39b: Sakka’s Questions – 1424 

 

3.   With some yogis, the consciousness which cognizes the physical 

phenomenon under contemplation, becomes evident. In these three 
ways, the interrelationship between mind and body comes to be 
understood by the yogi. 

[960]

 

Comprehending Contact 

1. Contact, sensation, perception, volition, and consciousness are a group of five 
key mental concomitants that arise together. In the discussion on the three types 
of yogis, the one who vividly perceives contact (

phassa

) between mind and 

matter does not comprehend contact alone. Rather, he comes to realize the 
sensation (

vedanā

), which experiences the contact, is also there; that perception 

(

saññā

), which perceives the object of contemplation, is also there; that volition 

(

cetanā

), which brings into play all associated mental factors, is also there; that 

consciousness (

viññāṇa

), which cognizes the object of contemplation, is also 

there. Thus the five closely related mental factors headed by contact are 
comprehended. 

2. The yogi, who perceives sensation, does not comprehend sensation alone. 
Rather, he comes to realize that, along with the arising of that sensation, there 
arises contact between the mind and the physical phenomena under 
contemplation; he also realizes that there also arises perception which perceives 
it; that there also arises volition which motivates the associated mental factors; 
and that there also arises consciousness which cognizes the object of 
contemplation. Thus the five mental factors headed by contact are 
comprehended. 

3. The yogi, who perceives consciousness, does not comprehend consciousness 
alone. Rather, he understands that besides the consciousness, there also arises 
contact whereby the mind meets the object of contemplation; that there also 
arises sensation which experiences the contact; that there also arises perception 
which perceives the object; and that there also arises volition that motivates the 
associated mental factors. Thus the five mental factors headed by contact are 
comprehended. 

Having comprehended contact and its four associated mental factors (

phassa-

pañcamaka

), the yogi contemplates on what is the basis of their arising. Then he 

discerns that the five mental factors have the corporeal body as their basis. The 
body, in the ultimate sense, is the corporeality that has arisen, made up of the