user-1: I have seen in many places the description of the phases of contact, feeling, perception, thinking and etc. upon this site. I have three questions:
1) What is the name of this chain? Is it distinct from the links of dependent origination?
2) How can this chain and its parts best be explained?
3) Is there any book which can explain this chain, possibly in detail? 
Thank you.

user12386: Yogakara, expounded by Asanga, and more famously Vashubandu that integrates the Theravada masterwork Abidadhamma with the emerging Mahayana thinking and teaching is a great source for study in this area I find it a better discourse on the earlier dependent origination. Some early Theravada texts in which the Buddha designates the conditions for arising of one of the five first senses, say sight, needs the object, the proximity of the object to the eye, and the seeing of the eye. Yogakara has a more nuanced take on this. Yogakara by the way, is a foundation thread in Mahayana and Cha/Son/Zen as is the Lankavatara, though some American Zenists are unaware of the history of their practice.

user8157: 
(1) What is the name of this chain?

This chain should be held distinct from dependent origination (as explained below). In this chain, contact-feeling-perception are inseparable and will always arise together (refer to MN 43 quoted below). Vitakka (thinking) is optional however to undertake ordinary life & social activities, a Buddha, for example, must think. Therefore, thinking (vitakka) can be included in sutta that mention feeling & perception. 
The above said, different teachings in the Pali suttas use names approximating this chain, such as: 

The eighteen mental examinations (manopavicārāti) - AN 3.61
The six sets of six (chachakka) ayatana - MN 148

The above two teachings are not dependent origination because they are not about the origination of suffering.

Is it distinct from the links of dependent origination?

This chain of mental cognition can be distinct from the links of dependent origination because contact, feeling, perception & thinking can be undefiled, enlightened & non-suffering; where as dependent origination refers to the 12 links leading to suffering, in which every link is defiled, tainted or polluted by ignorance, as follows:

And what is dependent co-arising? From ignorance as a requisite condition come fabrications. From fabrications as a requisite
  condition comes consciousness. From consciousness as a requisite
  condition comes mind-&-body. From mind-&-body as a requisite condition
  come the six sense media. From the six sense media as a requisite
  condition comes contact. From contact as a requisite condition comes
  feeling. From feeling as a requisite condition comes craving. From
  craving as a requisite condition comes clinging. From
  clinging as a requisite condition comes becoming. From
  becoming as a requisite condition comes birth. From birth as a
  requisite condition, then aging & death, sorrow, lamentation, pain,
  distress & despair come into play. Such is the origination of this
  entire mass of stress & suffering. SN 12.2

For example, the quotes below are not dependent origination because dependent origination refers to the 12 links leading to suffering:

On seeing a form with the eye, he does not lust after it if it is pleasing; he does not dislike it if it is unpleasing. He abides with
  mindfulness of the body established, with an immeasurable mind, and he
  understands as it actually is the deliverance of mind and deliverance
  by wisdom wherein those evil unwholesome states cease without
  remainder. Having thus abandoned favouring and opposing, whatever
  feeling he feels, whether pleasant or painful or
  neither-painful-nor-pleasant, he does not delight in that feeling,
  welcome it, or remain holding to it. As he does not do so, delight in
  feelings ceases in him. With the cessation of his delight comes
  cessation of clinging; with the cessation of clinging, cessation of
  being; with the cessation of being, cessation of birth; with the
  cessation of birth, ageing and death, sorrow, lamentation, pain,
  grief, and despair cease. Such is the cessation of this whole mass of
  suffering. MN 38
Bhikkhus, dependent on the eye and forms, eye-consciousness arises; the meeting of the three is contact; with contact as condition there
  arises a feeling felt as pleasant or painful or
  neither-painful-nor-pleasant. When one is touched by a pleasant
  feeling, if one does not delight in it, welcome it, and remain holding
  to it, then the underlying tendency to lust does not lie within one.
  When one is touched by a painful feeling, if one does not sorrow,
  grieve and lament, does not weep beating one’s breast and become
  distraught, then the underlying tendency to aversion does not lie
  within one. When one is touched by a neither-painful-nor-pleasant
  feeling, if one understands as it actually is the origination, the
  disappearance, the gratification, the danger, and the escape in regard
  to that feeling, then the underlying tendency to ignorance does not
  lie within one. Bhikkhus, that one shall here and now make an end of
  suffering by abandoning the underlying tendency to lust for pleasant
  feeling, by abolishing the underlying tendency to aversion towards
  painful feeling, by extirpating the underlying tendency to ignorance
  in regard to neither-painful-nor-pleasant feeling, by abandoning
  ignorance and arousing true knowledge—this is possible. MN 148



2) How can this chain and its parts best be explained?

