Milindapañha
Translators: kelly
Milinda's Questions
Vicāravagga
Examination Chapter
8. Phassalakkhaṇapañha
Distinguishing Characteristic of Contact Question
Rājā āha—
The king asked:
“bhante nāgasena, yattha manoviññāṇaṁ uppajjati, phassopi vedanāpi tattha uppajjatī”ti?
“Venerable Nāgasena, do contact and also feeling arise where mind consciousness arises?”
“Āma, mahārāja, yattha manoviññāṇaṁ uppajjati, phassopi tattha uppajjati, vedanāpi tattha uppajjati, saññāpi tattha uppajjati, cetanāpi tattha uppajjati, vitakkopi tattha uppajjati, vicāropi tattha uppajjati, sabbepi phassappamukhā dhammā tattha uppajjantī”ti.
“Yes, your majesty, where mind consciousness arises, there too contact, feeling, perception, intention, applied thought, and examination arise, and all mental states that arise there are led by contact.”
“Bhante nāgasena, kiṁlakkhaṇo phasso”ti?
“Venerable Nāgasena, what is the distinguishing characteristic of contact?”
“Phusanalakkhaṇo, mahārāja, phasso”ti.
“Touching, your majesty, is the distinguishing characteristic of contact.”
“Opammaṁ karohī”ti.
“Please give me an analogy.”
“Yathā, mahārāja, dve meṇḍā yujjheyyuṁ, tesu yathā eko meṇḍo, evaṁ cakkhu daṭṭhabbaṁ.
“Suppose, your majesty, that two rams were fighting. One of these rams is to be seen as the eye,
Yathā dutiyo meṇḍo, evaṁ rūpaṁ daṭṭhabbaṁ.
the other ram is to be seen as form,
Yathā tesaṁ sannipāto, evaṁ phasso daṭṭhabbo”ti.
and the meeting of the two is to be seen as contact.”
“Bhiyyo opammaṁ karohī”ti.
“Give me another analogy.”
“Yathā, mahārāja, dve pāṇī vajjeyyuṁ, tesu yathā eko pāṇi, evaṁ cakkhu daṭṭhabbaṁ.
“Suppose, your majesty, that two hands were clapped together. One of these hands is to be seen as the eye,
Yathā dutiyo pāṇi, evaṁ rūpaṁ daṭṭhabbaṁ.
the other hand is to be seen as form,
Yathā tesaṁ sannipāto, evaṁ phasso daṭṭhabbo”ti.
and the meeting of the two is to be seen as contact.”
“Bhiyyo opammaṁ karohī”ti.
“Give me another analogy.”
“Yathā, mahārāja, dve sammā vajjeyyuṁ, tesu yathā eko sammo, evaṁ cakkhu daṭṭhabbaṁ.
“Suppose, your majesty, that two cymbals were clanged together. One of these cymbals is to be seen as the eye,
Yathā dutiyo sammo, evaṁ rūpaṁ daṭṭhabbaṁ.
the other cymbal is to be seen as form,
Yathā tesaṁ sannipāto, evaṁ phasso daṭṭhabbo”ti.
and the meeting of the two is to be seen as contact.”
“Kallosi, bhante nāgasenā”ti.
“You are clever, venerable Nāgasena.”
Phassalakkhaṇapañho aṭṭhamo.
Distinguishing Characteristic of Contact Question eighth