MN 28 Mahāhatthipadopama Sutta - the term 'samannāhāro'

Essays
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While not a formal essay, this post is about MN 28 and the Pali term ‘samannāhāro’ found therein.

MN 28 contains the section:

But when the mind is intact internally and exterior ideas come into range and there is corresponding engagement, there is the manifestation of the corresponding type of consciousness.

Yato ca kho, āvuso, ajjhattiko ceva mano aparibhinno hoti, bāhirā ca dhammā āpāthaṁ āgacchanti, tajjo ca samannāhāro hoti, evaṁ tajjassa viññāṇabhāgassa pātubhāvo hoti.

The term ‘samannāhāro’ is also found in the Abhidhamma & other late texts, particularly in Vb 17 as part of the description of inappropriate attention (ayoniso manasikāro).

MN 28 says samannāhāro results in the five aggregates produced (bhūta) as aggregates subject to grasping:

The form produced in this way is included in the grasping aggregate of form. The feeling, perception, choices, and consciousness produced in this way are each included in the corresponding grasping aggregate.

Yaṁ tathābhūtassa rūpaṁ taṁ rūpupādānakkhandhe saṅgahaṁ gacchati, yā tathābhūtassa vedanā sā vedanupādānakkhandhe saṅgahaṁ gacchati, yā tathābhūtassa saññā sā saññupādānakkhandhe saṅgahaṁ gacchati, ye tathābhūtassa saṅkhārā te saṅkhārupādānakkhandhe saṅgahaṁ gacchanti, yaṁ tathābhūtassa viññāṇaṁ taṁ viññāṇupādānakkhandhe saṅgahaṁ gacchati.

The term ‘bhūta’ and its relation ‘sambhava’ are found multiple times in MN 38 and are used synonymously with the dependent arising of phenomena associated with ignorance, craving and grasping.

MN 28 then introduces a well-known phrase which again is exclusive to only MN 28:

“One who sees dependent origination sees the teaching.

“yo paṭiccasamuppādaṁ passati so dhammaṁ passati;

One who sees the teaching sees dependent origination.”

yo dhammaṁ passati so paṭiccasamuppādaṁ passatī”ti.

MN 28 then reiterates the aggregates it is referring to are aggregates subject to craving and grasping.

And these five grasping aggregates are indeed dependently originated.

Paṭiccasamuppannā kho panime yadidaṁ pañcupādānakkhandhā.

The desire, clinging, attraction, and attachment for these five grasping aggregates is the origin of suffering.

Yo imesu pañcasu upādānakkhandhesu chando ālayo anunayo ajjhosānaṁ so dukkhasamudayo.

MN 28 then refers to the giving up of craving & grasping towards these aggregates that have been subjected to grasping:

Giving up and getting rid of desire and greed for these five grasping aggregates is the cessation of suffering.’

Yo imesu pañcasu upādānakkhandhesu chandarāgavinayo chandarāgappahānaṁ so dukkhanirodho’ti.

At this point, much has been done by that mendicant.”

Ettāvatāpi kho, āvuso, bhikkhuno bahukataṁ hotī”ti.

In conclusion, the term ‘samannāhāro’ in MN 28 appears inherently related to inappropriate attention and appears synonymous with a similar sutta term ‘patiṭṭhita’ (‘established’) found in SN 22.53, AN 3.76 & similar contexts.

In addition, if the term ‘samannāhāro’ contains the term ‘āhāra’ (‘nutriment’), again this content in MN 28 is similar to the content in MN 38 about the ‘bhuta’ and ‘sambhava’ of ‘āhāra’ leading to and maintaining ‘beings’ (‘sattanam’).

For in many ways the Buddha has told us about dependently originated consciousness , since without conditions, consciousness does not come to be.

Anekapariyāyena hi no, bhante, paṭiccasamuppannaṁ viññāṇaṁ vuttaṁ bhagavatā, aññatra paccayā natthi viññāṇassa sambhavo”ti.

Mendicants, do you see that this has come to be?

Bhūtamidanti, bhikkhave, passathā”ti?

“Yes, sir.”“Evaṁ, bhante”.

“Do you see that it originated with that as fuel?”

“Tadāhārasambhavanti, bhikkhave, passathā”ti?

“Yes, sir.”“Evaṁ, bhante”.

“Mendicants, there are these four fuels. They maintain beings that have been born and help those that are about to be born.