I explained it broadly above as a "cognitive" chain because these mental phenomena must occur in all people, including enlightened people. 


3) Is there any book which can explain this chain, possibly in detail?

The book called The ABCs of Buddhism may possibly be relevant. 
There are Pali suttas that include contact, feeling (vedana), perception (sanna) & vitakka (thinking), such as: 

With contact as a requisite condition, there is feeling. What one feels, one perceives (labels in the mind). What one perceives, one
  thinks about. MN 18

There is the case where feelings are known to the monk as they arise, known as they persist, known as they subside. Perceptions are known to
  him as they arise, known as they persist, known as they subside.
  Thoughts are known to him as they arise, known as they persist, known
  as they subside. This is the development of concentration that, when
  developed & pursued, leads to mindfulness & alertness. AN 4.41

Feeling, perception & consciousness are conjoined, friend, not disjoined. It is not possible, having separated them one from another,
  to delineate the difference among them. For what one feels, that one
  perceives. What one perceives, that one cognizes. MN 43

Bhikkhus, in dependence on an element there arises a perception, there arises a view, there arises a thought. SN 14.13

Bhikkhus, sensual thoughts arise with a source, not without a source; thought of ill will arises with a source, not without a source;
  thought of harming arises with a source, not without a source. And how
  is this so?
In dependence on the sensuality element there arises sensual perception; in dependence on the sensual perception there arises
  sensual intention; in dependence on the sensual intention there arises
  sensual desire; in dependence on the sensual desire there arises
  sensual passion; in dependence on the sensual passion there arises a
  sensual quest. Engaged in a sensual quest, the uninstructed worldling
  conducts himself wrongly in three ways - with body, speech and mind.
In dependence on the ill will element there arises perception of ill will...
In dependence on the cruelty element there arises perception of harming...
In dependence on the renunciation element there arises perception of renunciation...
In dependence on the non-ill will element there arises perception of non-ill will...
In dependence on the harmlessness element there arises perception of harmlessness. In dependence on the perception of harmlessness there
  arises intention of harmlessness; in dependence on intention of
  harmlessness there arises desire for harmlessness; in dependence on
  desire for harmlessness there arises passion for harmlessness; in
  dependence on passion for harmlessness there arises a sensual quest.
  Engaged in a quest for harmlessness, the instructed noble disciple
  conducts himself rightly in three ways - with body, speech and mind. 
SN 14.12


user10100: 
1) What is the name of this chain? Is it distinct from the links of
  dependent origination?

It is called 60 piyarūpaṃ-sātarūpaṃ in saccapabba of mahāsatipaṭṭhānasutta. 
It is a present part of dependent origination, nothing difference. 

2) How can this chain and its parts best be explained?


Contact = metting of a sense + a sense-organ + a sense-data.
Feeling = result of contact.
Perception = memory of feeling for recollecting next time to
take/avoid the memorized feeling.
Thinking.


3) Is there any book which can explain this chain, possibly in detail?

Abhidhammatthasaṅgaha Chapter 8.

-1: <p>I have seen in many places the description of the phases of contact, feeling, perception, thinking and etc. upon this site. I have three questions:</p>

<p>1) What is the name of this chain? Is it distinct from the links of dependent origination?</p>

<p>2) How can this chain and its parts best be explained?</p>

<p>3) Is there any book which can explain this chain, possibly in detail? </p>

<p>Thank you.</p>
 12386: <p>Yogakara, expounded by Asanga, and more famously Vashubandu that integrates the Theravada masterwork Abidadhamma with the emerging Mahayana thinking and teaching is a great source for study in this area I find it a better discourse on the earlier dependent origination. Some early Theravada texts in which the Buddha designates the conditions for arising of one of the five first senses, say sight, needs the object, the proximity of the object to the eye, and the seeing of the eye. Yogakara has a more nuanced take on this. Yogakara by the way, is a foundation thread in Mahayana and Cha/Son/Zen as is the Lankavatara, though some American Zenists are unaware of the history of their practice.</p>
 8157: <blockquote>
  <p><strong>(1) What is the name of this chain?</strong></p>
</blockquote>

