Milinda’s Questions

Examination Chapter

8. Distinguishing Characteristic of Contact Question

The king asked:

“Venerable Nāgasena, do contact and also feeling arise where mind consciousness arises?”

“Yes, your majesty, where mind consciousness arises, there too contact, feeling, perception, intention, applied thought, and examination arise, and all mental states that arise there are led by contact.”

“Venerable Nāgasena, what is the distinguishing characteristic of contact?”

“Touching, your majesty, is the distinguishing characteristic of contact.”

“Please give me an analogy.”

“Suppose, your majesty, that two rams were fighting. One of these rams is to be seen as the eye,

the other ram is to be seen as form,

and the meeting of the two is to be seen as contact.”

“Give me another analogy.”

“Suppose, your majesty, that two hands were clapped together. One of these hands is to be seen as the eye,

the other hand is to be seen as form,

and the meeting of the two is to be seen as contact.”

“Give me another analogy.”

“Suppose, your majesty, that two cymbals were clanged together. One of these cymbals is to be seen as the eye,

the other cymbal is to be seen as form,

and the meeting of the two is to be seen as contact.”

“You are clever, Venerable Nāgasena!”

Distinguishing Characteristic of Contact Question eighth