The meaning of Kalapas
(*"my additions/terminology/preference/corrections")
How A Kalapa Is Formed
A group of people association is called a club. In Pali kalapa also means a group. As said before rupa (matter) cannot exist in isolation. Appropriate units of matter combine to exist as a group or an aggregate. Such a group with common properties, existing together, disappearing together, is termed 'one kalapa'.
Matter In Combination
The four fundamental elements - pathavi, tejo and apo - together with vanna (appearance), ghanda (scent), rasa (taste), oja (essence of nutrition) are the eight classes of matter found always in coexistence. A lump of soil is an aggregate of eight classes of matter too. It has a certain appearance and a specific smell and taste; it can be touched and felt. The same is true for water, wind, fire, heat, light etc. They are all aggregates of the eight classes of matter.
The Size Of A Kalapa
Each kalapa is so minute that you cannot see it with your naked eye. Even the finest dust particle is an aggregate of a large number of kalapas. A bacterium, which can only be seen with the most powerful microscope is composed of countless kalapas formed by kamma, citta, utu and chara (*ahara). Therefore the minuteness of a kalapa is beyond description. (Reference may be made to text on Abhidhamma for classes of kalapas and their names).
Before we can get to the understanding of Kalapas, we need to understand some of the characteristics of Rupas and their causes. The "much easier and readable definition of Rupas" happens to be in the introduction to this Pathana.
Rupas and their characteristic
.. there are in total 28 paramattha rupa which are all realities and can be sensed by one of our 6 senses.
Rupa or vanna is sensed by eye only,
sadda is sensed by ear only,
gandha is sensed by nose only,
rasa is sensed by tongue only and
pathavi, tejo, vayo three of mahabhuta rupa are sensed by body only.
All other rupas that is 5 pasada rupas and 16 sukhuma rupa or subtle materials are all sensed by mind only; that is 5 pasada rupas and 16 sukhuma rupa can never be sensed by any of eye, ear, nose, tongue, and body.
Rupas and their relationship with causes
There are kamma that can cause kammaja rupas.
These kamma are:
- 12 akusala (* unskilful )kamma,
- 8 kamavacara kusala (* skilful human) kamma, and
- 5 rupavacara kusala (* skilful Brahma) kamma.
Even though there are 28 paramattha rupas, they do not arise in isolation. At least some arise together. And they vanish together. They have to arise on mahabhuta rupas and they co exist in a form called rupa kalapa. There are 21 rupa kalapas. 9 kalapas are kammaja rupa kalapas, 6 are cittaja, 4 are utuja and 2 are aharaja rupa kalapas.
Now we can classify kalapas according to their causes
Kammaja rupa kalapas are:
- cakkhudassaka,
- sotadassaka,
- ghanadassaka,
- jivhadassaka,
- kayadassaka,
- ithibhavadassaka,
- punbhavadassaka,
- vatthudassaka, and
- jivitanava kalapa.
In cakkhudassaka kalapa, there are 8 avinibbhoga rupas, jivita rupa and cakkhu pasada rupa altogether 10 rupas arise together. Other kammaja kalapas are the same and just to replace cakkhu with their correspondent rupa. Jivitanava kalapa is a combination of 8 avinibbhoga rupas and jivita rupa itself.
6 cittaja rupa kalapas are:
suddhattha kalapa which comprises 8 avinibbhoga rupas only,
kayavinattinava kalapa which comprises 8 rupas and kayavinatti rupa,
vacivinatti saddadassaka kalapa which is compsed of 8 rupas, vacivinatti and sadda,
lahutadi ekadassaka kalapa which is combination of 8 rupas and 3 lahutadi rupas,
kayavinatti lahutadi dvadassa kalapa which comprises 8 rupas, 3 lahutadi and kayavinatti rupa, and
vacivinatti sadda lahutadi terasaka kalapa which includes 8 rupas, 3 lahutadi, vacivinatti and sadda rupa.
4 utuja kalapas are:
suddhattha kalapa,
saddanava kalapa,
lahutadiekadassaka kalapa which comprises 8 rupas and 3 lahutadi rupas, and
sadda lahutadi dvadassaka kalapa which comprises 8 rupas, 3 lahutadi rupa, and sadda rupa.
2 aharaja rupa kalapas are:
From the 4 utuja rupa kalapas, suddhattha rupa kalapa and saddanava rupa kalapa can arise outside of beings or sattas. All other rupa kalapas only arise as ajjattika.
Well in can only get easier when you have read it for about 10 times remembering the pali names for it.
