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Abhidharmakosa Study Materials

Chapter 1:Dhatu (Elements)

Contents

Overview and the 5 Skandhas 18

Skandha-Ayatana-Dhatu-Pancavastuka Chart 19

More on the Skandhas, Ayatanas, Dhatus 20

Attribute Study of the Dhatus (Table) 21

Basic o tline of Chapter 1 Karika

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Basic outline of Chapter 1 Karika

Abhidharmakosa Chapter 1:Dhatu (Elements)

Overview: Chapters 1 and 2 lay out basic principles. The first 3 karikas are expository for the work as a whole and are in a

different meter (as are the final 4 karikas of Chapter 8). K3 in particular states that discernment of the dharmas (dharma-

pravicaya) is necessary to realize liberation. Chapters 1 and 2 are an exposition of the dharmas, they describe the basic

principles or elemental forces. The later chapters are concrete and describe how these forces work together in the process of

samsara (Chapters 3-5) and liberation (chapters 6-8). As such, the first two chapters are a difficult place to enter Abhidharma

studies. The practical import of the material in Chapters 1 and 2 is unfolded in the later chapters.

This chapter introduces a set of key distinctions in K4-8 (see table below), defines the 5 skandhas, describes the relationship

between the 5 skandhas, 12 ayatanas and 18 dhatus (see chart below), deals with some related points and then carries out a

detailed attribute study of the dhatus (see below).

Table 1: K48: Key Distinctions:

All Dharmas

Conditioned (samskrta) Unconditioned (asamskrta)

Temporal (advan: paths), grounds of discourse, liable to expire (possessed of

leaving), well-grounded [on causes] (possessed of causes) (K7).

Space (akasa) and two

types of cessation (nirodha) (K5)

Contaminated(sasrava) because the

defilements adhere to them (K4)

Uncontaminated

(anasrava)

Uncontaminated

(anasrava)

1st

and 2nd

Noble Truths

of Suffering & Origination (K8)

4th

Noble

Truth of the Path

(K4)

3rd

Noble

Truth of Cessation(K6)Upadana-skandha: of conflict, the world, false opinions,

existence (K8)

5 Skandha = All conditioned dharmas (K7)

12 Ayatanas = 18 Dhatus = All Dharmas

Definitions of the 5 Skandhas:

I. Rupa Skandha: 5 sense organs, 5 sense objects and avijnapti:

The 5 sense organs are the subtle materiality of the eye, ear, nose, tongue and body. (K9)

The 5 sense objects are defined as follows: (K10)

Visible matter is color and shape, or twenty-fold: four primary colors (blue, red, yellow, white), eight more colors

(cloud, smoke, dust, mist, shade, glare, glow, darkness), and eight shapes (long, short, square, round, high, low,

even, uneven). The Sautrantika only admit color, not shape or form, as a dharma. Note: the Sanskrit (rupa) and the

Chinese () use the same term for material form (as in rupa-skandha) and visible matter (or color) (see K24).Soundis eightfold: caused by (1) animate or (2) inanimate beings, (3) articulate speech and (4) non-articulate sound,

and in all 4 cases, either agreeable or disagreeable.

Taste is sixfold: sweet, sour, salty, pungent, bitter, astringent.

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Panca-vastuka

5 Categories

5 Skandha

Aggregates

75 Dharmas (Puguangs distillation from the

Abhidharmakosa, Ch 1, 2 & 5)

12 Ayatana

Gates

18 Dhatu

Elements

Five Indriya (Faculties)

1.Caksur (eye)2.Srotra (ear)3.Ghrana (nose)4.Jihva (tongue)

5.Kaya (touch)

1.Caksur (eye)

2.Srotra (ear)3.Ghrana (nose)4.Jihva (tongue)5.Kaya (touch)

1.Caksur (eye)

2.Srotra (ear)3.Ghrana (nose)4.Jihva (tongue)5.Kaya (touch)

I. Rupa

(material form)

1.Rupa-skandha

(material form)

Five Artha (Sensory objects)

6.Rupa (sight)7.Sabda (sound)

8.Gandha (smell)9.Rasa (taste)10.Sparstavya (tangible)

6.Mano (mind) 6.Mano (mind)

7.Rupa (sight)8.Sabda (sound)

9.Gandha(smell)

10.Rasa (taste)11.Sparstavya

(tangible)

7.Rupa (sight)8.Sabda (sound)

9.Gandha (smell)

10.Rasa (taste)11.Sparstavya

(tangible)

11. Avijnapti (non-infromation)

II. Citta (Mind) 12. Citta (thought)

2.Vedana-

skandha (feeling)

Samprayukta (46 caitta): Mahabhumikas (universals):

13. Vedana (sensation), 14. Cetana (volition), 15. Samjna(ideation), 16. Chanda (predilection), 17. Sparsa (contact),18. Prajna (understanding), 19. Smrti (mindfulness), 20.Manaskara (attention), 21. Adhimoksha (determination), 22.

Samadhi (concentration)

Kusala-mahabhumikas (skillful universals):

23. Sraddha (faith), 24. Apramada (diligence), 25.

Prasrabdhi (calm), 26. Upeksa (equanimity), 27. Hri(modesty), 28. Apatrapya (shame), 29. Alobha (non-greed),30. Advesa (non-hatred), 31. Avihimsa (harmlessness), 32.

Virya (vigor).