<p>This chain should be held distinct from dependent origination (as explained below). In this chain, contact-feeling-perception are inseparable and will always arise together (refer to MN 43 quoted below). Vitakka (thinking) is optional however to undertake ordinary life &amp; social activities, a Buddha, for example, must think. Therefore, thinking (vitakka) can be included in sutta that mention feeling &amp; perception. </p>

<p>The above said, different teachings in the Pali suttas use names approximating this chain, such as: </p>

<ol>
<li><p>The eighteen mental examinations (manopavicārāti) - <a href="https://suttacentral.net/en/an3.61" rel="nofollow noreferrer">AN 3.61</a></p></li>
<li><p>The six sets of six (chachakka) ayatana - MN 148</p></li>
</ol>

<p>The above two teachings are not dependent origination because they are not about the origination of suffering.</p>

<blockquote>
  <p><strong>Is it distinct from the links of dependent origination?</strong></p>
</blockquote>

<p>This chain of mental cognition can be distinct from the links of dependent origination because contact, feeling, perception &amp; thinking can be undefiled, enlightened &amp; non-suffering; where as dependent origination refers to the 12 links leading to suffering, in which every link is defiled, tainted or polluted by ignorance, as follows:</p>

<blockquote>
  <p><em>And what is dependent co-arising? From ignorance as a requisite condition come fabrications. From fabrications as a requisite
  condition comes consciousness. From consciousness as a requisite
  condition comes mind-&amp;-body. From mind-&amp;-body as a requisite condition
  come the six sense media. From the six sense media as a requisite
  condition comes contact. From contact as a requisite condition comes
  feeling. From feeling as a requisite condition comes craving. From
  craving as a requisite condition comes clinging. From
  clinging as a requisite condition comes becoming. From
  becoming as a requisite condition comes birth. From birth as a
  requisite condition, then aging &amp; death, sorrow, lamentation, pain,
  distress &amp; despair come into play. Such is the origination of this
  entire mass of stress &amp; suffering. SN 12.2</em></p>
</blockquote>

<p>For example, the quotes below are not dependent origination because dependent origination refers to the 12 links leading to suffering:</p>

<blockquote>
  <p><em>On seeing a form with the eye, he does not lust after it if it is pleasing; he does not dislike it if it is unpleasing. He abides with
  mindfulness of the body established, with an immeasurable mind, and he
  understands as it actually is the deliverance of mind and deliverance
  by wisdom wherein those evil unwholesome states cease without
  remainder. Having thus abandoned favouring and opposing, whatever
  feeling he feels, whether pleasant or painful or
  neither-painful-nor-pleasant, he does not delight in that feeling,
  welcome it, or remain holding to it. As he does not do so, delight in
  feelings ceases in him. With the cessation of his delight comes
  cessation of clinging; with the cessation of clinging, cessation of
  being; with the cessation of being, cessation of birth; with the
  cessation of birth, ageing and death, sorrow, lamentation, pain,
  grief, and despair cease. Such is the cessation of this whole mass of
  suffering. MN 38</em></p>
  
  <p><em>Bhikkhus, dependent on the eye and forms, eye-consciousness arises; the meeting of the three is contact; with contact as condition there
  arises a feeling felt as pleasant or painful or
  neither-painful-nor-pleasant. When one is touched by a pleasant
  feeling, if one does not delight in it, welcome it, and remain holding
  to it, then the underlying tendency to lust does not lie within one.
  When one is touched by a painful feeling, if one does not sorrow,
  grieve and lament, does not weep beating one’s breast and become
  distraught, then the underlying tendency to aversion does not lie
  within one. When one is touched by a neither-painful-nor-pleasant
  feeling, if one understands as it actually is the origination, the
  disappearance, the gratification, the danger, and the escape in regard
  to that feeling, then the underlying tendency to ignorance does not
  lie within one. Bhikkhus, that one shall here and now make an end of
  suffering by abandoning the underlying tendency to lust for pleasant
  feeling, by abolishing the underlying tendency to aversion towards
  painful feeling, by extirpating the underlying tendency to ignorance
  in regard to neither-painful-nor-pleasant feeling, by abandoning
  ignorance and arousing true knowledge—this is possible. MN 148</em></p>
</blockquote>

<hr>

<blockquote>
  <p><strong>2) How can this chain and its parts best be explained?</strong></p>
</blockquote>

