➥ phassa:

• for phassa:
  • sensation
  • tangible object (in poetry)
  • physical sensation

Phassa: sensation

Phassa usually means ‘sensation’:

• When one is reborn, sensations affect one.

upapannamenaṁ phassā phusanti MN i 390).

• Just as space is not established anywhere, Rāhula, likewise develop the meditation on space; for when you do so, arisen pleasing and displeasing sensations will not obsess your mind.

seyyathā pi rāhula ākāso na katthaci patiṭṭhito evameva kho tvaṁ rāhula ākāsasamaṁ bhāvanaṁ bhāvehi. Ākāsasamaṁ hi te rāhula bhāvanaṁ bhāvayato uppannā manāpāmanāpā phassā cittaṁ na pariyādāya ṭhassanti. (MN i 423)

Phassa: conjunction of three elements

In a technical sense, phassa is the conjunction of three bases of sensation. We likewise call this ‘sensation’:

• Dependent on the visual sense and visible objects, the visual field of sensation arises. The association of the three is sensation.

Cakkhuñca paṭicca rūpe ca uppajjati cakkhuviññāṇaṁ. Tiṇṇaṁ saṅgati phasso. (SN ii 72)

Phassa: relationship to vedanā

Bhikkhus, there are these three types of sense impression

tisso imā bhikkhave vedanā

• which are born of sensation

phassajā

• stem from sensation

phassamūlakā

• are due to sensation

phassanidānā

• arise dependent on sensation

phassapaccayā

What three?

• pleasant sense impression

sukhā vedanā

• unpleasant sense impression

dukkhā vedanā

• neutral sense impression

adukkhamasukhā vedanā. (SN iv 215)

Six types of sensation

Phassa is synonymous with samphasso, of which there are six types:

• visual sensation cakkhusamphasso
• auditory sensation sotasamphasso
• olfactory sensation ghānasamphasso
• gustatory sensation jivhāsamphasso
• tactile sensation kāyasamphasso
• mental sensation manosamphasso

In poetry: tangible object

In poetry, phassa is used instead of phoṭṭhabba.

• In feeling a tangible object

phoṭṭhabbaṁ phusitvā. (SN iv 75)

• When touched by a tangible object

phassaṁ phussa. (Tha 802)

• When touched by a tangible object

Phassena phuṭṭho. (SN iv 71)

➥ phassena: (main article see: phassa)

Illustration: phassena, tangible object

When touched by a tangible object do not be elated by pleasure. Do not tremble when touched by pain.

Phassena phuṭṭho na sukhena majje dukkhena phuṭṭhopi na sampavedhe. (SN iv 71)

Illustration: phassa, physical sensation

Maintain detached awareness towards physical sensation, both pleasant and painful, not attracted or repelled by anything.

Phassadvayaṁ sukhadukkhe upekkhe anānuruddho aviruddhakenaci. (SN iv 71)

Context:

• Disvāna rūpāni manoramāni… Saddañca sutavā dubhayaṁ piyāppiyaṁ etc

➥ samphasso: (main article see: phassa)

Illustration: samphasso, sensation

Dependent on the visual sense and visible objects there arises the visual field of sensation…

Cakkhuñca paṭicca rūpe uppajjati cakkhuviññāṇaṁ…

The meeting, the encounter, the concurrence of these three things is called visual sensation…

Yā kho bhikkhave imesaṁ tiṇṇaṁ dhammānaṁ saṅgati sannipāto samavāyo ayaṁ vuccati bhikkhave cakkhusamphasso…

With sensation one experiences, with sensation one perceives, with sensation one aspires.

Phuṭṭho bhikkhave vedeti phuṭṭho sañjānāti phuṭṭho ceteti. (SN iv 68)

➥ phasso: (main article see: phassa)

Illustration: phasso, sensation

Sensation is the basis for the arising of sensuous yearnings

phasso bhikkhave kāmānaṁ nidānasambhavo. (AN iii 411)

➥ phassā: (main article see: phassa)

Illustration: phassā, sensations

He is reborn in a hostile world where hostile sensations affect him and he experiences sense impression that is exclusively unpleasant, as experienced by the beings in hell.

savyāpajjhaṁ lokaṁ upapajjati. Tamenaṁ savyāpajjhaṁ lokaṁ upapannaṁ samānaṁ savyāpajjhā phassā phusanti. So savyāpajjhehi phassehi phuṭṭho samāno savyāpajjhaṁ vedanaṁ vedeti ekantadukkhaṁ seyyathā pi sattā nerayikā. (MN i 390)

