Lectures on the Sūtra of the Collection of the Father and Son (Pitāputrasamāgamanasūtra) (73)

The Three Mental Formations Arising When Faculties and 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 formations arise. When the manas makes contact with mental sense objects, the mind consciousness arises to discern the objects of the mental sense objects. If the manas takes as its object agreeable form, the mind consciousness gives rise to a mental formation of intense delight and attachment, and being drawn along by that form, a mental formation of craving and greed arises; if the manas takes as its object disagreeable form, the mind consciousness gives rise to a mental formation of resentment and anger; if the manas takes as its object form that is neither agreeable nor disagreeable, the mind consciousness gives rise to a mental formation of delusion. In the same way, when the manas takes sound and so forth as its object, the mind consciousness also has three kinds of mental formations, the same as when the manas takes form as its object. When the manas takes as its objects the bases of scent, taste, and touch, the mind consciousness is likewise so in every case.