Dear Nina and friends,

thanks very much. At last, this paragraph is completed. However,
suggestions and comments are still welcome.


"And what, Rahula, is the space element[5]? The space element may be
internal or external. And what, Rahula, is the internal space
element? That, internally, and individually, is space, void, and
clung to, namely: the cavity of the ear, the orifice of the nose, the
opening of the mouth, and whereby (one) swallows what is tasted,
chewed, drunk and eaten, and where (food) being tasted, chewed, drunk
and eaten remains, and whereby (food) being tasted, chewed, drunk and
eaten passes out of the body lower down, or whatever else internally,
and individually is space, void, sky, empty, an opening, hollow,
untouched by flesh and blood, and clung to.[6] This, Rahula, is
called the internal space element. But that very internal space
element and that external space element are simply space element.
Thus "this is not mine, this I am not, this is not myself" is to be
seen with right wisdom just as it is. Having seen this with right
wisdom just as it is, the mind becomes dispassionate towards (and)
detaches (itself) from the space element.

[5] Ruupas arise in groups, never isolated. The four great Elements
are present in each group (kalapa). The ruupa space, akaasa, is an
infinitesimally tiny rupa surrounding each of these groups, it allows
the groups to be distinct from each other. Akaasa is also called
pariccheda ruupa (pariccheda meaning limit), because it delimits or
separates the different groups of ruupa. The manifestation of akaasa
is holes and openings.

[6] Dhammasangani (First book of Abhidhamma) has: That which is space
and belongs to space, is sky and belongs to sky, is vacuum and
belongs to vacuum, and is not in contact with the four Great
Phenomena.

Full trilinear version is available here:
http://www.tipitaka.net/tipitaka/strans/stransload.php?page=mn062s06


metta,
Yong Peng