The Falsehood of Feelings and Perceptions

When your foot is bitten by a mosquito and itches intensely, yet you cannot locate the exact spot that itches—what principle does this illustrate? When you shift your attention to thinking about a problem, the itching is no longer felt. Why is that?

The tactile sense-object of the external foot is transmitted into the supreme faculty (rūpa-prasāda), becoming an inner tactile sense-object. The manas and the mind consciousness discern the tactile sense-object within the supreme faculty, but cannot clearly identify the exact location. Perhaps there is a problem with the transmitting nerves; perhaps the location was not transmitted clearly; perhaps it was not manifested clearly; or perhaps the conscious mind cannot discern it clearly. In any case, the tactile sense-object discerned by the sixth and seventh consciousnesses is not the real tactile sense-object of the foot. Therefore, we need not pay too much attention to the forms, sounds, smells, tastes, tangibles, and dharmas contacted by the seven consciousnesses, because they are all illusory and unreal dharmas. Moreover, the seven consciousnesses themselves are also illusory and unreal, and the feelings and sensations of the seven consciousnesses are likewise illusory and unreal. Thus, the feelings and sensations of the conscious mind are not the self.

When the manas and the mind consciousness do not direct their attention to the inner tactile sense-object of the foot, there is no clear feeling or sensation; hence, when attention is shifted elsewhere, the itching is no longer felt. This shows how illusory feelings and sensations are.