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Sensory contact. Phassa literally means touch or contact, and connotes sensorial or mental impression. It is the correlation (saṅgati) between the sense-organ, the sense-object, and the sensory awareness (tiṇṇaṃ saṅgati phass a) eye, (visible) object and consciousness.
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Sensory contact • Phassa literally means touch or contact, and connotes sensorial or mental impression. • It is the correlation (saṅgati) between the sense-organ, the sense-object, and the sensory awareness (tiṇṇaṃ saṅgati phassa) • eye, (visible) object and consciousness. • “This situation occurs: that when there is eye, your reverences, when there is visible object, when there is visual consciousness, one will recognise the manifestation of sensory impingement (phassa). . .”
The Theravāda position is that phassa is not the mere correlation of the three (na saṅgati mattam’eva phasso), but what actually results from it. • Feeling arises from this conscious sensory event. • Chachakka Sutta in Majjhimanikaya enumerates, among other things, six types of internal sources of consciousness (ajjhattika āyatana), six types of external sources of consciousness (bāhira āyatana), six types of consciousness (viňňāṇakāya), six types of sensory contact (phassakāya), six kinds of feeling (vedanākāya), and six kinds of craving (taṇhākāya).
The Atthasalini states It has touching as its salient characteristic, impact as its function, “coinciding” (of the physical base, object and consciousness) as its manifestation, and the object which has entered the avenue (of awareness) as proximate cause. • Sense and object are not to be thought of as literally touching one another: rather, phassa is what occurs when there is the appropriate coming together of the two (and viňňāṇa).
Does it refer to the physical collision between the sense-organ and the sense-object? • Although phassais not physical impact, it is something similar to it. Although non-material, it behaves as if it were “touching the object”. • While phassadoes not impinge on the object, it brings about a sort of collision between the consciousness (in the sense-organ) and the object. • Itis the mental factor through which consciousness mentally touches the object.
If contact is a mental dhammahow can it be described as having the characteristic of touching? • The answer is the following illustration: “When a person sees another person eating a sour mango, saliva arises in his mouth.” • In the same way, phassadoes not touch the object in a physical sense. Nevertheless it helps consciousness to mentally touch the object of cognition.
Phassadivides itself into six types as contact born of eye-contact, ear-contact, nose-contact, tongue-contact, body-contact, and mind-contact. • All of the views arise because of continual contact in the six spheres of contact. • "Contacted one feels, contacted one thinks, and contacted one perceive.” • It is from the arising of phassathat vedanā, saňňāand saṃkhāra arise, and from its cessation that they cease.
Viňňāṇa is not dependent on phassa since phassa involves viňňāṇa. • So, phassa is the contact which takes place when viňňāṇa, sense organ and sense object come together, as a conscious sensory event. • Two distinct kinds of phassa: adhivacanasamphassa and paṭighasamphassa. • Paṭighasamphassa refers to phassa in the sense of sensory contact, and adhivacanasamphassa refers to phassa which is verbal.
Paṭigha-samphassarefers to impressionsthat occur as the result of external stimuli, such as sights and sounds. • Adhivacana-samphassais so called because it arises with the non-corporeal four khandhasas its base. • It is the same as mano-samphassa • Six types of phassa distinguished into these two groups.
Chadāyatana • Chadāyatana • six sense organs • Material/non-material • Ideas and thoughts are produced through the experience of the five physical sense faculties and are conceived by the faculty of mind. • The mind functions as a coordinator of the rest of the organs.
The comming together of the eye- faculty (cakkhuindriya), a visual form (rūpa) and visual conciousness (cakkhuviññāṇa) is contact or sense impingement (phassa). • Depending on ‘phassa’ there arises sensation (vedanā) and perception (saññā). • Buddha says that one who does not have grasping or attachment (upādāna) to any of these, has no more becoming or rebirth or existence.
