Sarvatraga

Terminology Skt. sarvatraga; Tib. kun 'gro lnga; English: the five constants, omnipresent, always active, general; Deutsch: Konstanten, Allgegenwrtigen. In the Theravada abhidharma the set is called the phassa-pancaka, or the sense-contact pentad (or the pentad beginning with contact). Function The sarvatraga-caitasika-dharma or five omnipresent factors are by necessity present within each and every complete cognition1, i.e. in every (as qualified below) mental instant. It is for this reason that they are usually the first set of dharmas listed under the caitasika-dharmas. If any one of these five mental factors should be absent from any particular perception or conception, that cognition would be unable to function or even exist. For if there were no feeling, no experience of pleasure, pain or indifference would occur. If there were no discernment, no recognition or identification of the object would occur. If there were no intention, no involvement with the object would occur. If there were no contact, there would be no basis for the occurrence of feeling. And if there were no attention, the mind would not be directed towards any objects. Nevertheless, they do not always have to be present in a manifest state. Occasionally, however, some of these factors are merely present in a dormant or latent state. This is said to occur for example at the time of the subtle death consciousness, at the moment immediately prior to the taking of birth and when the mind is absorbed in a cessation that intentionally pacifies them, such as the meditative absorption of nondiscrimination and the meditative absorption of cessation. Together with the object-ascertaining dharmas (the next set of five in most lists), they constitute the basic mental equipment. The list reflects the five skandhas with sparsha representing rupa. These five factors are concurrent and interdependent, rather than serial. History The term phassa-pancama already occurs in Theragata 907, where Anuruddha uses the term. The basic list of five is also found in the Mahasatipatthana Sutta (DN II 308-309), in the Rahula-Samyutta and in the Anupada Sutta (MN 111), where Shariputra analyses his experience of absorption. It seems to be one of the original matrikas2. Although there are some small variations in the terminology, all the abhidharma systems list these omnipresent factors, be it in different orders. Attention is sometimes called chitta and at other times manaskara. The different abhidharma systems list the five in various orders. a. in the Theravada (Dhammasanghani) the order is: phassa, vedana, saa, cetana, citta. b. in the yogachara system of one hundred dharmas it is: sparsha, vedana, cetana, samja, manaskara. This corresponds to the standard order of the five skandhas. c. in the Abhidharmasamuccaya it is: vedana, samja, cetana, sparsha, manaskara. Geshe Rabten also follows this order. 1. Contact Sanskrit: sparsha; Pali: phassa; Tibetan: reg pa; English: touch, sensory contact. Definition: contact connects the object, the organ and the primary consciousness, activates the organ. It is said to activate the organ since, due to its co-operation, the organ is transformed into an entity with the ability to act as the basis for feelings of pleasure, pain and indifference.
1

Geshe Rabten, p.110: Since feeling, discernment, intention, contact and attention accompany every primary mind, no matter how brief or subtle it may be, they are said to be the omnipresent mental factors. 2 Nyanaponika, pp. 49-50.

It is the basis for these feelings because when a primary consciousness apprehends an object it is the contact that causes the object to be experienced as something attractive or unattractive and that gives rise to feelings of pleasure and pain. Although it acts as the basis for feelings it does not act as the basis for the feeling that occurs simultaneously with it. It only acts as the basis for feelings that arise subsequent to it. A stock phrase form the sutras says: sparsha is the coming together of the three, i.e. the sense organ (or to be precise, the sense power, indriya), the sensory object and the consciousness3. Images: two rams locking horns; two clapping hands; (in the wheel of life:) a couple kissing Classifications: there are six types of contact corresponding to the sensory and mental consciousnesses. 2. Feeling Sanskrit/Pali: vedana; Tibetan: tshor ba; English: generally translated as feeling nowadays. Also: sensation. Definition: Feeling is a distinct cognition that is an experience of either pleasure, pain or indifference (i.e. neither pleasurable nor painful). Pleasure and pain are not the objects of feeling. They are the feeling or the experience itself. Thus they are of the nature of consciousness and arise in dependence upon the mind's coming into contact with its various objects. Feeling is therefore the inherent quality of experience present in every mental state. Function: The general function of feeling is to fully experience the ripening effects of our previous actions. Depending on previous karmas, even pleasant things can be painful and vice versa. Its specific function is that of leading to the reactions of attachment, hatred and bewilderment. Thus it is in some way the pivot point of the nidana chain. Images: an king tasting a dish (many are involved in preparing the dish, but only the king gets the actual relish); arrow through the eye. Classifications: (i) pleasurable, painful & indifferent feelings; pleasant is that which one would like to repeat; unpleasant is what one wants to get rid off; indifferent is when neither of the two occur. (ii) kayika vedana & cetasika vedana: sensory and mental feelings (accompanying a sense consciousness or mind consciousness). Mental feelings specifically include moods4. When these physical and psychical feelings are combined with the previous three that makes six types; (iii) contaminated and uncontaminated feelings. The first classification has already been dealt with. Contaminated feelings are the unsatisfactory experiences of pleasure, pain and indifference that accompany all states of consciousness affected by the afflictions. Uncontaminated feelings are those that accompany states of consciousness in the minds of Aryas who are no longer affected by the afflictions. (iv) Yeshe Gyaltsen further distinguishes subjectivistic (rangnang?) and transpersonal feelings and furthermore into (v) Addictive feeling and feelings leading to renunciation 5. 3. Volition Sanskrit/Pali: cetana; Tib: sems pa; English: intentionality, directionality, volition, will; Deutsch: Wille / Impuls. Definition: moves the primary mind with which it bears the five similarities, as well as the other attendant mental factors of that primary mind, to the object or away from it. Volition includes both the conscious motivation and the automatic impulse that cause the mind to involve itself with and apprehend its objects. Just as a magnet by nature moves any iron that comes into contact with it, likewise by the mere existence of intention, the mind is moved to various beneficial and detrimental
3 4 5

