The 6 Classes of Contact

Overview

Contact (Phassa) is the critical spark of experience. It is defined as the coming together of three things: the internal sense base, the external sense object, and the corresponding consciousness. Contact is the absolute prerequisite for feeling, perception, and craving to arise.

The List

1. Cakkhusamphassa - Eye-contact: The meeting of eye, form, and eye-consciousness.
2. Sotasamphassa - Ear-contact: The meeting of ear, sound, and ear-consciousness.
3. Ghānasamphassa - Nose-contact: The meeting of nose, odor, and nose-consciousness.
4. Jivhāsamphassa - Tongue-contact: The meeting of tongue, taste, and tongue-consciousness.
5. Kāyasamphassa - Body-contact: The meeting of body, tactile object, and body-consciousness.
6. Manosamphassa - Mind-contact: The meeting of mind-base, mental object, and mind-consciousness.

Textual References

• Canonical: Chachakka Sutta (MN 148) – The Buddha explains that dependent on these six classes of contact, the three types of feeling (pleasant, painful, neutral) arise.