Chapter 8 - A Being

In brief, the eye and the sight are only material qualities (rupa ) and the consciousness of the sight is mental quality (nama ). In reality, there are only these two phenomena. i.e. mental and material (nama-rupa ), which constitute a being.

If we scrutinise them, we will discern that they are momentarily arising and passing away for ever and ever. During such a moment of seeing, unless we meditate on the phenomena of Mind and Matter and their arising and passing away, the defilements of ignorance (Avijja) and craving (Tanha) do arise in our eyes. Then due to this, there arises grasping which again gives rise to the process of new birth (bhava) and it lengthens the Cyclic Chain of Paticca Samuppada, widening the scope of Samsara.