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Material phenomena (r ū pa) - definitions and informations Agganyani 2008 

Collection from Abhidhammattha Sangaha, Dhammasangaṇī , Atthasālin ī and Visuddhimagga in various translations (see references below)

 Rū pa = matter, material phenomena, physical phenomena or quality, corporeality, materiality; (body, form)

r ū pa =: a reality ( paramattha-dhamma), which does not know, cannot perceive an object, but can be an object itself;=: one type of abyākata dhammas - neither wholesome (kusala) nor unwholesome (akusala) – and also not their resultant mind (vipāka) or functional (kiriya)=: changes and transforms by adverse physical conditions (like heat and cold…)

Num-

berr ū pa Translations Class Characteristic Function

Manifesta-

tion

Proximate

causeOrigination Attributes

Appearance

in kalāpasExperience

1 paṭhavī  

(-dhātu)

earth-elementsolidityextension

mahābhūta

greatessential,greatappearance

dhātu

element

hardness -softness

acting as afoundation(for other mahābhūtas andderivates)

receivingother 3mahābhūtas 

 by all 4causes:kamma,

citta,utu,āhāra 

externalnon-base, non-door,non-facultygross, near, impingeclung-to (kamma-born)not receiving objectsinseparable producedwith own distinct nature

in all kal ā pas  bytouching

2ā po(-dhātu)

water-elementcohesionfluidityliquidity

trickling,cohesion

to intensify

holdingtogether,stickingtogether,makingcohere

other 3mahābhūtas 

 by all 4causes:kamma,citta,utu,āhāra 

externalnon-base, non-door,non-facultysubtle, far, not impingeclung-to (kamma-born)not receiving objectsinseparable producedwith own distinct nature

in all kal ā pas  by mindonly

3tejo(-dhātu)

fire-elementheattemperature

heat – coldto mature,maintain,ripen

continuedsupply of softness, bringingaboutsoftness

other 3mahābhūtas 

 by all 4causes:kamma,citta,

utu,āhāra 

externalnon-basenon-door non-facultygross, near, impingeclung-to (kamma-born)not receiving objectsinseparable producedwith own distinct nature

in all kal ā pas through body-sense

4vā yo(-dhātu)

air-elementwind-elementmotion

moving,distending,motion, pressure,vibration,support

to causemotion,holding postures or shape

conveying, bringingout

other 3mahābhūtas 

 by all 4causes:kamma,citta,utu,āhāra 

in all kal ā pas through body-sense

 

2

Num-

berr ū pa Translations Class Characteristic Function

Manifesta-

tion

Proximate

causeOrigination Attributes

Appearance

in kalāpasExperience

5 cakkhu eye

 pasāda

sensitivity,sense-organ

sensitivity fitfor reflectionof visible form

to pull theconscious-nesstowards thevisibleobject

 based oneye-consciousness

kamma-bornmatter originated by the desireto see

kamma

internal base, door, facultygross, near, impingeclung-to (kamma-born)receiving objectsseparable producedwith own distinct nature

eye-decadethroughmind

6  sota ear sensitivity fitfor impinge-ment of sound

to pull theconscious-ness to-wardssound

 based onear-consciousness

kamma-bornmatter originated by the desireto hear 

kamma

internal base, door, facultygross, near, impingeclung-to (kamma-born)receiving objectsseparable producedwith own distinct nature

eye-decadethroughmind

7  ghāna nosesensitivity fitfor impinge-ment of smell

to pull theconscious-ness to-wards smell

 based onnose-consciousness

kamma-bornmatter originated by the desireto smell

kamma

internal base, door, facultygross, near, impingeclung-to (kamma-born)receiving objectsseparable producedwith own distinct nature

nose-decadethroughmind

8  jivhā  tonguesensitivity fitfor impinge-ment of taste

to pull theconscious-ness to-wards taste

 based ontongue-consciousness

kamma-bornmatter originated by the desireto taste

kamma

internal base, door, facultygross, near, impingeclung-to (kamma-born)receiving objectsseparable producedwith own distinct nature

tongue-decadethroughmind

9 k ā ya  body

sensitivity fitfor impinge-ment of tangible object

to pull theconscious-ness to-wards thetangibleobject

 based on body-consciousness

kamma-bornmatter originated by the desireto touch

kamma

internal base, door, facultygross, near, impingeclung-to (kamma-born)receiving objectsseparable producedwith own distinct nature

 body-decadethroughmind

 

