Further Features of Nonrevealing Forms in Vaibhashika

Vasubandhu states in A Treasure House of Special Topics of Knowledge, Put in Verses (Chos mngon-pa’i mdzod-kyi tshig-le’ur byas-pa, Skt. Abhidharmakośa-kārikā) (IV.5d-6ab) (Gretil ed., Derge Tengyur vol. 140, 11A):

A nonrevealing form is something non-appropriated and something that is an outflow (corresponding to its cause). It is something communicative of a sentient being and arises from (great) elements that are appropriated and that are an outflow (corresponding to their cause). 

(Skt.) avijñaptiranupāttikā // naiḥṣyandikī ca sattvākhyā niṣyandopāttabhūtajā /

(Tib.) /rnam rig byed min ma zin dang / /rgyu mthun las byung sems can ston/ /rgyu mthun zin pa'i 'byung las skye/

As explained in a previous part of this series:

• “Appropriated” (zin-pa, Skt. upātta) means taken by a consciousness and its accompanying mental factors as the phenomenon that is their (physical) support (rten-par byed-pa, Skt. adhiṣṭhāna). 
• An “outflow” (rgyu-mthun-las byung-ba, Skt. niḥṣyanda) is a result that has come from a cause that it corresponds to either in the type of phenomenon it is or in its ethical status. 
• Something communicative of a sentient being (sems-can-du ston-pa, Skt. sattvāvākhya) is something that is on the continuum of a sentient being and that indicates that it is being produced by that sentient being, such as the sounds that are a revealing form of speech and the shapes that are a revealing form of the body. Only karmic impulses of the body or speech are communicative of a sentient being,

Furthermore:

• Sensory cognitive sensors are appropriated phenomena and outflows, but not communicative of a sentient being.
• A nonrevealing form is non-appropriated. 
• The revealing form of the body-sensor with which the nonrevealing form simultaneously arises is appropriated. 
• Both revealing and nonrevealing forms are outflows, and both are communicative of a sentient being.

In more detail, a nonrevealing form arises simultaneously with a momentary revealing form and does so by depending on the four great elements of the revealing form as the foundation (gzhi, Skt. āśraya) that serves as its generating cause. Those great elements of the revealing form that the nonrevealing form arises simultaneously with are appropriated as the physical support for the consciousness and its accompanying mental factors that cause (motivate) the revealing form to arise. In doing so, the consciousness and its accompanying mental factors render the revealing form and its constituent great elements as having the same ethical status as they have. Thus, being of the same ethical status as its motivating consciousness and mental factors, the revealing form and its constituent great elements are an outflow corresponding to their cause. 

A nonrevealing form that arises simultaneously with such a revealing form is an outflow of the revealing form with which it simultaneously arises. Thus, it shares the same ethical status as this revealing form has. Being non-appropriated by the consciousness and its accompanying mental factors that render the revealing form as having the same ethical status as they have, the nonrevealing form does not obtain its ethical status from this consciousness and its accompanying mental factors. It derives its ethical status from the ethical status of the revealing form that it is an outflow of.  

In his Autocommentary to “A Treasure House of Special Topics (Skt. Abhidharmakośa-bhāṣyā, Tib. Chos mngon-pa’i mdzod-kyi bshad-pa) (Gretil ed. 200.07-08, Derge Tengyur vol. 140, 172B), Vasubandhu specifies the type of nonrevealing form he is describing in his root verses IV.5d-6ab:

As for (a nonrevealing form being) something that is dependent for its arising only on the great elements (of the revealing form that it arises simultaneously with) – and (with the revealing form itself) being an outflow that is dependent for its arising on a mind and mental factors – this type of (nonrevealing form) is not (any of those nonrevealing forms that depend for their arising on) levels of balanced absorption. 

(Skt.) /naiḥṣyandikānyeva bhūtānyupādāya cittacaittāni copādāyāvijñaptirbhavati / asamāhitabhūmikāyā eṣa prakāraḥ /

(Tib.) //rnam par rig byed ma yin pa ni rgyu mthun pa dang zin pa'i 'byung ba dag kho na rgyur byas nas skye ste/ 'di ni mnyam par gzhag pa ma yin pa'i sa pa'i rnam pa yin no/ 

The type of nonrevealing form discussed here – for example, the vowed restraint of a  pratimoksha vow – is one that is dependent for its arising only on great elements and thus it is a nonrevealing form belonging to the plane of sensory objects of desire (desire realm) since the great elements occur only on this plane of compulsive existence. 

