Chapter 2: Classified and Unclassified

Tipitaka >> Abhidhamma Pitaka >> Dhatukatha >> Chapter 2
Pali Versions : Pali-English Version and Pali-Devanagri Version
Translated by : U Narada

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Chapter 2: Classified and Unclassified

 

8 Question and Answers

 

171. Eye base is classified with these states . . . Tangible Object

base is classified with these states; Eye element is classified with

these states . . . Tangible Object element is classified with these states

under the same aggregate, but not classified under the same base

and under the same element. Under how many aggregates, under

how many bases and under how many elements are those states not

classified ? They are not classified jinder 4 aggregates, under 2 bases

and under 8 elements (20).

172. Eye consciousness element is classified with these states;

Ear consciousness element; Nose consciousness element; Tongue

consciousness element; Body consciousness element; Mind element ;

Mind consciousness element is classified with these states

under the same aggregate and under the same base, but not classified

under the same element. . . . They are not classified under 4 aggregates,

under 11 bases and under 12 elements (7).

173. Eye faculty is classified with these states; Ear faculty;

Nose faculty ; Tongue faculty ; Body faculty ; Female faculty ;

Male faculty is classified with these states under the same aggregate,

but not classified under the same base and under the same element. . . .

They are not classified under 4 aggregates, under 2 bases

and under 8 elements (7).

174. Non-percepted becoming is classified with these states ; One

aggregate becoming is classified with these states under the same

aggregate, hut not classified under the same base and under the

same element. . . . They are not classified under 4 aggregates, under

3 bases and under 9 elements (2).

175. Lamentation is classified with these states; States both

visible and impinging are classified with these states under the same

aggregate, but not classified under the same base and under the

same element. . . . They are not classified under 4 aggregates,

under 2 bases and under 8 elements (2).

176. States invisible but impinging are classified with these states

under the same aggregate, but not classified under the same base

and under the same element. . . . They are not classified under

4 aggregates, under 10 bases and under 16 elements (1).

177. States with visibility are classified with these states under

the same aggregate, but not classified under the same base and

under the same element. . . . They are not classified under 4 aggre gates,

under 2 bases and under 8 elements (1).

178. States with impinging are classified with these states ; States

which are derived are classified with these states under the same

aggregate, but not classified under the same base and under the

same element. Under how many aggregates, under how many bases

and under how many elements are those states not classified ? They

are not classified under 4 aggregates, under 11 bases and under 17

elements (2).

Mnemonic

Ten bases, seventeen elements.

Seven faculties, non-percepted becoming, one-aggregate becoming.

Lamentation, both visible and impinging,

Invisible but impinging, visibility, with impinging, derived states.

Explanation of the Method and Chart of Chapter II

Subject Matter : 42 states form the subject matter of this chapter.

35 of these, each of which is only a part of matter aggregate, can

be classified with the other parts of matter aggregate (known as

“ these states ” in the text) under the same aggregate (matter

aggregate) but not under the same base and under the same element.

The remaining 7, each of which is a part of consciousness aggregate,

can be classified with the other parts of consciousness aggregate

(known as “ these states ” in the text) under the same aggregate

(consciousness aggregate) and under the same base (mind base) but

not under the same element. All the remaining states of enquiry

of the text are excluded because they comprise the whole of

materiality and mentality and cannot, therefore, be classified in

this manner. Out of the 42 states 37 belong to the internal and

5 to the external tables which give all the states of enquiry of the

text.

Questions and Answers : The 42 states are dealt with in 8 sets of

questions and answers as shown below, the states being grouped

together in one set wherever the answers are the same with regard

to the numbers of aggregates, bases and elements :-

1. One group of 10 bases and 10 elements, i.e. the 12 gross physical

states (171).

2. One group of 7 consciousness elements (172).

3. One group of 7 faculties (173).

4. One group of 2 becomings (174).

5. One group of 2, namely : lamentation ; states both visible and

impinging (175).