See extensive discussion of this point in Guenther, Mind in Buddhist Psychology, pp.34.36. Guenther, p.38. Mind in Buddhist Psychology, p.21-22.

objects. In addition, intention is the actual principle of activity. It is karma itself. Whether an action is mental, vocal or physical, the formative element that is primarily responsible and that accumulates tendencies and imprints on the mind is intention. Thus it acts as a basis for conditioned existence. Classification: There are many ways of classifying intention according to the ways in which we classify actions. (i) wholesome, unwholesome and unspecified activities; (ii) meritorious, non-meritorious and unfluctuating actions. These in turn can be (iii) propulsive, completing or foreseeably experienceable forms of action (iv) contaminated and uncontaminated actions. 4. Discernment Sanskrit: samja; Pali: saa; Tib: 'du shes; English: discernment, discrimination; Deutsch: Unterscheidung Definition: discernment has the function of identifying the object to be one thing as opposed to another by means of differentiation. This is the inherent quality of the mind whose task it is to distinguish one object from another, either by identifying it with terms and phrases, as in the case of most conceptions, or by merely making a distinction between objects, as in the case of perceptions. Thus it is present in all forms of cognition, playing an essential role in abstract thought and imagination as well as in the simplest visual and audial perceptions. { add lucid comment by Guenther om samja, p.39 } Image: a flash of lightning that lights up the sky for a split second Classifications: (i) six types of discernment connected with the five sensory consciousnesses and mind (ii) six types of discernment according to six types of referents 6. Many of these are limited to special mind sets (jhanas & underdeveloped states) and thus not everpresent; (iii) deceived and non-deceived discernments. The second set of six is as follows: 1. Discernment with a sign: this kind of discernment is of three types: (a) that which is skilled in relating specific terminology to their corresponding objects ; (b) that which discerns concrete, impermanent phenomena; and (c) that which has a clear, distinct referent. 2. Discernment without a sign: also of three types, being the opposites of the three mentioned above: (a) the discernment of a young child who, having not yet learnt a language, does not identify objects with signs, i.e. names and terms; (b) the discernment of a meditative perception of ultimate truth in which there is no sign of any conditioned phenomenon; (c) the discernment of the formless absorption at the peak of samsara in which there is no sign of a clear or distinct referent. 3. Discernment of the limited: this is a discernment present in beings abiding in the realm of desire who have not attained even the preparatory stage for mental absorption. It is said to be of something limited since it discerns a world in which life is shorter, afflictions are more numerous, endowments and even the environment are of a lower quality than in higher states of existence. 4. Discernment of the vast: this is a discernment existing within the realm of form. It is of the vast in the sense that it discerns a world in which afflictions are fewer and wholesome qualities are greater than in the realm of desire. 5. Discernment of infinity: this discernment exists in the formless realms where one is absorbed in the infinity of space and the infinity of consciousness. It is so called since it discerns space and consciousness to be infinite. 6. Discernment of nothing at all: this discernment is that of the formless realm in which the mind is absorbed in nothingness. It is so called since it considers that there is nothing at all presenting itself to the mind. 5. Attention
6

Geshe Rabten, pp.112-113.

Sanskrit: manaskara; (Pali: citta;) Tib: yid la byed pa; English: attention. In the early texts this dharma is called chitta. The Theravada abhidharma still uses this term. Most abhidharma systems changed the term to avoid confusion with the main mind. Definition: Attention has the twofold function of (a) directing the primary mind and the mental factors with which it is associated to the object and (b) actually apprehending the object. It focuses and holds the mind on its object without allowing it to move elsewhere. In this way it forms the basis for the more developed mental functions of recollection and alertness. Attention should not, however, be confused with intention. Intention moves the mind to a general field of reference, say a landscape, whereas attention moves to and focuses upon the specific details such as the mountains, the trees and so forth. Classification: there are two types of attention: (i) realistic attention, i.e. when the mind is attentive of existent objects, and (ii) mistaken attention, i.e. when the mind is attentive of non-existent objects. Attention is the union of the four other constants in the act of consciousness, an act that is performed afresh in every moment, and is cast in the form of a subject attending to an object. General Remarks If any one of the five omnipresent mental events is missing, the experience of the objects is incomplete. If there is no feeling-tone, there is no relishing of it. If there is no conceptualization, one does not get the specific characteristic of the object. If there is no directionality of mind, there is no getting on to the object. If there is no contact and rapport, there would be no basis for perception. If there is no attention, then the various objects would not be confronted. Hence, in order to have a complete appreciation and enjoyment of an object, these five omnipresent mental events must be there altogether, completely and fully. Quotes [Khenjug I, 34-38]: [34] The five ever-present mental states are attraction, sensation, perception, attention, and contact. Among these, sensation and perception have been explained above. Although they are mental states, they are not included within the aggregate of formation because they have been taught separately. [351 Attraction describes the process of mind [attention] moving towards and becoming involved with an object. In terms of support, there are six such as attraction upon the meeting of the eye [i.e. between object, sense faculty and consciousness], and so forth. [36] Attention describes the process of the mind fixating upon the object concerned. [37] Contact is the meeting together of the three [object, sense faculty and consciousness] and the cognition of the faculty's [particular] event. It supports sensation. [38] Since these five accompany all cognitive acts, they are called ever-present. Sources Cornu: Dictionnaire Encyclopdique under sarvatraga. Geshe Rabten: The Mind and Its Functions, pp. 110-115 (Sautrantika view). Mipham: Gateway to Knowledge: I, 34-38 Nyanaponika Thera: Abhidhamma Studies, pp.48-53. Expand Cornu