<p>I explained it broadly above as a "cognitive" chain because these mental phenomena must occur in all people, including enlightened people. </p>

<hr>

<blockquote>
  <p><strong>3) Is there any book which can explain this chain, possibly in detail?</strong></p>
</blockquote>

<p>The book called <a href="http://www.dhammatalks.net/Books6/Buddhadasa_Bhikkhu_ABC_of_Buddhism.pdf" rel="nofollow noreferrer">The ABCs of Buddhism</a> may possibly be relevant. </p>

<p>There are Pali suttas that include contact, feeling (vedana), perception (sanna) &amp; vitakka (thinking), such as: </p>

<blockquote>
  <p><em>With contact as a requisite condition, there is feeling. What one feels, one perceives (labels in the mind). What one perceives, one
  thinks about. MN 18</em></p>
  
  <hr>
  
  <p><em>There is the case where feelings are known to the monk as they arise, known as they persist, known as they subside. Perceptions are known to
  him as they arise, known as they persist, known as they subside.
  Thoughts are known to him as they arise, known as they persist, known
  as they subside. This is the development of concentration that, when
  developed &amp; pursued, leads to mindfulness &amp; alertness. AN 4.41</em></p>
  
  <hr>
  
  <p><em>Feeling, perception &amp; consciousness are conjoined, friend, not disjoined. It is not possible, having separated them one from another,
  to delineate the difference among them. For what one feels, that one
  perceives. What one perceives, that one cognizes. MN 43</em></p>
  
  <hr>
  
  <p><em>Bhikkhus, in dependence on an element there arises a perception, there arises a view, there arises a thought. SN 14.13</em></p>
  
  <hr>
  
  <p><em>Bhikkhus, sensual thoughts arise with a source, not without a source; thought of ill will arises with a source, not without a source;
  thought of harming arises with a source, not without a source. And how
  is this so?</em></p>
  
  <p><em>In dependence on the sensuality element there arises sensual perception; in dependence on the sensual perception there arises
  sensual intention; in dependence on the sensual intention there arises
  sensual desire; in dependence on the sensual desire there arises
  sensual passion; in dependence on the sensual passion there arises a
  sensual quest. Engaged in a sensual quest, the uninstructed worldling
  conducts himself wrongly in three ways - with body, speech and mind.</em></p>
  
  <p><em>In dependence on the ill will element there arises perception of ill will...</em></p>
  
  <p><em>In dependence on the cruelty element there arises perception of harming...</em></p>
  
  <p><em>In dependence on the renunciation element there arises perception of renunciation...</em></p>
  
  <p><em>In dependence on the non-ill will element there arises perception of non-ill will...</em></p>
  
  <p><em>In dependence on the harmlessness element there arises perception of harmlessness. In dependence on the perception of harmlessness there
  arises intention of harmlessness; in dependence on intention of
  harmlessness there arises desire for harmlessness; in dependence on
  desire for harmlessness there arises passion for harmlessness; in
  dependence on passion for harmlessness there arises a sensual quest.
  Engaged in a quest for harmlessness, the instructed noble disciple
  conducts himself rightly in three ways - with body, speech and mind.</em> </p>
  
  <p><em>SN 14.12</em></p>
</blockquote>
 10100: <blockquote>
  <p>1) What is the name of this chain? Is it distinct from the links of
  dependent origination?</p>
</blockquote>

<p>It is called 60 piyarūpaṃ-sātarūpaṃ in saccapabba of mahāsatipaṭṭhānasutta. </p>

<p>It is a present part of dependent origination, nothing difference. </p>

<blockquote>
  <p>2) How can this chain and its parts best be explained?</p>
</blockquote>

<ul>
<li>Contact = metting of a sense + a sense-organ + a sense-data.</li>
<li>Feeling = result of contact.</li>
<li>Perception = memory of feeling for recollecting next time to
take/avoid the memorized feeling.</li>
<li><a href="http://unmixedtheravada.blogspot.com/2017/10/mana-ayatana-is-7-vinnanamano-that-is.html" rel="nofollow noreferrer">Thinking</a>.</li>
</ul>

<blockquote>
  <p>3) Is there any book which can explain this chain, possibly in detail?</p>
</blockquote>

<p><a href="http://www.palikanon.com/english/sangaha/chapter_8.htm" rel="nofollow noreferrer">Abhidhammatthasaṅgaha Chapter 8</a>.</p>
