Overview

The Visuddhimagga gives derived materiality (upādārūpaṃ, Rūpa) as twenty-four kinds (Vism-ii 323:1); with the four great elements this makes the twenty-eight of Vism-ii 358:1. The Dhammasaṅgaṇī’s list of derived form (Dhs 595) names twenty-three, without the heart-basis (hadayavatthu).

The List (Core Derived Materiality)

The 5 Sensitive Phenomena (Pasāda Rūpa):

  1. Eye-sensitivity, 2. Ear-sensitivity, 3. Nose-sensitivity, 4. Tongue-sensitivity, 5. Body-sensitivity. The 4 Objective Phenomena (Gocara Rūpa):
  2. Visible Form, 7. Sound, 8. Odor, 9. Taste. (Note: Touch is excluded here because it is composed of 3 of the Great Elements). The 2 Sexual Phenomena (Bhāva Rūpa):
  3. Femininity, 11. Masculinity. The Heart Phenomenon (Hadaya Rūpa):
  4. Heart-base (the physical seat of the mind). The Life Phenomenon (Jīvita Rūpa):
  5. Physical vitality/Life faculty. The Nutritional Phenomenon (Āhāra Rūpa):
  6. Nutritive essence. The 1 Space Phenomenon: 15. Space element. The 2 Communicating Phenomena: 16. Bodily intimation, 17. Verbal intimation. The 3 Mutable Phenomena: 18. Lightness, 19. Pliancy, 20. Wieldiness. The 4 Characteristics: 21. Production, 22. Continuity, 23. Decay, 24. Impermanence.

Quote

Upādārūpaṃ catuvīsatividhaṃ – cakkhu, sotaṃ, ghānaṃ, jivhā, kāyo, rūpaṃ, saddo, gandho, raso, itthindriyaṃ, purisindriyaṃ, jīvitindriyaṃ, hadayavatthu, kāyaviññatti, vacīviññatti, ākāsadhātu, rūpassa lahutā, rūpassa mudutā, rūpassa kammaññatā, rūpassa upacayo, rūpassa santati, rūpassa jaratā, rūpassa aniccatā, kabaḷīkāro āhāroti.
Derived form is of twenty-four kinds: eye, ear, nose, tongue, body, form, sound, fragrance, flavor, feminine faculty, masculine faculty, life faculty, heart-basis, bodily intimation, vocal intimation, space element, lightness of form, pliancy of form, wieldiness of form, growth of form, continuity of form, decay of form, impermanence of form, and physical nutriment.

— Visuddhimagga (Vism XIV, Khandhaniddesa, Rūpakkhandhakathā) · TPR

Textual References

  • Aṭṭhakathā: Visuddhimagga (Vism-ii 323:1, 358:1) – Derived materiality as twenty-four kinds; with the four great elements, twenty-eight.
  • Abhidhamma: Dhammasaṅgaṇī (Dhs 595) – The Mūla list of derived form, twenty-three items without the heart-basis.

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