6. States invisible but impinging (176).

7. States with visibility (177).

8. States with impinging and spates which are derived (178).

“ These states ” ; The states that are denoted as “ these states ”

in the text can be found from the Chart. The rules for determining

“ these states ” for each set of question and answer are given

below :-

1. When one of the 12 gross physical states is the state of enquiry,

the remaining 27 physical states of matter aggregate are taken as

“ these states". For instance, when the eye base  is dealt with,

the remaining 27 physical states are taken as “ these states ” . Only

then can the eye base be classified with the remaining 27 physical

states under the same aggregate as all these physical states come

under matter aggregate. But they cannot be classified under the

same base and under the same element as the eye base comes under

eye base and under eye element whereas the remaining 27 physical

states come under other bases and under other elements. In the

cases of tangible object base and tangible object element, each of

which consists of the 3 primary physical states, earth, heat and wind,

the remaining 25 physical states of matter aggregate are taken as

“ these states ” .

2. When one of the 7 consciousness elements, such as the eye

consciousness element, is the state of enquiry, the remaining

6 consciousness elements are taken as “ these states Only then

can eye consciousness element be classified with the remaining

6 consciousness elements under the same aggregate and under the

same base as all these consciousness elements come

under con sciousness aggregate and under mind base. But they cannot be

classified under the same element as eye consciousness element

comes under eye consciousness element whereas the remaining

6 consciousness elements come under other elements.

3. With eye faculty, nose faculty, etc., which are the same as eye

base, nose base, etc., the remaining 27 physical states of matter

aggregate are taken as “ these states ” . But in the cases of female

faculty and male faculty, which are subtle physical states, the

12 gross physical states are taken as “ these states ” . Only then can

each of these faculties be classified with the 12 gross physical states

under the same aggregate as all these physical states come under

matter aggregate. But they cannot be classified under the same

base and under the same element as the female and male faculties

come under cognizable base and under cognizable element whereas

the 12 gross physical states come under gross bases and gross

elements.

4. With non-percepted becoming and one-aggregate becoming

which are the same and include visible object base and cognizable

base, the 11 gross physical states (visible object is excluded from

the 12 gross physical states) are taken as “ these states ” . Only then

can each of these becomings be classified with the 11 gross physical

states under the same aggregate as all these physical states come

under matter aggregate. But they cannot be classified under the

same base and under the same element as the becomings come under

visible object base and cognizable base and under visible object

element and cognizable element whereas the 11 gross physical states

come under other bases and under other elements.

5. Lamentation, which is audible object born of perverted mind,

is the same as sound base. So the remaining 27 physical states of

matter aggregate are taken as “ these states ” . States both visible

and impinging is simply visible object which is the same as visible

object base. So the remaining 27 physical states of matter aggregate

are taken as “ these states ” .

6. States invisible but impinging consist of 11 gross physical states

visible object is excluded from the 12 gross physical states). So

visible object and the 16 subtle physical states are taken as “ these

states ” . As all these physical states come under matter aggregate

they can be classified under the same aggregate. But they cannot

be classified under the same base and under the same element as

the states invisible but impinging come under 9 gross bases and

under 9 gross elements whereas visible object and the 16 subtle

physical states come under visible object base and cognizable base

and under visible object element and cognizable element.

7. States with visibility is visible object which is the same as

visible object base. So the remaining 27 physical states are taken

as “ these states ” .

8. States with impinging are the 12 gross physical states. So the

16 subtle physical states are taken as “ these states ” . As all these

physical states come under matter aggregate, they can be classified

under the same aggregate. But they cannot be classified under the

same base and under the same element as the states with impinging

come under gross bases and under gross elements whereas the 16

subtle physical states come under cognizable base and under

cognizable element.

States which are derived are the 24 physical states of matter

aggregate. So the 3 primary physical states (water is excluded)

are taken as “ these states ” . As all these physical states come

under matter aggregate, they can be classified under the same

aggregate. But they cannot be classified under the same base and

under the same element as the states which are derived come under

other gross bases and under other gross elements whereas the 3

primary physical states come under tangible object base and under

tangible object element.

