Paramattha Dhammas

Sujin Boriharnwanaket

Chapter 3 – Exposition Of Paramattha Dhammas I

Citta аnd Cetasika

Citta, or consciousness, is the Dhamma which is the leader in knowing what appears, such as seeing or hearing. Cittas have been classified as 89 types in all, or, in special cases, as 121 types^[1] . Cetasika or mental factor, is another type of Dhamma which arises together with citta, experiences the same object as citta, falls away together with citta and arises at the same base as citta. Cetasikas have each their own characteristic and perform each their own function. There are 52 types of cetasikas in all. Rupa or physical phenomenon, is the Dhamma which does not know or experience anything, such as color, sound, odor or flavor. There are 28 types of rupas in all. Nibbāna is the Dhamma which is the end of defilements and the ceasing of dukkha. Nibbāna does not have conditions which could cause its arising, it does not arise and fall away. Citta Paramattha When we see different colors, the eyes themselves do not see. The eyes are only a condition for the arising of seeing, which is a citta. When sound impinges on the ear, the sound and the ear do not experience anything, the ear is not citta. The Dhamma which hears the sound, which experiences the sound, is citta. Thus, citta paramattha^[2] is the Dhamma which experiences color, sound or other objects. These paramattha Dhammas, which are real, are “Abhidhamma”^[3] , non-self, beyond control, depending on the appropriate conditions. Even if a Buddha had not been born and discovered the truth, Dhammas arise and fall away because of their own conditions and their own true nature. We read in the “Gradual Sayings”, Book of the Threes, Ch XIV, § 134, Appearance, that the Buddha said: Monks, whether there be an appearance or non-appearance of a Tathāgata, this causal law of nature, this orderly fixing of Dhammas prevails, namely, all phenomena are impermanent. About this a Tathāgata is fully enlightened, he fully understands it. So enlightened and understanding he declares, teaches and makes it plain. He shows it, he opens it up, explains and makes it clear: this fact that all phenomena are impermanent. The same is said about the truth that all conditioned Dhammas are dukkha and that all Dhammas are non-self. The Sammāsambuddha is the pre-eminent preceptor, because he realized all by himself through his enlightenment the nature of all Dhammas. He realized the truth that Dhammas are non-self, not a being, not a person, and that they cannot be controlled by anybody. The term “abhi” can mean great, mighty. Abhidhamma is the Dhamma which is mighty, because it is anattā, non-self, it is beyond anybody’s control. When the Buddha had attained enlightenment he taught all the Dhammas he had realized himself, he taught their true nature and also their different conditions. The Buddha respected the Dhamma he had penetrated. We read in the “Kindred Sayings” (I, Sagāthā-vagga, Ch VI, § 2, Holding in Reverence) that the Buddha, when he shortly after his enlightenment was staying at Uruvelā, was considering to whom he could pay respect, but that he could find nobody in the world who was more accomplished than himself in morality, concentration, insight, emancipation, or knowledge of emancipation. We then read that he said: This Dhamma then, wherein I am supremely enlightened- what if I were to live under It, paying It honor and respect!” The Buddha did not teach that those Dhammas he had realized could be controlled by him. He proclaimed that even he, himself, could not cause anybody to attain the path-consciousness and fruition-consciousness which experience nibbāna at the moment of enlightenment and to become liberated from dukkha. He taught that only the practice of the Dhamma is the condition for the person who practices to attain the path-consciousness and fruition-consciousness which experience nibbāna at the moment of enlightenment and to become liberated from dukkha. Paramattha Dhamma or Abhidhamma is not a Dhamma which is beyond one’s ability to understand because paramattha Dhamma is reality. Right view, right understanding, is actually knowing the characteristics of paramattha Dhammas as they really are. Citta is the paramattha Dhamma that arises and cognizes different objects, such as color, sound, odor, flavor, tangible object or other things, depending on what type of citta arises. For example, the citta that arises and sees color through the eyes is one type of citta. The citta, which arises and hears sound through the ears, is another type of citta. The citta, which arises, and experiences cold, heat; softness, hardness, motion or pressure through the body sense is again another type of citta. The citta, which arises and thinks, which knows through the mind-door different subjects, is again another type of citta. All this occurs in accordance with the type of citta, which arises and with the conditioning factors which cause the arising of different types of citta. At the moment when citta sees something there is not just the citta which sees, nor is there just the object which is seen. There must be the citta, which sees as well as the object, which is seen by the citta. Whenever there is an object, which is seen, color, it is evident that there must also be a reality, which sees, the citta that sees. However, if one is only interested in the object which is seen, it prevents one from knowing the truth, from knowing that the object which is seen can only appear because citta arises and performs the function of seeing that object. When one thinks of a special subject or story, it is citta which thinks of concepts or words at those moments. When citta arises it experiences something, and that which is known by citta is called in Pali ārammaṇa, object. The Pali term ārammaṇa (or ālambana) in the teaching of the Sammāsambuddha refers to that which citta knows. When citta arises and sees what appears through the eyes, that is the object of citta at that moment. When citta arises and hears sound, sound is the object of citta at that moment. When citta arises and experiences odor, odor is the object of citta at that moment. It is the same in the case of the citta which tastes flavor, the citta which experiences cold, heat, softness, hardness, motion or pressure through the body sense or the citta which thinks of different subjects; whatever is known or experienced by citta is the object of citta at that moment. Whenever there is citta there must each time be an object together with the citta. When citta arises it must experience an object, there cannot be a citta, which does not know anything. There cannot be just citta, the Dhamma which knows something, without an object, that which is known by citta. Citta, the reality that knows an object, does not only exist in Buddhism or in the human world. The citta, which sees or hears etc. is a paramattha Dhamma, it is universal and does not belong to anyone. If someone conceives the idea of “this person sees” or “that being hears”, it is due to the outward appearance and to his memory. If there were no outward appearance and no memory, he would not conceive the citta which sees as “this person sees”, or the citta which hears as “that being hears”. Citta is paramattha Dhamma. No matter which being or which person sees, the citta which arises and sees can only see what appears through the eyes. The citta which hears can only hear sound. The citta which sees cannot experience sound and the citta which hears cannot experience what appears through the eyes. It is not in anyone’s power to alter the characteristic and the nature of a paramattha Dhamma. The citta, a paramattha Dhamma which arises and cognizes an object, can arise because there are the appropriate conditions for its arising. If there are no conditions citta cannot arise. If, for example, sound does not arise and impinge on the ear sense, the citta, which hears, cannot arise. If odor does not arise and impinge on the smelling sense, the citta, which experiences odor, cannot arise. The different types of citta can only arise because there are conditions, which are appropriate for the arising of those types of citta. There are 89 different types of citta, or, in special cases, 121 types of citta, and for the arising of each of these types there is not just one condition but several conditions. For example, the citta which sees needs for its arising the condition which is the eye, the rupa which is eye sense (cakkhuppasāda^[4] ), and the rupa which is visible object or color, that which appears through the eyes. Citta is a paramattha Dhamma which is not rupa. The paramattha Dhammas which are not rupa are nama-Dhammas. Citta, cetasika and nibbāna are nama-Dhammas and rupa is rupa-Dhamma^[5] . Cetasika Paramattha When citta arises and cognizes an object, another kind of nama-paramattha Dhamma arises together with the citta and experiences the same object as the citta. That nama-paramattha Dhamma is cetasika (mental factor). Cetasikas are for example anger, love, happiness, unhappiness, avarice, jealousy, loving kindness or compassion. These Dhammas are cetasika paramattha Dhamma, not citta paramattha Dhamma. Phenomena such as anger, love, happiness or unhappiness are Dhammas which are real, they are not self, not a being, not a person. They are Dhammas which must arise together with citta. If there would not be citta, cetasikas such as anger, love or unhappiness could not arise. There are 52 kinds of cetasika paramattha Dhammas in all. Anger (dosa) is one type of cetasika with the characteristic of coarseness or ferociousness. Love or attachment is another type of cetasika, lobha cetasika, with the characteristic of clinging, not letting go, desiring the object which is experienced. Thus we see that cetasikas are not all of the same type, that each of them is a different Dhamma with its own characteristic. They do not only have different characteristics, but also their manifestations and the conditions which make them arise are different in the case of each of them. Citta paramattha Dhamma and cetasika paramattha Dhamma are nama-Dhammas which experience an object and which arise together. Cetasika arises and falls away together with citta, experiences the same object as citta and arises at the same physical base as citta. Thus, wherever citta arises and falls away also cetasika arises and falls away. Citta paramattha Dhamma and cetasika paramattha Dhamma cannot be separated, they do not arise and fall away without one another. However, they are different types of paramattha Dhamma. Citta is the leader in knowing an object and the different cetasikas which arise together with the citta experience the same object as the citta, but they have each a different characteristic and a different function with regard to the experience of the object. It is because of the fact that each citta which arises is accompanied by a different number of cetasikas and by different types of them that there are 89 or, in special cases, 121 different types of citta. Each type of citta is different, because cittas know different objects, they have different functions and they are accompanied by different types of cetasikas. Some cittas, for example, have as their object that which appears through the eyes, some have as object sound. Some cittas perform the function of seeing, some the function of hearing. Some cittas are accompanied by lobha cetasika (attachment), some cittas are accompanied by dosa cetasika (aversion or anger). When people who can receive the teaching listen to the Abhidhamma and investigate the paramattha Dhammas which appear by paññā (understanding) accumulated in the past, they can at that moment penetrate the true nature of paramattha Dhammas. Therefore, in the time of the Buddha, when the Buddha who was pre-eminent in teaching had finished his exposition of the Dhamma, there were many people who could attain enlightenment and experience nibbāna. Those people listened to the Dhamma, they understood and investigated the truth and came to know the paramattha Dhammas which appeared at that moment as they really are. When the Buddha, for example, taught that seeing-consciousness, the citta which performs the function of seeing, is impermanent, they had sati-sampajañña (sati and paññā)^[6] and when they were seeing they knew the true nature of that citta; they realized it as a nama-Dhamma, not self, not a being, not a person. When they were hearing they had sati-sampajañña and they knew the characteristic of the Dhamma which was hearing. When paññā penetrates the characteristic of impermanence, of the arising and falling away, and of the nature of dukkha of the paramattha Dhamma which appears at that moment, there can be the elimination of attachment and of the wrong view that paramattha Dhammas are self, permanent and happiness. Therefore, we should correctly understand that the Dhamma the Buddha realized through his enlightenment and taught, and which has been compiled and recorded as the Tipitaka, deals with the true nature of all Dhammas. When we have studied paramattha Dhammas and understood what they are, we should investigate the paramattha Dhammas which are appearing so that we can realize the true nature of their characteristics. In this way doubt and ignorance of the characteristics of paramattha Dhammas can truly be abandoned. When one studies paramattha Dhammas with the purpose of having more understanding of them, one should also investigate with regard to them the different causes which bring different effects. This is the way to thoroughly understand their nature. We should, for example, know whether the Dhamma which sees is the same as the Dhamma which hears, or whether this is not the case. We should know in which respect they are the same and in which respect they are different. It is true that the Dhamma which sees and the Dhamma which hears are citta paramattha Dhamma. However, they are different cittas because the conditions for their arising are different. The citta which sees is dependant on visible object appearing through the eyes, which impinges on the rupa which is eye-sense (cakkhuppasāda); this conditions its arising. Whereas the citta which hears is dependant on sound which impinges on the rupa which is ear-sense (sota-pasāda); this conditions its arising. Thus, the citta which sees and the citta which hears have different functions and are depending on different conditions.

FOOTNOTES AND REFERENCES:

1. This will be explained later on. 2. The Pali term paramattha is derived from parama, superior, highest, and attha, which is meaning. Paramattha Dhammas are realities in the highest or ultimate sense. 3. Abhidhamma, the third part of the Tipitaka, means “higher Dhamma”, Dhamma in detail. It deals with ultimate or absolute realities, different from conventional truth. Ultimate reality or paramattha Dhamma can also be called Abhidhamma. 4. cakkhu means eye, and pasāda means clearness or sense-faculty. The cakkhu pasāda rupa is able to receive the impingement of color. 5. Dhammasangaṇi, Buddhist Psychological Ethics, Book III, Nikkhepa-kaṇḍaÿ, The Deposition, Part II, 1309, 1310. 6. Sati is the cetasika which is mindfulness. Its function will be explained later on.

Chapter 4 – Exposition Of Paramattha Dhammas II

Rūpa, physical matter

Rupa paramattha Dhamma is the reality, which does not know anything^[1] . It arises and falls away because of conditions, just as in the case of citta and cetasika. Rupa paramattha Dhamma includes 28 different kinds of rupa. The meaning of rupa, material phenomenon or matter, is different from matter in conventional sense, such as table, chair, or book. Among the 28 kinds of rupa, there is one kind of rupa, visible object or color, citta can experience through the eyes. That which appears through the eyes is the only kind of rupa, which can be seen by citta. As regards the other 27 rupas, these cannot be seen by citta, but they can be experienced through the appropriate doorways by the cittas concerned. Sound, for example, can be experienced by citta through the ears. Just as twenty-seven rupas are invisible realities, citta and cetasika are invisible realities, but there is a great difference between rupa Dhamma and nama Dhamma. Citta and cetasika are paramattha Dhammas that can experience an object, whereas rupa is a paramattha Dhamma which does not know any object. Rupa paramattha Dhamma is saṅkhāra (conditioned) Dhamma, it has conditions for it’s arising. Rupa is dependent on other rupas for its arising, it cannot arise alone, without other rupas. There must be several rupas together in a small unit or group, which arise together and are dependent on one another. The rupas in such a group, called in Pali kalāpa, cannot be separated from each other. Rupa is a Dhamma, which is infinitesimal and intricate. It arises and falls away very rapidly, all the time. When comparing the duration of rupa with the duration of citta, one unit of rupa arises and falls away in the time seventeen cittas arise and fall away, succeeding one another and this is extremely fast. For example, it seems that at this moment the citta which sees and the citta which hears appear at the same time, but in reality they arise and fall away apart from each other, with more than seventeen moments of citta in between them. Therefore, the rupa which arises at the same time as the citta which sees must arise and fall away before the citta which hears arises. Each rupa is infinitesimal. If a mass of rupas which arise and fall away together would be split up into the minutest particles which cannot be divided again, such a particle is an extremely small unit or group (kalāpa) of rupas consisting of at least eight different rupas which cannot be separated from each other. These eight rupas are called the indivisible or inseparable rupas, avinibbhoga rupas. Among these are the four principle rupas, maha-bhūta rupas, which are the following:

1. the Element of Earth or solidity (paṭhavi dhatu), the rupa which is softness or hardness
2. the Element of Water (āpo dhatu), the rupa which is fluidity or cohesion
3. the Element of Fire or heat (tejo dhatu), the rupa which is heat or cold
4. the Element of Wind (vāyo dhatu), the rupa which is motion or pressure

These four principle rupas, maha-bhūta rupas, arise interdependently and they cannot be separated. Moreover, they are the condition for the arising of four other rupas. These rupas which are dependent on the four principle rupas arise together with them in the same group. They are the following rupas:

