[Nutrition.]
[740] What is that form which is bodily nutriment ?
This is answered as in § 646.
[741] What is that form which is not bodily nutriment ?
The sphere of vision . . . and the impermanence of
form—this is that form which is not bodily nutriment.
Such are the Categories of Form under Dual Aspects.
[End of] the Exposition of the Pairs.
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