Beyond Scientific Discovery သိပ္ပံပညာ၏ လက်လှမ်းမမှီသော အကြည်ဓာတ်များ ၊ အာကာသဓာတ်နှင့် ရုပ်ကလာပ်များကို နားလည်ခြင်း

Despite remarkable advances in modern technology and scientific methodologies - including DNA analysis, Accelerator Mass Spectrometry (AMS), and Carbon-14 dating - which can analyze specific materials such as wood, bones, ashes, and hair with great precision, there remains a profound limitation in their scope. These scientific methods, while generating thousands of data points for analysis, cannot detect or measure the fundamental elements described in Buddhist teachings: pathavī (earth element), āpo (water element), tejo (fire element), vāyo (wind element), vaṇṇa (color), gandha (smell), rasa (taste), and ojā (nutritive essence), along with jīvita-rūpa (life-force materiality) and other subtle material phenomena such as transparent elements, sex-determining materiality, and heart-base.

These subtle material phenomena can only be perceived through highly developed mental concentration, specifically:
- The light generated by fourth jhāna concentration
- Access concentration (upacāra-samādhi) developed through systematic contemplation of elements

I have personally coordinated scientific inquiries involving samples of sacred relics - including teeth, hair, ashes, and bones attributed to the Buddha and his prominent disciples. These studies involved collaborative research with prestigious institutions across multiple countries including England, the United States, India,Israel, and China and several universities, as part of joint research projects focusing on the Buddha and his monastic disciples. While these studies yielded valuable scientific data, they could not detect the subtle material phenomena that Buddhist meditation masters can directly perceive through their developed concentration.

This highlights a remarkable aspect of Buddhist wisdom - the ability to directly perceive subtle material phenomena that lie beyond the detection capabilities of even our most sophisticated modern scientific instruments. This suggests that the development of mental concentration through Buddhist practices offers unique insights into reality that complement, rather than conflict with, modern scientific understanding.

 Let me explain further about the elevated nature of vipassanā wisdom as taught by the Buddha.

When a yogi establishes a certain jhāna as the foundation (pādaka-jhāna) for vipassanā and then systematically develops contemplation of elements (dhātu-kammaṭṭhāna), they initially perceive their body as a transparent mass, like a block of ice or glass, before breaking down the compact mass of materiality (rūpa) with wisdom and reaching ultimate reality (paramattha).

What is this transparent mass? The Visuddhimagga Commentary explains:

"Pasāda-rūpa is like a clear mirror surface that serves as the basis for grasping the five kinds of sense objects." (VM 306)

The Buddha taught about five types of transparent materiality (pasāda-rūpa):

1. Eye-sensitivity (cakkhu-pasāda)
2. Ear-sensitivity (sota-pasāda)
3. Nose-sensitivity (ghāna-pasāda)
4. Tongue-sensitivity (jivhā-pasāda)
5. Body-sensitivity (kāya-pasāda)

While the first four sensitivities are located in their respective sense organs, body-sensitivity is spread throughout the entire body wherever touch-sensitivity exists. It's present in all six sense doors (eye, ear, nose, tongue, body, and heart).

Before the yogi can break down the compactness (ghana) of materiality through wisdom, they see these transparent elements as solid masses, like blocks of ice or glass. This transparent mass primarily consists of body-sensitivity (kāya-pasāda) that pervades the entire body.

However, these transparent elements:
- Are produced by past kamma
- Can only exist within living beings' internal (ajjhatta) continuum
- Cannot be taken to a laboratory for analysis because they are impermanent phenomena that arise and pass away too quickly

The yogi only perceives these transparent masses before reaching the insight into ultimate reality (paramattha).

This teaching comes from the Abhidhamma tradition and explains an important stage in the development of insight meditation (vipassanā), specifically dealing with the breaking down of the concept of solidity (ghana-vinibbhoga).

An important point to note is that while today's scientists can reach the moon, they have not yet discovered these transparent elements (pasāda-rūpa). This is because scientific knowledge is limited to what can be observed in laboratories. These transparent elements cannot exist in the inanimate world of laboratory settings.

This shows how profound the wisdom gained through proper practice of samatha and vipassanā meditation, as taught by the Buddha to his disciples, truly is. The ability to perceive these transparent elements represents an extraordinary level of insight.

In the Mahārāhulovāda Sutta and others, the Buddha also instructed meditation on six elements, including space element (ākāsa-dhātu). Observing the space element is crucial because it helps practitioners more easily discern ultimate materiality (rūpa-paramattha).

