The six types of contact are impermanent, changing, and becoming otherwise. Accepting this through faith or wisdom guarantees stream-entry before death.

SN 25.4  Samphassa sutta - Contact

Sāvatthinidānaṁ.

At Sāvatthi.

“Cakkhusamphasso, bhikkhave, anicco vipariṇāmī aññathābhāvī; sotasamphassoghānasamphassojivhāsamphassokāyasamphassomanosamphasso anicco vipariṇāmī aññathābhāvī.

“|Eye-contact::the meeting of eye, form, and eye-consciousness, giving rise to a visual impression/impingement/intrusion [cakkhusamphassa]||, bhikkhus,::::| is impermanent, changing, becoming otherwise; |ear-contact::the meeting of ear, sound, and ear-consciousness, giving rise to an auditory impression/impingement/intrusion [sotasamphassa]| ... |nose-contact::the meeting of nose, odor, and nose-consciousness, giving rise to an olfactory impression/impingement/intrusion [ghānasamphassa]| ... |tongue-contact::the meeting of tongue, taste, and tongue-consciousness, giving rise to a taste impression/impingement/intrusion [jivhāsamphassa]| ... |body-contact::the meeting of body, touch, and body-consciousness, giving rise to a tactile impression/impingement/intrusion [kāyasamphassa]| ... |mind-contact::the meeting of mind, mental object, and mind-consciousness, giving rise to a mental impression/impingement/intrusion [manosamphassa]| is impermanent, changing, becoming otherwise.

Yo, bhikkhave, ime dhamme evaṁ saddahati adhimuccati, ayaṁ vuccati ‘saddhānusārī …pe… sambodhiparāyano’”ti.

Anyone|, bhikkhus,::::| who places faith and conviction in these |phenomena::characteristics, thoughts, mental states, mental qualities [dhammā]| in this way is called a faith-follower ... with awakening as their destination.”

Topics & Qualities:

Contact

Contact

The meeting of sense faculty, sense object, and the corresponding consciousness—the convergence of three. Contact is where experience actually touches: from it arise feeling, intention, and perception, and it is the pivotal link between the sense bases and the rest of mental life. It is one of the factors of name (mentality) and a central node in dependent origination.

Also known as: sense impingement, sense impression
Pāli: phassa
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Faith

Faith

Confidence in the Buddha's awakening and the efficacy of the path. It brightens and steadies the mind, removing doubt and inspiring energy toward wholesome practice. True faith rests on clarity and direct experience rather than mere belief.

Also known as: confidence, trust, belief, conviction, self-assurance
Pāli: saddha, pasanna
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Recognition of impermanence

Recognition of impermanence

Perceiving all conditioned things as unstable and transient. This recognition weakens attachment by revealing the continual arising and ceasing of phenomena, turning the mind toward wisdom and release.

Also known as: perception of impermanence, perception of instability, realization of transience
Pāli: aniccasaññā
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Last updated on May 20, 2026