At Sāvatthi.

"Bhikkhus, dependent on the diversity of elements, there arises a diversity of contacts. Diversity of elements does not arise dependent on the diversity of contacts.

And what is the diversity of elements? The objects of vision, sounds, smells, tastes, physical sensations, and mental objects. 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, and that the diversity of elements does not arise from the diversity of contacts?

Dependent on the objects of vision, there arises a contact with the eye, the objects of vision do not arise from the contact with the eye. Dependent on sounds, there arises a contact with the ear, sounds do not arise from the contact with the ear. Dependent on smells, there arises a contact with the nose, smells do not arise from the contact with the nose. Dependent on tastes, there arises a contact with the tongue, tastes do not arise from the contact with the tongue. Dependent on physical sensations, there arises a physical contact, physical sensations do not arise from the physical contact. Dependent on mental objects, there arises a contact with the mind, mental objects do not arise from the contact with the mind.

Thus, bhikkhus, dependent on the diversity of elements, there arises a diversity of contacts. Diversity of elements does not arise from the diversity of contacts."