Feeling as Condition for Craving (Vedanāpaccayā Taṇhā) (2)

Regarding "Feeling as condition for craving" (vedanāpaccayā taṇhā), we explained yesterday that, in terms of craving (taṇhā), there are six types. To clarify this here: when the eye and a visual object make contact, eye-consciousness arises. The coming together of these three is contact (phassa). Experiencing the visual object is feeling (vedanā). Desiring, liking, clinging to, and becoming attached to the experienced visual object is craving (taṇhā). This craving is called craving for forms (rūpa-taṇhā). Similarly, craving for the experienced sound is craving for sounds (sadda-taṇhā). Craving for the experienced smell is craving for odors (gandha-taṇhā). Craving for the experienced taste is craving for flavors (rasa-taṇhā). Craving for the experienced tactile sensation is craving for tangibles (phoṭṭhabba-taṇhā). Craving for the experienced thought/mental object (dhamma-ārammaṇa) is craving for mental phenomena (dhamma-taṇhā). Thus, the six types of craving come to be. In short, it is simply that craving arises because of feeling. Looking back at the sequence, we see that because of the sense bases (āyatana), contact (phassa) arises; because of contact, feeling (vedanā) arises. This process cannot be stopped. What does this mean? When the eye and a visual object make contact, eye-consciousness arises. Because these three come together, contact necessarily arises. One cannot say, "After contact, do not let feeling arise!" This process cannot be prevented by any powerful being from happening, nor can it be cut off. If one wants to cut it off, it must be cut off after the feeling. Only by applying the Path (magga) after the feeling can one escape via the cessation route of Dependent Origination (paṭicca-samuppāda). If one does not cut off with the Path and remains as is, one cannot say, "Craving, do not come after feeling!" We have previously explained that there are five types of feeling according to the sensation experienced: pleasant (sukha), unpleasant (dukkha), joyful (somanassa), displeasing (domanassa), and equanimous (upekkhā). If we group similar ones: joy (somanassa) is grouped with pleasure (sukha + somanassa = sukha), and displeasure (domanassa) is grouped with unpleasantness (dukkha + domanassa = dukkha). Thus, from five types, only three remain. Therefore, you may sometimes see feeling described as five types, and sometimes as three types. When we say craving follows feeling, according to the ordinary sequence: craving follows pleasant feeling (sukha-vedanā paccayā taṇhā). Aversion (dosa) follows unpleasant feeling (dukkha-vedanā paccayā doso). Delusion (moha) follows neutral feeling (upekkhā-vedanā paccayā moho). When craving follows pleasure, it is "feeling as condition for craving," and the wheel turns from the middle. When aversion follows suffering, it leads to sorrow, lamentation, pain, grief, and despair (soka, parideva, dukkha, domanassa, upāyāsa). Since these states arise due to the defilements (āsava), it becomes "with the arising of the defilements, there is the arising of ignorance" (āsava-samudayā avijjā-samudayo) – because of the defilements, ignorance arises again; because of ignorance, formations arise, and thus Dependent Origination loops back from the end. When delusion arises due to neutral feeling, ignorance arises, leading to "ignorance as condition for formations" (avijjā paccayā saṅkhārā) – the cycle starts again from the beginning of Dependent Origination. As long as the Path does not intervene after feeling, Dependent Origination will keep turning. It will not stop by itself. Now, in "Feeling as condition for craving," it is stated that only craving follows feeling. It is clear that craving follows pleasant feeling. It's straightforward to understand being attached to and delighting in a pleasant feeling. However, one might question how craving can follow unpleasant feeling or neutral feeling. The Visuddhimagga explains that when unpleasant feeling arises, one longs for pleasant feeling. When experiencing suffering, the desire for happiness that arises is a longing for pleasant feeling. A small craving for wanting, for longing, for pleasant feeling appears. It is not craving for the unpleasant feeling itself. Using the unpleasant feeling as a basis, craving arises for the pleasant feeling that is free from that unpleasantness. It is an indirect way of giving rise to craving. As for neutral feeling, it has a peaceful, calm nature. Thus, craving arises that delights in and clings to this peaceful nature of neutral feeling. Therefore, the diagram in the wheel shows craving coming after feeling. The point is to understand that craving can follow all three types of feeling. So, remember this: if one does not contemplate feeling as impermanent, craving will surely follow. The five factors in Section (2) have been explained before as the present five aggregates (khandhā). According to the Abhidhamma method, they are: the materiality aggregate (rūpakkhandhā), feeling aggregate (vedanākkhandhā), perception aggregate (saññākkhandhā), formations aggregate (saṅkhārakkhandhā), and consciousness aggregate (viññāṇakkhandhā). Although "Feeling as condition for craving" is primarily stated, one should also understand that craving comes after Section (2) as a whole. Alternatively, since craving and clinging in Section (3) are defilements (kilesā), we must understand that defilements arise due to the five aggregates. Only with this understanding can we see that if one does not contemplate the mind, defilements arise. The mind is the consciousness aggregate. If one does not contemplate materiality, defilements arise. Materiality is the materiality aggregate. If one does not contemplate feeling, perception, and formations, defilements arise. They should be noted respectively as the feeling aggregate, perception aggregate, and formations aggregate. When these five aggregates are divided according to the foundations of mindfulness (satipaṭṭhāna): 1. The materiality aggregate -> Mindfulness of the Body (kāyānupassanā satipaṭṭhāna) 2. The feeling aggregate -> Mindfulness of Feelings (vedanānupassanā satipaṭṭhāna) 3. The perception and formations aggregates (two) -> Mindfulness of Mind Objects (dhammānupassanā satipaṭṭhāna) 4. The consciousness aggregate -> Mindfulness of the Mind (cittānupassanā satipaṭṭhāna) Thus, there are only four foundations of mindfulness. The five aggregates should be contemplated using the four foundations of mindfulness. If one can contemplate, using any one of the four foundations of mindfulness (satipaṭṭhāna-bhāvanā), to see the arising and passing away, then defilements cannot arise afterwards based on any one of the five aggregates. By cutting off with the Path, preventing the defilements from arising again within the five aggregates, the factors in Section (3) are given no chance to appear. The purpose of practicing Vipassanā contemplation on the five aggregates as objects of observation is to prevent these Section (3) factors from arising. Therefore, if one contemplates feeling, the Path intervenes after feeling, and defilements cannot arise. Similarly, if one contemplates materiality, the Path intervenes after materiality, and defilements cannot arise. If one contemplates the mind, the Path intervenes after the mind, and defilements cannot arise. If one contemplates mind objects (the Truths), the Path intervenes after the mind object, and defilements cannot arise. This is the method to prevent the Section (3) factors from arising after Section (2). In the standard presentation of Dependent Origination, it is usually stated as "Feeling as condition for craving." However, in essence, one should understand comprehensively that defilements arise due to the five aggregates. Therefore, to prevent defilements from following the five aggregates, one contemplates the arising and passing away of any one of the five aggregates. The contemplated aggregate is arising and passing away, which is the Truth of Suffering (dukkha-saccā). The contemplating insight is the Truth of the Path (magga-saccā). Because the Path-factor intervenes, the defilements that normally follow cannot arise. "Cutting off the connection between feeling and craving" essentially means preventing the connection between the aggregates and the defilements, preventing a transition from Section (2) to Section (3). Only by understanding this comprehensively can one grasp the meaning that the practice is to prevent craving, to prevent defilements from following not only feeling, but also the mind, materiality, and mind objects. Dr. Ashin Pāramī