Citta Paramatta Dhamma

Citta Paramattha Dhamma

 

 Composed by Dai Sung Han

Some rights are reserved, 2012

 

 Citta is one of the four ultimate realities as defined in Abhidhamma. It basically renders ‘consciousness’ into English. Abhidhamma distinguishes two kinds of realities – apparent reality and ultimate reality:

Apparent reality is the ordinary conventional truth or the commonly accepted truth (sammuti-sacca). It is called pabbatti in Abhidhamma.

Ultimate reality is the ultimate truth (paramattha-sacca). It is called paramattha in Abhidhamma.

 

The Four Paramatthas or the Four Ultimate realities.

 

I. Citta—consciousness or awareness. There are 89 or 121kinds of cittas. Citta, ceta, cittuppada, mana, mano, vibbana are used as synonymous terms in Abhidhamma.

II. Cetasika—mental factors or mental concomitants. There are 52 kinds of cetasikas.

It arises and perishes together with citta. They depend on citta for their arising and they have influence on citta. What we usually call ‘mind’ is actually a combination of citta and cetasikas.

III. Rupa—corporeality or material quality. There are 28 kinds of rupa.

It may change form and colour on account of heat or cold.

IV. Nibbana—extinction of defilement and suffering; absolute lasting peace. There is no division for nibbana.

 

Four Classes of Cittas

“Citta” is defined as ‘consciousness of the senses’ or ‘awareness of an object’.

Cittas may be divided into four classes in accordance with the four planes (bhumi) or spheres (avacara): 89 or 121 kinds of cittas

i. Kamavacara cittas – 54 kinds: Consciousness mostly experienced in the sense sphere (kama-loka)

ii. Rupavacara cittas – 15 kinds: Consciousness mostly experienced in the fine-material sphere (rupa-loka)

iii. Arupavacara cittas – 12 kinds: Consciousness mostly experienced in the immaterial sphere (arupa-loka)

iv. Lokuttara cittas – 8 or 40 kinds: Consciousness experienced in the supramundane (transcendental) level

 

Kamavacara cittas are experienced not only in the sense sphere, but also in other spheres. The same thing is true with Rupavacara cittas and Arupavacara cittas.

 

i. Kamavacara Cittas - Consciousness mostly experienced in the kama-loka

There are 54 Kamavacara cittas which may be divided into three classes:

i-1. Akusala cittas (unwholesome consciousness) – 12

i-2. Ahetuka cittas (rootless consciousness) – 18

i-3. Kama-sobhana cittas (sense sphere beautiful consciousness) – 24

 

i-1-1~8. Akusala cittas - Lobha-mula Cittas (consciousness rooted in greed or attachment)

i-1-1. Somanassasahagatam ditthigatasampayuttam asavkharikam

One consciousness, unprompted, accompanied by joy, and connected with wrong view.

e.g. A person is enjoying food and drinks without paying any attention to kamma

i-1-2. Somanassasahagatam ditthigatasampayuttam sasavkharikam

One consciousness, prompted, accompanied by joy, and connected with wrong view.

e.g. A person after being persuaded by his companion, watches a movie joyfully without any attention to kamma.

i-1-3. Somanassasahagatam ditthigatavippayuttam asavkharikam

One consciousness, unprompted, accompanied by joy, and disconnected with wrong view. e.g. A lady delightfully puts on a new dress, but she is aware that attachment to the dress gives rise to lobha-mula cittas.

i-1-4. Somanassasahagatam ditthigatavippayuttam sasavkharikam

One consciousness, prompted, accompanied by joy, and disconnected with wrong view.

e.g. A girl is aware of kamma and its fruits, but she, in compliance with the request of her companions, listens to modern songs joyfully.

i-1-5. Upekkhasahagatam ditthigatasampayuttam asavkharikam

One consciousness, unprompted, accompanied by indifference and connected with wrong view.

e.g. A boy is eating plain rice with salt with some attachment but without joy and knowledge of kamma.