1. color or visible object (vaṇṇo), the rupa which appears through the eyes
2. odor (gandho), the rupa which appears through the nose
3. flavor (raso), the rupa which appears through the tongue
4. nutritive essence (ojā), the rupa which is one of the conditions for the arising of other rupas^[2]

These four rupas are, together with the four principle rupas, included in the eight rupas which cannot be separated from each other; these eight rupas constitute the minutest unit, kalāpa, of rupas which arise and fall away together very rapidly. The four principle rupas cannot arise without these four derived rupas (upādāya rupas^[3] ) which arise dependently on the four principal rupas. The four principle rupas are the condition by way of foundation for the derived rupas which arise together with them in the same group. However, although the derived rupas arise simultaneously with the principle rupas in the same group and are dependent on them, they are not in their turn the condition for the arising of the four principal rupas. There are altogether 28 kinds of rupas, namely the four principle rupas and 24 derived rupas. If the four principle rupas would not arise, there could not be the twenty-four derived rupas. The twenty-eight rupas can be classified in different ways, but here they will be explained from the perspective of their interrelation, to facilitate comprehension and memorization. The different groups or kalāpas of rupas which arise do not fall away immediately. A sabhāva rupa, a rupa with its own distinct nature or characteristic^[4] lasts as long as the duration of seventeen cittas arising and falling away, succeeding one another. With regard to the arising and falling away of rupa, four different aspects can be discerned which have been classified as four lakkhaṇa^[5]rupas:

1. upacaya rupa, the arising or origination of rupa^[6]
2. santati^[7] rupa, the development or continuation of rupa
3. jaratā rupa , the decay of rupa
4. aniccatā rupa, the falling away of rupa

These four lakkhaṇa rupas are rupas without their own distinct nature, asabhāva rupas^[8] , but they are themselves characteristics inherent in all rupas. All rupas which have their own distinct nature, sabhāva rupas, must have these four characteristics. These four characteristics are different: the arising of rupa, its development, its decay and its falling away are all different characteristics. In other words, upacaya rupa and santati rupa are characteristics indicating the moments rupa has arisen but not yet fallen away, where as jaratā rupa indicates the moment close to its falling away and aniccatā rupa its falling away. The rupa which is space, ākāsa rupa, has the function of limiting or separating all the different groups or kalāpas of rupas. Space in this context is not outer space, but the infinitesimal space surrounding each kalāpa. After its function it is also called pariccheda rupa (pariccheda meaning limit or boundary). What we call matter consists of kalāpas, units of rupas arising and falling away. The rupas within a kalāpa are holding tightly together and cannot be divided. Matter, be it large or small, can only be broken up because the rupa space is in between the different kalāpas, allowing them to be distinct from each other. Without space or pariccheda rupa all rupas would be tightly connected and could not be separated. Because of pariccheda rupa which surrounds each kalāpa, even large matter can be broken up into infinitely tiny particles; it can be broken up only at those points where there is space^[9] . Pariccheda rupa is another kind of asabhāva rupa, which does not have its own distinct nature and does not arise separately; it arises simultaneously with the different kalāpas, and in between them. No matter where rupa arises, in whichever plane of existence, be it rupa in living beings or in dead matter, there have to be the eight inseparable rupas (avinibbhoga rupas), the four lakkhaṇa rupas and the pariccheda rupa together. These thirteen rupas are never lacking. With regard to the rupas of the body in people or other living beings, in the planes of existence where there are five khandhas (nama and rupa), there are pasāda rupas, sense organs, produced by kamma as condition. The following five rupas are sense organs:

1. eye sense, cakkhuppasāda rupa, which can be impinged on by visible object
2. ear-sense, sotappasāda rupa, which can be impinged on by sound
3. smelling-sense, ghānappasāda rupa, which can be impinged on by odor
4. tasting-sense, jivhāppasāda rupa, which can be impinged on by flavor
5. body-sense, kāyappasāda rupa, which can be impinged on by tangible object:
   • cold and heat (Element of Fire),
   • softness and hardness (Element of Earth),
   • motion and pressure (Element of Wind).

Rupas of the body cannot arise without citta, and, in the planes of existence where there are nama and rupa, citta is dependent on rupas of the body. Each citta must have a particular rupa of the body as the appropriate base for its arising. Seeing-consciousness (cakkhu-viññāṇa) which performs the function of seeing arises at the cakkhuppasāda rupa. Hearing-consciousness (sota-viññāṇa) which performs the function of hearing arises at the sotappasāda rupa. It is the same for smelling-consciousness, tasting-consciousness and body-consciousness, they each arise at the rupa which is the relevant base. All other cittas, besides these sense-cognitions, arise at the physical base which is called the heart-base, hadaya rupa. Some kinds of rupa are produced solely by kamma and in each kalāpa produced by kamma the rupa which is life-faculty, jīvitindriya rupa, is included. This rupa sustains the rupas which it accompanies in one kalāpa, it maintains their life. Therefore, the rupas in the body of people and other living beings are different from the rupas in dead matter. The difference in sex as man and woman which generally occurs in humans and other living beings is due to two different kinds of rupa, bhāva rupas (bhāva meaning nature), which are the following:

1. Itthibhāva rupa, femininity, a rupa which permeates the whole body, so that it is manifested in the outward appearance, manners, behavior and deportment which are feminine.
2. Purisabhāva rupa, masculinity, a rupa which permeates the whole body, so that it is manifested in the outward appearance, manners, behavior and deportment which are masculine.

Each individual with bhāva rupa, the rupa which is sex, has either the rupa which is femininity or the rupa which is masculinity. In some cases the bhāva rupa is lacking. Moreover, those who live in the “Brahma world” (higher planes of existence where one is born as result of jhāna, absorption concentration) do not have conditions for bhāva rupa. There can be motion of the body or parts of the body in people and other living beings due to citta, but there must also be specific rupas which are conditioned by citta. If there would be only rupas produced by kamma one could not move or perform different functions. For the movement of the body and the performance of its functions there are three kinds of vikāra^[10] rupas, rupas which are changeability, and these are:

1. Lahūta rupa, buoyancy or lightness, as occurring in the body of those who are healthy.
2. Mudutā rupa, plasticity, the absence of stiffness, as occurs in well-pounded leather.
3. Kammaññatā rupa, wieldiness, as occurs in well-melted gold.

These three vikāra rupas are asabhāva rupas, rupas without their own distinct nature. They constitute the adaptability of the four principle rupas, the maha-bhūta rupas, they cause them to be light, soft and wieldy. The three vikāra rupas arise only in the bodies of living beings, not in dead matter. The three vikāra rupas cannot be separated. If there is in one kalāpa lahutā rupa, lightness, there must also be mudutā rupa, plasticity, and kammaññatā rupa, wieldiness. The vikāra rupas are produced by citta, by temperature and by nutrition. If citta causes motion of any part of the body, there must also be vikāra rupas produced by temperature (the right temperature, not too hot, not too cold) and vikāra rupas produced by nutrition (ojā rupa, nutritive essence), otherwise the rupas of the body cannot move, even if citta desires to do so. This occurs, for example, when people are paralyzed or incapacitated by a sprain or by other ailments. When citta wants to display a sign expressing its intention by means of rupas of the body, citta produces the rupa which is bodily intimation, kāya-viññatti rupa. This is a specific mode of expression by rupas of the body which arise and display the intention of citta, in the expression of facial features, comportment of the body or gestures. Citta may convey its intention for example by staring in a stern way, by making grimaces displaying contempt or disapproval. If citta does not wish to display its intention kāyaviññatti rupa does not arise. When citta is the condition for sound, such as speech sound or the uttering of other sounds which convey a specific meaning, citta produces the rupa which is speech intimation, vaci-viññatti rupa. When this arises it is the condition for the rupas which are the means of articulation, such as the lips, to produce speech sound. Without the arising of speech intimation it would not be possible to speak or emit other sounds which convey a specific meaning. Bodily intimation and speech intimation are asabhāva rupas, rupas without their own distinct nature, which arise and fall away together with the citta which produces them. Some sources classify the three vikāra rupas (the rupas which are changeability of rupa) and the two viññatti rupas together as five vikāra rupas. Another rupa is sound, sadda rupa. Sound is different from speech intimation, vaci viññatti rupa. Sound is the rupa which contacts the ear-sense, sotappasāda rupa, and which is the condition for the arising of hearing-consciousness, sota-viññāṇa. Some sounds arise conditioned by citta, and some do not, such as the sound of thunder, of storm, of engines, of drums, of the radio or of the television. Summarizing the twenty-eight kinds of rupa, they are: – the 8 inseparable rupas, avinibbhoga rupas, including the 4 principle rupas, maha-bhūta rupas, of:

1. solidity (Earth)
2. cohesion (Water)
3. temperature (Fire)
4. motion or pressure (Wind)

– and the 4 derived rupas of:

1. color
2. odor
3. flavor
4. nutrition

Furthermore there are the following rupas:

• 4 lakkhaṇa rupas (origination, continuity, decay and falling away, characteristics inherent in all rupas)
• 1 pariccheda rupa or space (akāsa), delimiting groups of rupa
• 5 pasāda rupas, sense organs
• 1 rupa which is heart-base, hadaya vatthu (base for cittas other than the sense-cognitions
• 1 rupa which is life faculty, jīvitindriya rupa
• 2 rupas which are sex, bhāva-rupas
• 3 vikāra rupas, rupas of changeability (lightness, plasticity and wieldiness)
• 2 rupas which are body intimation, kāya-viññatti, and speech intimation, vaci-viññatti
• 1 rupa which is sound

Altogether there are 28 kinds of rupa. In some sources the number of rupas which are classified varies. For example, in the “Atthasālinī” (Expositor II, Book II, Material Qualities, Ch 3, 339, 340) we find also a classification of rupas as twenty-six in number, because the elements of earth (solidity), fire (heat) and wind (motion or pressure) are classified together as one kind of rupa, as tangible object (photthabbāyatana) which impinges on the body-sense, the kāyappasāda rupa. There are always several rupas arising within one kalāpa. The number of rupas which arise together is different depending on the types of rupa concerned. There are several ways of classifying the twenty-eight rupas and this will be dealt with later on in the Appendix.

FOOTNOTES AND REFERENCES:

1. Dhammasangaṇi, Buddhist Psychological Ethics, Book II, Material Form, Ch I, § 595. 2. Rupas can be produced by one of the four factors which are kamma, citta, temperature or nutrition. 3. All rupas other than the four principle rupas are derived rupas, upādāya rupas, because the latter cannot arise without the four principle rupas. 4. Sabhāva rupa is a rupa with its own distinct nature. Sa in Pali means with, and bhāva means nature. There are also asabhāva rupas which, though classified among the 28 kinds of rupa, are not separate rupas with their own nature, but special qualities connected with other rupas. They will be explained later on. 5. lakkhaṇa means characteristic. 6. upa means first, and caya means heaping, heaping up. 7. santati means continuity. 8. “a” in Pali means not. Asabhāva, without a distinct nature. 9. Santi Phantakeong explains in his lexicon that a sheet of paper can be torn off, or wood and iron can be cut through only at those points where there is pariccheda rupa, because the rupas within a kalāpa cannot be separated. 10. Vikāra means change or alteration.

Chapter 5 – Exposition of Paramattha Dhammas III

Nibbāna

Nibbāna (Nirvāṇa)  paramattha Dhamma is another kind of paramattha Dhamma. The Buddha called it “nibbāna”, because it is the end of “vāna“, which means craving^[1] . The paramattha Dhamma which is nibbāna is the cessation of dukkha. Citta, cetasika and rupa are dukkha, because they are impermanent, they arise and then fall away. Desire should be eradicated so that there can be the end of dukkha. Desire is the origin, the cause of the arising of dukkha. It is the cause of the arising of the five khandhas, which are citta, cetasika and rupa^[2] . Desire can be eradicated by developing paññā, wisdom, until the characteristics of the arising and falling away of citta, cetasika and rupa have been penetrated. When paññā has been developed to the degree that nibbāna can be realized and clearly known, clinging and wrong view with regard to citta, cetasika and rupa can be eradicated. Nibbāna is the Dhamma which is the cessation of dukkha and the cessation of the khandhas^[3] . Nibbāna is reality, it is a paramattha Dhamma, an ultimate reality, and it is a Dhamma which can be clearly known. Nibbāna paramattha Dhamma^[4] has been classified as twofold:

1. Sa-upādisesa nibbāna dhatu, nibbāna with the khandhas remaining
2. An-upādisesa nibbāna dhatu, nibbāna without the khandhas^[5]

“Upādi” in “upādisesa” is another designation of the five khandhas which include citta, cetasika and rupa. As to “nibbāna with the khandhas remaining”, this means that all defilements have been eradicated, but that the khandhas are remaining, arising and falling away in succession. As to “nibbāna without the khandhas remaining”, this means the final falling away of the five khandhas, not to arise again, that is, the parinibbāna, the final passing away, of the arahat. Because there is nibbāna with the khandhas remaining and nibbāna without the khandhas remaining, two kinds of nibbāna have been proclaimed^[6] . When the Buddha attained enlightenment under the Bodhi-tree, he attained nibbāna with the khandhas remaining, sa-upādisesa nibbāna dhatu. He completely eradicated defilements and all the Dhammas (citta and cetasikas) accompanying defilements, so that they could never arise again. However, the khandhas were still remaining, namely, citta, cetasika (which were without defilements) and rupa, arising and falling away in succession. We read in “As it was said” (Minor Anthologies, As it was said, the Twos, Ch II, VII) that the Buddha said to the monks: Of what sort, monks, is nibbāna with the basis still remaining? Herein, monks, a monk is arahat, one who has destroyed the cankers (defilements), who has lived the life, done what was to be done, laid down the burden, won the goal, worn out the fetter of becoming, one released by perfect knowledge. In him the five sense faculties still remain, through which, as they have not yet departed, he experiences pleasant and unpleasant objects, undergoes pleasure and pain. The end of attachment, aversion and ignorance of that monk, is called, monks, the element of nibbāna with the basis still remaining. An-upādisesa nibbāna is nibbāna without the khandhas remaining. When the Buddha, between the twin Sal trees, attained parinibbāna, his final passing away^[7] , this was an-upādisesa nibbāna, the final falling away of the khandhas. Citta, cetasika and rupa fell away for good, never to arise again. This was the cessation of rebirth, the end of the cycle of birth and death. There are four stages of attaining enlightenment and at each of these stages defilements are eradicated. The sotāpanna (stream winner, who has attained the first stage of enlightenment), the sakadāgāmī (once-returner, who has attained the second stage of enlightenment), and the Anagami (non-returner, who has attained the third stage of enlightenment) are “learners” (sekha), because they still have to continue to develop higher degrees of paññā in order to eradicate the defilements which are still remaining. The arahat is “non-learner” (asekha), because he has eradicated all defilements completely, he has reached perfection and does not need to develop higher degrees of paññā any longer. Nibbāna paramattha Dhamma can be classified according to three characteristics:

1. void-ness, suññatta
2. sign-less-ness, animitta
3. desire-less-ness, appaṇihita

Nibbāna is called void-ness, suññatta, because it is void of all conditioned realities (saṅkhāra Dhammas). It is called sign-less-ness, animitta, because it is void of “signs”, characteristics, of conditioned realities. It is called desire-less-ness, appaṇihita, because it is without any basis of desire, namely, conditioned realities. When someone has developed paññā to the degree that he is about to attain enlightenment, he may penetrate the Dhammas which appear at those moments as impermanent, as dukkha, or as anattā. Only one of these three general characteristics can be realized at a time. When he attains nibbāna his way of emancipation is different depending on which of the three general characteristics of conditioned Dhammas he has realized in the process during which enlightenment is attained.

