Lecture Notes on the Sūtra of the Collection of the Father and Son (73)

The Three Mental Activities That Arise When Faculties and Sense-Objects Make Contact

Original text: 如是乃至。意着法处。为意境界。若彼意处。缘可爱色。极生爱乐。为彼所牵。引生贪行。不可爱色。生于嗔行。爱非爱色。起于痴行。如是声等。三种攀缘。领纳等相。准前应说。

Explanation: The Buddha said that just like this, when faculties and sense-objects make contact, three kinds of mental activities arise. When the manas makes contact with mental sense-objects (dharmas), the mind consciousness arises to discern the realms of mental sense-objects. If the manas takes as its object lovable forms, the mind consciousness gives rise to a mental activity of intense delight and attachment, and being drawn along by those forms, a mental activity of craving and greed arises; if the manas takes as its object unlovable forms, the mind consciousness gives rise to a mental activity of anger and resentment; if the manas takes as its object forms that are neither lovable nor unlovable, the mind consciousness gives rise to a mental activity of ignorance and delusion. Likewise, when the manas takes as its object sounds and so on, the mind consciousness also has these three kinds of mental activities, the same as when the manas takes forms as its object; when the manas takes as its objects odors, tastes, and tangibles, the mind consciousness is likewise the same in each case.