The process works like this:
1. The yogi first observes space elements within the transparent mass
2. This leads to seeing the material clusters (rūpa-kalāpa)
3. Only then can one discern the ultimate material phenomena within each cluster

The space element serves as a boundary demarcating individual material clusters. Within these clusters:
- Some contain 8 inseparable material elements (pathavī, āpo, tejo, vāyo, vaṇṇa, gandha, rasa, ojā)
- Some contain 9 elements (adding life-force materiality/jīvita-rūpa)
- Some contain 10 elements (adding transparent element, sex-determining materiality, or heart-base)

A yogi can discern these ultimate material phenomena with:
- The aid of light generated by fourth jhāna or similar concentration
- Access concentration (upacāra-samādhi) developed through contemplation of elements

Consider how remarkable this wisdom is - to be able to directly perceive these subtle material phenomena that even modern science cannot detect.

Sao Dhammasami @ Bhikkhu Indasoma 

Siridantamahapalaka/Author/Researcher

BA(Q,UDE),M.A(Literature), M.A(Pali),Ph.D (Candidate),

Dip in Social Work,Certified  FCTOT Trainer(American Center),

Certified Master Trainer (European International University,Paris),

Consultant Trainer of SCORE(Switzerland Geneva),Certificate in International Mediator (IBSC)

Certified Counselling Psychologist

Formation of Aggregates (Khandha)

Eye-consciousness process:

When visible form strikes the eye-sensitivity, eye-consciousness (cakkhuviññāṇa) arises. Can eye-consciousness arise alone? No, it cannot. Along with eye-consciousness, three mental factors arise simultaneously (sahajāta): feeling (vedanā), perception (saññā), and volition (cetanā). These together form four mental aggregates (nāmakkhandha). The eye-sensitivity and visible form constitute the material aggregate (rūpakkhandha). These four mental aggregates combined with the material aggregate form the five aggregates (pañcakkhandha).

The same process can be analyzed in three ways:

1. As Five Aggregates:
- Four Mental Aggregates (eye-consciousness, feeling, perception, volition)
- One Material Aggregate (eye-sensitivity and visible form)

2. As Mind, Mental Factors, and Matter:
- Mind (seeing consciousness)
- Mental Factors (feeling, perception, volition)
- Matter (eye-sensitivity and visible form)

3. As Name and Form (Nāma-Rūpa):
- Name (the knowing of visible form)
- Form (eye-sensitivity and visible form)

When visible form strikes eye-sensitivity, seeing consciousness arises. The knowing of the visible form is mind. Feeling, perception, and volition are mental factors. Together they are mind and mental factors. Eye-sensitivity and visible form are matter. Thus we have mind, mental factors, and matter.

When visible form strikes eye-sensitivity, seeing consciousness arises. The knowing of the visible form is mental phenomena (nāma). Eye-sensitivity and visible form are material phenomena (rūpa). Thus we have the two aspects: mental and material phenomena.

Ear-consciousness process:

When sound strikes the ear-sensitivity, ear-consciousness (sotaviññāṇa) arises. Can ear-consciousness arise alone? No, it cannot. Along with ear-consciousness, three mental factors arise simultaneously (sahajāta): feeling (vedanā), perception (saññā), and volition (cetanā). These together form four mental aggregates (nāmakkhandha). The ear-sensitivity and sound constitute the material aggregate (rūpakkhandha). These four mental aggregates combined with the material aggregate form the five aggregates (pañcakkhandha).

The same process can be analyzed in three ways:

1. As Five Aggregates:
- Four Mental Aggregates (ear-consciousness, feeling, perception, volition)
- One Material Aggregate (ear-sensitivity and sound)

2. As Mind, Mental Factors, and Matter:
- Mind (hearing consciousness)
- Mental Factors (feeling, perception, volition)
- Matter (ear-sensitivity and sound)

3. As Name and Form (Nāma-Rūpa):
- Name (the knowing of sound)
- Form (ear-sensitivity and sound)

When sound strikes ear-sensitivity, hearing consciousness arises. The knowing of the sound is mind. Feeling, perception, and volition are mental factors. Together they are mind and mental factors. Ear-sensitivity and sound are matter. Thus we have mind, mental factors, and matter.

When sound strikes ear-sensitivity, hearing consciousness arises. The knowing of the sound is mental phenomena (nāma). Ear-sensitivity and sound are material phenomena (rūpa). Thus we have the two aspects: mental and material phenomena.

Nose-consciousness process:

When odor strikes the nose-sensitivity, nose-consciousness (ghānaviññāṇa) arises. Can nose-consciousness arise alone? No, it cannot. Along with nose-consciousness, three mental factors arise simultaneously (sahajāta): feeling (vedanā), perception (saññā), and volition (cetanā). These together form four mental aggregates (nāmakkhandha). The nose-sensitivity and odor constitute the material aggregate (rūpakkhandha). These four mental aggregates combined with the material aggregate form the five aggregates (pañcakkhandha).