i-1-6. Upekkhasahagatam ditthigatasampayuttam sasavkharikam

One consciousness, prompted, accompanied by indifference and connected with wrong view. e.g. A girl appreciates her new dress after being explained by her mother that the dress is beautiful. But she has neutral feeling and no knowledge of kamma.

i-1-7. Upekkhasahagatam ditthigatavipayuttam asavkharikam

One consciousness, unprompted, accompanied by indifference and disconnected with wrong view. e.g. Reasoning about kamma, you drink coffee with neutral feeling, but still you appreciate the taste.

i-1-8. Upekkhasahagatam ditthigatavipayuttam sasavkharikam

One consciousness, prompted, accompanied by indifference and disconnected with wrong view.

e.g. A lady has knowledge of kamma. But after much persuasion from a sales-woman, she reluctantly buys a new dress.

 

i-1-9~10. Akusala cittas - Dosa-mula Cittas (consciousness rooted in hatred or ill-will)

i-1-9. Domanassasahagatam patighasampayuttam asavkharikam

One consciousness, unprompted, accompanied by displeasure, and connected with ill-will. e.g. Now a mother is worrying about her daughter.

i-1-10. Domanassasahagatam patighasampayuttam sasavkharikam

One consciousness, prompted, accompanied by displeasure, and connected with ill-will.

e.g. A father explained to his son that the son had been cheated. The son became sad.

 

i-1-11~12. Akusala cittas - Moha-mula Cittas (consciousness rooted in ignorance)

i-1-11. Upekkhasahagatam vicikicchasampayuttam

One consciousness, accompanied by indifference, and connected with sceptical doubt e.g. A person who is having doubt about kamma.

i-1-12. Upekkhasahagatam uddhaccasampayuttam  

One consciousness, accompanied by indifference, and connected with restlessness

e.g. A person is listening to a lecture, but he does not understand a word because his mind is restless.

 

i-2-1~7. Ahetuka cittas-Akusala Vipaka Cittas (unwholesome resultant cittas that arise as  

       results of akusala cittas)

i-2-1. Upekkhasahagatam akusalavipakam cakkhuvibbanam:

     Eye-consciousness, unwholesome resultant, accompanied by indifference

i-2-2. Upekkhasahagatam akusalavipakam sotavibbanam

     Ear-consciousness, unwholesome resultant, accompanied by indifference

i-2-3. Upekkhasahagatam akusalavipakam ghanavibbanam

     Nose-consciousness, unwholesome resultant, accompanied by indifference

i-2-4. Upekkhasahagatam akusalavipakam jivhavibbanam

     Tongue-consciousness, unwholesome resultant, accompanied by indifference

i-2-5. Dukkhasahagatam akusalavipakam kayavibbanam

     Body-consciousness, unwholesome resultant, accompanied by painful feeling

i-2-6. Upekkhasahagatam akusalavipakam sampaticchanacittam

     Receptive consciousness, unwholesome resultant, accompanied by indifference

i-2-7. Upekkhasahagatam akusalavipakam santiranacittam

     Investigating-consciousness, unwholesome resultant, accompanied by indifference

 

i-2-8~15. Ahetuka cittas-Kusala Vipaka Cittas (wholesome and rootless resultant cittas that arise as the inevitable results of kusala cittas)

i-2-8. Upekkhasahagatam kusalavipakam cakkhuvibbanam

Eye-consciousness, wholesome resultant, accompanied by indifference,

i-2-9. Upekkhasahagatam kusalavipakam sotavibbanam

Ear-consciousness, wholesome resultant, accompanied by indifference

i-2-10. Upekkhasahagatam kusalavipakam ghanavibbanam

Nose-consciousness, wholesome resultant, accompanied by indifference

i-2-11. Upekkhasahagatam kusalavipakam jivhavibbanam

Tongue-consciousness, wholesome resultant, accompanied by indifference

i-2-12. Sukhasahagatam kusalavipakam kayavibbanam

Body-consciousness, wholesome resultant, accompanied by pleasant feeling

i-2-13. Upekkhasahagatam kusalavipakam sampaticchanacittam

Receptive consciousness, wholesome resultant, accompanied by indifference

i-2-14. Somanassasahagatam kusalavipakam santiranacittam

Investigating-consciousness, wholesome resultant, accompanied by indifference

i-2-15. Upekkhasahagatam kusalavipakam santiranacittam

Investigating-consciousness, wholesome resultant, accompanied by joy

 

