OK. Let us see whether we can push Jorg a little bit more.
“B.) Regarding manāyatana, in #44725 it’s stated:
- P.S. In the same way as the cakkhu indriya automatically becomes cakkhāyatana, mana indriya automatically becomes manāyatana.
In one statement it’s referring to the mind and in one it’s referring to the mana indriya?”
Cakkhu indriya can be thought of as the whole system comprising the physical eyes, nerves connecting to the visual cortex in the brain, the visual cortex, and the cakkhu pasada rupa. If any of those do not function, no signal will reach the hadaya vatthu, i.e., there will be no vision. An Arahant or an average human can see unless blind.
- But an average human uses that system to “acquire san” by using it for “pleasure-seeking activities” (watching X-rated movies in an extreme example.) That is when cakkhu indriya becomes cakkhayatana.
- An Arahant would not do that. His cakkhu indriya never becomes cakkhayatana.
- Just like in rupa/rupakkhandha, cakkhayatana is not the system comprising the physical eyes, nerves connecting to the visual cortex in the brain, the visual cortex, and the cakkhu pasada rupa.
- But cakkhayatana would not exist (i.e., an average human would not have the capability to watch porn) without the system comprising the physical eyes, nerves connecting to the visual cortex in the brain, the visual cortex, and the cakkhu pasada rupa (cakkhu indriya.)
Manāyatana or any other āyatana works the same way. Sensory faculties BECOME āyatana for average humans, but not for Arahants.
