Disclaimer: This translation does not guarantee complete accuracy, please confirm with the original page text.
The Tattvarthasutra reminds us of a certain subject when suitable causes are met. This continuous flow of determination, the resulting impressions, and the memory arising from those impressions—all of these constitute the cognitive transaction.
Question: Are the aforementioned four distinctions devoid of causal relations or with causal relations?
Answer: They are with causal relations. The sutra clearly indicates that the arising of comprehension, etc., occurs in the specific order mentioned in the sutras.
The distinctions of comprehension, etc., arise from various conditions, including the following types: many, diverse, quick, uncertain, ambiguous, and firm. In forms such as comprehension, intention, determination, and sustained cognition, they can be identified by distinct characteristics.
The five senses and the mind result in cognitive understanding through these six methods, which are classified into twenty-four distinctions of comprehension, intention, etc., with variations due to annihilation and the diversity of the subject. For example, there are six comprehensions, six intentions, six determinations, and six sustained cognitions:
Many comprehensions, few comprehensions, diverse comprehensions, single comprehensions, quick comprehensions, slow comprehensions, uncertain comprehensions, certain comprehensions, ambiguous comprehensions, firm comprehensions, and uncertain comprehensions.
'Many' means several, and 'few' means one. For instance, those who understand two or more books have comprehensions, intentions, etc., that are termed as many comprehensions, many intentions, many determinations, and many sustained cognitions.