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The Buddhist Teaching on Physical Phenomena
 

Chapter 6

Intimation through Body and Speech


Citta is one of the four factors which produces rupa. We look different when we laugh, when we cry, when we are angry or when we are generous. Then we can notice that citta produces rupa. Bodily intimation (kayavinnatti) and speech intimation (vacivinnatti) are two kinds of rupa, originated by citta. They are not produced by the other three factors which can produce rupa, by kamma, temperature or nutrition. 

As to bodily intimation, this is movement of the body, of the limbs, facial movement or gestures which display our intentions, be they wholesome or unwholesome. The intention which is expressed through bodily intimation can be understood by others, even by animals. Bodily intimation itself is rupa, it does not know anything. We read in the “Dhammasangani” (§ 636):

What is that rupa which is bodily intimation (kayavinnatti)? That tension, that intentness, that state of making the body tense, in response to a thought, whether good or bad, or indeterminate (kiriyacitta), on the part of one who advances, or recedes, or fixes the gaze, or glances around, or retracts an arm, or stretches it forth – the intimation, the making known, the state of having made known – this is that rupa which constitutes bodily intimation. 
According to the “Atthasalini” (I, Book I, Part III, 82, 83), in the case of bodily intimation citta produces the “eight inseparable rupas” (The four Great Elements of solidity, cohesion, temperature and motion, and visible object, odour, flavour and nutrition.) and among them the element of air (wind, oscillation or motion) plays its specific part in supporting the body and strengthen the postures. We read:
... But there is a certain peculiar, unique mode of change in the primaries (four Great Elements) when set up by mind, through which, as a condition, mobility (the element of wind or motion) is able to strengthen, support and agitate the coexistent body. This is intimation. 
... Because it is a capacity of communicating, it is called “intimation”. What does it communicate? A certain wish communicable by an act of the body. If anyone stands in the path of the eye, raises his hands or feet, shakes his head or brow, the movement of his hands, etc. are visible. Intimation, however, is not  so visible; it is only knowable by mind. For one sees by the eye a colour-surface moving by virtue of the change of position in hands, etc. (Because of sanna, remembrance, one can notice the movement of a colour surface. Seeing sees only colour, it cannot see movement of colour.). But by reflecting on it as intimation, one knows it by mind-door-consciousness, thus: 
“I imagine that this man wishes me to do this or that act.”...
The intention which is being expressed through bodily intimation is intelligible to others, not through the eye-door but through the mind-door. Knowing, for example, that someone waves is cognition through the mind-door and this cognition is conditioned by seeing-consciousness  which experiences visible object or colour. The meaning of what has been intimated is known after reflection on it, thus it can only be cognized through the mind-door.

The “Visuddhimagga” (XIV, 61) defines intimation in a similar way and then states about its function, manifestation and proximate cause:

... Its function is to display intention. It is manifested as the cause of bodily excitement. Its proximate cause is the consciousness-originated air-element. 
As to the proximate cause, as we have seen, the element of wind or air has its specific role in the intimating of intention by bodily movement or gestures.

We are inclined to take intimation as belonging to self, but bodily intimation is only a kind of rupa, originated by citta. There is no person who communicates by gestures. Are we aware of nama and rupa when we gesticulate? Are there kusala cittas or akusala cittas at such moments? Most of the time there are akusala cittas, but we do not notice it. Do we realize which type of citta conditions the bodily intimation when we wave to someone else in order to greet him, when we gesticulate in order to tell him to come nearer, when we nod our head while we agree with something or shake it while we deny something? Such gestures are part of our daily routine and it seems that we make them automatically. Perhaps we never considered what types of citta condition them. Akusala citta conditions bodily intimation, for example, when we with mimics ridicule someone else or show our contempt for him. In such cases it is obvious that there is akusala citta. We should remember that bodily intimation is more often conditioned by akusala citta than by kusala citta. There may be subtle clinging which is not so obvious while we are expressing our intention by gestures. When there is mindfulness we can find out whether there is kusala citta or akusala citta. There may also be the performing of akusala kamma through bodily intimation, for example when someone gives by gesture orders to kill. There may be kusala cittas which condition bodily intimation when we, for example, stretch out our arms to welcome people to our home, when we stretch out our hand in order to give something, when we point out the way to someone who is in a strange city, when we by our gestures express courtesy or when we show respect to someone who deserves respect. However, there may also be selfish motives while we are doing so, or we may be insincere, and then there are akusala cittas which condition bodily intimation. More knowledge about citta and rupas which are conditioned by citta can remind us to be aware of whatever reality appears, also while gesticulating. Then there is at such a moment no opportunity for akusala citta. 

