Brief Discussion on Material Elements (Draft)

XIX. The Rapid Propagation of the Form Dust Among the Six Dusts

Question: During last night's meditation while observing the breath, I suddenly perceived a flash of white light in my mind, immediately followed by the sound of a stool being moved upstairs. Was this flash of white light in the mind produced by the contact between the sense faculty and its object?

Answer: The sound of the stool being moved upstairs propagated to the subtle sense faculty (胜义根) in the brain. When the sense faculty and its object came into contact, consciousness arose—specifically, the ear consciousness perceived the sound. Before the sound was heard, the sound dust suddenly contacted the subtle sense faculty, causing an abnormal reaction in it. The flash of white light in the mind was precisely that reaction. Because the five subtle sense faculties are also material forms (色法) composed of the four great elements, and sound dust is likewise a material form of the four great elements, a relatively loud sound dust propagating to the subtle sense faculty can stimulate the subtle sense faculty of the body faculty. Upon receiving such sudden stimulation, the brain (as part of the body faculty) produces a stress response.

If this occurs during a relatively quiet meditative state where the mind is unprepared, the sudden appearance of a sensory object will cause the mental faculty (意根) to prompt an abnormal reaction in the body faculty. In ordinary distracted states, such sudden stimulus responses would not occur. Similarly, very loud sounds, such as thunder, can vibrate the eardrum and even cause deafness in the ear faculty. The eardrum belongs to the physical body faculty, and its vibration constitutes the touch dust, perceived by the body consciousness. This demonstrates that sound dust possesses material attributes and is also a material form (色法). Therefore, it can also be partially perceived by the eye consciousness as a material form. The flash of white light in the mind was perceived by the eye consciousness. In the future, when the six faculties achieve interchangeable use, hearing sounds will not require the ear consciousness, seeing forms will not require the eye consciousness, smelling scents will not require the nose consciousness, tasting flavors will not require the tongue consciousness, sensing touch will not require the body consciousness, and cognizing dharmas will not require the mental consciousness.

For sensory objects originating from the same source, which occurs first: perception by the eye consciousness, hearing by the ear consciousness, smelling by the nose consciousness, tasting by the tongue consciousness, or touching by the body consciousness? The propagation speeds of the six dusts are certainly not the same. Determining which propagates faster requires further observation. For example, when thunder occurs in the sky, does the eye consciousness perceive the lightning first, or does the ear consciousness hear the thunder first? Generally, the propagation speed of form dust is faster than that of sound dust. For sensory objects transmitted from the same source, the eye consciousness perceives them first, followed by the ear consciousness. Another example: when sunlight propagates, the eye consciousness perceives the light first, and the body consciousness senses the warmth afterward.