1. When he realizes Dhammas which appear as impermanent he becomes liberated (realizes the four noble Truths) by the emancipation of sign-less-ness (animitta vimokkha^[8]).
2. When he realizes Dhammas as dukkha he becomes liberated by the emancipation of desire-less-ness (appaṇihita vimokkha)^[9].
3. When he realizes Dhammas as anattā, non-self, he becomes liberated by the emancipation of void-ness (suññatta vimokkha)^[10].

With regard to these three ways of emancipation, vimokkha, four different aspects can be discerned^[11] :

1. By predominance: when someone realizes Dhammas as impermanent, the sign-less-ness emancipation, animitta vimokkha, is predominant. When he realizes Dhammas as dukkha, the desire-less-ness emancipation, appaṇihita vimokkha, is predominant. When he realizes Dhammas as anattā, the void-ness emancipation, suññatta vimokkha, is predominant.
2. By steadfastness: when someone realizes Dhammas as impermanent the citta is steadfast by the sign-less-ness emancipation. When he realizes Dhammas as dukkha, the citta is steadfast by the desire-less-ness emancipation. When he realizes Dhammas as anattā, the citta is steadfast by the void-ness emancipation.
3. : By inclination: when someone realizes Dhammas as impermanent, the citta is guided by the inclination to sign-less-ness emancipation. When he realizes Dhammas as dukkha, the citta is guided by the inclination to desire-less-ness emancipation. When he realizes Dhammas as anattā, the citta is guided by the inclination to void-ness emancipation.
4. : By the way to liberation at the moment of attaining nibbāna: when someone realizes the aspect of impermanence the citta is being led unto nibbāna, cessation, by the influence of sign-less emancipation. When he realizes the aspect of dukkha, the citta is being led unto nibbāna, cessation, by the influence of desire-less-ness emancipation. When he realizes the aspect of anattā, he is being led unto nibbāna, cessation, by the influence of void-ness emancipation.

FOOTNOTES AND REFERENCES:

1. Minor Anthologies, “As it was said”, the Twos, Ch 2, VII. Vāna means weaving or craving. Ni is a particle meaning negation. Another etymology: vā is blowing. Nibbāna is blowing out, extinction.
2. The five khandhas are

1. rupakkhandha (rupa),
2. vedanākkhandha (feeling),
3. saññākkhandha (remembrance or perception),
4. saṅkhārakkhandha, including all cetasikas except feeling and saññā,
5. and viññāṇakkhandha, including all cittas.

3. So long as there are defilements there are conditions for rebirth. When all defilements have been eradicated, there is the end of the cycle of birth and death, and then the khandhas do not arise again.
4. Minor Anthologies, “As it was said”, the Twos, Ch 2, VII, and its commentary.
5. Sa means with, upādi means substratum of life, the khandhas, and sesa means remaining. “An” means the negation of the first aspect of nibbāna.
6. “As it was said” and commentary.
7. Dialogues of the Buddha II, no. 16, Maha Parinibbāna Sutta.
8. Vimokkha means liberation, emancipation.
9. Dhammas which arise and fall away are not happiness, they are not worth clinging to, they are dukkha. The person who has realized dukkha when he is about to attain nibbana becomes emancipated by desire less ness.
10. Dhammas are void of the self.
11. See “The Path of Discrimination” (Minor Anthologies), First Division, V, Treatise on Liberation, third recitation section, 65.

Chapter 6 – Different Aspects of the Four Paramattha Dhammas

Citta, cetasika, rupa and nibbāna are paramattha Dhammas, they are reality. Citta, cetasika and rupa which arise and fall away in succession, present themselves so that they can be cognized, and thus it can be known that they are reality. For example, when we see color, hear sound or think, cittas arise and fall away in succession, performing different functions. Some cittas see color, others hear sound, and others again are thinking, depending on the type of citta and the conditions which cause its arising. The sequence of citta, cetasika and rupa is extremely rapid and that is why we do not notice the arising and falling away. People may believe that rupa gradually changes and that citta arises when a person or other living being is born, that the same citta lasts during life and falls away only when that person or being dies. If we do not study and investigate the Dhamma, and if we do not develop sati, mindfulness, and paññā, understanding, in order to realize the characteristics of citta, cetasika and rupa which are appearing, then we shall always be ignorant of the true nature of nama Dhamma and rupa Dhamma, of citta, cetasika and rupa which arise and fall away in succession all the time. The Dhammas which arise, can arise because there are conditioning factors for their arising. They cannot arise without conditions. The venerable Shariputra gained confidence in the teaching of the Buddha when he met the venerable Assaji, one of the monks among the group of the first five disciples of the Buddha. The venerable Shariputra was so impressed by the venerable Assaji’s comportment that he followed him, asking him who his preceptor was and what his preceptor was teaching. The venerable Assaji answered^[1] : “Ye dhammā hetuppabhavā tesaÿ hetuÿ Tathāgato āha, tesañca nirodho, evaÿvādī Mahasamaṇo ti”. This means: “Whatever Dhamma arises from conditions, the Buddha teaches the conditions and also the cessation thereof. The great Ascetic teaches thus.” If the Buddha had not taught the Dhammas and the ways they are conditioned, as he had realized through his enlightenment, there would not be anybody who would know which Dhamma arises from which conditions. There would not be anybody who would know the Dhammas which are the conditions for the arising of each type of citta paramattha Dhamma, cetasika paramattha Dhamma and rupa paramattha Dhamma. The Buddha had through his enlightenment penetrated the true nature of all Dhammas. He taught that all Dhammas which arise do so because of the appropriate conditions, and he also taught which are the conditions for the arising of Dhammas. Dhammas cannot arise without conditions. We say of people, of other living beings or of devas that they are born, but in reality citta, cetasika and rupa are born. When a specific type of citta accompanied by cetasikas arises together with rupa we say in conventional language that a person is born. When citta and cetasikas arise with the rupa of a deva (being of a heavenly plane), we say that a deva is born. People, other living beings and devas have different kinds of births because the conditions for their births are different. The conditions which cause different births are numerous and they are most intricate. However, the Buddha, when he attained enlightenment, penetrated by his omniscience the true nature of all Dhammas as well as all the different factors which are the conditions for their arising. He taught the true nature of each Dhamma and he explained that whatever Dhamma arises has conditions for its arising. The Dhammas which arise are saṅkhāra Dhammas, conditioned Dhammas. We know that there are citta, cetasika and rupa, because they arise, and they arise because of the appropriate conditions. Hence citta, cetasika and rupa are saṅkhāra Dhammas^[2] . The Buddha’s teaching is complete as to the letter and the meaning. The Buddha gave further explanations of Dhamma subjects the meaning of which people could misunderstand. He added words which described the meaning, making it even clearer. People could misunderstand the Buddha’s teaching that the Dhammas which arise because of conditions are saṅkhāra Dhamma ; they might believe that the Dhammas which arise could continue to exist. Hence the Buddha taught that saṅkhāra Dhammas are also saṅkhata Dhammas, Dhammas which have been conditioned^[3] . Saṅkhata Dhammas are the Dhammas which have arisen and then fall away^[4] . The Buddha used the term saṅkhata Dhamma as well as the term saṅkhāra Dhamma in order to explain that a Dhamma arises because there are conditions for its arising and that when the conditions fall away that Dhamma which has arisen because of conditions also must fall away. Saṅkhata Dhamma is the Dhamma which has arisen and then falls away. Hence, saṅkhāra Dhamma, the Dhamma which is compounded by conditioning factors is also saṅkhata Dhamma^[5] . The paramattha Dhammas which are citta, cetasika and rupa are saṅkhāra Dhamma as well as saṅkhata Dhamma.

• Sabbe saṅkhārā aniccā – All conditioned Dhammas are impermanent
• Sabbe saṅkhāra dukkha – All conditioned Dhammas are dukkha
• Sabbe dhammā anattā – All Dhammas are non-self^[6]

All Saṅkhāra Dhammas are Impermanent

All conditioned Dhammas are impermanent. The decay and the impermanence of rupa Dhamma is apparent but the impermanence of nama Dhamma is hard to notice. We read in the “Kindred Sayings” (I, Nidāna-vagga, XII, the Kindred Sayings on Cause, 7, the Great Chapter § 61, The Untaught) that the Buddha, while he was staying near Sāvatthī at Jeta Grove in Anāthapiṇḍika’s Park, said to the monks: The untaught many folk, monks, might well be repelled by this body, where the four great Elements come together, they might cease to fancy it and wish to be free from it. Why so? Seen is the growth and decay of this body, where the four great Elements come together, the taking on (at birth) and laying down of it (at death). Hence well might the many folk be repelled by it, cease to fancy it, and wish to be free from it. Yet this, monks, what we call thought, what we call mind, what we call consciousness (citta), by this the untaught many folk are not able to feel repelled, they are not able to cease fancying it or to be freed from it. Why so? For many a long day, monks, has it been for the uninstructed many folk that to which they cling, that which they call “mine”, that which they wrongly conceive, thinking- that is mine, this I am, this is myself. Hence the untaught many folk are not able to feel repelled by it, are not able to cease fancying it, are not able to be freed from it…. But as to this, monks, what we call thought, what we call mind, what we call consciousness: one citta arises when another perishes, day and night…. Although citta, cetasika and rupa arise and fall away all the time, it is hard to understand this and to become detached, to eliminate clinging to nama and rupa. Nama and rupa must be investigated and understood by paññā so that clinging can be eliminated. We read in the “Dhammapada” vs. 277-280 (Minor Anthologies) that the Buddha said: “All saṅkhāra Dhammas are impermanent”, when one discerns this with wisdom, one turns away from dukkha; this is the Path to purity. “All saṅkhāra Dhammas are dukkha”, when one discerns this with wisdom, one turns away from dukkha; this is the Path to purity. “All Dhammas are non-self” (anattā), when one discerns this with wisdom, one turns away from dukkha; this is the Path to purity. If one does not realize the arising and falling away of nama Dhammas and rupa Dhammas so that clinging to wrong view can be eliminated, one cannot penetrate the four noble Truths and become an Aryan, a “noble person” who has attained enlightenment. The Aryan understands the meaning of “awakening” or Buddhahood, the Buddha’s enlightenment. He understands this not merely by theoretical knowledge of the Dhammas the Buddha taught, but by direct understanding of the Dhammas the Buddha had penetrated by his enlightenment. The Aryan has eradicated all doubt concerning the Dhammas the Buddha had penetrated, because the Aryan has realized those Dhammas himself^[7] . The Aryan has realized the meaning of “Buddhahood” because by attaining enlightenment he has penetrated himself the true nature of the Dhammas the Buddha taught. The person who understands and sees the Dhamma, sees the Tathāgata^[8] . The person who studies the Dhamma and practices the Dhamma in order to penetrate the true nature of realities can attain enlightenment and eradicate defilements depending on the stage of enlightenment he has realized, be it the stage of the “stream winner” (sotāpanna), the “once-returner” (Sakadagami), the “non-returner” (Anagami) or the arahat^[9] .

All Saṅkhāra Dhammas are Dukkha

All saṅkhāra Dhammas, conditioned realities, arise and then fall away, be it wholesome citta or unwholesome citta, be it rupa which is beautiful or rupa which is ugly, they all arise and fall away alike. The arising and falling away of realities, their impermanence, means dukkha, un-satisfactoriness. The nature of dukkha inherent in all saṅkhāra Dhammas is not merely dukkha, suffering, in the sense of bodily pain, illness, or tribulations, or suffering caused by separation of what we like and association of what we dislike. The nature of dukkha inherent in all saṅkhāra Dhammas is their impermanence; when they have arisen they fall away and thus they should not be taken for happiness. Some people may wonder why all saṅkhāra Dhammas are dukkha, why even the citta which experiences happiness and enjoys pleasant objects is dukkha. Even the citta which experiences happiness does not last and thus it is dukkha. All saṅkhāra Dhammas, citta, cetasika and rupa, are dukkha because they are impermanent, they do not last.

All Dhammas are Anattā

All Dhammas are anattā. All four paramattha Dhammas, citta, cetasika, rupa and nibbāna are anattā. They are not self, they are not under anyone’s control. Nibbāna is paramattha Dhamma, it is reality. Nibbāna is not saṅkhāra Dhamma, it is visaṅkhāra^[10] Dhamma, unconditioned Dhamma. Nibbāna is the Dhamma which does not arise^[11] , it is the opposite of saṅkhāra Dhamma. Saṅkhāra Dhamma is the Dhamma which arises because of conditions whereas visaṅkhāra Dhamma is the Dhamma which does not arise, which is unconditioned. Nibbāna is asankhata Dhamma, the Dhamma which is not sankhata^[12] . Sankhata Dhamma is the Dhamma which arises and falls away whereas asankhata Dhamma is the Dhamma which does not arise and fall away. Nibbāna does not arise and fall away because it is not conditioned. Citta, cetasika and rupa, which are saṅkhāra Dhammas, are lokiya, “mundane”. They are susceptible to destruction^[13] . Nibbāna, which is visaṅkhāra Dhamma, is lokuttara. The word lokuttara means beyond the world, supra-mundane, free from the world^[14] . Summarizing paramattha Dhammas, they are:

• nama Dhamma: (which knows an object): | citta paramattha, 89 or 121 cittas |
• saṅkhāra Dhamma | cetasika paramattha, 52 cetasikas |
• rupa Dhamma: | rupa-paramattha, 28 rupas |
• nama Dhamma (which does not know an object): | nibbāna paramattha |
• visaṅkhāra Dhamma
• asankhata Dhamma

The Five Khandhas

The five khandhas, groups or aggregates, comprise:

1. rupakkhandha (all rupas),
2. vedanākkhandha (feelings),
3. saññākkhandha (remembrance or perception),
4. saṅkhārakkandha (all cetasikas, except feeling and remembrance)
5. and viññāṇakkhandha (all cittas)^[15] .

