[521] What is that form (rūpa) which is the form base (rūpāyatana)?
That form which, derived from the four great elements (mahābhūta), is the appearance of colour (vaṇṇanibhā), visible (sanidassana) and impingent (sappaṭigha) — blue, yellow, red, white, black, crimson (mañjeṭṭhaka), tawny (hari), green (harivaṇṇa), the colour of mango shoots (ambaṅkuravaṇṇa), long, short, fine, coarse, round, circular, four-cornered, six-cornered, eight-cornered, sixteen-cornered, low, elevated, shade, sunshine, light, darkness, cloud, mist, smoke, dust, the colour-appearance of the moon's disc, the colour-appearance of the sun's disc, the colour-appearance of the stars, the colour-appearance of the disc of a mirror, the colour-appearance of gem, conch, pearl, and beryl, the colour-appearance of gold and silver, or whatever other form there is, derived from the four great elements, that is the appearance of colour, visible and impingent — the form, visible and impingent, which one saw, or sees, or will see, or may see with the eye (cakkhu), which is invisible (anidassana) and impingent: this is form, this too is the form base, this too is the form element (rūpadhātu). This is that form which is the form base.
What is that form which is the form base?
That form which, derived from the four great elements, is the appearance of colour, visible and impingent — blue, yellow, red, white, black, crimson, tawny, green, the colour of mango shoots, long, short, fine, coarse, round, circular, four-cornered, six-cornered, eight-cornered, sixteen-cornered, low, elevated, shade, sunshine, light, darkness, cloud, mist, smoke, dust, the colour-appearance of the moon's disc, the colour-appearance of the sun's disc, the colour-appearance of the stars, the colour-appearance of the disc of a mirror, the colour-appearance of gem, conch, pearl, and beryl, the colour-appearance of gold and silver, or whatever other form there is, derived from the four great elements, that is the appearance of colour, visible and impingent — the form, visible and impingent, on which the eye, which is invisible and impingent, impinged, or impinges, or will impinge, or may impinge: this is form, this too is the form base, this too is the form element. This is that form which is the form base.
What is that form which is the form base?
That form which, derived from the four great elements, is the appearance of colour, visible and impingent — blue, yellow, red, white, black, crimson, tawny, green, the colour of mango shoots, long, short, fine, coarse, round, circular, four-cornered, six-cornered, eight-cornered, sixteen-cornered, low, elevated, shade, sunshine, light, darkness, cloud, mist, smoke, dust, the colour-appearance of the moon's disc, the colour-appearance of the sun's disc, the colour-appearance of the stars, the colour-appearance of the disc of a mirror, the colour-appearance of gem, conch, pearl, and beryl, the colour-appearance of gold and silver, or whatever other form there is, derived from the four great elements, that is the appearance of colour, visible and impingent — the form, visible and impingent, which impinged, or impinges, or will impinge, or may impinge on the eye, which is invisible and impingent: this is form, this too is the form base, this too is the form element. This is that form which is the form base.
What is that form which is the form base?
That form which, derived from the four great elements, is the appearance of colour, visible and impingent — blue, yellow, red, white, black, crimson, tawny, green, the colour of mango shoots, long, short, fine, coarse, round, circular, four-cornered, six-cornered, eight-cornered, sixteen-cornered, low, elevated, shade, sunshine, light, darkness, cloud, mist, smoke, dust, the colour-appearance of the moon's disc, the colour-appearance of the sun's disc, the colour-appearance of the stars, the colour-appearance of the disc of a mirror, the colour-appearance of gem, conch, pearl, and beryl, the colour-appearance of gold and silver, or whatever other form there is, derived from the four great elements, that is the appearance of colour, visible and impingent — with reference to which form, in dependence on the eye, eye-contact (cakkhusamphassa) arose, or arises, or will arise, or may arise … with reference to which form, in dependence on the eye, feeling (vedanā) born of eye-contact … perception (saññā) … volition (cetanā) … eye-consciousness (cakkhuviññāṇa) arose, or arises, or will arise, or may arise … with which form as its object (ārammaṇa), in dependence on the eye, eye-contact arose, or arises, or will arise, or may arise … with which form as its object, in dependence on the eye, feeling born of eye-contact … perception … volition … eye-consciousness arose, or arises, or will arise, or may arise: this is form, this too is the form base, this too is the form element. This is that form which is the form base.
English translation from the Pali (Siam Raṭṭha edition) — under review, not for citation.