How can the sixth channel of dhatus be understood?
Upvote:-1
A physical eye, similar to a mirror, may reflect an external image/object in it. However, the mental property/element of eye consciousness is require for the mind to experience/know the external image/object/sight.
Similar to the physical eye, the mano-dhatu is the sense organ required for the mind to know things/objects that can only be sensed/experienced/known by mano-dhatu. The things/objects that can only be sensed by mano-dhatu include:
- Feelings
- Perceptions
- Thoughts and defilements (moods, emotions, drives)
- Consciousness itself
- Truth, such as Four Noble Truths, impermanence, unsatisfactoriness, not-self, emptiness
- Nibbana
While the Pali suttas do not explicitly define 'dharma-dhatu', obviously 'dharma-dhatu' are far more extensive than mere 'mental objects' (feelings, perceptions & thoughts) because they must include Truth (Insight) and Nibbana. Obviously, this is why the word 'dhamma' is used (rather than a term that is exclusively mental, such as "cetasika" or "nama-dhamma").
Originally, Bhikkhu Bodhi properly translated dhamma-dhatu (in Pali) as "mind-objects"; meaning "objects known by the mind". But recently, he has changed his translation to "mental phenomena", which is wrong (because Truth and Nibbana are not mental phenomena or nama-dhamma). The translations of Thanissaro and Sujato Bhikkhu of "ideas" and "thoughts" is also wrong.
Upvote:2
OP: Could someone help clarifying the sixth channel of the eighteen dhatus - that is - the mental objects (dharma-dhatu), the mental faculty (mano-dhatu) and the mental consciousness (mano-vijΓ±Δna-dhatu)?
Here is a good explanation:
The element which is mano-dhatu or mind-element is nama. Mano-dhatu comprises the panca-dvaravajjana-citta (five-sense-door-adverting-consciousness) and the two types of sampaticchana-citta (receiving-consciousness) which are kusala vipaka and akusala vipaka. Thus three kinds of citta are mano-dhatu.
Dhamma-dhatu comprises both nama and rupa. Dhamma-dhatu is the cetasikas, the subtle rupas (sukhuma-rupas) and nibbana.
Mano-vinnana-dhatu or mind-consciousness-element is nama. It comprises all cittas which are not the dvi-panca-vinnanas and not mano-dhatu. For example, santirana-citta (investigating-consciousness), mano-dvaravajjana-citta (mind-door-adverting-consciousness) and the cittas performing the function of javana such as lobha-mula-citta are mano-vinnana-dhatu.
Panca-vinnana-dhatu (seeing-consciousness-element, etc.), the mano-dhatu (mind-element) and the mano-vinnana-dhatu (mind-consciousness-element) are: vinnana-dhatu (consciousness-element).
Dhamma-dhatu is not identical with dhammarammana (mind-objects). Cittas are included in dhammarammana, but not in dhamma-dhatu, since dhamma-dhatu is: cetasikas, subtle rupas and nibbana. When cittas are classified as elements they are the seven classes of vinnana-dhatu, namely:
Panca-vinnana-dhatu (which are five classes), mano-dhatu (mind-element), mano-vinnana-dhatu (mind-consciousness-element).
Concepts and conventional terms (pannatti) which are included in dhammarammana are not dhamma-dhatu, because they are not paramattha dhammas. Only paramattha dhammas are classified as elements.
Abhidhamma in Daily Life by Nina Van Gorkom, Chapter 18 - Elements
OP: if possible the relevant suttas that mention these
This is found in:
More post
- π Any research on the authorship of the Avatamsaka Suttra?
- π What is the real meaning of 'Knowledge and Vision' in the Pali-texts?
- π In what form or fashion might it be ethical to "bestow" consciousness on an AI? A question and conversation with ChatGPT:
- π What if a course lacks a proper introduction to Buddhist philosophy?
- π AvataαΉsaka Sutra in Sanskrit
- π Are there formal mechanisms in any Buddhist institutions that explicitly reconcile Buddhist principles with science?
- π A Jewish Buddhist?
- π Can a person live by the Dhamma and have another religion as well?
- π Forgoing Enlightenment
- π How do I control my mind?
- π Balancing, renewing or gaining Faith
- π Could someone help me transcribe a Pali chant?
- π What object should one focus on when meditating to reduce anxiousness?
- π Does each Buddha find a new path?
- π What happens if a monk is called for jury duty?
- π Enlightenment finding me
- π Is the Buddha advocating delighting in sensuality in SN 42.12?
- π How do you talk to someone whose loved one is dying?
- π The role of doubt in Zen Buddhist practice?
- π I feel like I'm in the wrong place
- π Abhidhamma: can dependent origination arise without any sense bases?
- π After samadhi what?
- π Which sutta(s) say that Rahula was the Buddha's son?
- π Happiness and Karma
- π Will actors really go to hell?
- π Continuity of memories as a proof of the existence of self
- π How to do metta for a long time (before sleep)?
- π Discrepancy between quality and consistency
- π According to the Dhamma monks have no rights?
- π Can one take rebirth as an insect?
Source: stackoverflow.com
Search Posts
Related post
- π How can the sixth channel of dhatus be understood?
- π How can we view the statement that βlife must be understood backwards but must be lived forwards" from a Buddhist perspective?
- π How can I assess the quality of a local Buddhist group?
- π How can I build up to being able to get into the full lotus position?
- π How can you see suffering in the breath?
- π How can a lay person approach the learning process of Buddhism?
- π How can one define luxurious beds and seats in the eighth precept?
- π How can the idea of reincarnation be true if all the information of who we are is already destroyed
- π How can I make amends with the one I wronged?
- π In the wheel of life, how can death be a condition for ignorance?
- π How can I escape the suffering of losing my father?
- π What exactly are the last two of the Arupa Jhanas? How can we transcend them and for what?
- π How can one apply the skills developed through Vipassana meditation to overcome FMO/PMO (fantasy, p**n, masturbation, o*g**m) addiction?
- π How can Name-and-form be the cause and condition for the manifestation of the consciousness aggregate?
- π How can we make sense of the Universe from the Buddhist perspective?
- π How can we use the triple round model to understand dependent origination?
- π How can the Buddha (after he was enlightened) reflect that he was not at ease and then became at ease in seclusion?
- π If Buddha is able to predict the future of other sentient beings how can freewill be possible as its very nature is that of unpredictability?
- π How can I overcome the causes of anger?
- π How can I remedy the erratic energy-power that arises from vipassana aka cessation-contemplation meditation so I can feel more in-control?
- π How can the sensations of the meditation object (attention to the breath) be made more noticeable?
- π How can anyone who hasn't realised the truth, claim that Mahatma Buddha or any other person in history realised God or the Truth?
- π How can I as a layperson approach the discourses given to monks?
- π What is Right View, and how can it be applied in the contemporary world?
- π How can we know the original meaning of a word with certainty?
- π How can I stop thinking about the clock when meditating? I meditate for 30 minutes every day
- π How can the world's youth discover careers that are aligned with consciousness and Buddhism?
- π How can I stop feeling guilty that Iβve taken the lives of so many insects in my life unintentionally
- π How can I be sure if the Buddha actually woke up?
- π How Can One Tell The Difference Between The Spiritual Mind And The Physical Mind?