Q & A

Sai Noom Khay: Venerable Ashin Dhammasami, I’ve been reading about the five aggregates in Buddhism, but I find it quite complex. Can you explain how these aggregates interact, starting with the eye door? Venerable Ashin Dhammasami: Of course, Sai Noom Khay. Let’s start with the basics. In Buddhism, the five aggregates (khandha) are the components that constitute an individual's experience. They include form (rupa), feeling (vedana), perception (sanna), mental formations (sankhara), and consciousness (vinnana). When we talk about the eye door, we are referring to the process of seeing. Sai Noom Khay: I see. So, how do these aggregates interact in the process of seeing? Venerable Ashin Dhammasami: Imagine you see a beautiful flower. The process begins with contact (phassa) between your eye (form) and the flower (form), which brings together consciousness (vinnana), specifically seeing-consciousness (cakkhu vinnana), and perception (sanna). This contact generates a feeling (vedana), which can be pleasant, unpleasant, or neutral. In this case, seeing the flower might generate a pleasant feeling. Next, perception involves recognizing the flower as a rose. Mental formations (sankhara) come into play as you might decide to pick the flower or simply admire it. Finally, consciousness (vinnana) is the ongoing awareness of the entire process. Sai Noom Khay: That makes sense. But what about the ear door? How do the aggregates interact when we hear something? Venerable Ashin Dhammasami: When a sound impacts the ear-sensitivity (sota-pasada), it initiates the process of hearing. The ear (form) and the sound (form) come into contact, leading to the arising of hearing-consciousness (sota vinnana). This generates a feeling, such as pleasure from hearing music or discomfort from a loud noise. Perception recognizes and interprets the sound, like identifying a song. Mental formations involve deciding whether to continue listening or to cover your ears. Consciousness integrates the awareness of hearing, feeling, perception, and mental formations. Sai Noom Khay: I’m starting to see how these aggregates work together. How about the nose door and the process of smelling? Venerable Ashin Dhammasami: For smelling, when an odor impacts the nose-sensitivity (ghana-pasada), it triggers the process of smelling. The nose (form) and the odor (form) contact, leading to the arising of smelling-consciousness (ghana vinnana). This generates a feeling, such as enjoying a pleasant fragrance or disliking a foul odor. Perception recognizes and labels the smell, like identifying the scent of flowers. Mental formations might involve the intention to move closer to the source of the pleasant smell or to avoid the unpleasant one. Consciousness integrates the entire experience. Sai Noom Khay: And what about the tongue door and the process of tasting? Venerable Ashin Dhammasami: When a taste impacts the tongue-sensitivity (jivha-pasada), it initiates the process of tasting. The tongue (form) and the taste (form) contact, leading to the arising of taste-consciousness (jivha vinnana). This generates a feeling, such as the pleasure from tasting something sweet or the discomfort from something bitter. Perception involves recognizing and labeling the taste, like identifying a flavor as salty. Mental formations might involve the intention to eat more of the pleasant-tasting food or to avoid the unpleasant one. Consciousness is the ongoing awareness of this entire process. Sai Noom Khay: Lastly, how do the aggregates interact in the process of touch? Venerable Ashin Dhammasami: When a tactile sensation impacts the body-sensitivity (kaya-pasada), it initiates the process of touch. The body (form) and the tactile object (form) come into contact, leading to the arising of touch-consciousness (kaya vinnana). This generates a feeling, such as the comfort of a soft touch or the pain of a sharp object. Perception involves recognizing and labeling the sensation, like identifying something as smooth or rough. Mental formations might involve the intention to move closer to the source of comfort or to withdraw from the source of pain. Consciousness integrates the awareness of the tactile sensation, feeling, perception, and mental formations. Sai Noom Khay: I understand now how the aggregates interact in different sensory processes. But how do these interactions relate to karma? Venerable Ashin Dhammasami: Excellent question, Sai Noom Khay. Our intentions and actions, driven by mental formations (sankhara), create karma. For instance, if you decide to pick a flower out of a pure intention to appreciate its beauty, you generate positive karma. If the action is driven by selfish motives, it might generate negative karma. These karmic actions plant seeds (bija) in your mind-stream, which accumulate over time and eventually ripen (vipaka) under the right conditions. This ripening can influence future experiences, including the quality of life, social status, and even the realm of rebirth. Sai Noom Khay: And how does karma influence rebirth? Venerable Ashin Dhammasami: Karma determines the conditions of rebirth. Based on one's actions, karma can lead to rebirth in one of six realms: the heavenly realm, human realm, asura realm, animal realm, hungry ghost realm, or hell realm. Wholesome actions typically result in favorable rebirths, while unwholesome actions lead to less favorable ones. The process involves the stream of consciousness moving from death (marana) to an intermediate state (antarabhava), and then to a new conception (patisandhi), influenced by accumulated karma. Sai Noom Khay: This has clarified a lot for me, Venerable Ashin Dhammasami. Understanding the interaction of the aggregates and the role of karma provides a comprehensive view of how our actions shape our experiences and future lives. Venerable Ashin Dhammasami: I’m glad to hear that, Sai Noom Khay. Remember, Buddhism teaches us to live mindfully and ethically, not just for a better future but for peace and happiness in the present moment. Keep practicing and exploring these teachings, and you’ll continue to gain deeper insights.