Rupa Paramattha Dhamma

Rupa Paramattha Dhamma

 

 Name: Dai Sung Han

 Rupa is one of the four ultimate realities as defined in Abhidhamma. Rupa has been translated as ‘matter’, ‘corporeality’, ‘material’,‘body’, ‘form’, etc. To judge from the various aspects of rupa, ‘matter’ is the nearest equivalent. But rupa comprises the characteristics of matter as well as those of energy. Rupa may change state, form and colour on account of heat and cold just as matter does. Although form, shape and mass become apparent when a lot of rupa has accumu-lated, in the ultimate sense rupa is formless, shapeless and massless just as energy is. We find in Abhidhamma that rupa arises and perishes incessantly at very short intervals measured by “small instant” called small khana. Rupa is incessantly produced from four main sources namely, kamma, citta, utu (heat) and āhāra (nutriment). And rupa is very short lived – it endures only for seventeen conscious moments. What is formed is almost instantly gone. Besides rupa and nāma are interdependent.

 

Abhidhamma distinguishes two kinds of realities:

Apparent reality– the ordinary conventional truth or the commonly accepted truth (sammuti-sacca). It is called pabbatti in Abhidhamma.

Ultimate reality– the ultimate truth (paramattha-sacca). It is called paramattha in Abhidhamma.

 

The Four Paramatthas or the Four Ultimate realities.

 

I. Citta—consciousness or awareness. There are 89 or 121kinds of citta. Citta, ceta, cittuppada, mana, mano, vibbana are used as synonymous terms in Abhidhamma.

II. Cetasika—mental factors or mental concomitants. There are 52 kinds of cetasikas. It arises and perishes together with citta. They depend on citta for their arising and they have influence on citta. What we usually call ‘mind’ is actually a combination of citta and cetasikas.

III. Rupa—corporeality or material quality. There are 28 kinds of rupa. It may change form and colour on account of heat or cold.

IV. Nibbana—extinction of defilement and suffering; absolute lasting peace. There is no division for nibbana.

 

Enumeration of Material Phenomena (rupasamuddesa)

Rupa is twofold namely,

i Bhuta-rupa or mahabhuta – essentials

ii Upādāya-rupa – derivatives.

 The four great essentials (mahabhuta) are the primary material elements- earth, water, fire, and air. These are the fundamental constituents of matter which are inseparable and which, in their various combinations, enter into all material substances. Derived Matters (upadaya rupa) are material phenomena derived from, or dependent upon, the four great essentials. These are twenty three in number in Dhammasavgani, and twenty four in Abhidhammatthasaṅgaha (includes hadayavatthu or heart base). All these twenty-seven or twenty eight types of material phenomena are distributed into ten general classes. Six of these are called concretely produced matter (nipphanna rupa), since they possess intrinsic natures and are thus suitable for contemplation and comprehension by insight. The four classes, being more abstract in nature, are called non-concretely produced matter (anipphanna rupa).

 

• Concretely produced matter (nipphanna rupa) 17 or 18 kinds:

i. The Four Great Essentials (mahabhuta)

1. Earth element or the element of extension(pathavidhatu) – The Pali term dhatu means that which bears its own characteristic marks. Element is the closest equivalent for dhatu. Pathavi-dhatu literally means earth element. Pathavi (Sanskrit: prthivi) is derived from √puth, to expand, to extend. So far, though not very satisfactory, the closest equivalent for pathavidhatu is ‘the element of extension.’ Without it objects cannot occupy space. Both hardness and softness are characteristics of this element.

 

2.Water element apodhatu– Lit., the fluid element. Apo is derived from √ap, to arrive, or from a + √pay, to grow, to increase. According to Abhidhamma philosophy it is this element that makes different particles of matter cohere, and thus prevents them from being scattered about. Both fluidity and contraction are the properties of this element. It should be understood that cold is not a characteristic of this element.

 

3.Fire element tejodhatu– Lit., the fire element, is explained as ‘the element of heat.’ Tejo is derived from √tij, to sharpen, to mature. Vivacity (liveliness) and maturity are due to the presence of this element. Both heat and cold are the properties of tejo. Intense tejo is heat, and mild tejo is cold. It should not be understood that cold is the characteristic of apo and heat is that of tejo; for, in that case, both heat and cold found together, as apo and tejo coexist.

 

4. Air element vayodhatu – Lit., ‘the air element’, is explained as the element of motion. Vayo is derived from √vay, to move, to vibrate. Motion, vibration, oscillation, and pressure are caused by this element.

 

ii. Sensitive Phenomenon

5. Eye-sensitivity cakkhu-pasada

Sensitive part of the eye; it spreads in 7 layers in the pupil of the eye where images appear.

