1Thus have I heard. On one occasion the Venerable Mahakaccana was dwelling among the people of Avanti on Mount Papata at Kuraraghara. Then the householder Haliddakani approached the Venerable Mahakaccana … and said to him: [n.124] As at SN22.3–4.

"Venerable sir, it was said by the Blessed One: ‘It is in dependence on the diversity of elements that there arises the diversity of contacts; in dependence on the diversity of contacts that there arises the diversity of feelings.’ [n.125] The quote is from SN14.4. How is this so, venerable sir?"

"Here, householder, having seen a form with the eye, a bhikkhu understands an agreeable one thus: ‘Such it is!’ [n.126] Manāpaṃ itth’ etan ti pajānāti. Spk: He understands the agreeable form seen by him thus, "Such it is," that is, "This is just an agreeable one." There is eye-consciousness, and in dependence on a contact to be experienced as pleasant there arises a pleasant feeling. [n.127] I read with Be and Se, Cakkhuviññāṇaṃ sukhavedanīyañ ca phassaṃ paṭicca…, which seems preferable to Ee, Cakkhuviññāṇaṁ sukhavedaniyaṁ. Sukhavedaniyaṁ phassaṁ paṭicca…. It is unclear whether cakkhuviññāṇaṁ is being listed as an additional element or is intended merely as a condition for the feeling. I follow Spk in taking it in the former sense: "There is eye-consciousness, and a contact which is a condition for pleasant feeling under the heading of decisive support, proximity, contiguity, or association see Vism 532–41; Ppn 17:66–100. In dependence on that contact to be experienced as pleasant, there arises a pleasant feeling." Then, having seen a form with the eye, a bhikkhu understands a disagreeable one thus: ‘Such it is!’ There is eye-consciousness, and in dependence on a contact to be experienced as painful there arises a painful feeling. Then, having seen a form with the eye, a bhikkhu understands one that is a basis for equanimity thus: ‘Such it is!’ There is eye-consciousness, and in dependence on a contact to be experienced as neither-painful-nor-pleasant there arises a neither-painful-nor-pleasant feeling.

2"Further, householder, having heard a sound with the ear … having smelt an odour with the nose … having savoured a taste with the tongue … having felt a tactile object with the body … having cognized a mental phenomenon with the mind, a bhikkhu understands an agreeable one thus … sn.iv.116 … a disagreeable one thus … one that is a basis for equanimity thus: ‘Such it is!’ There is mind-consciousness, and in dependence on a contact to be experienced as neither-painful-nor-pleasant there arises a neither-painful-nor-pleasant feeling.

"It is in this way, householder, that in dependence on the diversity of elements there arises the diversity of contacts, and in dependence on the diversity of contacts there arises the diversity of feelings."

1Ekaṁ samayaṁ āyasmā mahākaccāno avantīsu vihārati kuraraghare papāte pabbate. Atha kho hāliddikāni gahapati yenāyasmā mahākaccāno tenupasaṅkami … pe … ekamantaṁ nisinno kho hāliddikāni gahapati āyasmantaṁ mahākaccānaṁ etadavoca:

"Vuttamidaṁ, bhante, bhagavatā: ‘dhātunānattaṁ paṭicca uppajjati phassanānattaṁ; phassanānattaṁ paṭicca uppajjati vedanānānattan’ti. Kathaṁ nu kho, bhante, dhātunānattaṁ paṭicca uppajjati phassanānattaṁ; phassanānattaṁ paṭicca uppajjati vedanānānattan"ti?

"Idha, gahapati, bhikkhu cakkhunā rūpaṁ disvā ‘manāpaṁ itthetan’ti pajānāti cakkhuviññāṇaṁ sukhavedaniyañca. Phassaṁ paṭicca uppajjati sukhā vedanā. Cakkhunā kho paneva rūpaṁ disvā ‘amanāpaṁ itthetan’ti pajānāti cakkhuviññāṇaṁ dukkhavedaniyañca. Phassaṁ paṭicca uppajjati dukkhā vedanā. Cakkhunā kho paneva rūpaṁ disvā ‘upekkhāṭṭhāniyaṁ itthetan’ti pajānāti cakkhuviññāṇaṁ adukkhamasukhavedaniyañca. Phassaṁ paṭicca uppajjati adukkhamasukhā vedanā.

2Puna caparaṁ, gahapati, bhikkhu sotena saddaṁ sutvā … pe … ghānena gandhaṁ ghāyitvā … pe … jivhāya rasaṁ sāyitvā … pe … kāyena phoṭṭhabbaṁ phusitvā … pe … manasā dhammaṁ viññāya ‘manāpaṁ itthetan’ti pajānāti manoviññāṇaṁ sukhavedaniyañca. Phassaṁ paṭicca uppajjati sukhā vedanā. Manasā kho paneva dhammaṁ viññāya ‘amanāpaṁ itthetan’ti pajānāti manoviññāṇaṁ dukkhavedaniyañca. Phassaṁ paṭicca uppajjati dukkhā vedanā. Manasā kho paneva dhammaṁ viññāya ‘upekkhāṭṭhāniyaṁ itthetan’ti pajānāti manoviññāṇaṁ adukkhamasukhavedaniyañca. Phassaṁ paṭicca uppajjati adukkhamasukhā vedanā.

Evaṁ kho, gahapati, dhātunānattaṁ paṭicca uppajjati phassanānattaṁ; phassanānattaṁ paṭicca uppajjati vedanānānattan"ti.

Sattamaṁ.