The same process can be analyzed in three ways:

1. As Five Aggregates:
- Four Mental Aggregates (nose-consciousness, feeling, perception, volition)
- One Material Aggregate (nose-sensitivity and odor)

2. As Mind, Mental Factors, and Matter:
- Mind (smelling consciousness)
- Mental Factors (feeling, perception, volition)
- Matter (nose-sensitivity and odor)

3. As Name and Form (Nāma-Rūpa):
- Name (the knowing of odor)
- Form (nose-sensitivity and odor)

When odor strikes nose-sensitivity, smelling consciousness arises. The knowing of the odor is mind. Feeling, perception, and volition are mental factors. Together they are mind and mental factors. Nose-sensitivity and odor are matter. Thus we have mind, mental factors, and matter.

When odor strikes nose-sensitivity, smelling consciousness arises. The knowing of the odor is mental phenomena (nāma). Nose-sensitivity and odor are material phenomena (rūpa). Thus we have the two aspects: mental and material phenomena.

Tongue-consciousness process:

When taste (six flavors: sweet, sour, spicy, salty, bitter, astringent) strikes the tongue-sensitivity, tongue-consciousness (jivhāviññāṇa) arises. Can tongue-consciousness arise alone? No, it cannot. Along with tongue-consciousness, three mental factors arise simultaneously (sahajāta): feeling (vedanā), perception (saññā), and volition (cetanā). These together form four mental aggregates (nāmakkhandha). The tongue-sensitivity and the six tastes constitute the material aggregate (rūpakkhandha). These four mental aggregates combined with the material aggregate form the five aggregates (pañcakkhandha).

The same process can be analyzed in three ways:

1. As Five Aggregates:
- Four Mental Aggregates (tongue-consciousness, feeling, perception, volition)
- One Material Aggregate (tongue-sensitivity and six tastes)

2. As Mind, Mental Factors, and Matter:
- Mind (tasting consciousness)
- Mental Factors (feeling, perception, volition)
- Matter (tongue-sensitivity and six tastes)

3. As Name and Form (Nāma-Rūpa):
- Name (the knowing of taste)
- Form (tongue-sensitivity and six tastes)

When taste strikes tongue-sensitivity, tasting consciousness arises. The knowing of the taste is mind. Feeling, perception, and volition are mental factors. Together they are mind and mental factors. Tongue-sensitivity and six tastes are matter. Thus we have mind, mental factors, and matter.

When taste strikes tongue-sensitivity, tasting consciousness arises. The knowing of the taste is mental phenomena (nāma). Tongue-sensitivity and six tastes are material phenomena (rūpa). Thus we have the two aspects: mental and material phenomena.

Body-consciousness process:

This process involves three types of tangible objects (phoṭṭhabba):
1. Earth element (pathavī) - hardness/softness
2. Fire element (tejo) - hot/cold
3. Air element (vāyo) - pushing/movement

When these tangible objects strike body-sensitivity, body-consciousness (kāyaviññāṇa) arises. Can body-consciousness arise alone? No, it cannot. Along with body-consciousness, three mental factors arise simultaneously (sahajāta): feeling (vedanā), perception (saññā), and volition (cetanā). These together form four mental aggregates (nāmakkhandha). The body-sensitivity and tangible objects constitute the material aggregate (rūpakkhandha). These four mental aggregates combined with the material aggregate form the five aggregates (pañcakkhandha).

The same process can be analyzed in three ways:

1. As Five Aggregates:
- Four Mental Aggregates (body-consciousness, feeling, perception, volition)
- One Material Aggregate (body-sensitivity and tangible objects)

2. As Mind, Mental Factors, and Matter:
- Mind (touching consciousness)
- Mental Factors (feeling, perception, volition)
- Matter (body-sensitivity and tangible objects)

3. As Name and Form (Nāma-Rūpa):
- Name (the knowing of touch)
- Form (body-sensitivity and tangible objects)

When tangible objects strike body-sensitivity, touching consciousness arises. The knowing of the touch is mind. Feeling, perception, and volition are mental factors. Together they are mind and mental factors. Body-sensitivity and tangible objects are matter. Thus we have mind, mental factors, and matter.

When tangible objects strike body-sensitivity, touching consciousness arises. The knowing of the touch is mental phenomena (nāma). Body-sensitivity and tangible objects are material phenomena (rūpa). Thus we have the two aspects: mental and material phenomena.

Mind-consciousness process:

When mental objects (dhammārammaṇa) strike mind-sensitivity, mind-consciousness (manoviññāṇa) arises. Can mind-consciousness arise alone? No, it cannot. Along with mind-consciousness, three mental factors arise simultaneously (sahajāta):
- Feeling aggregate (vedanākkhandha)
- Perception aggregate (saññākkhandha)
- Formations aggregate (saṅkhārakkhandha)

These together form four mental aggregates (nāmakkhandha). The heart-base (hadayavatthu) and mental objects constitute the material aggregate (rūpakkhandha). These four mental aggregates combined with the material aggregate form the five aggregates (pañcakkhandha).

