rasaṁ

that which is connected with the sense of taste. The defⁿ given at Vism.447 is as follows “jivhā-paṭihanana-lakkhaṇo raso, jivhā-viññāṇassa visaya-bhāvo raso, tass’ eva gocara-paccupaṭṭhāno mūla-raso khandha-raso ti ādinā nayena anekavidho, i.e. rasa is physiologically & psychologically peculiar to the tongue (sense-object & sense-perception), and also consists as a manifold object in extractions from roots, trunk etc. (see next)
■ The conventional encyclopaedic defⁿ of rasa at Mnd.240; Cnd.540, Dhs.629 gives taste according to: (a) the 6-fold objective source as mūla- rasa, khandha˚, taca˚, patta˚, puppha˚, phala˚; or taste (i.e. juice, liquid) of root, trunk, bark, leaf flower & fruit; and (b) the 12-fold subjective (physiological) sense-perception as ambila, madhura, tittika kaṭuka loṇika, khārika, lambila (Mil.56: ambila) kasāva; sādu, asādu, sīta, uṇha, or sour, sweet, bitter pungent, salt, alkaline, sour, astringent; pleasant, unpleasant cold & hot. Mil.56 has the foll.: ambila lavaṇa, tittaka, kaṭuka, kasāya, madhura.

1. juice [as applied in the Veda to the Soma juice], e.g. in the foll. combinations: ucchu˚; of sugar cane, extract of sugar cane syrup Vin.i.246; Vv-a.180; patta˚ & puppha˚; of leaf & flower Vin.i.246; madhura˚; of honey Pv-a.119
2. taste as (objective) quality, the sense-object of taste (cp. above def^ns). In the list of the āyatanas or senses with their complementary sense-objects (sentient and sensed) rasa occupies the 4^th place following upon gandha. It is stated that one tastes (or “senses”) taste with the tongue (no reference to palate) jivhāya rasaṃ sāyitvā (or viññeyya). See also āyatana 3 and rūpa
   ■ MN.iii.55 (jivhā-viññeyya r.), MN.iii.267; DN.iii.244, DN.iii.250; Snp.387; Dhs.609; Pv-a.50 (vaṇṇagandha-rasa-sampanna bhojana: see below 5).
3. sense of taste, as quality & personal accomplishment. Thus in the list of senses marking superiority (the 10 ādhipateyyas or ṭhāṇas), similar to rasa as special distinction of the Mahāpurisa (see cpd. ras-agga) SN.iv.275 = Pv.ii.9#58; AN.iv.242.
4. object or act of enjoyment, sensual stimulus, material enjoyment, pleasure (usually in pl.) Snp.65 (rasesu gedha, see materialistic exegesis at Cnd.540), Snp.854 (rase na anugijjhati; perhaps better rasesu, as Snp-a); AN.iii.237 (puriso agga˚-parititto perhaps to No. 2).
5. flavour and its substance (or substratum), e.g. soup Vv-a.243 (kakkaṭaka˚ crabsoup), cp. SN.v.149, where 8 soup flavours are given (ambila, tittaka, kaṭuka, madhura, khārika, akhārika loṇika, aloṇika); Pv.ii.1#15 (aneka-rasa-vyañjana “with exceptionally flavoured sauce”); Ja.v.459, Ja.v.465. gorasa