i-2-16~18. Ahetuka cittas- Kiriya Cittas (rootless functional consciousness)

i-2-16. Upekkhasahagatam pabcadvaravajjanacittam

Five-door adverting consciousness accompanied by indifference

i-2-17. Upekkhasahagatam manodvaravajjanacittam

Mind-door adverting consciousness accompanied by indifference

i-2-18. somanassasahagatam hasituppadacittam

Smile-producing consciousness accompanied by joy

 

i-3-1~8. Kama-sobhana cittas- Maha-kusala cittas (great moral consciousness)

i-3-1. Somanassasahagatam banasampayuttam asavkharikam

One consciousness, unprompted, accompanied by joy, and associated with knowledge.

e.g. A lady with the knowledge of kamma and with joy offers flowers to a pagoda on her own accord.

i-3-2. Somanassasahagatam banasampayuttam sasavkharikam,

One consciousness, prompted, accompanied by joy, and associated with knowledge.

e.g. A girl, after being persuaded by her companion, goes to listen to a Dhamma talk with joy and with the knowledge of kamma.

i-3-3. Somanassasahagatam banavipayuttam asavkharikam

One consciousness, unprompted, accompanied by joy, and dissociated with knowledge.

e.g. A boy spontaneously gives some money to a beggar with joy but without the knowledge of kamma.

i-3-4. Somanassasahagatam banavipayuttam sasavkharikam

One consciousness, prompted, accompanied by joy, and dissociated with knowledge.

e.g. A man, after being requested by the headmaster to donate some money to the school, donates one hundred dollars joyfully without knowing kamma and its result.

i-3-5. Upekkhasahagatam banasampayuttam asavkharikam

One consciousness, unprompted, accompanied by indifference, and associated with knowledge. e.g. A girl sweeps the floor with neutral feeling but knows it is a wholesome thing to do.

i-3-6. Upekkhasahagatam banasampayuttam sasavkharikam

One consciousness, prompted, accompanied by indifference, and associated with knowledge. e.g. A man, prompted by a monk, chop wood with neutral feeling but knowing it to be a meritorious deed.

i-3-7. Upekkhasahagatam banavipayuttam asavkharikam

One consciousness, unprompted, accompanied by indifference, and dissociated with knowledge. e.g. A woman reads a Dhamma book on her own accord without understanding the meaning and without knowing kamma and its result.

i-3-8. Upekkhasahagatam banavipayuttam sasavkharikam

One consciousness, unprompted, accompanied by indifference, and dissociated with knowledge. e.g. A girl, prompted by her mother, washes her parents’ clothes without joy and without thinking about kamma and kamma-result.

 

i-3-8~16. Kama-sobhana cittas- Maha-vipaka Cittas

i-3-17~24. Kama-sobhana cittas- Maha-kiriya Cittas

 

The eight maha-vipaka cittas as well as the eight maha-kiriya cittas are named in the same way as the eight Maha-kusala cittas. When one wishes to differentiate between the three classes of cittas, one may say like this:

1 Somanassasahagatam banasampayuttam asavkharikam mahakusala cittam

2 Somanassasahagatam banasampayuttam asavkharikam maha vipaka cittam

3 Somanassasahagatam banasampayuttam asavkharikam maha kiriya cittam

 

ii. Rupavacara cittas (Consciousness mostly experienced in rupa-loka): 15 kinds

 There are 15 rupavacara cittas which are divided into three classes in the same way as the kamavacara-sobhaoa cittas are equally divided into kusala, vipaka and kiriya cittas.

