Six Sixes

Through the development of vipassana we shall see all realities as anatta, not self. What does panna know so that the truth of anatta can be realized? We read in the “Discourse on the Six Sixes” (Middle Length Sayings III, no. 148) that the Buddha, while he was staying near Savatthí, at the Jeta Grove, taught the monks about “Six Sixes”. He taught them that there are six internal sense-fields (ayatanas), six external sense-fields, six classes of consciousness, six classes of contact (phassa), six kinds of feeling and six kinds of craving. We read:

“When it is said, ‘Six internal sense-fields are to be understood’, in reference to what is it said? It is in reference to the sense-field of eye, the sense-field of ear, the sense-field of nose, the sense-field of tongue, the sense-field of body, the sense-field of mind ...

When it is said, ‘Six external sense-fields are to be understood’, in reference to what is it said? It is in reference to the sense-field of visible objects, the sense-field of of sounds, the sense-field of smells, the sense-field of tastes, the sense-field of touches, the sense-field of mental states ...

When it is said, ‘Six classes of consciousness are to be understood’, in reference to what is it said? It is in reference to the eye-consciousness that arises because of eye and visible objects; the ear-consciousness that arises because of ear and sounds; the nose-consciousness that arises because of nose and smells; the tongue-consciousness that arises because of tongue and tastes; the body-consciousness that arises because of body and tactile objects; the mind-consciousness that arises because of mind and mental states ... ”

We then read that the Buddha taught that there are six classes of contact: eye-contact, ear-contact, nose-contact, tongue-contact, body-contact and mind-contact. Eye-contact, for example, is a cetasika that conditions seeing to experience visible object through the eye-door. Contact arises together with each citta. The Buddha taught that the six kinds of contact condition six kinds of feeling, and that the six kinds of feeling condition six kinds of craving. All these realities occur now, at this moment, in daily life. Are there not eye, visible object and seeing? Are there not eye-contact, feeling and craving?

The Buddha clearly explained what the material to be studied is so that the understanding can be developed which eradicates defilements. The material to be studied are all the objects which can be experienced now through the six doors.

How can we begin to study realities? What can be known at the beginning? Nothing else but the reality which appears at this moment. Are there realities appearing and can they be known one at a time? It seems that many realities appear all at the same time, but then we are thinking of a “whole”, of a concept or idea.