3

Num-

berr ū pa Translations Class Characteristic Function

Manifesta-

tion

Proximate

causeOrigination Attributes

Appearance

in kalāpasExperience

10 r ū pavisible objectcolour form

 gocara(sense-)object

striking theeye, reflectingin the eye

 being theobject of eye-con-sciousness

 being thefield of visualcognition

4mahābhūtas 

 by all 4causes:kamma,

citta,utu,

āhāra 

externalnon-base, non-door,non-facultygross, near, impingeclung-to (kamma-born)not receiving objectsinseparable, produced,with own distinct nature

in all kal ā pas by seeing

11  sadda soundstriking theear, impingingon the ear 

 being theobject of ear-con-sciousness

 being thefield of auditorycognition

4mahābhūtas 

cittautu

externalnon-base, non-door, non-facultygross, near, impingenot clung-to (not kamma- born)not receiving objectsseparable, produced,with own distinct nature

vocal intima-tion decad,vocal intima-tion tridecadwithmutability , sound-nonad,sound-dodecadwith mutability

 by hearing

12  ganghasmellodour 

striking thenose,impinging onthe nose

 being theobject of nose-con-sciousness

 being thefield of olfactorycognition

4mahābhūtas 

 by all 4causes:kamma,citta,utu,āhāra 

externalnon-base, non-door,non-facultygross, near, impingeclung-to (kamma-born)not receiving objectsinseparable, produced,with own distinct nature

in all kal ā pas  bysmelling

13 rasatasteflavour 

striking thetongue,impinging onthe nose

 being theobject of tongue-con-sciousness

 being thefield of gustatorycognition

4mahābhūtas 

 by all 4causes:kamma,

citta,utu,āhāra 

externalnon-base, non-door,non-facultygross, near, impingeclung-to (kamma-born)not receiving objectsinseparable, produced,with own distinct nature

in all kal ā pas by tasting

 photthabba

tangibleobject,tangibility,touchableobject

= earth-, fire-, air-element bytouching

 

4

Num-

berr ū pa Translations Class Characteristic Function

Manifesta-

tion

Proximate

causeOrigination Attributes

Appearance

in kalāpasExperience

14 Itthibhāva,itthindriya

femininityfaculty of ~

bhāvasex

materialquality or source of sex

of womanhoodto show‘this is afemale’

as the causefor thesigns andways of thefemale

4mahābhūtas 

kamma

externalnon-base, non-door,facultysubtle, far, not impingeclung-to (kamma-born)not receiving objectsseparable, produced,with own distinct nature

female decad by mind

15 pumbhāva, purisindriya

masculinityfaculty of ~

of manhoodto show‘this is amale’

as the causefor thesigns andways of themale

4mahābhūtas 

kamma male decad by mind

16hadaya(-vatthu)

heart (-base)

mind-element(manodhātu) +mind-consciousness-element(manoviññāṇa-dhātu) whichdepend on it

 being theseat or baseof theseelements(dhātus)

carryingtheseelements(dhātus)

4mahābhūtas 

kamma

external base, non-door,non-facultysubtle, far, not impingeclung-to (kamma-born)not receiving objectsseparable, produced,with own distinct nature

(heart-)basedecad

 by mind

17 jī vita,

 jī vitindriya

(physical) life,life-faculty,life-force,vitality

 protecting thematters borntogether bykamma 

continuity(of thematters borntogether)

maintenance (of thematters borntogether)

4mahābhūtas 

kamma

externalnon-base, non-door,facultysubtle, far, not impingeclung-to (kamma-born)not receiving objectsseparable, produced,with own distinct nature

in all (9)kamma-bornkal ā pas 

 by mind

18āhāra(kabaḷik āraāhāra)

nutriment,edible food,nutrition,nutritiveessence

nutritiveessence

to producematter 

sustainment4mahābhūtas 

 by all 4causes:kamma,citta,

utu,āhāra 

externalnon-base, non-door,non-facultysubtle, far, not impingeclung-to (kamma-born)not receiving objectsinseparable, produced,with own distinct nature

in all kal ā pas   by mind