Illustration: phasso, sensation

When a bhikkhu has emerged from the attainment of the ending of perception and sense impression, sensations of three types affect him

Saññāvedayitanirodhasamāpattiyā vuṭṭhitaṁ kho āvuso visākha bhikkhuṁ tayo phassā phusanti

1) sensation that is void [of the perception of personal qualities] (cf. suññamidaṁ attena vā attaniyena vā, MN i 297-8).

suññato phasso

2) sensation that is void of the perception of abiding phenomena

animitto phasso

3) sensation that is void of aspiration

appaṇihito phasso ti. (MN i 302)

Illustration: phassa, sensation

Because of diversity in the elements of sensation there is diversity in sensation.

dhātunānattaṁ paṭicca uppajjati phassanānattaṁ

Because of diversity in sensation there is diversity in sense impression.

phassanānattaṁ paṭicca uppajjati vedanānānattaṁ. (DN iii 289)

Sensation is the origin of all things.

phassasamudayā sabbe dhammā. (AN iv 339)

Sensation is the indispensible and necessary condition by which the aggregates of sense impression, perception, and mental factors are to be discerned.

phasso hetu phasso paccayo vedanakkhandhassa… saññākkhandhassa… saṅkhārakkhandhassa paññāpanāya. (MN iii 17)

➥ phassaṁ: (main article see: phassa)

Illustration: phassaṁ, sensation

Dependent on a sensation to be experienced as physically pleasant the faculty of physical pleasure arises.

Sukhavedanīyaṁ bhikkhave phassaṁ paṭicca uppajjati sukhindriyaṁ

Being physically pleased, he knows that: ‘I am physically pleased.’

So sukhito va samāno sukhitosmi ti pajānāti

He knows that: ‘With the ending of that sensation to be experienced as physically pleasant, the corresponding sense impression―the faculty of physical pleasure that arose dependent on that sensation to be experienced as physically pleasant―ceases and subsides.

Tasseva sukhavedanīyassa phassassa nirodhā yaṁ tajjaṁ vedayitaṁ sukhavedanīyaṁ phassaṁ paṭicca uppannaṁ sukhindriyaṁ taṁ nirujjhati. (SN v 211)

➥ samphassa: (main article see: phassa)

Illustration: samphassa, sensation

When the ignorant Everyman is affected by sense impression born of sensation and uninsightfulness into reality the notion “I am” occurs to him.

avijjāsamphassajena vedayitena phuṭṭhassa asmī ti pi’ssa hoti. (SN iii 46-7)

Illustration: phassaṁ, sensation

He knows that: ‘There has arisen in me an unpleasant sense impression. Now that is dependent, not self-sufficient. Dependent on what? Dependent on sensation. But sensation is unlasting, originated, dependently arisen. So when an unpleasant sense impression has arisen dependent on sensation, which is unlasting, originated, dependently arisen, how could it be lasting?'

so evaṁ pajānāti; uppannā kho myāyaṁ dukkhā vedanā sā ca kho paṭicca no apaṭicca kiṁ paṭicca: imameva phassaṁ paṭicca ayaṁ kho pana phasso anicco saṅkhato paṭiccasamuppanno aniccaṁ kho pana saṅkhataṁ paṭiccasamuppannaṁ phassaṁ paṭicca uppannā dukkhā vedanā kuto niccā bhavissatī ti. (SN iv 213-4)

Illustration: phassa, sensation

‘Sensation is the source of the pleasing and displeasing. When there is no sensation, the pleasing and displeasing do not arise. Of the cessation and continuance of bodily forms, which I mentioned, I tell you that sensation is the source, too.’

Phassanidānaṁ sātaṁ asātaṁ phasse asante na bhavanti hete
Vibhavaṁ bhavañcāpi yametamatthaṁ etaṁ te pabrūmi itonidānaṁ. (Snp 870)

And what is the faculty of physical pleasure? It is physical pleasure, physical pleasantness, pleasant and pleasing sense impression born of bodily sensation.

yaṁ kho bhikkhave kāyikaṁ sukhaṁ kāyikaṁ sātaṁ kāyasamphassajaṁ sukhaṁ sātaṁ vedayitaṁ idaṁ vuccati bhikkhave sukhindriyaṁ.

And what is the faculty of psychological pleasure? It is psychological pleasure, psychological pleasantness, pleasant and pleasing sense impression born of mental sensation:

yaṁ kho bhikkhave cetasikaṁ sukhaṁ cetasikaṁ sātaṁ manosamphassajaṁ sukhaṁ sātaṁ vedayitaṁ idaṁ vuccati bhikkhave somanassindriyaṁ. (SN v 211)