Paramattha Dhammas and Khandhas

• Citta is viññāṇakkhandha
• Cetasika is vedanākkhandha, saññākkhandha, saṅkhārakkhandha
• Rupa is rupakkhandha
• Nibbāna is not khandha. It is free from khandha (khandha vimutta)

The term khandha refers to the Dhamma which can be described as past, future or present, internal or external, gross or subtle, inferior or superior, far or near. Hence khandha is sankhata Dhamma, the Dhamma which is conditioned, which arises and falls away, and thus, it can be described as past, present, future, etc. Whereas asankhata Dhamma, nibbāna, is the Dhamma which does not arise, which is unconditioned^[16] . It cannot be said of nibbāna that it has arisen, that it has not yet arisen, or that it will arise. It cannot be described as past, future or present. Therefore, visaṅkhāra Dhamma, nibbāna, is not khandha, it is free from khandha (khandha vimutta). We read in the “Kindred Sayings” (III, Khandhā-vagga, First Fifty, Ch 5, § 48, The Factors) that the Buddha, while he was at Sāvatthī, explained to the monks about the five khandhas and the five upādāna khandhas, khandhas of grasping: I will teach you, monks, the five khandhas and the five khandhas that have to do with grasping. Do you listen to it. And what, monks, are the five khandhas? Any rupa, be it past, future or present, inward or outward, gross or subtle, inferior or superior, far or near, – that is called rupakkhandha. Any feeling, any perception, any group of “activities” (or “formations”, saṅkhārakkhandha), any consciousness, be it past, future or present, inward or outward, gross or subtle, inferior or superior, far or near, that is called viññāṇakkhandha. These five, monks, are called the five khandhas. And what, monks, are the five khandhas that have to do with grasping (upādāna khandhas)? Any rupa, monks, be it past, future or present… be it far or near, goes together with the āsavas (intoxicants^[17] ), and is a condition for upādāna, grasping. That is called khandha of grasping, upādāna khandha. Any feeling… any perception… any group of “activities”… any consciousness, monks, be it past, future or present… be it far or near, goes together with the āsavas, and is a condition for upādāna, grasping. These are called the five upadāna khandhas.

The Three Paramattha Dhammas classified as Five Khandhas

Citta Paramattha Dhamma -all 81 (or 121) types are:

• Viññāṇakkhandha
• Cetasika Paramattha Dhamma – 52 types:
• vedanā cetasika is: Vedanākkhandha
• saññā cetasika is: Saññākkhandha
• 50 cetasikas are: Saṅkhārakkhandha
• Rupa Paramattha Dhamma – all 28 types are: Rupakkhandha

The Five Khandhas classified as Three Paramattha Dhammas

1. Rupakkhandha — is: Rupa Paramattha Dhamma (28 rupas)
2. Vedanākkhandha — is: Cetasika Paramattha Dhamma (vedanā)
3. Saññākkhandha — is: Cetasika Paramattha Dhamma (saññā)
4. Saṅkhārakkhandha –is: Cetasika Paramattha Dhamma (50 cetasikas)
5. Viññāṇakkhandha –is: Citta Paramattha Dhamma (89 or 121 cittas)

Questions

1. Which paramattha Dhammas are saṅkhāra (conditioned) Dhamma?
2. Are saṅkhāra Dhammas saṅkhārakkhandha (khandha of activities)?
3. Is visaṅkhāra (unconditioned) Dhamma sankhata Dhamma?
4. Which khandha is asankhata (unconditioned) Dhamma?
5. Is asankhata Dhamma lokiya (worldly) or lokuttara (supramundane)?
6. Is citta saṅkhārakkhandha?
7. Is cetasika saṅkhārakkhandha?
8. Which paramattha Dhamma is vedanākkhandha (the khandha of feeling)?
9. Which khandha is not paramattha Dhamma?
10. Which paramattha Dhamma is not khandha?

FOOTNOTES AND REFERENCES:

1. Book of Discipline IV, Mahavagga, the Great Division, 38.
2. saṅkhāra is derived from saṅkharoti, to combine, put together or compose.
3. saṅkhata is the past passive participle of saṅkhāroti: what has been put together, composed.
4. Gradual Sayings I, Book of the Threes, Ch V, § 47.
5. Dhammasangaui, Buddhist Psychological Ethics, Book III, Part I, Ch III, the Short Intermediate Set of Pairs. Santi Phantakeong explains in his Lexicon, that saokhara Dhamma and sankhata Dhamma refer to the same realities, but that these different terms have been used to explain more clearly the nature of conditioned Dhammas. Saokhara Dhamma refers to: Dhamma which depends on other Dhammas which condition its arising, whereas sankhata Dhamma refers to: Dhamma which, apart from being conditioned, is Dhamma which arises and falls away.
6. Khuddaka Nikāya, Maha-Niddesa, Suddhaṭṭhaka Sutta, “The Purified”, no. 4. Not translated into English. See also Dhammapada (Minor Anthologies), vs. 277-280.
7. Kindred Sayings V, Maha vagga, Book IV, Kindred Sayings on the Faculties, Ch V, S 3, Learner.
8. Kindred Sayings II, Middle Fifty, Ch 4, S 87, Vakkali.
9. Minor Anthologies, “Verses of Uplift”, Ch V, S 5, Uposatha Sutta.
10. Vi is a particle which here denotes negation.
11. Minor Anthologies, “The Path of Discrimination”, Treatise I, On Knowledge, Ch I, section 1, 18.
12. The particle “a” denotes negation. See Gradual Sayings I, Book of the Threes, Ch 5, S 47.
13. The Pali term lujjati, to be broken up, has been associated in meaning with “loko”, the world. See for example Kindred Sayings IV, Second Fifty, Ch 3, S 89.
14. Uttara means higher, beyond. Lokuttara is beyond the world. The cittas which experience nibbana when enlightenment is attained are lokuttara cittas. This will be explained further on.
15. “The Book of Analysis”, I, Analysis of the Aggregates, 1-32.
16. “Buddhist Psychological Ethics”, Book III, Part II, Appendix II and Book III, Part I, Ch III, S 1086.
17. A group of defilements.

Chapter 7 – Citta, General Introduction

We read in the “Kindred Sayings” (I, Sagāthā vagga, The Devas, Ch 7, § 2, Citta Sutta) that a deva asked: Now what is that whereby the world is led? And what is that whereby it is drawn along? And what is that above all other things That brings everything under its rule? The Buddha answered: It is citta whereby the world is led, And by citta it is ever drawn along, And citta it is above all other things That brings everything under its rule. This Sutta shows us the power of citta^[1] . Citta is an element, which experiences something, a reality which experiences an object. It is the “chief”, the leader in knowing the object which appears^[2] . There is not only citta, which sees, citta that hears, citta which smells, citta which tastes or citta which experiences tangible object, there is also citta which thinks about many diverse subjects. The world of each person is ruled by his citta. The cittas of some people have accumulated a great deal of wholesomeness (kusala). Even when they meet someone who is full of defilements they can still have loving kindness, compassion or equanimity because of their accumulations of wholesomeness. Whereas the world of someone else may be a world of hatred, annoyance, anger and displeasure, according to his accumulations. Thus, in reality, each person is all the time his own world. It seems that we are all living together in the same world. However, in reality all the different rupas (material phenomena) which appear through the eyes, ears, nose, tongue, body-sense and mind, all those different phenomena could not appear and be of such importance, if there were no citta, the element which experiences them. Since citta experiences the objects, which appear through the sense-doors and through the mind-door, the world of each person is ruled by his citta. Which world is better? The world where a great deal of wholesomeness has been accumulated, so that kindness, compassion, sympathetic joy and equanimity can arise, or the world of hatred, anger and displeasure? Different people may meet the same person and know the same things about him, but the world of each one of them will evolve with loving kindness or with aversion, depending on the power of the citta which has accumulated different inclinations in the case of each person. Because of visible object which appears through the eyes it seems as if there are many people living together in this world, at a certain time and in a particular location. However, if there is clear comprehension of the characteristic of the element which experiences, the Dhamma which arises and sees the object which appears at that moment, one will know that, while there is seeing just for a short moment, there is only the world of seeing. Then there are no people, other living beings or different things. At the moment of seeing there is not yet thinking about shape and form, there is not yet thinking of a story about what is seen. When we think that there is the world, beings, people or different things, we should know that this is only a moment of citta, which thinks about what appears to seeing, about visible object. Seeing occurs at a moment different from thinking about what appears. For everyone there is citta, which arises just for a moment and is then succeeded by the next one, and this happens continuously. Thus, it seems that there is the whole wide world with many different people and things, but we should have right understanding of what the world is. We should know that realities appear one at a time, and that they appear only for one moment of citta. Since cittas arise and fall away, succeeding one another very rapidly, it seems that there is the world which does not disintegrate, the world which lasts, with beings, people and many different things. In reality the world lasts just for one moment, namely, when citta arises and cognizes an object just for that moment; and then the world falls away together with the citta. In the “Buddhist Psychological Ethics” ( the “Dhammasangaṇi”, Book I, Part I, Ch I, § 6) several synonyms for citta have been given. Citta is called mind (mano or mānasa), heart (hadaya), “that which is pure” (paṇḍara), mind-base (manāyatana), faculty of mind (manindriya), consciousness (viññāṇa), the khandha of consciousness (viññāṇakkhandha), the element of “mind-consciousness” (mano-viññāṇa dhatu)^[3] . The Buddha used several synonyms of citta so that the characteristic of citta which is common to everybody could be understood. Citta is reality, it is an element which experiences something, but it is difficult to understand what exactly the characteristic is of the element which experiences. People may more or less understand what citta is; they know that it is the mind which is common to everybody, but if one only knows this and does not really investigate the nature of citta, one will not know at which moment citta occurs. The “Atthasālinī”, the Commentary to the “Dhammasangaṇi”, (Expositor I, Book I, Part IV, Ch II, 140) states that the reality which is citta is so called because of its variegated nature (the Pali term vicitta means variegated or various). There is not only one kind of element which experiences, one kind of citta, but there are many different kinds. Citta is variegated. Its variegated nature appears when we think of different subjects, when we think, for example, about what we are going to do on a particular day. When we consider this more, we shall find out that thinking occurs according to the variegated nature of all the different cittas which arise. What shall we do today, this afternoon, tomorrow? If there were no citta we could not perform any action. The fact that we all can perform different actions in a day is due to the variegated nature of the citta of each one of us. We can see that all our actions in daily life through body and speech are different because of the variegated nature of the cittas of each one of us. When we are thinking, citta is the reality which thinks, and each person thinks in a different way. Different people who are interested in the Dhamma and study it, consider it and ponder over it in different ways. They also have different points of view as far as the practice is concerned. The world evolves in accordance with the variegated nature of the cittas of different people. The world is constituted by different people living in different countries and participating in different groups and these different individuals condition the events in the world. This occurs because of the variety of thinking of each individual. The world of today evolves in this particular way according to the variegated nature of the cittas of people in this time. How will the world be in the future? It will be again just according to the variegated nature of the cittas which think of many different subjects. Hence we see that citta is of a variegated nature. The citta which sees through the eye-door is one type of citta. It is different from the citta which hears through the ears, which is another type of citta. The citta which thinks is again another type of citta. The “Atthasālinī” states that citta is called “mind” (mano), because it determines and knows an object (āramaṇa or ālambana). The word object, ārammaṇa, means: that which is known by citta. When citta, the Dhamma which experiences, arises, it cognizes what is called an “object”. Sound is a reality. When hard things contact each other, it is a condition for the arising of sound. However, when the citta which arises does not experience sound at that moment, sound is not an object. Anything may arise because of conditions, but if citta does not experience it, it is not an object, ārammaṇa. Citta is named “heart”, hadaya, because it is an inward reality. Citta is internal because it is a reality which experiences the object which appears. The object is outside, it is that which citta experiences. The study of citta is actually investigation of the realities which are appearing at this moment, the realities which are internal as well as those which are external, and in this way we shall come to understand the characteristic of citta. Citta is a reality, but where is it? Citta is an internal reality. When there is seeing, color appears outside and citta is the reality which is within, it experiences what appears through the eyes. When we develop understanding, we should investigate the characteristics of realities as they are, according to the truth which the Buddha realized through his attainment of Buddhahood, and which he taught to others. He taught the four “Applications of Mindfulness”^[4] . Mindfulness of citta (cittanupassanā satipaṭṭhāna) means that, when there is for instance seeing, sati is mindful, non-forgetful, of its characteristic. We should investigate, study and apply our attention to the reality of seeing so that we shall gradually have more understanding of it. We can come to know it as the element which experiences what is appearing through the eyes. When there is hearing of sound, sati can arise and be aware of it, so that hearing can be known as a reality which experiences, and this is an internal reality. It is not easy to investigate this reality and to know it as it is. The reality which hears sound arises, experiences the sound which appears, and then falls away immediately. This is true for each citta: it arises, experiences an object just for an extremely short moment and then it falls away very rapidly. When one has right understanding of the citta which sees, the citta which hears or the citta which thinks, satipaṭṭhāna can arise and be aware of the characteristic of citta at that moment, and it can be known as the reality, the element, which experiences something. Paññā can be developed in conformity with the Dhamma the Buddha taught. Then paññā can penetrate the characteristics of realities, so that the four noble Truths can be realized and defilements can be eradicated at the different stages of enlightenment. These stages are: the stage of the “stream winner” (sotāpanna), of the “once-returner” (Sakadagami), of the “non-returner” (Anagami) and the stage of the arahat. In the “Dhammasangaṇi” the citta is called “pure” or “luminous” (paṇḍara), and according to the “Atthasālinī” this refers to the “life-continuum”, bhavanga-citta. Citta is a reality which arises and then falls away immediately. The falling away of the preceding citta is a condition for the arising of the succeeding citta. The citta which sees arises and falls away, there is not continuously a citta which sees. Neither is there continuously a citta which hears, a citta which experiences tangible object or a citta which thinks. When we are fast asleep and not dreaming, there are cittas arising and falling away, succeeding one another. However, at such moments citta does not experience an object through the eyes, the ears, the nose, the tongue, the body-sense or the mind-door. The citta which does not experience an object through any of the six doors is the bhavanga-citta. This citta keeps one alive, it maintains the continuity in one’s life as this particular person. Bhavanga-cittas are arising and falling away until there is another type of citta arising which experiences an object through the eyes, the ears, the nose, the tongue, the body-sense or the mind-door. The bhavanga-cittas arise in between the processes of cittas which experience objects through the six doors^[5] and this goes on continuously until the end of one’s lifespan as this particular person. The “Atthasālinī” (Expositor I, Book I, Part IV, Ch II, 140) states: “Mind also is said to be ‘clear’ in the sense of ‘exceedingly pure’ with reference to the bhavanga-citta.” The citta is pure only at the moment it does not experience an object through the doors of eyes, ears, nose, tongue, body-sense or mind. Everybody who is fast asleep looks innocent, pure, he does not experience like or dislike, he is not jealous, stingy, conceited, he has no loving kindness nor compassion; thus, unwholesome or wholesome qualities do not arise because he does not see, hear, experience tangible object or think. However, it should be known that whenever the citta which arises experiences an object through one of the six doors, citta is not pure. The reason is that many different defilements have been accumulated in the citta and these condition the arising of pleasure and attachment when one sees something pleasant, and the arising of displeasure and annoyance when one sees something unpleasant. When citta arises and cognizes an object through one of the six doors, what kind of feeling is there? Pleasant feeling, unpleasant feeling and indifferent feeling are not the reality which is citta. They are types of cetasika, mental factor, which the Buddha has called vedanā cetasika, the cetasika which is feeling. Citta as well as cetasika are nama, but citta is the “chief”, the “leader” in knowing an object. Citta is different from vedanā cetasika which feels pleasant, unpleasant or indifferent about the object which is appearing. Dhammas which arise cannot arise singly, they are dependent on other Dhammas which arise simultaneously with them and which condition them. Citta must arise simultaneously with cetasikas and cetasikas must arise simultaneously with the citta. Citta and cetasikas which arise together fall away together. They experience the same object and they arise and fall away at the same physical base. Each citta which arises is conditioned by different cetasikas which accompany it, and each citta performs a different function, and thus, there is a great diversity of types of cittas. We do not like it when the citta is annoyed, disturbed, restless, sad or anxious. We like it when the citta is happy, when it is full of joy and when it is infatuated with pleasant objects. However, when the citta is joyful, when it is happy and absorbed in pleasure, the citta is not pure, because it is accompanied by the cetasika which is attachment, lobha cetasika. Lobha is the Dhamma which takes pleasure in the object, which clings to it and is absorbed in it. The Buddha taught people to study and investigate realities so that sati of satipaṭṭhāna could be aware of the characteristics of realities which are appearing^[6] and right understanding of them could be developed. This means that one should investigate realities, notice their characteristics and be aware of them in order to know them precisely, just as they are. In this way we can come to know which Dhammas are kusala, which are akusala and which are neither kusala nor akusala. We can come to know akusala as akusala, no matter of what degree, be it coarse or more subtle. It should be known that not only aversion, dosa, is akusala Dhamma, but that there are also many other types of akusala cetasikas. People ask what they should do to prevent anger. All Dhammas are non-self, anattā, and thus also dosa is anattā. Dosa arises because of its appropriate conditions. There are people who can eradicate dosa for good, so that it does not arise again. Those people have developed paññā and realized the four noble Truths to the degree of the third stage of enlightenment, the stage of the non-returner, Anagami. At each stage of enlightenment the four noble Truths are realized. The first Truth is the noble Truth of dukkha. All conditioned Dhammas (saṇkhāra Dhammas) are impermanent. They arise and fall away immediately and therefore they are dukkha, unsatisfactory, not worth clinging to; they cannot be any refuge. The second noble Truth is the origin of dukkha (dukkha samudaya). This is craving (tanhā), which is lobha cetasika. Clinging or craving is the origin, the cause, of the arising of dukkha. The third noble Truth is the cessation of dukkha (dukkha nirodha) and this is nibbāna. Nibbāna is the reality which makes an end to dukkha because when nibbāna is attained, defilements are eradicated which cause the arising of dukkha. The fourth noble Truth is the way leading to the cessation of dukkha (dukkha nirodha gāmini paṭipadā). This is the eightfold Path, which is the development of satipaṭṭhāna, the development of paññā which can realize the four noble Truths. This is the practice leading to the cessation of dukkha. The four noble Truths are realized when enlightenment is attained, but there are different degrees of realization at the four stages of enlightenment. The person who has realized the noble Truths and experiences nibbāna for the first time when he attains enlightenment, is a stream winner, sotāpanna. The sotāpanna has eradicated wrong view (diṭṭhi) and doubt about the characteristics of realities. When the sotāpanna has developed paññā further he can reach the second stage of enlightenment, the stage of the once-returner, Sakadagami. Then he realizes the noble Truths to the degree of that stage and experiences nibbāna again. The more coarse attachment to visible object, sound, odor, flavor and tangible object is eradicated at that stage. When the Sakadagami has developed paññā further he can reach the third stage of enlightenment, the stage of the non-returner, Anagami. Then he realizes the noble Truths to the degree of that stage and experiences nibbāna again. Attachment to visible object, sound, odor, flavor and tangible object, and also aversion, dosa, are completely eradicated at that stage. When the Anagami has developed paññā further he can reach the fourth and last stage of enlightenment, the stage of the perfected one, the arahat. He realizes the noble Truths to the degree of that stage and experiences nibbāna again. All remaining akusala Dhammas are completely eradicated at that stage. When the arahat passes away there is the full extinction of the khandhas (khandha parinibbāna), he does not have to be reborn anymore. Thus we see that the lokuttara (supra-mundane) paññā of the Aryan, the person who has attained enlightenment, eradicates defilements stage by stage, that is, according to the stage of enlightenment which has been attained. When we understand this we should carefully consider what the right way of practice is for the development of paññā which clearly discerns the Dhammas which appear and which can eradicate defilements. The practice should be in conformity with the Dhamma the Buddha taught. The Buddha explained citta not only as “that which is pure” (paṇḍara), he also used the term “manāyatana”, mind-base, for citta, so that the characteristic of citta would be understood even more clearly. “Āyatana” is explained in the “Atthasālinī” ( same section, 140, 141) as “dwelling place”, place of birth, place of association and cause. It is explained that place of birth, meeting-place and cause are suitable terms for citta. Citta is place of birth, because contact, phassa cetasika, and the other cetasikas arise “in the citta”. Citta is a place of association, because objects from outside, such as visible object, sound, odor, flavor and tangible object, “meet” in the citta by being its object. As to the meaning of cause, hetu, citta is the cause or condition for contact, phassa, and for the other cetasikas arising together with it, it is conascent-condition (sahajāta-paccaya) for them. Each citta is a reality, an element, which experiences an object. We shall understand more clearly that citta has the characteristic of anattā if we know that citta is manāyatana, base on which other realities depend, place of birth, meeting-place and cause. There may be conditions for the arising of visible object, sound, odor, flavor, tangible objects such as cold, heat, softness or hardness. However, if citta does not arise and experiences these objects, if citta is not the “meeting-place” for them, none of these objects can appear. Then what can be experienced through the eyes cannot appear, neither can sound, odor, flavor, cold, heat, softness or hardness appear. This is because citta is the reality which experiences an object, it is the base, the place of birth, the meeting-place, the cause that realities appear. The color at our back cannot appear, because it does not “meet” the citta, it cannot impinge on the eye-sense and does not contact the citta. Hence citta cannot arise and see the object which is at the back. Although kamma conditions the eye-sense which is arising and falling away continuously, throughout life, provided we have not become blind, the citta which sees cannot arise continuously. Whenever color appears, the citta is manāyatana, meeting-place for the rupa which is visible object impinging at that moment on the eye-sense (cakkhuppasāda rupa). The rupa which impinges on the eye-sense is rūpāyatana, the āyatana of visible object, and the eye-sense which is impinged on by visible object is cakkhāyatana, the āyatana of eye-sense. All the Dhammas which “meet” or associate at that moment are āyatanas. The same is true when sound impinges on the ear-sense and can “meet” the citta which arises and experiences it. Thus, citta is manāyatana, the meeting-place of the Dhammas which are appearing. As we have seen, the “Atthasālinī” states that citta is cause or condition for phassa, contact, and for the other cetasikas which accompany citta. Phassa, one among the fifty-two types of cetasikas, is a kind of nama which contacts the object. The contact which is phassa cetasika is mental, it is different from physical contact, which occurs, for example, when a tree falls down and hits the earth. The rupa which is sound may impinge on the rupa which is ear-sense, but if phassa does not arise and contacts the sound impinging on the ear-sense, the citta which hears cannot arise at all. Phassa is a type of nama which arises together with the citta and falls away together with it. Phassa experiences the same object as the citta and it arises at the same place of origin as the citta. Therefore, citta is a condition for phassa. In the planes of existence where there are five khandhas (nama and rupa), citta and cetasika must always arise at a particular rupa which is the place of origin for citta and cetasikas. That rupa is called “vatthu rupa”, physical base. The eye-sense is vatthu rupa, the eye-base, since it is the place of origin for seeing-consciousness and the cetasikas which arise together with it^[7] . Realities cannot arise singly, on their own. When a reality arises there must be other realities which arise together with it at that moment and which condition it. Whatever reality conditions another reality to arise simultaneously with it, conditions that reality by way of conascence-condition, sahajāta-paccaya^[8] . A conditioning Dhamma, a paccaya, is a Dhamma which asists or supports another Dhamma to arise or to subsist. Thus, it is evident that each Dhamma which arises is saṅkhāra Dhamma, conditioned Dhamma, since it is dependent on other Dhammas which are the condition for its arising. If there were no conditions there could not be the arising of any Dhamma. Different Dhammas are different types of conditions. Some Dhammas condition other Dhammas to arise together with them, they are conascence-condition, sahajāta-paccaya. Other Dhammas arise before the Dhammas they condition, they are prenascence-condition, purejāta-paccaya. Other Dhammas again arise after the Dhammas they condition, they are postnascence-condition, pacchājāta-paccaya. Citta is conascence-condition for the cetasikas which arise simultaneously and the cetasikas are conascence-condition for the citta they accompany. When contact, phassa, arises and contacts an object, the citta which arises together with phassa cetasika experiences that object, not a different object. When phassa cetasika arises and contacts sound, the hearing-consciousness which arises simultaneously with phassa cetasika, has that sound as object. There are four paramattha Dhammas: citta, cetasika, rupa and nibbāna. Each of the paramattha Dhammas can be a condition for the arising of other paramattha Dhammas which are sankhata Dhammas, conditioned Dhammas. Citta can condition the arising of cetasikas and of rupas, although not all cittas condition the arising of rupa. Cetasika conditions the arising of citta and of rupa, except in some cases. Rupa is a condition for the arising of other rupas. Rupa conditions the arising of citta when it is vatthu, physical base of citta, and when it is the object of citta. All this evolves according to the nature of the paramattha Dhammas which are conditioned by way of conascence-condition and by other conditions. Citta and cetasika are conascence-condition for the rupa which arises simultaneously with them immediately at the arising moment of citta. Each moment of citta can be subdivided into three extremely short moments:

