user4928: The answer on this question mentions passa in the comments. 
Having never encountered the term in my studies, what is an overview of the term? What school of Buddhism does it originate from? 

user254: Some places where it's defined or described:

Wikipedia: Sparśa
PTS dictionary: Phassa
Nyanaponika's dictionary: Phassa
Access to Insight: Phassa (contact)
Obo's Glossology: Phassa, Phassaharo

Phassa is Pali, and Access to Insight references its being used in Pali suttas.

user-1: In Sutta MN 148 phassa is described. And in many other Suttas.
Chachakka Sutta: The Six Sextets 

"'The six classes of contact should be known.' Thus was it said. In reference to what was it said? Dependent on the eye & forms there arises consciousness at the eye. The meeting of the three is contact. Dependent on the ear & sounds there arises consciousness at the ear. The meeting of the three is contact. Dependent on the nose & aromas there arises consciousness at the nose. The meeting of the three is contact. Dependent on the tongue & flavors there arises consciousness at the tongue. The meeting of the three is contact. Dependent on the body & tactile sensations there arises consciousness at the body. The meeting of the three is contact. Dependent on the intellect & ideas there arises consciousness at the intellect. The meeting of the three is contact. 'The six classes of contact should be known.' Thus was it said. And in reference to this was it said. This is the fourth sextet.


user43: As per my dictionaries: 
Phassa (sanskr. sparça): contact, touch, tangibility, tactile sensation, a momentary union of the sense-object, sense-door, and sense-consciousness.
It's a standard term coming all the way back from the Pali Canon and used widely by Theravada and Abhidhamma.

4928: <p>The answer on this <a href="https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/questions/13127/whats-the-buddhist-perspective-on-permanently-eradicating-bedbugs-extinction">question</a> mentions passa in the comments. </p>

<p>Having never encountered the term in my studies, what is an overview of the term? What school of Buddhism does it originate from? </p>
 254: <p>Some places where it's defined or described:</p>

<ul>
<li>Wikipedia: <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spar%C5%9Ba">Sparśa</a></li>
<li>PTS dictionary: <a href="http://dsalsrv02.uchicago.edu/cgi-bin/philologic/getobject.pl?c.2:1:3149.pali">Phassa</a></li>
<li>Nyanaponika's dictionary: <a href="http://www.palikanon.com/english/wtb/n_r/phassa.htm">Phassa</a></li>
<li>Access to Insight: <a href="http://www.accesstoinsight.org/index-subject.html#phassa">Phassa (contact)</a></li>
<li>Obo's Glossology: <a href="http://obo.genaud.net/backmatter/glossology/glossology/phassa.htm">Phassa, Phassaharo</a></li>
</ul>

<p><em>Phassa</em> is Pali, and Access to Insight references its being used in Pali suttas.</p>
 -1: <p>In Sutta MN 148 phassa is described. And in many other Suttas.</p>

<p><a href="http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.148.than.html">Chachakka Sutta: The Six Sextets </a></p>

<blockquote>
  <p>"'The six classes of contact should be known.' Thus was it said. In reference to what was it said? Dependent on the eye &amp; forms there arises consciousness at the eye. The meeting of the three is contact. Dependent on the ear &amp; sounds there arises consciousness at the ear. The meeting of the three is contact. Dependent on the nose &amp; aromas there arises consciousness at the nose. The meeting of the three is contact. Dependent on the tongue &amp; flavors there arises consciousness at the tongue. The meeting of the three is contact. Dependent on the body &amp; tactile sensations there arises consciousness at the body. The meeting of the three is contact. Dependent on the intellect &amp; ideas there arises consciousness at the intellect. The meeting of the three is contact. 'The six classes of contact should be known.' Thus was it said. And in reference to this was it said. This is the fourth sextet.</p>
</blockquote>
 43: <p>As per my dictionaries: </p>

<p><strong>Phassa</strong> <em>(sanskr. sparça)</em>: contact, touch, tangibility, tactile sensation, a momentary union of the sense-object, sense-door, and sense-consciousness.</p>

<p>It's a standard term coming all the way back from the Pali Canon and used widely by Theravada and Abhidhamma.</p>
