We Will Now Set Forth The Causes In Another Way

Each of the six classes of consciousness has four causes. For the arising of the consciousness of sight there is needed Cakkhu-vatthu, Ruparammana, Aloka and Manasikara. Of these, Manasikara is the name of the Avajjana-citta, which turns the process of mind in the direction of the object of sight. Aloka means light. Unless there is light, the function of seeing will not take place, nor the process of cognition. Cakkhu-vatthu means eye-basis; and Ruparammana means object of sight, literally, form-object.

For the arising of the consciousness of Sound, there is needed Sota-vatthu (ear-basis) Sadda-rammana (object of sound), Akasa and Manasikara. Here Akasa means the space through which sound is communicated to the ear. The function of hearing can take place only when it is present; the process of ear-door cognitions also occurs only when hearing takes place.

For the arising of the consciousness of smell, there is needed Ghana-vatthu (nose basis), Gandharammana (object of smell), Vata and Manasikara. Here Vata means the air in the nose or the inhaled air. If this is not present, odors cannot come into contact with the nose-basis, and consequently the function of smelling and the nose-door cognitions cannot take place.

For the arising of the consciousness of taste, there is needed Jivha-vatthu (tongue-basis), Rasarammana (object of taste), Apa and Manasakira. Here Apa means wetness of the tongue. If the tongue is dry, the savor or sapidity cannot come into contact with the tongue-basis, and consequently the function of tasting and the tongue-door cognitions cannot take place.

For the arising of the consciousness of touch, there is needed Kaya-vatthu (body basis), Photthabbarammana (object of touch), Thaddha and Manasikara. Here Thaddha means the quality of the object of touch, i.e., the degree of coarseness of it. Only a some- what coarse touch can make an impression upon the body-basis. If the object of touch is too subtle, it cannot impinge upon the body-basis. And unless there is impingement, neither consciousness of touch nor the body-door, cognitions can arise.

For the arising of the consciousness of mind, there is needed Hadaya-vatthu (heart-basis), Dhammarammana (object of thought) Manodvara (mind-door), and Manasikara. Of these, Dhammarammana means all objects comprising all material qualities other than the five-fold objects, all mental qualities, all ideas, and Nibbána. As a matter of fact, the five-fold objects (form, sound, smell, taste and touch) are also the objects of consciousness of mind, but in order to set forth what is not related to the five doors, or five senses, only thought-objects are mentioned here. Mano-dvara or mind-door means the continuum of sub-consciousness. Though the heart- basis is the place where consciousness of mind arises, since it does not possess the appropriate kind of sensuous organs, the impressions of objects cannot appear in it, hence they have to appear in the mind-door only.