Wow, fascinating discussion. In the example of seeing the tree, I used to think of the tree as a vanna rupa. Thank you for the clarification between a vanna rupa and a sankata, and similarly for other types of rupa.
Lal wrote:
– The contact (phassa) is made between the vanna rupa (the picture captured with the aid of eyes) and the internal rupa, which is the cakkhu pasada rupa that is in our mental body (gandhabba).
– That contact (phassa) can become a “defiled contact” (samphassa) if one’s greedy gati automatically incorporated by the mind; see, “Difference between Phassa and Samphassa”.
Instead of a tree, let’s say it is a very attractive, enticing object. If I remember correctly from the abhidhamma section, then the cakkhudvara citta vithi from seeing that object is followed by 3 manodvara citta vithi. Does the samphassa happen in those thrree manodvara citta vithi?
If that is the case, then for an arahant, are there still 3 (pure) manodvara citta vithi following the cakkhudvara citta vithi, or are there no manodvara citta vithi following it at all?
Thank you,
Lang