成唯識論述記 4.445

4.445

The Commentary states: The substance of this nutriment of contact pervades the contact of all eight [consciousnesses]; although its substance is associated in common with all consciousnesses, that belonging to the six consciousnesses has a predominantly superior sense of nutriment. What is the meaning of superior? Because the object-field contacted is coarse and conspicuous, and can distinctively take in feelings of joy and pleasure, and can generate equanimity that harmoniously benefits the body, this is the meaning of being predominantly superior. As for the contact concomitant with the seventh and eighth [consciousnesses], because their objects are subtle, they completely fail to produce feelings of joy and pleasure; and although they produce feelings of equanimity, it merely causes no harm rather than providing benefit. By this reasoning it is clear that contact that generates suffering and grief, or equanimity that does not harmoniously benefit, does not constitute the substance of food, because it does not nurture. Some people, seeing fascicle three of Vasubandhu's Mahāyānasaṃgraha[-bhāṣya] state: 'Nutriment of contact belongs to the six consciousnesses,' thereupon say that the substance of the nutriment of contact is itself the six consciousnesses. This view is incorrect; fascicle sixty-six, the 'Vastu-saṃgrahaṇī', and the present treatise all state that the mental factor of contact is the substance of the nutriment of contact. Vasubandhu merely said that this belongs to the six consciousnesses; here it is understood as taking the contact belonging to the six, not taking those consciousnesses themselves. This text is definitive. Question: Since feelings of joy, pleasure, and equanimity can nourish and benefit, why are they not food? Answer: Because that which grasps the fundamental object and fundamentally nourishes and benefits is solely the mental factor of contact.