The subject, the consciousness, receives objects from within and without. When a person is in a state of pro- found sleep his mind is said to be vacant, or, in other words, in a state of Bhavaïga. We always experience such a passive state when our minds do not respond to external objects. This flow of Bhavaïga is interrupted when objects enter the mind. Then the Bhavaïga consciousness vibrates for one thought-moment and passes away. There- upon the sense-door consciousness (Pa¤cadvàràvajjana) arises and ceases. At this stage the natural flow is checked and is turned towards the object. Immediately after there arises and ceases the eye-consciousness18 (Cakkhu Vi¤¤àõa), but yet knows no more about it. This sense operation is followed by a moment of reception of the object so seen (Sampañicchana). Next comes the investi- gating faculty (Santãraõa)19 or a momentary examination of the object so received. After this comes that stage of representative cognition termed the determining con- sciousness (Votthapana). Discrimination is exercised at this stage. Freewill plays its part here. Immediately after there arises the psychologically most important stage—
Impulsion or Javana. It is at this stage that an action is judged whether moral or immoral. Kamma is performed at this stage; if viewed rightly (yoniso manasikàra), the
18. i. e., if the object is a form (råpa). This consciousness depends on the five objects of sense.
19. See Diagram I. p. 51.
Javana becomes moral; if viewed wrongly (ayoniso mana- sikàra), it becomes immoral. In the case of an Arahant this Javana is neither moral nor immoral, but merely func- tional (Kiriya). This Javana stage usually lasts for seven thought-moments, or, at times of death, five. The whole process which happens in an infinitesimal part of time ends with the registering consciousness (Tadàlambana), lasting for two thought-moments—thus completing one thought-process at the expiration of seventeen thought- moments.20
The three kinds of Bhavaïga consciousness are Vipàka. They are either one of the two Santãraõa Cittas, accompanied by indifference, mentioned above, or one of the eight Sobhana Vipàka Cittas, described in section 6.
Pa¤cadvàràvajjana is a Kriyà Citta. Pa¤ca-Vi¤¤àõa is one of the ten moral and immoral Vipàka Cittas. Sampa- ñicchana and Santãraõa are also Vipàka Cittas. The Mano- dvàràvajjana (mind-door consciousness), a Kriyà Citta, functions as the Votthapana consciousness. One can use one’s freewill at this stage. The seven Javana thought- moments constitute Kamma. The Tadàlambana is a Vipàka Citta which is one of the three Santãraõa Cittas or one of the eight Sobhana Vipàka Cittas.
Thus, in a particular thought-process there arise var- ious thought-moments which may be Kamma, Vipàka, or Kriyà.21
20. See Compendium of Philosophy—Introductory Essay — pp. 27–30.
21. A detailed exposition of this subject will appear in chapter IV.
Votthapana
Determining Consciousness Santãraõa
Investigating Consciousness Sampañicchana
Receiving Consciousness Pa¤ca Vi¤¤àõa
Sense-Consciousness Dvàràvajjana
Sense-door Consciousness Bhavaïgupaccheda
Arrest Bhavaïga Bhavaïga Calana Vibrating Bhavaïga Atãta Bhavaïga
Past Bhavaïga
1234 5 6 7 8 9 1011121314151617 Javana Registering ImpulsionConsciousness Tadàlambana
Thought-Process— According to Abhidhamma when an object is presented to the mind through one of the five doors a thought process runs as follows:—
Diagram I
(Sobhana Cittàni)
§ 6. Pàpàhetukamuttàni — Sobhanàni’ti vuccare Ek’ånasaññhicittàni — ath’ekanavutã’pi và
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(Aññha Kàmàvacara Kusala Cittàni)
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1. Somanassa-sahagataü
nàõasampayuttaü asaïkhàrikam ekaü, 2. Somanassa-sahagataü
¤àõasampayuttaü sasaïkhàrikam ekaü, 3. Somanassa-sahagataü
¤àõavippayuttaü asaïkhàrikam ekaü, 4. Somanassa-sahagataü
¤àõavippayuttaü sasaïkhàrikam ekaü, 5. Upekkhà-sahagataü
¤àõasampayuttaü asaïkhàrikam ekaü, 6. Upekkhà-sahagataü
¤àõasampayuttaü sasaïkhàrikam ekaü, 7. Upekkhà-sahagataü
¤àõavippayuttaü asaïkhàrikam ekaü, 8. Upekkhà-sahagataü
¤àõavippayuttaü sasaïkhàrikam’ ekan’ ti Imàni aññha’ pi sahetuka
kàmàvacarakusalacittàni nàma.
