A combination is a coming together of various elements, material or immaterial, to form a new whole.
In fact, the whole universe is but a combination of elements.
But to start small, comprehending this condition in childlike simplicity, we seek to understand it first in matters of the four elements.
Thus we may observe, how the qualities of any of the elements changes, when combining with other elements. Earth becomes something like mud, when combining with the element of water. It becomes brittle, when in close contact with fire. And it becomes animated when combining with the air or wind element. Similarly, water looses its transparency and liquidity when combining with the element of earth. It may loose depth and increases in heat, when combining with the element of fire, while becoming less clear and more turbulent when combining with the element of air. The element of fire too will change depending on what it is in close contact with. So will the element of earth usually fuel it, the element of water decreases its strength, while the element of air will make it more animated and lively. And for the element of air itself likewise changes of quality may be seen. In that it in combining with the earth element, air is usually hindered in its freedom of movement, something which to a lesser degree holds true for combining with the water element, which may also make it denser. While the element of fire may further rarify the air element, apart from adding its quality of heat to it.
I have already indicated in the main blog (Keys to the Abhidhamma System), how various combinations of the elements will produce all of the manyfold observable phenomena of the world. Apart from that will an understanding of the proper combination of elements be exceedingly important to him who seeks to master his body, him who wants to cure his body and to him who wants to purify his body. To see how that is so, one may read the practical ‘Example on the Balancing of the Elements’ in the last part of the book.
Likewise we can observe that life-phenomena too combine, as has been shown before. So will various cells combine to make up tissues, tissues combine to make up organs, organs combine to make up a physical body, and so on. Individual entities combine to make up a group. Groups combine to make up a society and different societies combine to make up a state or nation. And as the earlier ones are more established and thus more fundamental than the latter ones, much can be learned from the former in matters of creating better combinations of the latter.
Emotions too can be understood in matters of combination. Thus we can find that there are mind states which are more fundamental than others, which when combined, will make up more complex ones. So may for example the two emotions or mental states of anger and joy combine to become cruelty. The mind states of anger and greed, may combine to become jealousy. Delusion and hate may become pride. A combination of fear, delusion and sustained thought may become a mental condition of dogmatism. Or greed and delusion may combine to become perversion, etc.
And of course this condition holds true no less with wholesome factors of mind. These too may combine to become a mind state different from those entering the equation. Hence we could find for example joy and effort combining to become braveness. Wisdom and decision may become justness. Or joy and thoughtfulness (applied and sustained thought) may become inspiration, etc. All of which gives us plenty of material to be aware of when studying the mind. Which will be the requisite condition for gaining the proper distance from our mind to make wise choices as to what to allow and what to discard.
In other mental phenomena this condition of combination too can be seen. For example will rudimentary forms of mentality, such as the bare consciousnesses (awarenesses/knowings) of stimuli combine, until the stimulating object is properly received by (into) the mind. Many objects of a similar kind will have to be received again and again into the mind, before the mind will give a designation to that object. And that designation will be valid for all objects of that kind. Thus the mind learns to combine many objects into one name. Many such names or designations then will combine into a thought. And again many thoughts will combine into an idea (or concept). Until many ideas combined, become one faculty of knowledge. Much knowledge in turn then may combine into intuition, a process which may be taken to has its final phase in complete omniscience.
But then, these rather represent the faculties of consciousness, than consciousness itself. However, consciousness itself too is a composite thing. Many people think of consciousness as being some kind of mirror that merely reflects the outside world, or anyhow the present moment. However, keen analysis reveals, consciousness is a composite thing. You are not one, you are many. Consciousness, the very core of our being is very multifaceted. And that multifacetness, is because consciousness is rooted in kamma. Kamma is multifaceted therefore consciousness is multifaceted. The very multifacetedness of the world we perceive is in fact only a reflection of the multifacetedness of consciousness.
Which in turn leads us to a consideration of the last of the four Paramattha— Nibbana. Now, it is a fact that our consciousness is not only multifaceted, but also, to a large extent, rather fractured. Many of us are at war with ourselves. Why is that? It is because our very centre has different intents, which pull us in different directions. Even though compositeness is inherent to consciousness, fracturedness can be transcended. And the way to do that is by understanding our own composite nature to begin with, by then relating those composite parts of ours to a larger picture, or a larger framework of reality, and then by gradually aligning our various parts to those aspects of reality that we perceive to be free from fractures. This way we ascend the ladder of divine virtues and ever loftier states of consciousness by means of a gradual process, wherein we explore ever more harmonious compositions, until all signs of compositeness vanish altogether in the experience of Nibbāna.