The same process can be analyzed in three ways:

1. As Five Aggregates:
- Four Mental Aggregates (mind-consciousness, feeling, perception, formations)
- One Material Aggregate (heart-base and mental objects)

2. As Mind, Mental Factors, and Matter:
- Mind (thinking consciousness perceiving beings and persons)
- Mental Factors (feeling, perception, volition)
- Matter (heart-base and mental objects)

3. As Name and Form (Nāma-Rūpa):
- Name (the cognition of mental objects as beings and persons)
- Form (heart-base and mental objects)

When mental objects strike mind-sensitivity, thinking consciousness arises. The cognition of mental objects as beings and persons is mind. Feeling, perception, and volition are mental factors. Together they are mind and mental factors. Heart-base and mental objects are matter. Thus we have mind, mental factors, and matter.

When mental objects strike mind-sensitivity, thinking consciousness arises. The cognition of mental objects as beings and persons is mental phenomena (nāma). Heart-base and mental objects are material phenomena (rūpa). Thus we have the two aspects: mental and material phenomena.

When examining the six sense-doors, do we find various kinds of humans, devas, brahmas, animals, petas, and asuras, or do we find the five aggregates? Are beings like humans, devas, and brahmas not found because they don't exist? If they don't exist, is there any need to cling to concepts of humans, devas, and brahmas? What we actually find are the five aggregates, not humans, devas, or brahmas.

Isn't it worth examining how these five aggregates exist?
- What is the nature of the material aggregate? (It is a group of phenomena that changes and deteriorates)
- What is the nature of the feeling aggregate? (It is a group of phenomena that experiences)
- What is the nature of the perception aggregate? (It is a group of phenomena that recognizes)
- What is the nature of the formations aggregate? (It is a group of phenomena that motivates and conditions)
- What is the nature of the consciousness aggregate? (It is a group of phenomena that knows)

These five aggregates cease after seeing, hearing, smelling, tasting, touching, and knowing - so do we find the five aggregates or do we find non-existence? If they don't exist, how can we cling to them? Since beings like humans, devas, and brahmas never existed in the first place, is there any need to cling to them? Even the existing aggregates - don't they arise and pass away? Can they be objects of clinging? In this way, doesn't identity-view (sakkāya-diṭṭhi) fall away?

For one who has eliminated identity-view, will they still commit unwholesome actions through body, speech, and mind? No, they won't. That's why the ancient teachers said that Stream-enterers are free from killing, stealing, sexual misconduct, lying, and wrong views. When one becomes a Stream-enterer, they gain true happiness. If one continues to strive, like Dhammadinnā and Lady Paṭācārā, can't they complete the holy life in one lifetime? Yes, they can. This is what needs to be examined.

Don't we need to understand the material aggregate (rūpakkhandha)? Within this material aggregate, aren't there the four great elements - earth, water, fire, and air? Earth element means the quality of hardness, or alternatively softness. Are these qualities of hardness and softness persons, or just earth element? Water element refers to cohesion, the binding quality. Fire element represents heat and cold qualities. Air element represents supporting and moving qualities. Don't we find these four great elements?

Are these four great elements humans, devas, or brahmas? We find just the four elements, right? When we find the four great elements, aren't there also four derived elements? There's the visible form element for the eye, the odor element for the nose, the six tastes element for the tongue (sweet, sour, spicy, salty, bitter, astringent), and the nutritive essence element that sustains bodily growth. So there are four great elements and four derived elements, making eight elements in total. Do we find humans, devas, and brahmas, or just these eight elements?

When these eight elements contact each other, doesn't sound arise? Isn't this taught as the nine types of material phenomena (navakkalāpa)? Are these nine elements humans, devas, and brahmas? When we analyze the aggregates, don't we find the material aggregate? Is it humans, devas, and brahmas, or just the material aggregate?

Whenever two material elements contact, doesn't the corresponding consciousness arise? For the eye, eye-consciousness arises. Can consciousness arise alone? If not, aren't feeling, perception, and volition also present? Think about it - is it humans, devas, or brahmas that experience forms, or is it feeling? Is it persons that perceive forms, or perception? Is it persons that motivate experiencing and perceiving, or volition? When we combine feeling, perception, and volition with consciousness, don't we get four mental aggregates?

Are these four mental aggregates humans, devas, or brahmas? Do these four mental aggregates arise by themselves or due to causes? Looking for causes, we find sense objects and sense doors - two material elements. For example, the sensitive eye matter and visible form. Only when these two meet do the four mental aggregates arise. Are these humans, devas, or brahmas, or just four mental aggregates? Is the sensitive eye matter humans, devas, or brahmas? Is visible form humans, devas, or brahmas? When we analyze the aggregates, don't we find the material aggregate? Combined with the four mental aggregates, don't we get the five aggregates in total?