Klesa-mahabhumikas (Defiled universals):

33. Moha (delusion), 34. Pramada (non-diligence), 35.Kausidya (slackness), 36. Asraddhya (lack of faith), 37.Styana (torpor), 38. Auddhatya (restlessness)

Akusala-mahabhumikas (unskillful universals):39. Ahrikya (non-modesty), 40. Anapatrapya(shamelessness)

Parittaklesa-bhumikas (defilements of restricted scope):

41 Krodha (anger) 42 Upanaha (enmity) 43 Sathya

12. Dharma 12.Dharma

3.Samjna-skandha(conception)

III. Caita-sika

(mental factors)

Six Vijnanaconsciousnesses:13.Caksur (eye)14.Srotra (ear)

15.Ghrana (nose)

16.Jihva (tongue)17.Kaya (touch)18. Mano (mind)

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More on the Skandhas, Ayatanas and Dhatus (and their attributes)

K20: Significance of the teachings of the skandhas, ayatanas and dhatus:

Instruction by the category

(signifying):

Error/Delusion (moha)finding a self (atman) in:

Faculties/Organs(indriya) are

Joy/Predilections (ruci) of one

predisposed to a teaching that is:

1 Skandha (heap, aggregate) Caitta (thought concomitants)[SKANDHA: 1 RUPA/4 CITTA]

Sharp Condensed (5 skandhas)

2 Ayatana (gate of entry,

access-door)

Rupa (material Form)[AYATANA: 10 RUPA/2 CITTA]

Medium Medium-length (12 ayatanas)

3 Dhatu (lineage, species,

source)

Rupa-citta (form & thought)[DHATU: 10 RUPA/8 CITTA]

Dull Extensive (18 dhatus)

K22: Justifications for the order of the skandhas:

Skandha In terms ofgrossness In terms ofdefilement In terms of themeaningof a bowl, etc

Rupa (material form) [material] form (rupa) is the

grossest of all [the aggregates],

since it possesses impact

(pratigha).

Or else, in beginningless

Samsara, men and women are

attracted to each other's forms,

the aggregates

beginning with form, are

[figuratively] the bowl

[rupa],

Vedana (feeling) feeling (vedana) is the grossest in

its functioning, for people

differentiate it thus: a feeling inmy hand, a feeling in my foot.

and they are so because of

greed for the taste of feelings.

the food [vedana],

Samjna (conception) Idea (samjna) is grosser that the

next two,

That greed comes from

perversion of ideas.

the condiment [samjna],

Samskara (formations) and dispositions (samskara) are

grosser than

That perversion is by

defilements [which are certain

dispositions],

the cook [samskara],

Vijnana (consciousness) cognition (vijnana). and it is thought [citta, vijnana,

cognition] which is defiled by

those.

and the eater [vijnana].

K37-38: Causal attributes:

Vi k j [k i ll ] f iti l f f iti b f f [k i ] f iti

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Summary of the classifications the dhatu s in

K29-48 of Chapter 1

X = inclusion. P = partial.

18Dhatus:

1.Caksur(eye)

2.Srotra(ear)

3.G

hrana(nose)

4.J

ihva(tongue)

5.Kaya(touch)

6.Mano(mind)

7.Rupa(sight)

8.Sabda(sound)

9.Gandha(smell)

10.Rasa(taste)

11.Sparstavya(tangible)

12.D

harma

13.Caksur-vijnana

(eye-consciousness)

14.Srotra-vijnana

(ear-consciousness)

15.G

hrana-vijnana

(nose-consciousness)

16.J

ihva-vijnana

(tongue-consciousness)

17.Kaya-vijnana

(touch-consciousness)

18.

Mano-vijnana

(mind-consciousness)

Attributes (karika #) :

Visible (K29) X

Capable of being struck (K29) X X X X X X X X X X

Avyakrta (morally neutral) (K29) X X X X X X X X

Kusala, Akusala or Avyakrta (K30) X X X X X X X X X X

Rupadhatu (K30) (Kamadhatu has all (K30) ) X X X X X X X X X X X X X X

Arupyadhatu (K31) X X X

Sasrava (impure) or Anasrava (pure) (K31) X X X

Sasrava (impure) (K31) X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X

Always include vitarka & vicara (K32) X X X X X

Include both vitarka & vicara, just vicara, or neither (K32) X X X

Not associated with vitarka and vicara (K32) X X X X X X X X X X

Have an object (K34) X P X X X X X XNon-appropriated (K34) X X X X X X X X X

Appropriated or non-appropriated (K34) X X X X X X X X X

Primary elements & secondary matter (K35) X

Solely secondary matter (K35) X X X X X X X X X

Agglomerations (K35) X X X X X X X X X X

Cut, are cut, burned and weighed (K36) X X X X

Vipakaja (of fruition) (K37-38) X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X

Aupacayika (accumulation) (K37-38) X X X X X X X X X X

Naisyandika (outflowing) (K37-38) X X X X X X X X X X X X X

Dravyayukta (real) (K38) P

Ksanika (momentary) (K38) X X XInternal (K39) X X X X X X X X X X X X

Sabhaga (S) or sabhaga & tatsabhaga (ST) (K39) ST ST ST ST ST ST ST ST ST ST ST S ST ST ST ST ST ST

Abandoned through meditation (K40) X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X

Abandoned through seeing or meditation or not abandoned X X X

View (K41) X P

Know object without attaining it (K43) X X X

Know object with attaining it (K43) X X X

Grasp an object of their dimension (K44) X X X

Point of support past (P) or simultaneous (S) (K44) S S S S S P

Same or higher level(SH), same, higher or lower(SHL), own

level(O), own or lower(OL), unrestricted(U)(K46-47)SH SH O O O U SHL SHL O O O U SH SH O O OL U

Discerned by two consciousnesses (K48) X X X X X

Indriya (faculties) (K48) X X X X X X P X X X X X X