Our intentions are not only communicated by gestures, but also by speech. Speech intimation (vacivinnatti) is a kind of rupa, originated by citta. The “Dhammasangani” ( Ch II, § 637) states:

What is that rupa which is intimation by language (vacivinnatti)? That speech, voice, enunciation, utterance, noise, making noises, language as articulate speech, which expresses a thought whether good, bad, or indeterminate - this is called language. And that intimation, that making known, the state of having made known by language - this is that rupa which constitutes intimation by language. 
When someone’s intention is intimated through speech it is then intelligible to others. The meaning of what is intimated is known after reflection about it, thus, it is cognizable through the mind-door. Speech intimation itself does not know anything, it is rupa. 

The “Visuddhimagga” (XIV, 62) gives the following definition of speech intimation (See Dhammasangani Ch II, 636, 637, and also Atthasalini I, Book I, Part III, Ch 2, 86,87, and II, Book II, Ch III, 324.):

Verbal intimation is the mode (conformation) and the alteration (deformation) in the consciousness-originated earth-element that causes that occurrence of speech utterance which mode and alteration are a condition for the knocking together of clung to matter (According to the commentary to the Visuddhimagga, the “Paramattha Manjusa” (452): “The function (knocking together) of the vocal apparatus (clung to matter)”.). Its function is to display intention. It is manifested as the cause of voice in speech. Its proximate cause is the consciousness-originated earth element....
The proximate cause of bodily intimation is the element of wind or motion which is produced by citta, whereas the proximate cause of speech intimation is the element of earth or solidity which is produced by citta. According to the “Atthasalini” (I, Book I, Part III, Ch 2, 87), in the case of speech intimation, citta produces the eight inseparable rupas and among these the element of earth or solidity (hardness) plays its specific role when there is impact producing sound and there is a “certain unique change” among the great elements by which speech intimation is conditioned.

Bodily intimation and speech intimation are rupas conditioned by citta, but these two kinds of rupa are not concrete matter. As we have seen, they are a “certain, unique change” in the great elements. The eight inseparable rupas on which the two kinds of intimation depend are produced by citta, according to the “Atthasalini” (II, Book II, Part I, Ch 337). In the case of bodily intimation the element of wind and in the case of speech intimation the element of earth plays its specific role.

Do we realize whether speech intimation is conditioned by kusala citta or by akusala citta? We may know in theory that we speak with akusala citta when our objective is not wholesomeness, such as generosity, kindness or the development of understanding of the Buddha’s teachings, but do we realize this at the moments we speak? Even when akusala kamma through speech, such as lying or slandering, is not committed, we may still speak with akusala citta. We may find out that often our speech is motivated by akusala citta. We speak with cittas rooted in attachment when we want to gain something, when we want to be liked or admired by others. With this objective we may even tell “tales” about others, ridicule or denigrate them. We are attached to speech and we often chatter just in order to keep the conversation going. We tend to feel lonely when there is silence. Usually we do not consider whether what we say is beneficial or not. We have to speak to others when we organize our work in the office or at home. Do we realize whether there are at such moments kusala cittas or akusala cittas? When we lie there is the committing of akusala kamma through speech.

