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Non-concrete Rupas

Physics lab cloud chamber traces of subatomic entities
Physics lab cloud chamber traces of subatomic entities

The ten types of rupas below are termed non-con­crete­ly pro­duced mat­ter because they do not arise direct­ly from the four essen­tial rupas, but exist as modal­i­ties or attrib­ut­es of the con­crete­ly pro­duced matter.

Space-element rupa

  • Space-element rupa

In the Abhid­ham­ma, space is not so much out­er space, but rather the sub­atom­ic and inter-atom­ic void that delim­its and sep­a­rates objects and groups of rupas.

Communicative rupas

  • Gesturing rupa
  • Speech rupa

Abhid­ham­ma dis­tin­guish­es between two ways of com­mu­ni­cat­ing one’s ideas, feel­ings and atti­tudes. This can be done by ges­tur­ing or by speaking.

A ges­ture is a par­tic­u­lar change in the mind-pro­duced air-ele­ment that caus­es the body to move in ways that show one’s intentions.

Speech is a par­tic­u­lar change in the mind-pro­duced earth-ele­ment that caus­es one to speak and there­by con­vey one’s intentions.

Mutable rupas

  • Lightness rupa
  • Flexibility rupa
  • Adaptability rupa

This cat­e­go­ry includes the two com­mu­nica­tive rupas above as well as three oth­er rupas: light­ness, flex­i­bil­i­ty and adapt­abil­i­ty. All rupas co-exist­ing with these become lighter, more flex­i­ble and more adaptable.

Light­ness has the char­ac­ter­is­tic of non-slug­gish­ness. Its func­tion is to remove heav­i­ness in mat­ter. It is man­i­fest­ed as good trans­for­ma­tion ability.

Flex­i­bil­i­ty has the char­ac­ter­is­tic of non-rigid­i­ty. Its func­tion is to remove stiff­ness in mat­ter. It man­i­fests as non-resis­tance to any kind of action.

Adapt­abil­i­ty has the func­tion to remove unwield­i­ness. It is man­i­fest­ed as non-weakness.

Characteristics rupas

  • Initial formation rupa
  • Continued formation rupa
  • Decay rupa
  • Impermanence rupa

These four rupas con­sti­tute the basic char­ac­ter­is­tics of all rupas, that is, all mate­r­i­al phenomena.

Ini­tial for­ma­tion of mat­ter is to cause mate­r­i­al enti­ties to appear for the first time.

Con­tin­ued for­ma­tion of mat­ter has the func­tion of anchor­ing its exis­tence. It man­i­fests as non-interruption.

Decay is char­ac­ter­ized by the mat­u­ra­tion and aging of mate­r­i­al phenomena.

Imper­ma­nence has the char­ac­ter­is­tic of com­plete mate­r­i­al dis­so­lu­tion. Its func­tion is to make mat­ter sub­side. It man­i­fests as destruction.

April 2024