The types of nonrevealing forms that do not depend for their arising on great elements but rather on states of mind that are levels of balanced absorption (mnyam-par bzhag-pa, Skt. samāhita) are the nonrevealing forms that belong to the two higher planes of compulsive existence, the plane of ethereal forms (form realm) and the plane of formless beings (formless realm). These nonrevealing forms are a restraint from mental constancy and a restraint from an untainted state.

• A restraint from mental constancy (bsam-gtan-gyi sdom-pa, Skt. dhyānasaṃvara) – a temporary blockage of destructive states of mind and destructive behavior – is attained with a preparatory or actual state of one of the four states of mental constancy (bsam-gtan. Skt. dhyāna), which are minds on the plane of ethereal forms. 
• A restraint from an untainted state (zag-med-kyi sdom-pa, Skt. anāsravasaṃvara) – a lasting blockage of destructive states of mind and destructive behavior – is attained from a true pathway mind (true path). When attained with a seeing pathway mind (path of seeing), it is attained with a mind on the plane of ethereal forms. When attained with an accustoming pathway mind (path of meditation), it is attained with a mind that is on either the plane of ethereal forms or the plane of formless beings.     

Jinaputra Yashomitra explains further in The Clarified Meaning, An Explanatory Commentary on (Vasubandhu’s) “Treasure House of Special Topics of Knowledge” (Chos mngon-pa’i mdzod kyi ‘grel-bshad don-gsal-ba, Skt. Sphuṭārtha Abhidharmakośavyākhyā) (Gretil ed., Derge Tengyur vol. 143, 14B-15A):

“A nonrevealing form is something non-appropriated” because of it being nonmaterial and because of it (therefore) being unsuitable to be a physical support for the mind and mental factors.

“And (it is) something that is an outflow (corresponding to its cause)” because, being constructive or destructive, it does not arise from a ripening (cause), because the significance of a “nonrevealing (form)” is that it is not unspecified. (That is) because the significance of something being an unspecified phenomenon is that it is a ripened (result), because of something that arises from a ripening (cause) being something that is unspecified. (And) it is not something that can be enhanced, because of its not being something (made of particles) that can be reinforced. Consequently, it is an outflow (corresponding to its cause).

It is communicative of a sentient being because of it being something situated on the continuum of a sentient being. 

It arises from the (great) elements (of the first moment of the revealing form it arises simultaneously with), which (themselves) are appropriated and an outflow (corresponding to their cause) because of (1) them (these great elements of the revealing form) being dependent (for their ethical status) on the mind that caused them to arise (motivated them) and because, (2) being under the authority (skabs, Skt. adhikāra) of a revealing (form belonging to) a mind that is on a stage that is not one of balanced absorption. It (a nonrevealing form) does not arise from great elements that can be enhanced by sleep, absorbed concentration and so on. And because of that, it (a nonrevealing form) is also not something that arises from great elements that are ripened (results). 

(Skt.) avijñaptir anaupāttiketi. amūrtatvāc cittacaittādhiṣṭhānabhāvāyogāt. naiṣyandikī ceti. kuśalākuśalatvāt na vipākajā nāvyākṛtāsty avijñaptir iti vacanāt. vipākajasya cāvyākṛtatvād vipāko 'vyākṛto dharma iti vacanāt. naupacayikī upacayābhāvāt. pāriśeṣyān naiṣyandikī. sattvākhyā sattvasaṃtānapatitatvāt. niṣyandopāttabhūtajeti. naiṣyandikopāttamahābhūtajā. samutthāpakacittāpekṣatvāt asamāhitacittavijñaptyadhikārāc ca. na svapnasamādhyādyaupacayikamahābhūtajā. ata eva ca na vipākajamahābhūtajā.

(Tib.) /rnam rig byed min ma zin dang / /zhes bya ba ni lus can ma yin pas sems dang sems las byung ba'i rten gyi dngos por mi rung ba'i phyir ro/ /rgyu mthun las byung zhes bya ba ni dge ba dang mi dge ba yin pa'i phyir rnam par smin pa las skyes pa ni ma yin te/ rnam rig min lung bstan ma yin med/ /ces 'byung ba'i phyir ro/ /rnam par smin pas yang / rnam smin lung du ma bstan chos/ /zhes 'byung bas lung du ma bstan pa yin pa'i phyir ro/ /bsags pa med pa'i phyir dang rgyas pa las byung ba yang ma yin pas shugs kyis na /rgyu mthun pa las byung ba yin no/ /sems can gyi rgyud du gtogs pa'i phyir sems can du ston pa yin no/ /rgyu mthun zin pa'i 'byung las skye/ /zhes bya ba ni rgyu mthun pa dang zin pa'i 'byung ba chen po las skye ba yin te/ kun nas slong bar byed pa'i sems la ltos pa'i phyir dang / mnyam par ma bzhag pa'i sems kyi rnam par rig byed kyi skabs yin pa'i phyir gnyid dang ting nge 'dzin gyis rgyas par byas pa'i 'byung ba chen po las skyes pa ma yin no/ /de nyid kyi phyir rnam par smin pa'i 'byung ba chen po las skyes pa yang [ma] yin no/

