Contact II

1. At one time the Blessed One was living in the monastery offered by Anāthapiṇḍika in Jeta's grove in Sāvatthī.

2. “Bhikkhus, on account of diverse elements rise diverse perceptions. On account of diverse perceptions arise diverse thoughts. On account of diverse thoughts arise diverse contacts. On account of diverse contacts arise diverse feelings. On account of diverse feelings arise diverse interests. On account of diverse interests arise diverse burnings. On account of diverse burnings arise diverse searching. And on account of diverse searching arise diverse gains.

“And not on account of diverse gains arise diverse searching. Not on account of diverse searching arise diverse burnings, not on account of diverse burnings arise diverse interests, not on account of diverse interests arise diverse thoughts, not on account of diverse thoughts arise diverse perceptions and not on account of diverse perceptions arise the diverse elements.

3. “Bhikkhus, what are the diverse elements?

“They are the element of forms the element of sounds, the element of scents, the element of tastes, the element of touches and the element of ideas. Bhikkhus, these are the diverse elements.

4. “Bhikkhus, how is the arising of diverse perceptions on account of diverse elements, the arising of diverse thoughts on account of diverse perceptions, the arising of diverse contacts on account of diverse thoughts, the arising of diverse feelings on account of diverse contacts the arising of diverse interests on account of diverse burnings the arising of diverse searching on account of diverse burnings and the arising of diverse gains on account of diverse searching. And not the arising of diverse searching, on account of diverse gains. Not the arising of diverse burnings on account of diverse searching, not the arising of diverse interests on account of diverse burnings, not the arising of diverse perceptions on account of diverse thoughts and not the arising of diverse elements on account of diverse perceptions?

5. “Bhikkhus, on account of the element of forms ... re ...

6. “On account of the element of sounds ... re ...

7. “On account of the element of scents ... re ...

8. “On account of the element of tastes ... re ...

9. “On account of the element of touch ... re ...

10. “Bhikkhus, on account of the element of ideas, arise perceptions of ideas, on account of perceptions of ideas arise thoughts about ideas, on account of thoughts about ideas arise interest for ideas, on account of interest for ideas arise burnings for ideas, on account of burnings for ideas arise searching for ideas and on account of searching arise gains of ideas. And it is not the arising of a search on account of gain of ideas. Not the arising of burning on account of a search for ideas. Not the arising of interest for ideas on account of searching for ideas. Not the arising of feelings born of contacts of ideas on account of interest for ideas. Not the arising of contact of ideas, on account of feelings born of contact of ideas. Not the arising of thoughts of ideas on account of the contact of ideas. Not the arising of perceptions of ideas on account of thoughts of ideas, and not the arising of the element of ideas on account of perceptions of ideas.

“Bhikkhus, in this manner, diverse elements give rise to diverse perceptions. Diverse perceptions give rise to diverse thoughts ... re ... diverse thoughts ... re ... contacts ... re ... feelings ... re ... interest ... re ... burnings ... re ... searching ... re ... gains. And it is not the arising of diverse searching on account of diverse gains. It is not the arising of diverse burnings on account of diverse searching. It is not the arising of diverse interests on account of diverse burnings. It is not the arising of diverse perceptions on account of diverse thoughts and it is not the arising of diverse elements on account of diverse perceptions.”