Viyahapannatti 18.6.740

18.6.740

"Venerable Sir, how many colours, how many smells, how many tastes, and how many touches is boiled treacle declared to have?"
"Gautama! In this matter there are two standpoints, namely: the definitive standpoint and the conventional standpoint. According to the conventional standpoint, boiled treacle is sweet; according to the definitive standpoint, it is declared to have five colours, two smells, five tastes, and eight touches."
"Venerable Sir, how many colours, how many smells, how many tastes, and how many touches is a black bee declared to have?"
"Gautama! In this matter there are two standpoints, namely: the definitive standpoint and the conventional standpoint. According to the conventional standpoint, a black bee is black; according to the definitive standpoint, it is declared to have five colours, up to: eight touches."
"Venerable Sir, how many colours, how many smells, how many tastes, and how many touches is a parrot's feather declared to have?"
"Just the same, with the difference that: according to the conventional standpoint, a parrot's feather is green; according to the definitive standpoint, it is declared to have five colours, up to: eight touches."
Following this same formulation: madder is red, turmeric is yellow, a conch shell is white, a granary is fragrant, a corpse is foul-smelling, neem is bitter, dry ginger is pungent, wood-apple is astringent, tamarind is sour, sugar is sweet, a diamond is hard, butter is soft, iron is heavy, an owl's feather is light, snow is cold, fire is hot, oil is smooth.
"Venerable Sir, [what of] ashes?" [Gautama asks] the question. "Gautama! In this matter there are two standpoints, namely: the definitive standpoint and the conventional standpoint. According to the conventional standpoint, ashes are rough; according to the definitive standpoint, they are declared to have five colours, up to: eight touches."