Sthiramati adds further detail in The Meaning of the Facts, An Annotated Subcommentary to (Vasubandhu’s) “Autocommentary to ‘A Treasure House of Special Topics of Knowledge’” (Chos mngon-pa mdzod-kyi bshad-pa'i rgya-cher ‘grel-pa don-gyi de-kho-na-nyid, Skt. Abhidharmakośa-bhāṣyā-ṭīkā-tattvārtha) (Derge Tengyur vol. 210, 19A):

There are two types of nonrevealing (form): those that (derive) from a balanced absorption and those on a stage that is not one of balanced absorption. If you expand on the line, “Here, a nonrevealing form is something non-appropriated,” then it is non-appropriated because (being nonmaterial) it is not situated in a location and (therefore) cannot be taken as a phenomenon that can be a physical support for a mind and mental factors. Because it arises by means of an equal status cause that is constructive or destructive, it is produced from a corresponding cause. Because it is constructive or destructive, it is not something that arises from a ripening (cause), because a ripening cause produces an “unspecified” phenomenon. 

It also is not something that can be enhanced, because it is not a gathering together of particles and because its arising (in each moment of its continuum) has depended on the consciousness (that initially motivated its arising and that also has a continuum). It is communicative of a sentient being, because it has the defining characteristic of a karmic impulse of body or speech and because it belongs to the continuum of a sentient being.

These are its characteristics: as (a nonrevealing form that is) on a stage that is not one of balanced absorption, it arises from (the great elements of a revealing form that arises simultaneously with it, with that revealing form itself being) an outflow (of a corresponding cause) and appropriated. It does not arise from something that can be enhanced, because the great elements of the foundation (it depended on for its arising – namely, the great elements of the revealing form with which it simultaneously arises), are momentary and because the great elements of something that can be enhanced subsequently and continually maintain the continuum (of what they support). 

It (a nonrevealing form) also does not arise from (great) elements that are non-appropriated, because the great elements that it (depended on to arise – namely, those of the revealing form) are not distinct from being (physical) bodily great elements.

(Tib.) /rnam par rig byed ma yin pa ni rnam pa gnyis te/ mnyam par gzhag pa'i las dang mnyam par ma bzhag pa'i sa pa'o/ /de la rnam rig byed min ma zin dang zhes bya ba rgyas par 'byung ngo / /yul na mi gnas pa'i phyir dang / sems dang sems las byung ba dag gis rten gyi dngos por ma bzung ba'i phyir na ma zin pa'o/ /dge ba dang mi dge ba'i skal ba mnyam pa'i rgyus skyed pa'i phyir rgyu mthun pa las 'byung ba'o/ /dge ba dang mi dge ba yin pa'i phyir rnam par smin pa las skyes pa ni ma yin te/ rnam smin lung du ma bstan zhes 'byung ba'i phyir ro/ /rgyas pa las byung ba yang ma yin te/ rdul phra rab bsags pa med pa'i phyir dang / de skye ba rnam par shes pa la bltas pa'i phyir ro/ /sems can du ston pa yin te lus dang ngag gi las kyi mtshan nyid yin pa'i phyir dang sems can gyi rgyud du gtogs pa'i phyir ro/ /'di ni khyad par yin te/ mnyam par ma bzhag pa'i sa pa yin na ni/ rgyu mthun zin pa'i 'byung las skyes/ rgyas pa las byung ba'i 'byung ba las skye ba ni ma yin te/ de'i rten gyi 'byung ba chen po dag skad cig gcig pa yin pa'i phyir dang / rgyas pa pa las byung ba'i 'byung ba chen po dag ni rgyun chags par rjes su 'jug pa'i phyir ro/ /ma zin pa'i 'byung ba las skye ba yang ma yin te/ de'i 'byung ba chen po dag lus kyi 'byung ba chen po dang tha mi dad pa'i phyir ro/

An equal status cause (skal-pa mnyam-ba’i rgyu, Skt. sabhāgahetu) is one whose result either is in the same category of phenomena as it is or has the same ethical status as it has.