1. the arising moment (uppāda khaṇa)
2. the moment of presence (tiṭṭhi khaṇa), when it has not fallen away yet
3. the moment of dissolution (bhanga khaṇa)

Citta cannot direct the arising of rupa. Rupa which is conditioned by citta (cittaja rupa) arises simultaneously with the citta, immediately at the arising moment of citta. However, it is different at the moment the rebirth-consciousness (paṭisandhi-citta) arises. At that moment there is no rupa conditioned by citta, but only rupa conditioned by kamma (kammaja rupa) which arises together with the rebirth-consciousness, which is also conditioned by kamma. When the rebirth-consciousness has fallen away, the succeeding citta, the first bhavanga-citta in that life, conditions rupa to arise simultaneously with it. From that moment on, throughout life, citta conditions rupa. However, the sense-cognitions are an exception, they do not produce any rupa. There are five pairs of sense-cognitions, one citta of each pair is kusala vipāka (result of wholesome kamma) and one citta is akusala vipāka (result of unwholesome kamma). They are the following pairs of citta: seeing-consciousness, hearing-consciousness, smelling-consciousness, tasting-consciousness and body-consciousness. Also, the dying-consciousness of the arahat does not produce any rupa. Apart from these types of cittas, each type of citta arising in the planes where there are five khandhas conditions rupa to arise simultaneously with it at its arising moment^[9] . Each person accumulates inclinations which are variegated (vicitta). Some people accumulate a great deal of akusala (unwholesomeness), others a great deal of kusala (wholesomeness). If one has right understanding of the way of developing satipaṭṭhāna it can be developed. All kinds of kusala which are accumulated are beneficial, they can be “perfections” (pāramīs), supporting conditions for sati to be mindful of the characteristics of realities, which are non-self, not a living being, not a person, so that the four noble Truths can be realized. Defilements can be eradicated in different stages, but for those who begin with the development of satipaṭṭhāna, satipaṭṭhāna is still weak. The clinging to the concept of self is deeply rooted. No matter whether one is seeing or hearing, dislikes one’s akusala or performs kusala, one takes all these realities for self. One believes that one’s kusala belongs to a self. The study of citta paramattha Dhamma can be a supporting condition for the direct understanding of the characteristic of citta appearing right now, at the present moment. Thus, there can be direct understanding of the characteristic of the citta which sees, hears or thinks now. The aim of the study of Dhamma should be the direct understanding of realities through satipaṭṭhāna. Satipaṭṭhāna can arise and be aware of the characteristic of the element which experiences whatever object appears. When we study citta we should not believe that we can already immediately have clear understanding of the characteristic of citta. Moreover, the study of citta should not be motivated by the desire to be a person with a great deal of knowledge about citta. The understanding acquired from study can be an accumulated condition as “saṇkhārakkhandha” ( the khandha including all cetasikas, also all sobhana, beautiful cetasikas, except feeling and remembrance) for the arising of sati of satipaṇṭṭhāna. Sati can be aware of the characteristic of citta which is nama, the element which experiences an object at this very moment. In this way paññā can develop and eliminate the wrong view which takes all realities for self. This should be the aim of our study of the Dhamma.

Questions

1. What is life-continuum, bhavanga-citta?
2. When is there citta which is called “that which is pure” (paṇḍara) ? And why is it so called?
3. For the arising of which realities can citta and cetasika be a condition?
4. For the arising of which realities can rupa be a condition?
5. How many stages of enlightenment, that is, of realizing the noble Truths, are there?
6. What is the rupa which is base, vatthu-rupa?
7. What is āyatana, and which are in particular the āyatanas?
8. What is conascence-condition, sahajāta-paccaya?
9. What is the meaning of cittaja rupa? When does it arise? Which cittas in the five khandha planes of existence are not a condition for cittaja rupa?
10. What is the right motivation for the study of the Dhamma?

FOOTNOTES AND REFERENCES:

1. Pronounce: chitta.
2. Citta is accompanied by cetasikas, mental factors, which also experience the object, but citta is the leader in cognizing the object.
3. The same synonyms have been given in Maha-Niddesa, Pasūra Sutta, no. 319.
4. Mindfulness of Body, of Feeling, of Citta and of Dhammas.
5. Cittas which experience objects through the six doors arise in processes, and each citta in that process performs its own function. This will be explained later on.
6. Sati, mindfulness, is a cetasika which is non-forgetful of what is wholesome. There are different levels of sati. Sati of satipaṭṭhāna is non-forgetful, mindful of the characteristics of nama and rupa.
7. There are six rupas which are vatthu. The five senses are vatthus for the sense-cognitions and the heart-base is vatthu for all the other cittas. Vatthu is not identical with āyatana which comprises both nama and rupa.
8. Saha means together and jāta means arisen.
9. Citta is one of the four factors which produces rupas of the body. The other factors are kamma, temperature and nutrition. Citta produces groups of rupas, consisting of the eight inseparable rupas, and in addition other types of rupa.

Chapter 8 – Citta Knows an Object

As we read in the “Atthasālinī” in the section about the aspects of citta (I, Book I, Part II, 63), citta is so called because it thinks of its object, it clearly cognizes its object. We then read: Or, inasmuch as this word citta is common to all states or classes of citta, that which is known as mundane, lokiya^[1] : kusala (wholesome), akusala (unwholesome), or maha-kiriya^[2] , is termed citta, because it arranges itself in its own series or continuity by way of javana (impulsion), in a process of citta^[3] . And the vipāka is also termed citta because it is conditioned by accumulated (cita) kamma and the defilements. Moreover, all (four classes^[4] ) are termed citta because they are variegated (vicitta) according to circumstance. The meaning of citta may also be understood from its capacity of producing a variety or diversity of effects. When we study the commentaries which have been composed later on we shall find that they deal with six characteristics of citta. These aspects are actually taken from the “Atthasālinī” which is the Commentary to the “Dhammasangaṇi” (Buddhist Psychological Ethics), the first Book of the Abhidhamma. The aspects of citta can be classified as six categories:

1. Citta is so called because it thinks (cinteti^[5]) of an object, it clearly knows an object.
2. Citta is so called because it arranges itself in its own series or continuity, by way of javana^[6] in a process.
3. Citta is so called because it is result (vipāka), conditioned by accumulated (cita) kamma and defilements.
4. Citta is so called because it is variegated (vicitta), according to circumstances. In the Commentaries composed later on this aspect has been given as twofold:
5. Citta is variegated because it experiences different objects,
6. Citta is variegated because of the accompanying cetasikas, sampayutta Dhammas.
7. Citta is so called because of its capacity of producing a diversity of effects.