“ Those states ” : “ Those states ” are the same as the states that

were taken as “ these states ” .

Unclassified : The aggregates, bases and elements under which

each of the states taken as “ these states ” are classified can be

found from the classifications of the states of enquiry given in the

Tables. The remainder are those aggregates, bases and elements

under which “ those states ” (which are the same as “ these states ” )

are not classified. For example, the 27 physical states taken as

“ these states ” in the first set of question and answer are classified

under 1 aggregate (matter aggregate), under 10 bases (9 gross bases

and cognizable base) and under 10 elements (9 gross elements

and cognizable element). Hence “ those states ” , the same 27

physical states, are not classified under the remaining 4 aggregates

(feeling, perception, mental formation and consciousness aggregates),

under the remaining 2 bases (eye base and mind base) and under the

remaining 8 elements (eye element and 7 consciousness elements).

This has to be similarly applied to all “ those states ” in the other

questions and answers.

How to read the Chart: Take the eye base as an illustration.

Eye base is classified with these states (the remaining 27 physical

states of matter aggregate) under the same aggregate (matter

aggregate), but not classified under the same base (eye base) and

under the same element (eye element).

Under how many aggregates, under how many bases and under

how many elements are those states (the remaining 27 physical

states of matter aggregate) not classified ? They are not classified

under 4 aggregates (feeling, perception, mental formation and

consciousness aggregates), under 2 bases (eye base and mind base)

and under 8 elements (eye element and 7 consciousness elements).

Next comes the nose base which is omitted in the text. Nose

base is classified with these states (the remaining 27 physical states

of matter aggregate) under the same aggregate (matter aggregate)

but not classified under the same base (nose base) and under the

same element (nose element).

Under how many aggregates, under how many bases and under

how many elements are those states (the remaining 27 physical

states of matter aggregate) not classified ? They are not classified

under 4 aggregates (feeling, perception, mental formation and

consciousness aggregates), under 2 bases (nose base and mind base)

and under 8 elements (nose element and 7 consciousness elements).

The other gross bases and gross elements are to be dealt with

separately in a similar manner. In the case of tangible object,

which consists of earth, heat and wind, the remaining 25 physical

states of matter aggregate are taken as “ these states ” .

 

The kinds of “ those states ” (or “ these states ” ) : On examination

of the columns of “ those states ” it is found that there are 8 kinds

of “ those states". The numbers of the states of enquiry which

give the same kind are shown in brackets along with the questions,

the latter being grouped together for the same kind.

 

“Those States ”	Question Numbers	No. of States
(1) Remaining 27 physical states .	171(18),173 (5), 175(2), 177(1)	26
(2) Remaining 25 physical states	171 (2)	2
(3) Remaining 6 consciousness elements .	172 (7)	7
(4) 12 gross physical states .	173 (2)	2
(5) 11 gross physical states .	174 (2)	2
(6) Visible object + 16 subtle physical states	176(1)	1
(7) 16 subtle physical states .	178(1)	1
(8) Earth, heat, wind	178(1)	1
		Total 42

                   

In the case of the first 3 kinds, the figures are the same but not

the states. For example if eye base is dealt with, 28 physical states

excluding eye base, i.e. 27, are taken as “ those states ” . With nose

base, 28 excluding nose base, i.e. 27, are taken.

The kinds of Answers ' : The table below the chart shows that

there are 5 kinds of answers. The same answer is given with “ those

states ” which are in the same column as the table. The numbers of

the states of enquiry which give the same kind are shown in brackets

along with the questions, the latter being grouped together for

each kind.

Answers	Question Numbers	No. of States
(1) 4, 2, 8	178 (20), 173 (7), 175(2) 177(1)	30
(2) 4, 11, 12	172 (7)	7
(3) 4, 3,9	174 (2)	2
(4) 4, 10, 16	176 (1 )	1
(5 )4 ,11 , 17	178 (2)	2
		Total 42

             

Though the numbers of aggregates, bases and elements are the

same in each answer, the kinds are not always the same as is shown

below the table. This information is not provided in the text.

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