Exploring the Path - Pāli Course

Cattāri mahābhūtāni, catunnañca mahābhūtānaṃ upādāyarūpanti duvidhampetaṃ rūpaṃ ekādasavidhena saṅgahaṃ gacchati.

Matter is twofold: the four great primary element and the material qualities derived from them, thus together they constitute eleven categories.

Kathaṃ?

How?

Pathavīdhātu

āpodhātu

tejodhātu

vāyodhātu

bhūtarūpaṃ nāma.

The essential material phenomena: the earth-element,

the water-element,

the fire-element,

the air-element.

pathavīdhātu refers to the element of extension,

āpodhātu to the element of cohesion,

tejodhātu to the element of temperature (heat to cold),

vāyodhātu to the element of motion

Cakkhu

sotaṃ

ghānaṃ

jivhā

kāyo

pasādarūpaṃ nāma

Sensitive material of the eye,

the ear,

nose,

 tongue

and body. 

pasāda describes the sensitive part in any of the sense-organs that registers light, colour, sound etc. Thus as foundation of the respective consciousness it inaugurates the process of eye-door-thought process, ear -door-thought process, etc.

Rūpaṃ saddo

gandho raso

āpodhātuvivajjitaṃ

bhūtattayasaṅkhātaṃ

phoṭṭhabbaṃ

gocararūpaṃ nāma.

Material objects of sense fields,

such as form, sound,

smell, taste and tangibility excluding the element of cohesion,

being cognised as ‘having become’. 

gocararūpaṃ refers to the fields of the senses (lit. pasture, abode) where they find support for the cognition to arise.

āpodhātuvivajjitaṃ: according to the Abhidhamma cohesion in its subtlety cannot be felt by the sense of touch.

Itthattaṃ purisattaṃ

bhāvarūpaṃ nāma.

The material quality of gender, femininity, masculinity.

bhāvarūpaṃ: denoting the condition of the material quality of gender, signifying the physical nature

Hadayavatthu

hadayarūpaṃ nāma

The material quality of the heart – the heart base

hadayavatthu: seat of consciousness, heart-base²

Jīvitindriyaṃ

jīvitarūpaṃ nāma.

The material quality of life – the life-faculty

jīvitindriyaṃ: vital force, vitality – as the physical equivalent to the mental life-faculty it maintains other material qualities in their function.  

Kabaḷīkāro āhāro

āhārarūpaṃ nāma.

The material quality of nutrition – eatable food

kabaḷīkārāhāro: kabaḷīṅkāro (lit: lumping) gross food (nutritious substance) ‘lumped’ into eatable morsels

Iti ca

aṭṭhārasavidhampetaṃ rūpaṃ

sabhāvarūpaṃ

salakkhaṇarūpaṃ

nipphannarūpaṃ

rūparūpaṃ

sammasanarūpanti

ca saṅgahaṃ gacchati.

Here the kinds of matter are subdivided into eighteen sections:

material quality having intrinsic nature,

material quality specific salient  marks,

material quality being produced,

mutable matter

and material quality suitable for introspection.

sabhāva: having the respective inherent characteristic of hardness, fluidity, etc

salakkhaṇa: having the salient  marks of the three characteristics of anicca, dukkha and anatta.

nipphanna: (lit: resulted, sprung from) directly resultant from kamma, mind, climate and food.

rūparūpaṃ: changeableness

sammasana: contemplation on the characteristics of change etc.

Ākāsadhātu paricchedarūpaṃ nāma.

Element of space as limiting material quality

pariccheda: space separates and limits material qualities from each other.

Kāyaviññatti vacīviññatti viññattirūpaṃ nāma.

Material quality of communication and intimation by bodily intimation and verbal intimation

viññatti: communication, intimation of concepts and intention by signs and words

Rūpassa lahutā mudutā kammaññatā viññattidvayaṃ vikārarūpaṃ nāma.

Material quality of mutability through lightness, softness, pliancy and two ways of intimation

vikāra: change and alteration

Rūpassa upacayo santati

jaratā aniccatā

lakkhaṇarūpaṃ nāma.

Jātirūpameva panettha upacayasantatināmena pavuccatīti –

Material quality of salient characteristics of material production, continuance, decay and impermanence. With material production and continuance are meant the material quality of birth–

lakkhaṇarūpaṃ: The salient distinguishable features of organic life arising, growth, (stability) and dissolution. (uppāda, ṭhiti, bhaṅga)

jaratā: decay – state of getting old, refers to the phase that begins with birth and ends with death

jātirūpaṃ: jāti + rūpassa: production of matter

ekādasavidhampetaṃ rūpaṃ aṭṭhavīsatividhaṃ hoti sarūpavasena.

In this way the eleven kinds of material qualities are described as twenty-eight according to their specific properties.