All these aspects will be dealt with systematically, so that the characteristic of citta will be understood in conformity with the explanation of the “Atthasālinī”. Citta is so called because it thinks of its object, it clearly knows its object. All of us are thinking time and again. If we notice that we are thinking and carefully investigate this, we shall see that we are really quite occupied with thinking, that we think for a long time of a variety of things. We cannot prevent thinking, it goes on and on. Therefore, some people do not want to think, they want to be calm. They believe that it is beneficial to prevent thinking because they see that when they are thinking, they have worry and anxiety, they are restless and disturbed because of attachment or aversion. We should know that citta is actually the reality which thinks. Rupa cannot think. When we consider what the subjects are citta thinks about, we shall know why citta thinks about them, even though we sometimes do not like to think about them at all. It is quite natural that citta arises and thinks time and again about what appears through the eyes, the ears, the nose, the tongue, the body-sense and the mind-door. We believe that all the subjects citta thinks about are very serious and important, but thinking only occurs because citta arises and thinks of an object, and then it falls away. If citta would not think about all those things we take very seriously, they would not exist at all. As we read in the “Atthasālinī”, citta is so called because it thinks, it clearly knows an object. As to the Dhammas which experience an object, there are different types of realities, each with their own characteristic, which experience an object. Cetasika is a reality which experiences an object, but it is not the “leader” in cognizing an object. Cetasikas arise together with the citta and they experience the same object as the citta, but they each perform their own function. Phassa cetasika (contact), for example, arises together with the citta, but it performs its own function, it experiences the object in contacting it. If phassa cetasika does not arise and performs its function while it experiences the object, there is no contact with the object. Phassa cetasika experiences the object only in contacting it, but it does not know the object in the same way as citta which clearly cognizes the object. Paññā is another cetasika, which knows, for example, the characteristics of realities which appear as non-self, not a living being, not a person. It penetrates the true characteristics of realities, which appear through the six doors. As regards citta, this is the reality which clearly knows its object, as has been explained. However, citta knows the object in a way different from phassa, which just contacts the object, or saññā (perception or remembrance) which recognizes the characteristic of the object, or paññā which penetrates the true nature of realities. Citta is the reality which cognizes, which clearly knows the different characteristics of the objects which appear. Is what is appearing through the eyes at this moment one and the same color or are there different colors appearing? Reality is true Dhamma (sacca Dhamma), it can be verified. We should find out whether at this moment we see only one thing, only one color, or whether we see that which is appearing as different colors, in a detailed way, so that we can distinguish between different things which are perceived. Can we, for example, distinguish between a real diamond and a synthetic diamond? Citta is the reality which sees and knows clearly, it clearly knows the different characteristics of the different objects, and that even into the smallest details. At this moment the rupa which is the eye-sense has as its characteristic a special clarity, it can be compared to a mirror in which the image of whatever passes is clearly reflected. The eye-sense can come into contact with visible object. The ear-sense can come into contact just with sound, smelling-sense just with odor, tasting-sense just with flavor, and body-sense just with those rupas which are tangible object. Whatever color appears, color of a real diamond, of a synthetic diamond, of jade, of a stone, even the color of the look in someone’s eyes which expresses envy, all that can appear to the citta which sees. What appears at this moment through the eyes appears to citta which clearly knows it. It sees all the colors of the different objects which appear, and thus the meaning of things can be known, the shape and form perceived, and there can be thinking about what has appeared through the eyes. Are sounds which appear through the ear-sense entirely the same or are there different sounds? Each sound is different depending on the conditions which cause the arising of that sound. No matter how many people there are, the sound of each individual is different. Citta clearly knows each of the different sounds which appear. Citta knows the sound of ridicule, of sarcasm, of contempt, of a fan, of a waterfall, the cry of an animal, the different calls of various kinds of animals, or even the sound of a man who imitates the sound of an animal. Citta clearly knows the characteristics of the different sounds, it hears each different sound. All kinds of realities can appear when citta arises and clearly knows the object which presents itself. The citta which smells through the nose can arise and clearly know the different odors which appear. It can clearly know the smell of different kinds of animals, plants or flowers, the smell of food, of curry and of sweets. Even if we only smell without seeing anything, we can know what kind of smell it is. The citta which experiences flavor through the tongue can arise and clearly know different flavors. There are many flavors of food, such as flavor of meat, vegetable or fruit, there is the flavor of tea, coffee, salt, sugar, orange juice, lemon or tamarind. All these flavors are completely different, but the citta which tastes clearly knows each of the different flavors which appear. Citta is able to distinguish clearly the most subtle differences in flavor, it knows them in a detailed way. For example, when we sample food, the citta which tastes the flavor knows exactly whether there is still something lacking. It knows which ingredient should be added, how the food should be seasoned so that it is more tasty. The citta which experiences tangible object impinging on the body-sense, clearly knows the different characteristics of tangible object. It knows, for example, the characteristic of cold of the air, cold of the water, or cold of the weather. It knows the characteristic of silk or of wool which touches the body-sense. Someone said that while he was standing on the road there was mindfulness of the characteristic of hardness which appeared. He thought that this was hardness of the road, that hardness of the shoes and that hardness of the stockings. All this is thinking about the characteristic of hardness which appears. The citta which thinks arises because of conditions. When hardness impinges on the body-sense and one thinks about what this hardness is, the road, the shoes or the stockings, it can be known that nobody can avoid thinking of different things. However, paññā should understand that citta arises, knows clearly one object at a time and then falls away very rapidly. In this way the characteristics of realities can be known as they are. Thinking about the road, the shoes or the stockings does not occur at the same time as realizing the characteristic of hardness. If we clearly understand that it is not self who thinks, that it is citta which knows the subject about which it thinks, it can be a condition for paññā to develop, so that it comes to know precisely the characteristics of realities as they are. The citta which thinks is different from the citta which sees. The citta which sees knows an object through the eye-sense, whereas the citta which thinks knows an object through the mind-door. When a reality appears through the body-sense, be it the characteristic of softness or hardness, it is natural that at that moment we do not know yet what it is that is impinging on the body-sense. Later on we know what the object is that is hard or soft. If we touch something in the dark we may turn on the light in order to see what we are touching. Thus, we can understand that at the moment citta experiences hardness it does not think, that thinking is another type of citta. When citta experiences just hardness, there is not the world of the road, the shoes or the stockings. There is not the world of conventional truth, of concepts. There is only the reality which experiences the characteristic of hardness. The reality which experiences hardness is not a living being or a person, it is just a type of nama which arises and then falls away. The citta which arises later on can think about what has appeared through the eyes, the ears, the nose, the tongue, the body-sense or the mind-door. It thinks about a story, about concepts of what has appeared. Since we are so occupied with our thinking we forget that the citta which arose and experienced hardness and the rupa which is hardness have fallen away already. Also the cittas which are thinking about the hard substance fall away immediately. Nama as well as rupa arise and fall away. Cittas arise and fall away in succession continuously and also rupas arise and fall away one after the other; this happens so rapidly that we do not realize their arising and falling away. We do not realize that the nama Dhammas and rupa Dhammas which arise and fall away are non-self. Citta is the reality which clearly knows the object which appears, be it through the eyes, the ears, the nose, the tongue, the body-sense or the mind-door. Whatever object phassa cetasika contacts, the citta which arises together with it clearly knows the characteristic of that object, it knows each different object. When it is said of citta, the reality which experiences something, that it has the characteristic of clearly knowing an object, we should understand what that means. It means that citta knows the different characteristics of the different objects appearing through the senses or through the mind-door. Citta is the reality which clearly knows an object, and the object is a condition for citta to arise and to experience that object. The object is object-condition (ārammaṇa-paccaya), it is a condition for the arising of citta by being its object. Citta cannot arise without knowing an object, but besides object-condition there are also several other conditions for each type of citta which arises.

Questions

1. Which are the different ways of knowing an object in the case of phassa cetasika, saññā cetasika, paññā cetasika and citta?
2. What is object-condition?
3. Which objects can be object-condition?

FOOTNOTES AND REFERENCES:

1. Mundane, lokiya, is not lokuttara, supra mundane. Lokuttara cittas experience nibbana. Cittas other than lokuttara cittas are mundane. This will be explained in Ch 23. 2. The arahat has instead of maha kusala cittas maha kiriyacittas. 3. In this context the Pali term cita derived from cināti is used, which means heaped up, accumulated. 4. Kusala, akusala, vipāka, result, and kiriya, neither cause nor result. This will be explained further on. 5. The different Pali terms used here are all derived from the word citta and they represent the different aspects of citta. 6. In a process of cittas there are seven javana cittas which are, in the case of non arahats, kusala cittas or akusala cittas. This will be explained later on.

Chapter 9 – A Process of Citta

As we read in the “Atthasālinī” about citta: … Or, inasmuch as this word citta is common to all states or classes of citta, that which is known as mundane: kusala, akusala or maha-kiriya, is termed citta, because it arranges itself in its own series or continuity by way of javana (impulsion), in a process of citta. In order to understand the aspect of citta as that which arranges itself in its own series or continuity by way of javana, we should remember that cittas arise and fall away, succeeding one another very rapidly and that wholesome and unwholesome qualities, cetasikas, which accompany citta and fall away with the citta, are accumulated from one moment of citta to the next moment of citta. When citta arises and sees what appears through the eyes, hears sound through the ears or experiences another sense object, it is usually not known that such experiences are a characteristic of citta. We are more likely to notice citta when it is unhappy, sad or annoyed, when it is happy or pleased, when there is citta with anger or loving kindness, when there is the inclination to help someone else or to treat him with affection. Each citta which arises and falls away very rapidly is succeeded by the next citta and therefore the accumulations of the preceding citta are going on to the next citta. No matter whether the citta is kusala citta or akusala citta, each citta which arises and falls away conditions the next citta which immediately succeeds it. That is why inclinations accumulated in the preceding citta can go on to the next citta and so it continues all the time. We can notice that everybody has different inclinations, a different character, and this is so because all the different inclinations have been accumulated in the citta, and these are going on from one citta to the next citta. Some people are inclined to perform wholesome deeds and they are able to do so because kusala citta which, in the past, arose and fell away, was succeeded by the next citta which accumulated the inclination of wholesomeness; thus, conditions have been created for the arising of kusala citta later on. It is the same in the case of akusala citta, be it akusala citta rooted in attachment, in aversion or in ignorance. When the akusala citta falls away it conditions the arising of the succeeding citta and thus the inclination to akusala accumulated in the preceding citta goes on to the succeeding citta and in this way there are conditions for the arising of akusala citta in the future. The fact that cittas succeed one another is due to contiguity-condition, anantara-paccaya: each citta is anantara-paccaya for the following citta; this means that the preceding citta conditions the arising of the next citta which immediately succeeds it, as soon as the preceding citta has fallen away. Each citta is anantara-paccaya for the succeeding one, except the dying-consciousness (cuti-citta) of the arahat. This citta cannot be anantara-paccaya, because when it has fallen away there is the parinibbāna of the khandhas, the final passing away. Therefore, the dying-consciousness of the arahat is not succeeded by rebirth-consciousness nor by any other citta. Summarizing the conditions which were already dealt with, they are three:

1. conascence-condition, sahajāta-paccaya
2. object-condition, ārammaṇa-paccaya
3. contiguity-condition, anantara-paccaya

As we read in the “Atthasālinī” about the second aspect of citta: …Or, inasmuch as this word citta is common to all states or classes of citta, that which is known as mundane: kusala, akusala or maha-kiriya, is termed citta, because it arranges itself in its own series or continuity, by way of javana, in a process of citta. This seems rather complicated, but it refers to realities in daily life. People may have heard time and again the words kusala citta and akusala citta, but they may not be familiar with the terms “mundane maha-kiriyacitta” and with the term “javana in a process”. All the different types of citta can be classified by way of four “jātis” or categories (jāti meaning birth or nature):

