大方廣佛華嚴經隨疏演義鈔 65.18

65.18

In the commentary, "Sixth, contact refers to contactual confrontation": this is produced by the combination of the three—faculty, object, and consciousness—and has the capacity for contactual confrontation, so it is called contact. The Kośa verse states: "The six contacts arise from the combination of the three." Although contact is singular, it is divided into six according to consciousness. The Hīnayāna raises an objection, saying: If the faculty and object of the five consciousnesses are allowed to arise simultaneously, the combination of the three can be obtained. But the mental faculty is past, consciousness resides in the present, and dharmas may be future; how can there be a combination of the three? They have two explanations. One says: The mental faculty and dharmas are the cause, and the generation of consciousness is the fruit; this is the meaning of the combination of the three. The second says: The mental faculty, dharmas, and consciousness share the same single fruit of contact; this is the meaning of the combination of the three. Neither of the above two explanations defines the combination of the three in terms of the same time period. In the Mahāyāna tradition, the seventh [consciousness] is the mental faculty, so they can all share the same time period. However, the Sarvāstivādins hold that apart from the combination of the three, there is a distinct mental factor of contact. According to the Sautrāntikas, the combination of the three itself is contact, which directly accords with the present text. Furthermore, these six contacts are subsumed under two: the first five are called "contactual confrontation," while mental contact is called "contact with designation" (adhivacana-saṃsparśa). Although [mental] contact has no physical confrontation, its support, the eyes and the rest, possesses physical confrontation, so it receives its name based on its support. "Designation" means name; names can express and articulate, surpassing mere speech. The five consciousnesses—eye and the rest—only cognize blue and so forth, but do not cognize the name "blue"; the mental consciousness can cognize blue and so forth, and can also cognize names. Naming it based on its object, it is called "contact with designation."