Speech intimation is produced by kusala citta when we, for example, with generosity and kindness try to help and encourage others in speaking to them. When we speak about the Buddha’s teachings there may be kusala cittas, but at times there also tend to be akusala cittas, for example, when we are conceited about our knowledge, or when we are attached to the people we are speaking to. Many different types of citta arise and fall away very rapidly and we may not know when the citta is kusala citta and when akusala citta. There can be mindfulness while speaking, but we may believe that this is too difficult since we have to think of what we are going to say. Thinking is a reality and it can be object of mindfulness. There are sound and hearing and they can be object of mindfulness when they appear. We are usually absorbed in the subject we want to speak about and we attach great important to our speech. We live most of the time in the world of “conventional truth”, and we are forgetful of ultimate realities (paramattha dhammas). In the ultimate sense there is no speaker, only empty phenomena, conditioned namas and rupas. 

When we gesticulate and speak there are only nama and rupa. Hardness, pressure, sound or hearing may present themselves, they can be experienced one at a time. At such moments understanding of the reality which appears can be developed. 

The “Visuddhimagga” (XVIII, 31) uses a simile of a marionette in order to illustrate that there is no being in the ultimate sense, only conditioned phenomena. We read:

Therefore, just as a marionette is void, soulless and without curiosity, and while it walks and stands merely through the combination of strings and wood, yet it seems as if it had curiosity and interestedness, so too, this mentality-materiality is void, soulless and without curiosity, and while it walks and stands merely through the combination of the two together, yet it seems as if it had curiosity and interestedness. This is how it should be regarded. Hence the Ancients said:
“ The mental and material are really here, 
“ But here there is no human being to be found, 
“For it is void and merely fashioned like a doll-- 
“ Just suffering piled up like grass and sticks. 
When one sees a performance with marionettes, it seems that the puppets have lives of their own: they exert themselves, they are absorbed, attached or full of hatred and sorrow, and one can laugh and cry because of the story which is being enacted. However, the puppets are only wood and strings, held by men who make them act. When one sees how the puppets are stored after the play they are not impressive anymore, only pieces of wood and strings. When we study the Abhidhamma it helps us to understand more that this marionette we call “self” can move about, act and speak because of the appropriate conditions.

As we have seen in the definitions of the two kinds of intimation by the ‘Dhammasangani” (§ 636, 637), these two kinds of rupa can be conditioned by kusala citta, akusala citta or “inoperative” citta (kiriyacitta). When we realize that intimation through body and speech is very often conditioned by akusala citta, we come to see the danger of being forgetful of nama and rupa while we make gestures and speak. Then we are urged to remember the Buddha’s words as to the practice of “clear comprehension” (sampajanna) in the “Satipatthana Sutta” (Middle Length Sayings no. 10, in the section on Mindfulness of the Body, dealing with the four kinds of clear comprehension [See the translation in “The Way of Mindfulness” by Ven. Soma.]):

And further, o bhikkhus, a bhikkhu, in going forwards (and) in going backwards, is a person practising clear comprehension; in looking straight on (and) in looking away from the front, is a person practising clear comprehension; in bending and in stretching, is a person practising clear comprehension; in wearing the shoulder-cloak, the (other two) robes (and) the bowl, is a person practising clear comprehension; in regard to what is eaten, drunk, chewed and savoured, is a person practising clear comprehension; in defecating and in urinating, is a person practising clear comprehension; in walking, in standing (in a place), in sitting (in some position), in sleeping, in waking, in speaking and in keeping silence, is a person practising clear comprehension. 



 

Questions

1. Can bodily intimation be the body-door through which a good deed or an evil deed is being performed?
2. Through which door can what is being intimated by bodily movement be recognized?
3. When a conductor conducts an orchestra and he makes gestures in order to show the musicians how to play the music, which types of citta can produce the bodily intimation?
4. When one slanders, which type of rupa is the door through which such action is being performed?
5. When we speak to others in order to organize our work, can speech be conditioned by akusala citta?



 
 
 
 

27 January, 2002