Samyuktāgama (291), Part One

(1) Original text:尔时。世尊告诸比丘。我说内触法。汝等为取不。时有异比丘从座起。整衣服。稽首礼足。合掌白佛言。世尊所说内触法。我已取也。时彼比丘于佛前。如是如是自记说。如是如是世尊不悦。尔时尊者阿难。在佛后执扇扇佛。佛告阿难。如圣法律内触法。异于此比丘所说。阿难白佛。今正是时。惟愿世尊。为诸比丘。说贤圣法律内触法。诸比丘闻已。当受奉行。

Explanation: The World-Honored One told the bhikṣus, "I have spoken of the dharma of inner contact. Do you all think you can grasp it?" At that time, a bhikṣu who had come from elsewhere rose from his seat, arranged his robes, bowed his head to the Buddha's feet, and with palms joined said to the Buddha, "The dharma of inner contact that the World-Honored One has spoken of, I have already grasped." Then, before the Buddha, this bhikṣu expounded the teaching in various ways to validate himself, and no matter how he expounded it, the World-Honored One was displeased to hear it. Then the Venerable Ānanda, standing behind the Buddha, fanned the Buddha with a fan. The Buddha told Ānanda, "The dharma of inner contact according to the noble Dharma and Vinaya is different from what this bhikṣu has said." Ānanda said to the Buddha, "Now is precisely the time. May the World-Honored One please expound to the bhikṣus the dharma of inner contact according to the noble Dharma and Vinaya. Having heard it, the bhikṣus shall accept and practice it."

What is the dharma of inner contact? It is the contact that occurs within the supreme faculty (rūpa-prasāda): the eye contacts form, the ear contacts sound, the nose contacts scent, the tongue contacts taste, the body contacts tangible objects, and the mind contacts dharmas. Upon contact, consciousness arises, and consciousness then contacts the sense objects.