Discernment of the Aggregates in Seven Ways

[Tep Sastri]

Hello Everyone -

Direct knowledge results from directly knowing the five aggregates of clinging [form (ruupa), feeling (vedanaa), perception (sa~n~naa), formations (sankhaara), consciousness (vi~n~naana)] in seven ways. Let's take form as example.

1. Knowing what form is : "The four great existents [the earth property, the liquid property, the fire property, & the wind property] and the form derived from them: this is called form."

2. Knowing the origin of form: "From the origination of nutriment comes the origination of form."

3. Knowing the cessation of form: "From the cessation of nutriment comes the cessation of form."

4. Knowing the path of practice leading to the cessation of form:  right view, right resolve, right speech, right action, right livelihood, right effort, right mindfulness, right concentration.

5. Knowing the allure of form, i.e.,  "Pleasure & happiness arises in dependence on form."

6. Knowing the drawback of form, i.e.,"Form is inconstant (changeable, anicca), stressful (dukhha.m), subject to change (viparinaama)".

7. Knowing the escape from form, i.e., "The subduing of desire & passion for form, the abandoning of desire & passion for form".

The above seven direct-knowings are applicable to the remaining four aggregates.

  

"For any priests or contemplatives who by directly knowing form in this way, directly knowing the origination of form in this way, directly knowing the cessation of form in this way, directly knowing the path of practice leading to the cessation of form in this way, directly knowing the allure of form in this way, directly knowing the drawback of form in this way, directly knowing the escape from form in this way, they are practicing for disenchantment, dispassion, cessation with regard to form, they are practicing rightly".[SN 22.57 : Sattatthana Sutta]

Best wishes.

[Tep Sastri]

Hello Everyone -

The first message of this thread shows that when the observer directly knows the five aggregates in seven ways, he/she has rightly practiced according to the Dhamma.  When this direct knowledge of the Khandhas is gained, it is the same as saying that the five aggregates are discernible by the observer. The mental process of making the aggregates "discernible" is called delineation. Venerable Thanissaro Bhikkhu explains in his Note for Maha-punnama Sutta (MN 109) as follows:

"This apparently refers to the intentional aspect of perception, which takes the objective side of experience and fabricates it into discernible objects. In the case of the aggregates, the four great existents, contact, and name-&-form (naama-ruupa) provide the objective basis for discerning them, while the process of fabrication takes the raw material provided by the objective basis and turns it into discernible instances of the aggregates."

[MN 109:]  "What is the cause, what the condition, for the delineation of the aggregate of form? [Paññaapanaaya: making discernible; declaration.] What is the cause, what the condition, for the delineation of the aggregate of feeling? ... perception? ... fabrications? 

What is the cause, what the condition, for the delineation of the aggregate of consciousness?" 

"Monk, the four great existents (earth, water, fire, & wind) are the cause, the four great existents the condition, for the delineation of the aggregate of form. Contact is the cause, contact the condition, for the delineation of the aggregate of feeling. Contact is the cause, contact the condition, for the delineation of the aggregate of perception. Contact is the cause, contact the condition, for the delineation of the aggregate of fabrications. Name-&-form is the cause, name-&-form the condition, for the delineation of the aggregate of consciousness."

Best wishes.

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