1. kusala citta
2. akusala citta
3. vipākacitta
4. kiriyacitta

Kusala citta is the citta which is wholesome, it is the cause which produces pleasant result, kusala vipāka, in the future. When kusala citta and the accompanying cetasikas which are the cause of a future result have fallen away, the accumulated wholesome qualities of that citta go on to the next citta and again to the following ones, and thus they are a condition for the arising in the future of kusala vipākacitta and accompanying cetasikas, which are the result of the kusala citta which formerly arose. It has been explained in the Commentary that the cetasikas which accompany the vipākacitta are vipāka cetasikas, but since citta is the “leader” the word vipākacitta is used; the accompanying cetasikas are also vipāka. Another example where the word citta also refers to the accompanying cetasikas is the term “cittaja rupa”, the rupa which citta conditions to arise. In fact, cittaja rupa arises because citta and the accompanying cetasikas are the condition for its arising. Thus, the word cittaja rupa also refers to the accompanying cetasikas which condition the arising of that rupa. In the same way, the word vipākacitta also refers to the accompanying vipāka cetasikas. Akusala citta is a reality which is harmful and dangerous. It causes the arising of unhappy, unpleasant result in the form of different kinds of akusala vipākacittas. Apart from kusala citta, akusala citta and vipākacitta there is another class of citta and this is kiriyacitta, inoperative citta. Kiriyacitta is neither kusala citta nor akusala citta, thus, not a cause for the arising of vipākacitta, nor is it vipākacitta, result of kusala citta or akusala citta. As we have seen, all cittas can be classified as the four jātis of kusala, akusala, vipāka and kiriya. If we do not study realities in detail, we shall not know when citta is kusala, when akusala, when vipāka and when kiriya. The rebirth-consciousness, paṭisandhi-citta, is the first citta which has arisen in this lifespan. We all are alive at this moment because the rebirth-consciousness has arisen in this lifespan and it conditions us to be this particular individual. The rebirth-consciousness is neither kusala nor akusala; when it arises it cannot commit any kamma (action) through body, speech or mind. The rebirth-consciousness is vipākacitta, it arises because it is conditioned by a particular kamma. No matter how numerous the kammas may have been which were performed in each of our life-spans, whichever of these kammas conditions the arising of the rebirth-consciousness or any other type of vipākacitta, that kamma is kamma-condition, kamma-paccaya, for the rebirth-consciousness or the other types of vipāka-citta. If someone is born in the human plane of existence which is a happy plane, that birth must be the result of kusala kamma. In that case the rebirth-consciousness is kusala vipāka. If one is born in an unhappy plane, a hell plane, as a ghost (peta), as an asura (demon) or as an animal, it is the result of akusala kamma. The rebirth-consciousness which arises in an unhappy plane is akusala vipāka. A kamma which was formerly committed conditions the arising of the rebirth-consciousness, the first citta of this life, which immediately succeeds the dying-consciousness of the previous life. After the rebirth-consciousness has fallen away the same kamma is the condition for the arising of the following vipākacittas which perform the function of life-continuum, bhavanga. The bhavanga-citta has the function to maintain the continuation in the life of someone as this particular person. It performs its function throughout life, in between the processes of cittas, until the dying-consciousness arises and one passes away from life in this plane of existence. Then there is no longer this particular person in this lifespan. In the course of life other kammas can be the condition for the arising of different vipākacittas which experience objects through the eyes, the ears, the nose, the tongue and the body-sense. Kusala is the reality which is good, wholesome, blameless, not harmful. Some people think that they can only perform kusala if they are rich and are able to spend money, but they forget that one can be generous and give assistance in other ways. Even if someone does not have much money, he may still have some things he can share with others in order to help them. Can one give assistance to others? If one cannot do this, is that kusala or akusala? If someone with few means does not know that kusala citta is the citta which is good, wholesome and faultless, he will perhaps be unhappy and believe that he cannot perform deeds of merit, but there are actually many other kinds of kusala, apart from a donation of money, one can perform. One can have loving kindness towards someone else. Then one treats him as a fellow human being and the citta is tender and gentle; one can utter affectionate, amiable speech which comes from one’s heart. There are always ways and means to give assistance to others and share things with them. At such moments the citta is kusala citta, it is a Dhamma which is faultless, which cannot cause any harm or danger. When there is conceit and someone thinks himself more important, superior or more clever than someone else, when he compares himself with someone else and thinks in terms of “he” and “I”, there cannot be kusala citta. At such moments one cannot help others, there cannot be any giving or sharing. There is akusala citta, the Dhamma which is unwholesome and harmful. If we really understand the characteristic of kusala we shall find ways and means to develop many different kinds of kusala. However, if a person wants to keep things for himself he is unable to be generous. He may have desire for calm, or he may be attached to the idea of eradicating defilements and becoming a sotāpanna, but he is unable to give something away to someone else. Each person has accumulated inclinations to different kinds of kusala and akusala. We should consider and investigate our own citta and find out whether there is still a great deal of stinginess, or whether we can gradually begin to give away useful things to others. In that way generosity can become our nature, it can even become a powerful condition, a support for paññā which eliminates the wrong view which takes nama and rupa for self. When paññā has been developed it can become so keen that nibbāna can be realized. We may believe that we want to be without defilements, but when defilements actually arise it seems that we wish to have them. We may have conceit, we may find ourselves important or we may be jealous. Someone else may say that such defilements should be eradicated, that one should rejoice in someone else’s happiness or that one should have loving kindness towards a disagreeable person, but are we able to follow such advice? People who want to be angry, who want to have contempt for others, who want to be arrogant or jealous, cannot follow the advice to cultivate wholesomeness. This shows that the eradication of defilements cannot occur immediately, that it can only be accomplished very gradually. Paññā can gradually be developed so that it can arise from time to time. If we really want to eradicate defilements we should know that all kinds of kusala should be developed. It is not right to just perform dāna, generosity, and pay no attention to the defilements which still arise. It is essential to know one’s defilements. Someone may just want to be calm because he often feels restless and disturbed. Because of his thoughts he is angry or confused, all the time there seem to be circumstances which make him feel worried or annoyed. The reason is that at such moments he does not examine his citta, but pays attention only to other people he is angry with. If one pays attention to other people in an unwholesome way so that akusala citta arises, the citta will be disturbed, restless and worried. Someone may notice that he is upset and then he just wants to be calm, but he fails to see that when there is no anger he will not be disturbed, whereas when there is anger, he is unhappy and disturbed. When one is angry and disturbed, there is akusala citta, the Dhamma which is harmful. If we can be mindful after we have been angry, and we can then think of others in such a way that loving kindness, compassion, sympathetic joy or equanimity arises, there will immediately be calm. When the citta is accompanied by loving kindness, compassion, sympathetic joy or equanimity, it is kusala citta, citta without attachment, aversion and ignorance, and then there is calm. There is true calm with each kusala citta, thus, if we want to eradicate defilements we should develop all kinds of kusala, not merely generosity, dāna. As we read in the “Atthasālinī” about the second aspect of citta, “that which is known as mundane: kusala, akusala and maha-kiriya, is termed citta, because it arranges itself in its own series or continuity, by way of javana, in a process of citta.” The word “series” or “continuity”, in Pali “santāna”, refers to the arising and falling away of cittas in succession, in their own series. The citta which sees, hears, smells, tastes or experiences tangible object is vipākacitta, not kusala citta or akusala citta. Therefore, these cittas are not javana-cittas which arise and fall away in their own series in the process of cittas^[1] . Vipākacittas are results of past kammas. When a deed or kamma has ripened and it is ready to produce result, and there are also other conditioning factors which play their part, vipākacitta can arise. There are different kinds of vipākacitta which perform different functions, such as seeing or hearing. Vipākacitta does not arise in the succession of javana, it is result produced by kusala kamma or akusala kamma which has been accumulated and can therefore be the condition for the arising of vipāka. Vipākacitta which arises and then falls away cannot cause the arising of any other vipākacitta. We should have right understanding of the second aspect of citta, that kusala citta, akusala citta and maha-kiriyacitta arrange themselves in their own series or continuity by way of javana, in the process of cittas. First of all we have to know what cittas arising in a process, vīthi-cittas, are, which types of cittas they are and when they arise. Javana cittas in a process are a succession or series of kusala cittas or akusala cittas. For the arahat there is, instead of kusala citta or akusala citta, maha-kiriyacitta performing the function of javana^[2] . Also the arahat has different types of cittas which condition the movement of the body, which condition speech and which think, arising in the series of javana-cittas. We should first of all know that vīthi-citta, citta arising in a process, is not rebirth-consciousness, bhavanga-citta or dying-consciousness. All types of citta other than these are vīthi-cittas. The rebirth-consciousness arises only once in a life-span. It succeeds the dying-consciousness of the previous life and it only performs the function of rebirth. At that moment there is no seeing, hearing, smelling, tasting or the experience of tangible object. Rebirth-consciousness is vipākacitta, the result of kamma. The rebirth-consciousness which arises in the human plane of existence is kusala vipākacitta, the result of kusala kamma. Kamma not only produces the rebirth-consciousness as result. When the rebirth-consciousness has fallen away, kamma also conditions the arising of the succeeding citta which is the same type of vipākacitta and performs the function of bhavanga, life-continuum. As we have seen, this type of citta maintains the continuation in the lifespan of someone as this particular person until death. So long as the dying-consciousness has not arisen yet the bhavanga-cittas which arise and fall away perform the function of preserving the continuity in one’s life. They perform their function at the moments there is no seeing, hearing, smelling, tasting, the experience of tangible object or thinking. Thus, the rebirth-consciousness, the bhavanga-citta and the dying-consciousness are cittas which do not arise in processes, they are not vīthi-cittas. When we are fast asleep, we do not see or experience other sense objects, we do not think. The bhavanga-cittas arise and fall away in succession all the time, until we dream or wake up, and there is again seeing, hearing, the experience of other sense objects or thinking of different subjects of this world. This world does not appear to the rebirth-consciousness, the bhavanga-citta and the dying-consciousness. At the moment the vipākacitta arises which performs the function of rebirth or the function of bhavanga, the different objects of this world, in our case the human world, do not appear. If we are fast asleep at this moment, we do not know anything, we do not see anyone who is here, we do not experience sound, odor, cold or heat. The bhavanga-citta is not involved with anything in this world. It does not even know who we are ourselves, where we are, who are our relatives and friends. It does not know anything about possessions, rank, a honorable position, happiness or misery. Whereas when we are not asleep we remember the things of this world, the different people and the different stories connected with this world. When we see, there is not bhavanga-citta but vīthi-citta which arises and sees what appears through the eyes. The citta which sees, the citta which knows what the object is that is seen, the citta which likes what appears through the eyes, the cittas which experience objects through the ears, the nose, the tongue, the body-sense or the mind-door, all those cittas are vīthi-cittas. When we hear a sound and then like it or dislike it, there are no bhavanga-cittas but vīthi-cittas. All the cittas which arise and experience visible object which appears through the eyes, are eye-door process cittas, cakkhu-dvāra vīthi-cittas. Evenso there are vīthi-cittas which are ear-door process cittas, nose-door process cittas, tongue-door process cittas, body-door process cittas and mind-door process cittas, which experience an object through the corresponding doorway. The nama Dhammas which naturally occur in our daily life are bhavanga-cittas arising and falling away as well as vīthi-cittas which arise and experience an object through one of the six doors. Successions of bhavanga-cittas and vīthi-cittas arise alternately. When one is born in a five khandha plane (where there are nama and rupa), kamma conditions the arising of kammaja rupa (rupa produced by kamma) and these are among others the rupas which are eye-sense, ear-sense, smelling-sense, tasting-sense and body-sense. These rupas arise and fall away in succession. They provide one with the ability to experience sense objects, thus, they prevent one to be blind, deaf or disabled with regard to the other senses. However, when kamma at a particular moment does no longer condition the arising of, for example, the rupa which is eye-sense, one will be blind, one will not be able to see anything at all. Thus, the citta which sees and the other sense-cognitions are each dependent on the appropriate conditions which cause their arising. So long as vīthi-cittas do not arise yet, bhavanga-cittas are arising and falling away in succession. When a rupa which can be sense object arises, and impinges on the corresponding sense-base (pasāda rupa), vīthi-cittas cannot arise immediately. First there are bhavanga-cittas arising and falling away before sense-door process cittas arise which can experience that rupa. Rupa arises and falls away very rapidly, but citta arises and falls away faster than rupa. The time one rupa arises and falls away is equal to the time seventeen cittas arise and fall away. When a rupa impinges on a sense-base there are, as we have seen, first some bhavanga-cittas arising and falling away. The first bhavanga-citta which arises when that rupa impinges on the sense-base is called atīta-bhavanga, past bhavanga. This bhavanga-citta is of the same type as the bhavanga-cittas which arose before. The name atīta bhavanga is used with the purpose to point out how long the rupa which impinges on the sense base will last so that it can be experienced by vīthi-cittas. Counting from the atīta bhavanga, it cannot last longer than seventeen moments of citta. When the atīta bhavanga has fallen away it conditions the succeeding bhavanga-citta which “vibrates”, which is stirred by the object, and this is called bhavanga calana, vibrating bhavanga^[3] . This citta is still bhavanga-citta, since vīthi-citta cannot arise yet and the stream of bhavanga-cittas still continues. When the bhavanga calana has fallen away the succeeding bhavanga-citta arises, and this is the bhavangupaccheda, arrest bhavanga, which interrupts the stream of bhavanga-cittas, because it is the last bhavanga-citta before vīthi-cittas arise. When the bhavangupaccheda has fallen away, vīthi-cittas arise and experience the object which appears through the eyes, the ears, the nose, the tongue, the body-sense or the mind-door. All vīthi-cittas which experience visible object through the eyes are eye-door process cittas, cakkhu-dvāra vīthi-cittas, because they experience visible object which impinges on the eye-sense and has not fallen away yet. All vīthi-cittas which experience sound through the ears are ear-door process cittas, sota-dvāra vīthi-cittas, because they experience sound which impinges on the ear-sense and has not fallen away yet. It is the same in the case of the vīthi-cittas which experience objects through the other doorways, they are named after the relevant doorway. Vīthi-cittas of the mind-door process, mano-dvāra vīthi-cittas, can experience all kinds of objects. When the mind-door process follows upon a sense-door process, the vīthi-cittas of the mind-door process experience visible object, sound, odor, flavor or tangible object which were experienced by the vīthi-cittas of the five sense-door processes. The vīthi-cittas of the mind-door process can also experience dhammārammaṇa, mind-object, which are the objects which can be experienced only through the mind-door.

FOOTNOTES AND REFERENCES:

1. As will be explained, in a process of cittas there are, in the case of non arahats, usually seven javana cittas which are kusala cittas or akusala cittas, arising and falling away in succession.
2. The arahat does not perform kamma which can produce result. He has reached the end of rebirth. He has no kusala cittas or akusala cittas.
3. That bhavanga citta does not experience the rupa which impinges on the sense base, but it is affected or stirred by it, since within split seconds vithi cittas will arise.

Chapter 10 – Functions of Citta

Citta can experience objects through six doors. All objects which can be experienced by citta can be classified as six-fold:

1. Visible object, rūpārammaṇa, can be known by citta through the eye-door and through the mind-door
2. Sound, saddārammaṇa, can be known by citta through the ear-door and through the mind-door
3. Odor, gandhārammaṇa, can be known by citta through the nose-door and through the mind-door
4. Flavor, rasārammaṇa, can be known by citta through the tongue-door and through the mind-door
5. Tangible object, phoṭṭhabbārammaṇa, can be known by citta through the body-door and through the mind-door
6. Mental object, dhammārammaṇa, can be known by citta only through the mind-door

