4.5 Of the Arahant's Indifference in Sense-Cognition (KV4.5)

Controverted Point: That an Arahant is endowed with six indifferences.

Theravādin: In affirming this proposition, you imply that the Arahant experiences simultaneously six contacts between sense-organ (and sense-mind) and their objects, six feelings, perceptions, volitions,… insights—which you deny; that he is using his five senses and mental co-ordination at the same instant; that he, being continually, constantly, uninterruptedly in possession of, and made intent with six indifferences, six indifferences are present to him—both of which you deny.

Opponent: Yet you admit that an Arahant is gifted with sixfold indifference. Is this not admitting my proposition?

The Points of Controversy, an English translation of the Pali Abhidhamma Kathāvatthu. Translated by Shwe Zan Aung and C.A.F. Rhys Davids. First published by Pali Text Society, 1915.

This SuttaCentral edition was prepared by Manfred Wierich and Ven. Vimala and proofread by Josephine Tobin. Some changes were introduced:

Abbreviations, i.e., those of cited works and the participants in the controversies, were expanded.

Cross-references were linked.

Some typographic changes were introduced, among others, i.e.: the phonetic symbol “ŋ” was changed to the Pāli diacritical letter “ṃ”, “ô” to “o”, single quotes to double quotes, and “:—” to “:”.

Letter-spacing with fixed spaces was replaced with bold font.

The corrigenda were merged into the text. Some could not be resolved, though.

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