Mahathera Ledi Sayadaw - Abhidhamma.com

account of its apparent desire for iron. When it gets near a lump of iron, it shakes itself as though
desiring it. Moreover, it moves itself forward and attaches itself firmly to the iron. In other cases,
it attracts the iron, and so the iron shakes itself, approaches the lodestone, and attaches itself
firmly to it. Here we see the power of the lodestone, which may be taken as a striking
representation of the 'alambana' of mind and the mental factors.
They (mind and its concomitants) not only attach themselves to objects, but, at the stage of their
coming into existence within a personal entity, rise and cease every moment, while the objects
remain present at the avenues of the six doors[4]. Thus the rising and ceasing is just like that of
the sound of a gong, which is produced only at each moment we strike its surface, followed by
immediate silence. It is also like that of the sound of a violin, which is produced only while we
strike its strings with the bow over its strings and then immediately ceases.
To a sleeping man--while the life-continua are flowing (in the stream of thought)--kamma, the
sign of kamma and the sign of the destiny awaiting him in the succeeding life--which had
distinctly entered the avenues of the six doors at the time of approaching death in the preceding
existence--are arammana-relations, and are causally related to (the nineteen classes of)
consciousness known as the life- continuum.
End of the Arammana-Relation.
3: Adhipati-Paccaya or the Relation of Dominance
The relation of dominance is of two kinds: the objective dominance and the coexistent dominance.
Of these two, what is the relation of objective dominance Among the objects dealt with in the
section on the Arammana-relation there are some objects which are most agreeable, most lovable,
most pleasing and most regardable. Such objects exhibit the relation of objective dominance. Here
the objects may, naturally, be either agreeable or disagreeable; but by the word 'the most
agreeable objects' only those objects that are most highly esteemed by this or that person are
meant as exhibiting this relation. Excepting the two classes of consciousness rooted in aversion[5]
the two classes of consciousness rooted in ignorance and the tactual consciousness accompanied
by pain, together with the concomitants of all these, it may be shown, analytically[6], that all the
remaining classes of Kama- consciousness, Rupa-consciousness, Arupa-consciousness and
Transcendental consciousness, together with all their respective concomitants and all the most
agreeable material qualities, are paccaya-dhamma.
Of these, Kama-objects are said to exhibit the causal relation of objective dominance only when
they are highly regarded, otherwise they do not. But those who reach the Jhana stages are never
lacking in high esteem for the sublime Jhanas they have obtained. Ariyan disciples also never fail
in their great regard for the Transcendental Dhammas[7] they have obtained and enjoyed.
What are the things that are related by this relation The eight classes of consciousness rooted in
appetite (lobha), the eight classes of Kamaloka moral consciousness, the four classes of inoperative
Kamaloka consciousness connected with knowledge, and the eight classes of
Transcendental Consciousnes--these are the things related by this relation. Here the sixfold
mundane objects[8] are causally related to the eight classes of consciousness rooted in appetite.
The seventeen classes of mundane moral consciousness are related to the four classes of moral
Kama-consciousness disconnected from knowledge. The first three pairs of the Path and Fruit,
and Nibbana, together with all those classes of mundane moral consciousness, are related to the
four classes of moral Kama-consciousness connected with knowledge. The highest--the fourth
stage of the Path and Fruit of Arahantship--together with Nibbana are related to the four classes of
inoperative Kama-consciousness connected with knowledge. And Nibbana is related to the eight
classes of Transcendental Consciousness.