At the stage of attachment or grasping, the person accumulates volitional actions (kamma), which originates karmic consequences or fruition (kamma vipāka). • Why two people committing similar evil deeds (akusala kamma) but reaping different consequences (vipāka) in different ways? • The consequence (vipāka or phala) of a deed (kamma) is not determined solely by the deed itself, but also by many other factors, such as the nature of the person who commits the deed and the circumstances in which it is committed and so on.
As a consequence of the six sense organs’ reaction and response to their objects, humans remain in the Samsaric world. • Human existence stands upon the correspondence of the six sense organs with their objects. • How the six sense organs correspond to the external world?
Three spheres of existence: sensuous sphere, fine material sphere and immaterial sphere. • Sensual pleasure is considered as a natural phenomenon in this sensuous sphere. • Does Buddhism condemn the enjoyment of sensual pleasure? • The enjoyment of sensual pleasure, however, is not condemned, but what is condemned is the desire for sensual pleasure (kāmataṇhā) and clinging or attachment to it (upādāna).
Among them the person who is given to sensual pleasures, seeks wealth unlawfully and by violence, so seeking wealth, he gets ease, no pleasure for himself, he shares it not with others, he does no meritorious deeds. This person is condemned. But the person who is given to sensual pleasures, seeks wealth by lawful means, without violence and seeking it, he gets no ease, gets pleasure for himself, shares it with others and does meritorious deeds. He makes use of his wealth, without greed and longing, he is guiltless of offence, he is heedful of danger and alive to his own salvation. • However, it is difficult to experience any sort of pleasure without feeling attached to it.
One who enjoys sensual pleasure becomes attached to it and, therefore, the attachment generates kamma. • “The craving (taṇhā) of man center round the acquisition of pleasure, fame, longevity and happiness after death.” [AN] • “The thirst for sensual pleasure (kāmatanhā) is the origin of human existence.”
By nature, humans inherit the thirst for sensual pleasure. • “There are six kinds of thirst for sensual pleasure which are thirst for visual form, sound, odour, taste, tangible object and mind objects.” • By nature, humans inherit the thirst for sensual pleasure. • Because of this sensual craving (kama tanhā), humans cherish their feelings and are attached to feelings which they get through their sense organs.
Is the sensual pleasure different from sexual activity? • Seeing a partner, hearing the partner, smelling, tasting, touching and having emotions one acquires sensual pleasure. • “There is no other sensual pleasure for men like the one they obtain from seeing a female, hearing female voice, smelling female odour, tasting a female and touching a female body. For women also the highest pleasure is obtained from seeing a male, hearing a male voice, smelling a male odour, tasting a male and touching a male body.”
According to Buddhist teachings, humans’ sexual desire never brings fulfillment until the person attains Nibbāna. • Buddhism compares human sexual desire to a dog licking a bone to satisfy its hunger. • Human nature is based on a perpetual search for more happiness. • “Unāvahutvānajahantidehā, Kāmehilokamhina hi atthitittī”. • Everyone dies with something lacking; there is no satisfaction in worldly pleasure.
How one gets rid of desire for sense pleasures? • The Buddha advises: “Be guarded the doors of the sense faculties.” • Herein a monk, seeing an object with the eye, does not grasp at the general features or at the details thereof. Since coveting and dejection, evil, unprofitable states, might flow in upon one who dwells with the faculty of the eye uncontrolled, he applies himself to such control, he sets a guard over the faculty of the eye, attains control thereof. When he hears a sound
with the ear, or with the nose smells a scent, or with the tongue tastes a savour, or with the body contacts tangibles; when with the mind he cognizes mental states, he does not grasp at the general features or details thereof. But since coveting and dejection, evil, unprofitable states, might flow in upon... he sets a guard over the faculty of mind, attains control thereof. That is how a monk has the doors of the sense faculties guarded.
One who guards the doors of the sense faculties by avoiding any kind of attachment to objects will no longer surrender to the thirst of sensual pleasure or sensual craving (kāmatanhā). • Disciplining the sense faculties is the only way, according to Buddhism, one can direct the mind to concentration. • Perfect concentration helps the dawn of wisdom.
