At Sāvatthi.
“Bhikkhus, |dependent on::contingent on, supported by, grounded on [paṭicca]| the |diversity of elements::variety of foundational properties making up experience—earth, water, fire, air, space, and consciousness; basis for bodily and mental phenomena; multiplicity of conditioned building blocks mistaken for self [dhātunānatta]|, there arises a diversity of contacts.
And what is the diversity of elements? The |form element::the elemental basis for visual objects—such as shapes, colors, light, bodily forms, gestures, ornaments, scenery, or textures visible through the eye—anything whose appearance enables seeing and may condition perception, attraction, or craving [rūpadhātu]|, |sound element::the elemental basis for auditory experience—such as tones, voices, musical patterns, shouts, praises, speech, or ambient noise—anything whose vibratory quality enables hearing and can become a basis for perception, emotional response, or craving [saddadhātu]|, |odor element::the elemental basis for smells—such as fragrances, stench, food aromas, floral scents, perfumes, or earthy odors—anything whose scent-bearing nature forms the condition for olfactory experience and may lead to craving or attachment [gandhadhātu]|, |taste element::the elemental basis for gustatory experience—such as sweet, bitter, sour, salty, spicy, or subtle flavor properties that arise in dependence on tongue contact with substances, forming the condition for taste perception and potentially giving rise to craving or attachment [rasadhātu]|, |tangible object element::the elemental basis for touch sensation—such as hardness, softness, warmth, coolness, pressure, movement, or contact with textures and bodies—anything that, when contacted by the body, can give rise to tactile experience and potentially become an object of desire, arousal, comfort, or emotional attachment [phoṭṭhabbadhātu]|, and |mental object element::the elemental basis for mental phenomena—such as thoughts, emotions, perceptions, volitions, conceptual constructs, and internal representations—that arise within the mind and form the condition for knowing, imagining, interpreting, or craving [dhammadhātu]|. This is called the diversity of elements.
And how is it, bhikkhus, that dependent on the diversity of elements, there arises the diversity of contacts?
Dependent on the forms, there arises a |contact with the eye::visual impression, visual experience [cakkhusamphassa]|.
Dependent on sounds, there arises a |contact with the ear::auditory impression, sonic experience [sotasamphassa]|.
Dependent on smells, there arises a |contact with the nose::olfactory impression, nasal experience [ghanasamphassa]|.
Dependent on tastes, there arises a |contact with the tongue::gustatory impression, taste experience [jivhāsamphassa]|.
Dependent on tangible objects, there arises a |physical contact::tactile impression, somatic experience [kāyasamphassa]|.
Dependent on mental objects, there arises a |contact with the mind::mental impression, cognitive experience [manasamphassa]|.
Thus, bhikkhus, dependent on the diversity of elements, there arises a diversity of contacts.”