Ahetuka Cittas (Rootless Consciousness) Hetu : mula cause or root - TopicsExpress

Audy Than Aung

Ahetuka Cittas (Rootless Consciousness) Hetu : mula cause or root condition Akusala-hetu : unwholesome roots (loba, dosa, moha) Kusala-hetu : wholesome roots (aloba, adosa, amoha) Consciousness without concomitant root-conditions is måla: cause or root-condition unwholesome roots (lobha, dosa, moha) wholesome roots (alobha, adosa, amoha) known as ahetuka citta whereas consciousness with concomitant root-conditions is called sahetuka citta. There are 18 ahetuka cittas. They may be classified into three groups as follows: 1 Akusala-vipàka cittas unwholesome resultant cittas that arise as the inevitable results of akusala cittas – 7 2 Ahetuka kusala vipàka cittas wholesome and rootless resultant cittas that arise as the inevitable results of kusala cittas – 8 3 Ahetuka kiriya cittas rootless functional consciousness – 3 Note: Vipàka : kamma-result Kiriya : kriya: functional Vipàka citta and kiriya citta are kammically neutral cittas that are kammically ineffective, i.e., they produce no kammic result. Akusala Vipàka Cittas The seven akusala vipàka cittas are given the following symbols and names. cak ghà kà tã ––––^–– so ji sam 1 Upekkhà-sahagatam cakkhuviññànam eye-consciousness accompanied by indifference 2 Upekkhà-sahagatam sotaviññànam ear-consciousness accompanied by indifference 3 Upekkhà-sahagatam ghànaviññànam nose-consciousness accompanied by indifference 4 Upekkhà-sahagatam jivhàviññànam tongue-consciousness accompanied by indifference 5 Dukkha-sahagatam kàyaviññànam body-consciousness accompanied by painful feeling 6 Upekkhà-sahagatam sampaticchana-cittam receptive consciousness accompanied by indifference 7 Upekkhà-sahagataü santãraõa-cittaü investigating-consciousness accompanied by indifference Of the seven cittas mentioned above, the first five are known as pa¤ca-viññaõa, i.e. five cittas that are conscious of the five senses. The last two, i.e., sampañichana-citta and santãraõa-citta, represent two connecting stages in the process of cognition (awareness of an object). For example, when a visual object appears in the eye, a series of consciousness has to arise and dissolve in order to see the object. First pa¤ca-dvàràvajjana (five-door advertence) adverts the consciousness towards the object. Then cakkhu-viññàõa (eye- consciousness) makes the sense-impression. Then sampañichana (receptive consciousness) receives the sense-impression. Then santãraõa (investigating consciousness) investigates the sense- impression. Then vottappana (determinng consciosness) also known as mano-dvàràvajjana (mind-door advertence) determines the sense-impression whether it is good or bad. We are aware of the object roughly at this stage. Similarly,whenanaudiblevoicestrikestheeardrum,aseries of consciousness, i.e., pa¤ca-dvàràvajjana, sotaviññàõa, sampañichana, santàraõa, mano-dvàràvajjana, etc., has to arise and dissolve before we can hear the voice. Thus sampañichana-citta, santàraõa citta together with pa¤ca dvàràvajjana citta and mano-dvàràvajjana citta are essential for cognition of the senses at the five sense-doors (eye, ear, nose, tongue and body). Ahetuka Kusala Vipàka Cittas This class comprises eight cittas whose symbols and names are similar to those of akusala-vipàka cittas we have just described above. cak ghà kà tã ––––v––+ so ji sam tã 1 Upekkhà-sahagataü cakkhuviññàõaü eye-consciousness accompanied by indifference 2 Upekkhà-sahagataü sotaviññàõaü ear-consciousness accompanied by indifference 3 Upekkhà-sahagataü ghanàviññàõaõ nose-consciousness accompanied by indifference 4 Upekkhà-sahagataü jivhàviññàõaü tongue-consciousness accompanied by indifference 5 Sukkha-sahagataü kàyaviññàõaü body-consciousness accompanied by pleasant feeling 6 Upekkhà-sahagataü sampañichana-cittaü receptive consciousness accompanied by indifference 7 Upekkhà-sahagataü santãraõa-cittaü investigating-consciousness accompanied by indifference 8 Somanassa-sahagataü santãraõa cittaü investigating-consciousness accompanied by joy According to Abhidhamma, one is in contact with disagreeable senses on account of one’s own past akusala-kamma (unwholesome deed) and at these instances akusala vipàka cittas will arise in the cognition process. On the other hand one is in contact with agreeable senses on account of one’s own past kusala-kamma (wholesome deed), and at these instances kusala-vipàka cittas will arise in the cognition processes. Therefore there are a pair of cakkhuviññàõa (eye-cons- ciousness), a pair of sotaviññaõa (ear-consciousness), a pair of ghànaviññàõa (nose-consciousness), a pair of jivhà-viññàõa (tongue- consciousness) and a pair of kàyaviññàõa (body-consciousness). These five pairs together are called ‘dvipañcaviññàõa’. There are of course two sampañichana cittas and three santãraõa cittas. All the akusala-vipàka cittas and ahetuka kusala vipàka cittas, being comparatively weak as they are not aware of the senses as good or bad yet, are accompanied by neutral feeling; the excep- tions are that the two body kàyaviññàõa cittas are accompanied by either painful or pleasant feeling and somanassa-santãraõa citta, which arises when the sense is excellent, is accompanied by joy. Ahetuka Kiriya Cittas The three ahetuka kiriya cittas are given the following symbols and names. 1 Upekkhà-sahagataü pañcadvàràvajjana-cittaü five-door adverting consciousness accompanied by indifference 2 Upekkhà-sahagataü manodvàràvajjana-cittaü mind-door adverting consciousness accompanied by indifference 3 Somanassa-sahagataü hasituppàda-cittaü smile-producing consciousness accompanied by joy The functions of the two avajjana-cittas, i.e., No. 1 and No. 2 above, in the processes of cognition have been described above. If the sense-object appears at one of the five sense-doors, it is pa¤ca-dvàràvajjana which adverts consciousness towards the sense. pañcadvà manodvà hasi ––+ Pañca-dvàràvajjana citta works like a wave-length selector of a radio. Because of it, we can take note of the senses one after one. When the sense or thought-object appears at the mind-door, it is mano-dvàràvajjana which adverts consciousness towards the sense. Hasituppàda-citta can arise only in Buddha and arahats when they smile. Note that it is accompanied by joy whereas the two avajjana cittas are accompanied by neutral feeling.

Posted on: Thu, 07 Nov 2013 04:02:35 +0000

Ahetuka Cittas (Rootless Consciousness) Hetu : mula cause or root - TopicsExpress

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