6. Ear-sensitivity sota-pasada

  Sensitive part of the ear; it spreads in the place shaped like a ring inside the ear-holes.

7. Nose-sensitivity ghana-pasada

Sensitive part of the nose; it spreads in the place shaped like the leg of a goat inside the nostrils.

8. Tongue-sensitivity jivha-pasada

  Sensitive part of the tongue; it spreads in the middle upper surface of the tongue.

9. Body-sensitivity kaya-pasada

Sensitive part of the body; it spreads throughout the whole body sensitive to touch, excluding head-hair, body-hair, finger-nails and hard dried skin.

 

iii. Objective Phenomenon

10. Visible form rupa

11. Sound sadda

12. Smell gandha

13. Taste rasa

*. TangibilityPhoṭṭhabba (= 3 elements: earth, fir, air)

Notes:

a  The names in brackets are the essential elements of the five senses. Note that there are seven elements in all.

b  Owing to its subtlety, apo cannot be felt by the sense of touch. For instance, when we put our hand in water, the cold felt is tejo, the softness is Pathavi, and the pressure is vayo. Thus only these three fundamental elements are regarded as tangible.

 

iv. Sexual phenomenon

14. Femininity Itthatta

   Material quality that imparts femininity; it spreads all over the body of the female.

15. Masculinity purisatta

   Material quality that imparts masculinity; it spreads all over the body of the male.

 

v. Base Phenomenon

16. Heart Base hadayavatthu

   Hadaya-vatthu is the heart-base which spreads in the blood inside the heart. It is the seat of consciousness (mano-vib bana). Hadaya-vatthu is not one – there are billions of hadaya-vatthu spreads in the blood of the heart.

 

vi. Life Phenomenon

17.Life faculty jivitindriya

 the vital force of kammaja- rupa which spreads throughout the body. It should be noted that there is vitality both in mind and matter. The vitality of the mind is “jivitindriya”, which is one of the seven sabba-citta-sadharana cetasikas. The vitality of matter is jivita- rupa. Jivitindriya may be regarded as psychic life and jivita- rupa as physical life.

 

vii. Nutritional Phenomenon

18.Nutriment ahara or oja

The gross food which is taken in by making into morsels is called kabalikarahara. Here ahara -rupa means the nutritive essence (oja) which sustains the body.

 

• Non-Concrete Matter (anipphanna rupa) 10

viii. Limiting Phenomenon

19.Space element akasadhatu

Akasadhatu is also called ‘Pariccheda-rupa’. Akasa is space, which in itself is nothingness. Akasa is a dhatu in the sense of a non-entity (nijjiva), not as an existing element like the four great essential elements. As one of the Twenty eight rupas, akasadhatu means not so much the outside space as the inter-atomic space or intra-atomic space that separates rupa-kalapas (corporeal unit).

 

ix. Communicating Phenomenon

20. Bodily intimation kayavibbatti

action by hand, head, eye, leg, etc., which let others understand one’s intentions.

21.Vocal intimation vacivibbatti

 movement of the mouth to produce speech to let others understand one’s intentions.

 

x. Mutable Phenomena

22. Lightness lahuta

Physical lightness or buoyancy; it suppresses the heaviness in the body

23. Malleability muduta

Physical elasticity; it removes stiffness in the body and is comparable to a well-beaten hide. 24.Wieldness kammabbata

Physical adaptability; it is opposed to the stiffness of the body, and is comparable to well-hammered gold.

 

xi. Characteristics of Matter

25.Production upacaya

Arising of rupa at the moment of conception, and continued arising of rupa till the required rupa s in life are completely formed.

26. Continuity santati

Subsequent arising of rupa s throughout the life-term.

27.Decay jarata

Rupa that denotes development and decay during the existing period of fifteen conscious moments.

28.Impermanence aniccata

Rupa that denote dissolution at the dissolving moment of real rupa.

 

References

Narada Maha Thera, 1980, A Manual of Abhidhamma, The Colombo Apothecaries’ Co., Ltd., Colombo (reprint, originally published in 1956).

Mehm Tin Mon, 2002, Buddha Abhidhamma; Ultimate Science, Fo Guang Shan Malaysia, Penang (reprint, originally published in 1995).

Bhikkhu Bhodhi, 2007, A Comprehensive Manual of Abhidhamma (Ed. Version of A Manual of Abhidhamma of Narada Maha Thera , Buddhist Publication Society(reprint, originally published in 1993).

Rhys Davids, C. A. F., 1997, A Buddhist Manual of Psychological Ethics, Pali Text Society, London (reprint, originally published in 1900).