 

ii-1. Rupavacara kusala cittas– Five rupa-jhana (moral consciousness)

ii-2. Rupavacara vipaka cittas – Five rupa-jhana (resultant consciousness)

ii-3. Rupavacara kiriya cittas –Five rupa-jhana (functional consciousness)

 

The Five Rupa-jhanas

(i) Kasina Jhana: mental absorption resulting from intense concentration on a meditation

device known as Kasina.

(ii) Abhibbayatana jhana: mental absorption resulting from mastery over object of

concentration.

(iii) Vimokkha jhana: mental absorption resulting from complete freedom from nīvaranas

or hindrances, as long as the jhana lasts.

(iv) Brahmavihara jhana: mental absorption resulting from development and diffusion of

Goodwill, Compassion, Sympathetic Joy and Equanimity.

(v) Asubha jhana: mental absorption resulting from intensive concentration on foulness

of the dead body.

 

iii. Arupavacara cittas (Consciousness mostly experienced in Arupa-loka): 12 kinds

 There are 12 arupavacara cittas which are equally divided into three groups of kusala, vipaka and kiriya cittas.

iii-1. Arupavacara kusala cittas – 4 arupa-jhana (moral consciousness)

iii-2. Aupavacara vipaka cittas – 4 arupa-jhana (resultant consciousness)

iii-3. Arupavacara kiriya cittas – 4 arupa-jhana (functional consciousness)

 

The Five Arupa-jhanas

 

(i) Ākāsānabcāyatana jhana: mental absorption in the concept 'Space is Infinite'

(ii) Vibbānabcāyatana jhana: mental absorption in the concept 'Consciousness is Infinite'.

(iii) Ākibcabbāyatana jhana: mental absorption in the concept 'Nothing is there'

(iv) Nevasabbānāsabbā yatana jhana: the jhana of neither Consciousness nor

non-consciousness.

 

iv. Lokuttara cittas (Supramundane Consciousness): 8 or 40 kinds

Lokuttara Kusala Cittas (Supramundane Moral Consciousness)

 

Basically there are four lokuttara kusala cittas as acquired in the

vipassana-yanika route. They are:

iv-1 Sotapatti-magga-cittam

iv-2 Sakadagami-magga-cittam

iv-3 Anagami-magga-cittam

iv-4 Arahatta-magga-cittam

 

Since each of these four basic path-consciousness can associate with five rupavacara jhanas in turn, there are 20 jhana path consciousness. These are realized in samatha-yanika (leading to, conducive to tranquility) route.

 

Lokuttara Vipāka Cittas (Supramundane Resultant Consciousness)

Basically here are four lokuttara vipāka cittas as the fruitions of

the four lokuttara kusala cittas. These four types of supramundane

resultant consciousness are realized in the vipassanā-yanika route.

 

1 Sotapatti-phala-cittam

2 Sakadagami-phala-cittam

3 Anagami-phala-cittam

4 Arahatta-phala-cittam

 

Again each of these four basic fruit-consciousness can associate with five rupavacara jhanas in turn, giving rise to 20 fruit consciousness in all. These are realized in samatha-yanika route.

 

Conclusion

The classification does not show much coherence. Not only Kamavacara cittas show lack of systematization or necessity for such ramification but also there is no reason why Lokuttara cittas should combine with rupavacara jhanas.The only explanation can be arbitrary. Inspite of rupa classification in Dhammasavgani is quite identical with that of Abhidhamma-atthasaṅgaha except the fact that in the latter one more factor is added, that is hadayavatthu or heart base, in citta classification it shows complete difference between them. The earlier text, Dhammasavgani, has no differentiation between citta and cetasika yet. And its first chapter, Cittupada Kanda, Division on uprising of thoughts, contains 57 factors in which one factor occurs twice – that is sammaditthi, right view. Apparently these factors are merely collected from suttas and put them together. Hence it also does not show much systematization. In later time, as in Abhidhammatthasaṅgaha scholasticism divided them and tried to systemize it. However it reveals lack of their philosophical ability for the classification is quite arbitrary and it contain many blunders, like one factor occur both rupa and cetasika, that is jivitindriya, life faculty.