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12. Viññāṇalakkhaṇapañha

Distinguishing Characteristic of Consciousness Question

“Bhante nāgasena, kiṁlakkhaṇaṁ viññāṇan”ti?
“Venerable Nāgasena, what is the distinguishing characteristic of consciousness?”

“Vijānanalakkhaṇaṁ, mahārāja, viññāṇan”ti.
“Knowing, your majesty, is the distinguishing characteristic of consciousness?”

“Opammaṁ karohī”ti.
“Please give me an analogy.”

“Yathā, mahārāja, nagaraguttiko majjhe nagarasiṅghāṭake nisinno passeyya puratthimadisato purisaṁ āgacchantaṁ, passeyya dakkhiṇadisato purisaṁ āgacchantaṁ, passeyya pacchimadisato purisaṁ āgacchantaṁ, passeyya uttaradisato purisaṁ āgacchantaṁ;
“Just as, your majesty, a town guardian sitting in the middle of the crossroads of the town would see a man coming from the eastern direction, the southern direction, the western direction, and the northern direction.

evameva kho, mahārāja, yañca puriso cakkhunā rūpaṁ passati, taṁ viññāṇena vijānāti.
In the same way, your majesty, a person knows with consciousness whatever form he sees with his eyes,

Yañca sotena saddaṁ suṇāti, taṁ viññāṇena vijānāti.
he knows with consciousness whatever sound he hears with his ears,

Yañca ghānena gandhaṁ ghāyati, taṁ viññāṇena vijānāti.
he knows with consciousness whatever odour he smells with his nose,

Yañca jivhāya rasaṁ sāyati, taṁ viññāṇena vijānāti.
he knows with consciousness whatever flavour he tastes with his tongue,

Yañca kāyena phoṭṭhabbaṁ phusati, taṁ viññāṇena vijānāti, yañca manasā dhammaṁ vijānāti, taṁ viññāṇena vijānāti.
he knows with consciousness whatever touch he contacts with his body, and he knows with consciousness whatever thought he knows with his mind.

Evaṁ kho, mahārāja, vijānanalakkhaṇaṁ viññāṇan”ti.
So too, your majesty, knowing is the distinguishing characteristic of consciousness?”

“Kallosi, bhante nāgasenā”ti.
“You are clever, venerable Nāgasena.”

Viññāṇalakkhaṇapañho dvādasamo.
Distinguishing Characteristic of Consciousness Question twelfth