Commentary on the Pitāputrasamāgama Sūtra (73)

The Three Mental Activities Arising from Contact Between Sense Faculties and Objects

Original Text: Thus, as far as the mind faculty (manas) attaching to the domain of dharmas as its object. When that mental faculty (mano-āyatana) encounters a desirable form, it gives rise to intense delight. Drawn toward that form, it generates the activity of greed. When encountering an undesirable form, it produces the activity of hatred. When encountering a form that is neither desirable nor undesirable, it gives rise to the activity of delusion. Similarly, with sounds and so forth, the three types of grasping at objects and the experiences of reception, etc., should be understood as previously explained.

Explanation: The Buddha states that when sense faculties and objects come into contact in this way, three types of mental activities arise. When the mind faculty (manas) contacts the object of mental phenomena (dharmas), it gives rise to the consciousness that discriminates the realm of dharmas. If the mind faculty encounters a desirable form, consciousness then gives rise to the mental activity of intense delight; being drawn toward that form, it generates the mental activity of greed. If the mind faculty encounters an undesirable form, consciousness gives rise to the mental activity of hatred. If the mind faculty encounters a form that is neither desirable nor undesirable, consciousness gives rise to the mental activity of delusion. Similarly, when the mind faculty encounters the domain of sounds, consciousness also exhibits these three mental activities, identical to those arising when the mind faculty encounters forms. When the mind faculty encounters the domains of smells, tastes, and tangible objects, consciousness behaves in the same manner.