Concepts II - Can a concept be an object of satipatthana? I


Question: Can a concept be an object of satipatthana?
Sujin: It cannot.
Question: From what I heard just a moment ago, it seems that a concept can be the object of satipatthana.
Sujin: Only paramattha dhammas can be the object of satipatthana. When flavour impinges on the rupa that is tasting-sense, there are conditions for the arising of cittas that experience flavour through the tongue-door. First, there is the five-sense-door adverting consciousness and then there are tasting-consciousness, receiving- consciousness, investigating-consciousness, determining-consciousness, the javana- cittas and the tadalambana-cittas (registering or retention). Then the flavour falls away and thus there is no grape in the absolute sense. However, when one joins different realities together into a whole, such as a grape, then the object is a concept.
Satipatthana is developed when there is awareness of the characteristics of paramattha dhammas and they are realised as not a being, a person or self. When sati does not arise, the characteristics of paramattha dhammas cannot be discerned, only concepts are known. Then, there will be ideas of beings, people and self all the time.

Topic 289