“Cattārome, bhikkhave, āhārā bhūtānaṁ vā sattānaṁ ṭhitiyā, sambhavesīnaṁ vā anuggahāya.

MN 38

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would it not be related to:

Samannāharati [saṃ+anu+āharati; …] 1. to concentrate the mind on, to consider, reflect D ii.204; M i.445; A iii.162 sq., 402 sq.; S i.114. — 2. to pay respect to, to honour M ii.169; Vin i.180.

Ven Bodhi has a note on tajjo samannāhāro:

339: “Corresponding (conscious) engagement” is explained by MA [aṭṭhakathā] as attention (manasikāra) arising in dependence on the eye and forms; it is identified with the “five-door” adverting consciousness (pañcadvarāvajjanacitta), which breaks off the flow of the life continuum (bhavanga) to initiate a process of cognition. Even when forms come into the range of the eye, if attention is not engaged by the form because one is occupied with something else, there is still no manifestation of the “corresponding class of consciousness,” i.e. eye-consciousness."

3

How is this MA footnote from VBB’s MN related to MN 28?

This sounds too generic. Why don’t you kindly quote the relevant excerpts from the suttas listed above for our examination? Thanks. For example:

And how does a mendicant listen?

Kathañca, bhikkhave, bhikkhu sotā hoti?

It’s when a mendicant pays attention, applies the mind, concentrates wholeheartedly, and actively listens when the teaching and training proclaimed by a Realized One is being taught.

Idha, bhikkhave, bhikkhu tathāgatappavedite dhammavinaye desiyamāne aṭṭhiṁ katvā manasi katvā sabbacetasā samannāharitvā ohitasoto dhammaṁ suṇāti

AN 4.114

AN 4.114, while being a wholesome context, still demonstrates ‘samannāharitvā’ means for the mind to be ‘engrossed’ in its object, which is similar to ‘patiṭṭhita’. (I am guessing samannāharitvā has been translated as “wholeheartedly” above).

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Unless I am mistaken, it is his footnote from Majjhima 28. Footnote #339.
It glosses the term you seem interested in discussing.

5

I have read the footnote before. I cannot discern how it is related to the content in MN 28. MN 28 is about the sense engagement resulting in the five aggregates subject to grasping. The footnote does not appear to be about this.

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The footnote (and commentary) explains how the various types of consciousness arise due to contact with sensory objects.- “the manifestation of the corresponding type of consciousness”

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The footnote says:

339: “Corresponding (conscious) engagement” is explained by MA [aṭṭhakathā ] as attention (manasikāra ) arising in dependence on the eye and forms; it is identified with the “five-door” adverting consciousness (pañcadvarāvajjanacitta ), which breaks off the flow of the life continuum (bhavanga ) to initiate a process of cognition. Even when forms come into the range of the eye, if attention is not engaged by the form because one is occupied with something else, there is still no manifestation of the “corresponding class of consciousness,” i.e. eye-consciousness.

Regardless, I think ‘attention’ here is too generic because as I suggested only an inappropriate attention results in the craving & grasping referred to in MN 28.

To add to my original post, I think the term ‘patubhavo’ is also in an unwholesome context in MN 28, as found in SN 12.2 and SN 35.21 (but not in some other suttas such as AN 1.171).

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The commentary explains that manasikāra arises when the form and eye come together.

Tajjo samannāhāroti taṃ cakkhuñca rūpe ca paṭicca bhavaṅgaṃ āvaṭṭetvā uppajjanamanasikāro

I.e. when the eye sees something it can pay attention to it, then cognition occurs.

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10

The commentary remains not relevant to my point view because I do not believe the term ‘samannaharo’ in MN 28 refers to the sensory engagement of an Arahant or any sensory engagement with mindfulness & wisdom. MN 28 is describing the five aggregates produced (bhuta) from that conscious engagement are the five grasping aggregates. As I suggested, the terms bhuta & sambhava described unwholesome productions in MN 38, which is also about dependent origination.

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Here, sabbacetasā samannāharitvā is ‘directs the whole mind.’ The “whole” is sabba, the absolutive samannāharitvā is ‘having directed’, ‘directs’, or ‘concentrates’.

The sense is that the monk pays full attention with the mind.
Note that here it is combined with manasi katvā, similar to the commentarial quote above that includes uppajjanamanasikāro.

Patiṭṭhita means to stand firmly, to be established in, to be set up.

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