Chim Jampeyang then summarizes in A Commentary to “A Treasure House (of Special Topics of Knowledge)”: A Filigree of Abhidharma (Chos mngon-mdzod-kyi tshig-le’ur byas-pa’i’grel-pa mngon-pa’i rgyan) (Sera Je Library ed. 302):

Because (nonrevealing forms) are not the physical support of consciousness and mental factors, such as pleasure and pain (that arise through their being) benefited or harmed, they are not appropriated. Because they arise from equal status causes, then although they are outflows (that correspond to their cause), they are not ripened or enhanced (forms) because they are not unspecified since they are, respectively, constructive or destructive, and because they cannot be enhanced since they are not composed of particles.   

(Tib.) de yang rnam par rig byed min pa’i rang gi ngo bo ni rdul phran bsags pa’i gzugs ma yin pas yul ni mi gnas shing phan gnod kyis tshor ba bde sdug la sogs pa sems sems byung rten ma yin pas ma zin pa dang/ skal mnyam gi rgyu las skyes pa’i phyir rgyu mthun las byung ba yin gyi rnam smin dang rgyas byung ni ma yin te/ rim pa ltar dge mi dger nges pas lung ma bstan ma yin pa’i phyir dang/ rdul phran bsags pa ma yin pas rgyas pa’i rgyu dag gis rgyas par mi byed pa’i phyir ro//

In short, the ripened body is:

• Something comprised of four great elements on which it depends as the foundation that serves as its generating cause 
• Something situated where its constituent great elements are
• A ripened result of the karmic aftermath of constructive and destructive karmic impulses of body built up in previous lives
• Therefore unspecified, as are its constituent great elements.
• Thus, being both a material phenomenon and having a continuum, something that can be enhanced by food, sleep and so on.

• Appropriated, along with its constituent great elements, as the physical support for a consciousness and its accompanying mental factors that do not function as its equal status cause, causing it to arise (motivating it).

• The four great elements of the ripened body are outflow elements arising from great elements of the ripened body in the immediately preceding moment of its continuum.
• Not communicative of a sentient being, since it does not indicate that it is being produced by someone despite its being on that person’s continuum.  

The revealing form of the body is:

• Something that depends on the four great elements of the ripened body as the foundation that serves as its generating cause 

• Comprised of its own set of four great elements, which are different from the set of four great elements comprising the ripened body with which it simultaneously arises
• Something that is situated in the interstitial spaces in between the particles of the ripened body
• Constructive, destructive or unspecified and thus not a ripened result
• Momentary, with no continuum, and therefore although material, not something that can be enhanced
• Appropriated, along with its constituent great elements, as the physical support for a consciousness and its accompanying mental factors that, functioning as its equal status cause, cause it to arise (motivate it)
• Thus, an outflow corresponding to its equal status cause – namely, the mind and mental factors that take it as their physical support 
• Communicative of a sentient being, since it indicates that it is being produced by someone.  

The nonrevealing form of the body is:

• Something that depends initially on the four great elements of the revealing form as the foundation that serves as its generating cause
• Not comprised of four great elements 
• Something that is not situated in any location
• Non-appropriated by a mind and mental factors as its physical support, because of its being nonmaterial
• Something that cannot be enhanced, because of its being nonmaterial 
• Initially an outflow corresponding to its equal status cause – namely, the revealing form with which it arises simultaneously
• Subsequently, an outflow corresponding to the previous momentary nonrevealing form in its continuum
• Something with a continuum of momentary nonrevealing forms that lasts, after the initial momentary nonrevealing form in the continuum ceases, until the continuum ends, and the nonrevealing form is lost by means of various causes.
• After the initial momentary nonrevealing form in the continuum arises, each subsequent momentary nonrevealing form in the continuum arises by depending on the no-longer-happening great elements of the no-longer-happening revealing form with which its first moment simultaneously arose serving as the foundation that was its initial generating cause.   
• Each subsequent momentary nonrevealing form in the continuum arises dependently on the presently-happening great elements of the ripened body as its support. 
• Communicative of a sentient being, since it indicates that it is being produced by someone

Thus, 

• The great elements of each moment of a ripened body are unspecified and an outflow of the immediately preceding moment in their continuum, even after death. 
• The great elements of a revealing form of the body, which lasts for only a moment, are constructive, destructive or unspecified and are an outflow of the moment of consciousness and its accompanying mental factors that appropriate them as their physical support and that share their same ethical status. 
• The nonrevealing form of the body, so long as its continuum endures, is exclusively constructive or destructive and is an outflow of the ethical status of the presently-happening great elements of the constructive or destructive revealing form of the body with which it initially, simultaneously arises as its foundation. Subsequently, it is an outflow of the ethical status of the no-longer-happening great elements of the revealing form of the body as the foundation from which it arose.