I am not proposing an agent of cognition outside of ayatanas but i am saying that the 8FNP is for means of cessation of cognition, cessation of mind-sense base and non arising of contact.Dhammanando wrote: ↑Sat Jul 28, 2018 6:06 pmIn the exposition of the āyatanas in the Abhidhamma Piṭaka's Vibhaṅga the unconditioned element is included in dhammāyatana:
Tattha katamaṃ dhammāyatanaṃ? Vedanākkhandho, saññākkhandho, saṅkhārakkhandho, yañca rūpaṃ anidassanaappaṭighaṃ dhammāyatanapariyāpannaṃ, asaṅkhatā ca dhātu.
Therein what is the ideational-base? The aggregate of feeling, aggregate of perception, aggregate of volitional activities, that invisible non-impingent form included in the ideational base; and the unconditioned element.
What then could cognize it if not manāyatana? To propose another āyatana would be to make Nibbāna into a visible object, sound, taste, odour or tangible. To propose an agent of cognition outside the āyatanas would be to posit another "all".
https://legacy.suttacentral.net/en/vb2
The way leading to the cessation of the sixfold base is just this Noble Eightfold Path; that is, right view... right concentration.
Path attainment is realized by cessation of contact.2. Analysis Of The Sense-bases
2.1. Analysis According To The Discourses
The twelve sense-bases are: The eye sense-base, visible sense-base, ear sense-base, audible sense-base, nose sense-base, odorous sense-base, tongue sense-base, sapid sense-base, body sense-base, tangible sense-base, mind sense-base, ideational sense-base.
The eye is impermanent, suffering, without soul, a changeable thing; visible (objects) are impermanent, suffering, without soul, changeable things. The ear is impermanent, suffering, without soul, a changeable thing; audible (objects) are impermanent, suffering, without soul, changeable things. The nose is impermanent, suffering, without soul, a changeable thing; odorous (objects) are impermanent, suffering, without soul, changeable things. The tongue is impermanent, suffering, without soul, a changeable thing; sapid (objects) are impermanent, suffering, without soul, changeable things. The body is impermanent, suffering, without soul, a changeable thing; tangible (objects) are impermanent, suffering, without soul, changeable things. The mind is impermanent, suffering, without soul, a changeable thing; ideational (objects) are impermanent, suffering, without soul, changeable things.
(Here Ends) Analysis According To The Discourses
...
2.2. Analysis According To Abhidhamma
...
Therein what is mind sense-base? Mind sense-base by way of singlefold division: Is associated with contact.
Mind sense-base by way of twofold division: Is accompanied by root; is not accompanied by root.
By cessation of contact there is the cessation of FeelingThere are these four kinds of nutriment for the maintenance of beings that already have come to be and for the support of those seeking a new existence. What four? They are physical food as nutriment, gross or subtle; contact as the second; mental volition as the third; and consciousness as the fourth. With the arising of craving there is the arising of nutriment. With the cessation of craving there is the cessation of nutriment. The way leading to the cessation of nutriment is just this Noble Eightfold Path; that is, right view, right intention, right speech, right action, right livelihood, right effort, right mindfulness and right concentration.
With the cessation of Sense-Bases there is cessation of Contact;With the cessation of contact there is the cessation of feeling. The way leading to the cessation of feeling is just this Noble Eightfold Path; that is, right view... right concentration.
Cessation of contact is for attainment of the Deathless.There are these six classes of contact: eye-contact, ear-contact, nose-contact, tongue-contact, body-contact, mind-contact. With the arising of the sixfold base there is the arising of contact. With the cessation of the sixfold base there is the cessation of contact. The way leading to the cessation of contact is just this Noble Eightfold Path; that is, right view... right concentration
When the superlative man is absorbed independently of contact, there is no contact arising nor are there any sense bases because the path to such absorbtion is path to cessation. Therefore that which is primary happiness is not felt per se, is not felt by a being basicaly;
'Gotama the contemplative speaks of the cessation of perception & feeling and yet describes it as pleasure. What is this? How can this be?' When they say that, they are to be told, 'It's not the case, friends, that the Blessed One describes only pleasant feeling as included under pleasure. Wherever pleasure is found, in whatever terms, the Blessed One describes it as pleasure.'"
"This Unbinding is pleasant, friends. This Unbinding is pleasant."
When this was said, Ven. Udayin said to Ven. Sariputta, "But what is the pleasure here, my friend, where there is nothing felt?"
"Just that is the pleasure here, my friend: where there is nothing felt.