Dear Yong Peng,
op 16-07-2003 15:04 schreef Ong Yong Peng op ypong001@...:

> The commentary relates the agreeable and disagreeable impressions in
> the sutta with agreeable and disagreeable cittas. It further says
> that "eight types of consciousness accompanied by attachment are
> agreeable". In the notes, you added that four with wrong view are
> agreeable. Can you help to explain this further, please? Thanks.

N: As you say, the commentary relates the agreeable and disagreeable
impressions in
the sutta with agreeable and disagreeable cittas.The Sutta text speaks
about phassa, contact.
To be more precise: contact is a mental factor, cetasika, arising with each
citta. (Dhammasangani, first book of the Abhidhamma) Thus, it is not
physical contact, it is mental. It contacts the object so that citta can
cognize it. Phassa contacts agreeable and disagreeable objects. We can say
in a general sense that there are agreeable and disagreeable contacts
(impressions), but when we are more precise, the objects that are contacted
are agreeable and disagreeable.
The preceding sentences in this passage make it clearer:
<i.t.thaani.t.thesu hi arajjanto adussanto taadii naama hoti.
not being attached nor having aversion with regard to the desirable
and the undesirable is ³suchness².>This is in the case of someone who has
"done the task", as the subcommentary states. Here the words i.t.tha and
ani.t.tha are used: desirable and undesirable. Namely: the object,
aaramma.na, experienced by citta.
We read in the text of the Co:
<manaapaamanaapaati ettha a.t.tha lobhasahagatacittasampayuttaa
manaapaa naama...>
with regard to the words agreeable and disagreeable, here the eight
types of consciousness accompanied by attachment are agreeable...
When the object is agreeable there often is citta rooted in lobha, when it
is disagreeable there often is citta rooted in dosa.
When citta rooted in attachment arises, it likes the object it experiences.
No matter what type of lobha-muula-citta arises, all eight types like the
object that they experience. Wrong view arises with lobha, there is always
clinging at such moments. (Dhammasangani, first book of the Abhidhamma) One
likes one's wrong view.
I shall post the relevant subcommentary too, only one section. I shall not
translate many sections of this subcommentary.
The subcommentary stresses vipassana, insight. Rahula had to develop
insight, right understanding, seeing the body and all experiences as only
elements.
Nina.