The cittas arising in the mind-door process, mano-dvāra vīthi-cittas, can experience all six classes of objects. As regards mental object, dhammārammaṇa, this can be known only by mind-door process cittas. Each citta which arises performs a function and then it falls away. The rebirth-consciousness which succeeds the dying-consciousness of the previous life performs the function of rebirth only once. After that citta has fallen away, bhavanga-cittas arise and all bhavanga-cittas, including the past bhavanga, atīta bhavanga, the vibrating bhavanga, bhavanga calana, and the arrest bhavanga, bhavangupaccheda, perform the function of bhavanga; they preserve the continuity in a lifespan. The bhavangupaccheda is the last bhavanga-citta arising before the stream of bhavanga-cittas is arrested and a series of cittas arising in a process occurs. The bhavangupaccheda is succeeded by the first citta of a process, a vīthi-citta. This citta performs the function of adverting, āvajjana, it pays attention to or adverts to the object which appears through one of the doorways. It does not take part of the succession of bhavanga-cittas, but it turns towards the object which impinges on one of the senses. If the object impinges on the eye-sense, the five-sense-door adverting-consciousness, the pañcadvārāvajjana-citta, arises and performs the function of adverting through the eye-door. If the object impinges on one of the other senses, the five-sense-door adverting-consciousness performs the function of adverting to the object through the relevant doorway. It experiences the object which contacts one of the five sense-doors, but it does not see, hear, smell, taste yet, and there is no body-consciousness yet. If the object contacts the mind-door, thus, not one of the five senses, the mind-door adverting-consciousness, the manodvārāvajjana-citta, arises and this is another type of citta which is different from the five-sense-door adverting-consciousness. It performs the function of adverting to the object only through the mind-door. During the arising and falling away of bhavanga-cittas, flavor, for example, may arise and impinge on the rupa which is tasting-sense (jivhāppasāda rupa). The atīta bhavanga, past bhavanga, arises and falls away and is succeeded by the bhavanga calana, vibrating bhavanga, and this again is succeeded by the bhavangupaccheda, the arrest bhavanga. The bhavangupaccheda is succeeded by the five-sense-door adverting-consciousness. This citta attends to the object, it knows that the object impinges on the tongue-door but it cannot taste yet. It is as if one knows that a visitor has arrived at the door but one does not see him yet and does not know who he is. We all have guests who come to see us. When we think of guests we are likely to think of people, but in reality our guests are the different objects which appear through the eyes, the ears, the nose, the tongue, the body-sense and the mind-door. When we see visible object which appears through the eyes, visible object is our visitor. When we hear sound, sound is our visitor. When we do not hear, sound does not appear, and thus, a visitor has not come yet through the ear-door. When flavor appears, flavor is like a visitor, it appears through the door of the tongue just for a moment, and then it disappears. Whenever an object appears through one of the doorways that object can be seen as a visitor which comes through that doorway. It is there just for an extremely short moment and then it disappears completely, it does not come back again in the cycle of birth and death. Elderly people tend to feel lonely when they lack company. When they were younger they met many people, they enjoyed the company of relatives and friends. When they have become older the number of visitors, whom they see as people, has dwindled. When one asks elderly people what they like most of all, they will usually answer that they like most of all the company of people. They are happy when other people come to see them, they like to be engaged in conversation. However, in reality everybody has visitors, at each moment one sees, hears, smells, tastes or experiences tangible object. Usually when such visitors come, citta rooted in attachment arises and enjoys what appears through the eyes, the ears, the nose, the tongue or the body-sense. There are different kinds of visitors. Nobody would like a wicked person as visitor, but a dear relative or friend is most welcome. In reality the different objects which appear through the senses are only rupas. Rupa does not know anything and therefore it cannot have any evil intention towards anybody. When would a visitor be an enemy and when a dear relative or friend? Actually, when an object appears and one enjoys it and clings to it, there is an enemy, because enjoyment with clinging is akusala Dhamma. Akusala Dhamma is not a friend to anybody. Whereas kusala Dhamma is like a close relative who is ready to help one, eager to give assistance at all times. Therefore, we should know the difference between the characteristic of kusala citta and of akusala citta. Akusala citta is evil, harmful, it is like an enemy, not a friend. When we think of an enemy we may be afraid, and we do not like his company. However, it is akusala citta which is wicked, and this citta is a condition that there will also be an enemy in the future. Whereas kusala citta, which is like a dear relative or friend, is a condition that there will also be a dear relative or friend in the future^[1] . Rupa is not a condition for foe or friend, because rupa does not know anything, it has no evil or good intention. The sound which appears is a reality which does not experience anything, it has no wish that anybody hears it or does not hear it. Sound is rupa which arises because there are conditions for its arising; which kind of sound will impinge on someone’s ear-sense is dependent on conditions. When we are fast sleep we do not even hear the deafening, frightening sound of thunder. Then the sound of thunder is not our visitor. However, it can be someone else’s visitor when there are the accumulated conditions which cause the ear-sense to be impinged upon by that sound. It is dependent on conditions whether an object will be someone’s visitor through the doorway of eyes, ears, nose, tongue or body-sense. Kamma which has been accumulated causes the arising of vipākacitta which experiences an object through one of the sense-doors. Thus, the visitors which present themselves through the eyes, the ears, the nose, the tongue and the body-sense are visible object, sound, odor, flavor and tangible object. They appear just for a moment and then they fall away, they disappear, not to return again. There is no living being, person, self or anything there. Nobody knows in a day which visitor will come through which doorway and at which moment. Whenever citta experiences an object through the eyes, the other senses or the mind-door, it is vīthi-citta, citta arising in a process. The five-sense-door adverting-consciousness which succeeds the bhavangupaccheda is the first vīthi-citta in a sense-door process. This citta performs the function of adverting to the object. It merely knows that an object is impinging on one of the five sense-doors, thus, it is different from the citta which performs the function of seeing or from the other sense-cognitions. If the five-sense-door adverting-consciousness has not arisen and fallen away first, the other vīthi-cittas of that sense-door process cannot arise, be it a process of the doorway of the eyes, the ears, the nose, the tongue or the body-sense. Thus, the five-sense-door adverting-consciousness is the first vīthi-citta in a sense-door process and it adverts to the object through one of the five sense-doors. Therefore, it is called five-sense-door adverting-consciousness, pañca-dvārāvajjana-citta^[2] , and is named after the corresponding doorway, as the case may be. When it adverts to visible object through the eye-door, it is called eye-door adverting-consciousness, cakkhu-dvārāvajjana-citta. In the same way the adverting-consciousness which adverts to the object through each of the other sense-doors is called ear-door adverting-consciousness, nose-door adverting-consciousness, tongue-door adverting-consciousness and body-door adverting-consciousness. However, the collective name five-sense-door adverting-consciousness can also be used for this type of citta, since it performs the function of adverting through all five sense-doors. There is also a type of citta which is the first vīthi-citta of the mind-door process and this experiences different objects through the mind-door. Before kusala cittas or akusala cittas in a mind-door process arise which may think of different subjects, there must be a citta which performs the function of adverting to the object which contacts the mind-door. This citta which is the mind-door adverting-consciousness, mano-dvārāvajjana-citta, is the first vīthi-citta of the mind-door process. If this citta does not arise the following vīthi-cittas which experience an object through the mind-door cannot arise. The mind-door adverting-consciousness is a type of citta different from the five-sense-door adverting-consciousness. The five-sense-door adverting-consciousness can arise only in the five-sense-door processes, not in a mind-door process. The mind-door adverting-consciousness can perform the function of adverting only through the mind-door. Thus, there are two types of vīthi-citta which perform the function of adverting: the five-sense-door adverting-consciousness which performs the function of adverting through the five sense-doors, and the mind-door adverting-consciousness which performs the function of adverting only through the mind-door. One may wonder whether at this moment a five-sense-door adverting-consciousness arises. There must be, otherwise there could not be seeing, hearing, smelling, tasting or the experience of tangible object. There is also at this moment mind-door adverting-consciousness. Different vīthi-cittas arise which experience an object through one of the five sense-doors and then they fall away. When the sense-door process is over there are many bhavanga-cittas arising in succession, and then vīthi-cittas of a mind-door process arise which experience the same object again as the vīthi-cittas of the preceding sense-door process. They experience this object through the mind-door, which is the citta preceding the mind-door adverting-consciousness, the bhavangupaccheda, arrest bhavanga^[3] . When we are fast sleep we do not experience any object through one of the six doors. There cannot be the five-sense-door adverting-consciousness nor the mind-door adverting-consciousness. Also when we are not asleep there are moments that we do not experience any object through one of the six doors. At such moments the five-sense-door adverting-consciousness or the mind-door adverting-consciousness do not arise, but there are bhavanga-cittas arising in between the different processes of cittas. In the five-sense-door process there are seven different types of vīthi-cittas arising in a fixed order. When the first vīthi-citta, the five-sense-door adverting-consciousness, has arisen, has performed the function of adverting to the object and has fallen away, it conditions the arising of the second vīthi-citta. In the case of the eye-door process, seeing-consciousness (cakkhu-viññāṇa) arises and performs the function of seeing (dassana kicca) just once and then it falls away. It is the same in the case of the other sense-door processes: hearing-consciousness, smelling-consciousness, tasting-consciousness and body-consciousness, which arise, perform their function just once and then fall away. Types of citta other than the five sense-cognitions cannot succeed the five-sense-door adverting-consciousness. The five-sense-door adverting-consciousness is the first vīthi-citta. Seeing-consciousness or one of the other sense-cognitions is the second vīthi-citta in the process. When the second vīthi-citta has fallen away it is succeeded by the third vīthi-citta which is the receiving-consciousness, the sampaṭicchana-citta. This citta performs the function of sampaṭicchana, it receives the object from one of the sense-cognitions. When the sampaṭicchana-citta has fallen away, the fourth vīthi-citta arises, the investigating-consciousness, santīraṇa-citta. This citta performs the function of investigating, it investigates the object just once and then it falls away. The fifth vīthi-citta is the determining-consciousness, votthapana-citta. This is actually the type of citta which is the mind-door adverting-consciousness, mano-dvārāvajjana-citta, but in the five-sense-door process it performs the function of determining the object and it is then called after its function determining-consciousness, votthapana-citta. It determines whether kusala citta, akusala citta or maha-kiriyacitta will succeed it. It prepares the way for these types of cittas. When the determining-consciousness, the votthapana-citta, has fallen away the sixth type of vīthi-citta arises, and this can be kusala citta, akusala citta or maha-kiriyacitta. There are different types of kusala citta, of akusala citta and of maha-kiriyacitta, and when the series of javana cittas occurs, these cittas are all of the same type of kusala citta, of akusala citta or of maha-kiriyacitta. They perform the function of javana, impulsion^[4] , “running through” the object. As has been stated, this type of citta “arranges itself in its own series or continuity by way of javana”. All the types of vīthi-cittas which experience an object through the eyes, the ears, the nose, the tongue, the body-sense or the mind-door arise in a fixed sequence. This fixed order of cittas (citta niyāma) takes its course according to conditions and nobody has any power or control over this fixed order. It is because of the appropriate conditions that first the vīthi-citta which is the five-sense-door adverting-consciousness arises, performs its function only once and falls away. The second type of vīthi-citta of the sense-door process, which is in the case of the eye-door process seeing-consciousness, arises and performs the function of seeing only once and then it falls away. The third type of vīthi-citta, the receiving-consciousness, sampaṭicchana-citta, arises once and then falls away. The fourth type of vīthi-citta, the investigating-consciousness, santīraṇa-citta, arises only once. The fifth type of vīthi-citta, the determining-consciousness, votthapana-citta, arises only once. The sixth type of vīthi-citta, which may be kusala citta, akusala citta or maha-kiriyacitta, performs the function of impulsion, javana, and this function is performed seven times by seven javana-cittas arising in succession. It is according to conditions that the javana vīthi-citta arranges itself in its own series or continuity, that this type of vīthi-citta arises and falls away seven times in succession. For those who are not arahats the citta which performs the function of javana is kusala citta or akusala citta. For the arahat there is no kusala citta or akusala citta but maha-kiriyacitta which can perform the function of javana. For the arahat there are only cittas of the jātis (classes) which are vipāka and kiriya. There are several types of kiriyacittas. After seeing, hearing, smelling, tasting, the experience of tangible object and also while there is thinking, the javana-cittas of the arahat are “mundane” kiriyacittas. The citta experiences at such moments visible object, sound, odor, flavor and tangible object, objects which are “the world”. After a single moment of seeing we enjoy what we have seen and then akusala citta rooted in attachment arises seven times. Thus, akusala citta arises seven times more often than seeing-consciousness which sees only once. In this way akusala is actually accumulated in daily life, and this concerns all of us. Because of the persistent accumulation of akusala the eradication of defilements is extremely difficult, it cannot be achieved without right understanding of realities. If someone believes that it is easy to eradicate defilements, he should learn the truth about the process of accumulation, the accumulation of ignorance, attachment, aversion and of all the other faults and vices. One should know that defilements arise seven times more often than seeing, hearing, smelling, tasting and body-consciousness, which types of citta arise only once. If someone has expectations and if he is wondering when he will penetrate the four noble Truths, he does not take into account cause and effect as they really are, he does not consider the conditioning factors which have been accumulated in the cycle of birth and death. We should develop right understanding of the characteristics of all kinds of realities in order to know them as they are. Then we shall penetrate the four noble Truths and defilements can be eradicated stage by stage. When we are listening to the Dhamma or studying the subject of citta, and sati of satipaṭṭhāna can be aware of the realities as they are, we are following the right practice. This means that we are developing the way eventually leading to the realization of nibbāna, the reality which is the cessation of defilements. Whenever sati is not aware of the characteristics of realities as they appear, one does not develop the way leading to the eradication of defilements, even if kusala Dhamma arises. The “Atthasālinī” states (I, Book I, Part I, Ch I, Triplets in the Mātikā, 44) that akusala Dhamma as well as kusala Dhamma which are not of the eightfold Path^[5] are leading to accumulation, to continuation of the cycle of birth and death. We read about akusala and kusala which are not of the Path: … “leading to accumulation” (ācayagāmin) are “those states which go about severally, arranging (births and deaths in) a round of destiny like a bricklayer who arranges bricks, layer by layer, in a wall.” Whenever we are not aware of the characteristics of realities when they appear and we do not understand them as they are, no matter whether akusala Dhamma or kusala Dhamma presents itself, we accumulate and build up life after life, just as the bricklayer who piles up the bricks one by one until it is a wall. However, when sati is aware of the characteristics of realities which appear as they really are, that is the Path, that is dispersion (apācayagāmin^[6] ), because one does not build up Dhammas which lead to accumulation, just as a man who tears up the bricks which the bricklayer has piled up. Are we at this moment like the man who knocks down the bricks, or are we like the man who piles up the bricks? The first vīthi-citta, the five-sense-door adverting-consciousness, the second vīthi-citta, one of the sense-cognitions (pañca-viññāṇas), the third vīthi-citta, receiving-consciousness, the fourth vīthi-citta, investigating-consciousness, the fifth vīthi-citta, determining-consciousness, these cittas do not arise in their own series, because of these types there is only one citta which arises and then falls away. Even though the determining-consciousness, votthapana-citta, can arise two or three times in the case when the rupa which is the object falls away before the javana-citta arises^[7] , it cannot be said that the votthapana-citta arises in its own series, like the javana-citta. It is only the sixth type of vīthi-citta, the javana-citta, which arranges itself in its own series or continuity, because there are usually seven cittas of this type arising and falling away in succession. When one loses consciousness the javana-cittas arise and fall away six times in succession, and just before dying they arise and fall away five times in succession. Since the javana-cittas arise and fall away up to seven times in succession, they arise more frequently than the other types of vīthi-cittas. Therefore it is said that the javana vīthi-citta arises in its own series or continuity.

Questions

1. What is contiguity-condition, anantara-paccaya?
2. How many jātis are there of citta and cetasika, and which are these jātis?
3. What is vīthi-citta? Which citta is not vīthi-citta?
4. What is past bhavanga, atīta bhavanga?
5. Can there be bhavanga-citta when one is not asleep?
6. Which objects are known by the five-sense-door adverting-consciousness and through which doorways?
7. Through which doorways does the mind-door adverting-consciousness know an object?
8. Through how many doorways does citta know dhammārammṇa, mental object?
9. Which function is performed by the five-sense-door adverting-consciousness, and through which doorway?
10. Which functions are performed by the mind-door adverting-consciousness, and through how many doorways?

FOOTNOTES AND REFERENCES:

1. Akusala citta and kusala citta arise and fall away, but the inclinations to akusala and kusala are accumulated; the accumulated inclinations are the condition for the arising again later on of akusala citta and kusala citta. 2. In Pali, pañca means five, dvāra means door and āvajjana means adverting. 3. The five sense doors are rupas, whereas the mind door is nama. 4. Javana, which means “impulse” is also translated in some places as “apperception”. 5. One may perform wholesome deeds without the development of the eightfold Path, without right understanding of nama and rupa. Then there will be no eradication of defilements, no end to the cycle of birth and death. 6. This is the opposite of acayagāmin, accumulation. 7. This is the case when the process does not run its full course, as will be explained later on.