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(Aññha Kàmàvacara Vipàka Cittàni)
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9. Somanassa-sahagataü
¤àõasampayuttaü asaïkhàrikam ekaü, 10. Somanassa-sahagataü
¤àõasampayuttaü sasaïkhàrikam ekaü, 11. Somanassa-sahagataü
¤àõavippayuttaü asaïkhàrikam ekaü, 12. Somanassa-sahagataü
¤àõavippayuttaü sasaïkhàrikam ekaü, 13. Upekkhà-sahagataü
¤ànasampayuttaü asaïkhàrikam ekaü, 14. Upekkhà-sahagataü
¤àõasampayuttaü sasaïkhàrikam ekaü, 15. Upekkhà-sahagataü
¤àõavippayuttaü asaïkhàrikam ekaü, 16. Upekkhà-sahagataü
¤àõavippayuttaü sasaïkhàrikam ekan’ ti Imàm aññha’ pi sahetuka
kàmàvacara-vipàkacittàni nàma.
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(Aññha Kàmàvacara Kriyà Cittàni)
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17. Somanassa-sahagataü
¤àõasampayuttaü asaïkhàrikam ekaü,
18. Somanassa-sahagataü
¤àõasampayuttaü sasaïkhàrikam ekam, 19. Somanassa-sahagataü
¤àõavippayuttam asaïkhàrikam ekaü, 20. Somanassa-sahagataü
¤àõavippayuttaü sasaïkhàrikam ekaü, 21. Upekkhà-sahagatam
¤àõasampayuttaü asaïkharikam ekaü, 22. Upekkhà-sahagatam
¤àõasampayuttaü sasaïkhàrikam ekaü, 23. Upekkhà-sahagataü
¤àõavippayuttaü asaïkhàrikam ekaü, 24. Upekkhà-sahagataü
¤àõavippayuttaü sasaïkhàrikam ekan’ ti, Imàni aññha’pi sahetuka-
kàmàvacara-kriyàcittàni nàma.
Icce’ vaü sabbathà’pi sàhetuka—kàmàvacara—
kusala-vipàka-kriyà cittàni samattàni.
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Vedanà-¤àõa-saïkhàra — bhedena catuvisati Sahetå-kàmàvacara — pu¤¤apàkakriyà matà.
Kàme tevãsapàkàni — pu¤¤à’ pu¤¤àni vãsati Ekàdasa kriyà c’àti — catupa¤¤àsa sabbathà.
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24 Types of “Beautiful” Consciousness of the Sensuous Sphere
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§ 6. Excluding those that are evil and without Hetu, the rest are called “Beautiful”. They number either fifty-nine or ninety-one.
(Eight Types of Moral Consciousness)
1. One consciousness, unprompted, accompanied by pleasure, associated with knowledge,
2. One consciousness, prompted, accompanied by pleasure, associated with knowledge,
3. One consciousness, unprompted, accompanied by pleasure, dissociated with knowledge,
4. One consciousness, prompted, accompanied by pleasure, dissociated with knowledge,
5. One consciousness, unprompted, accompanied by indifference,22 associated with knowledge,
6. One consciousness, prompted, accompanied by indifference, associated with knowledge,
7. One consciousness, unprompted, accompanied by indifference, dissociated with knowledge,
8. One consciousness, prompted, accompanied by indifference, dissociated with knowledge.
These are the eight types of moral consciousness, with Roots, of the sensuous sphere.
22. See note 10, p. 32, Here upekkhà may be Equanimity too.
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(Eight types of Resultant Consciousness)
9. One consciousness, unprompted, accompanied by pleasure, associated with knowledge,
10. One consciousness, prompted, accompanied by pleasure, associated with knowledge,
11. One consciousness, unprompted, accompanied by pleasure, dissociated with knowledge.
12. One consciousness, prompted, accompanied by pleasure, dissociated with knowledge,
13. One consciousness, unprompted, accompanied by indifference, associated with knowledge.
14. One consciousness, prompted, accompanied by indifference, associated with knowledge,
15. One consciousness, unprompted, accompanied by indifference, dissociated with knowledge,
16. One consciousness, prompted, accompanied by indifference, dissociated with knowledge,
These are the eight types of Resultant Consciousness, with Hetus, of the sensuous sphere.
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(Eight types of Functional Consciousness)
17. One consciousness, unprompted, accompanied by pleasure, associated with knowledge,
18. One consciousness, prompted, accompanied by pleasure, associated with knowledge,
19. One consciousness, unprompted, accompanied by pleasure, dissociated with knowledge,
20. One consciousness, prompted, accompanied by pleasure, associated with knowledge,
21. One consciousness, unprompted, accompanied by indifference, dissociated with knowledge,
22. One consciousness, prompted accompanied by indifference, associated with knowledge,
23. One consciousness, unprompted, accompanied by indifference, dissociated with knowledge,
24. One consciousness, prompted, accompanied by indifference, dissociated with knowledge.
These are the eight types of Functional Consciousness, with Roots, of the sensuous sphere.
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Thus end, in all, the moral, resultant, functional types of consciousness, with Hetus, of the sensuous sphere.
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(Summary)
The moral, resultant, and functional types of conscious- ness of the sensuous sphere, with Hetus, which differ according to feeling, knowledge, and inducement, should be understood as twenty-four.
In the sensuous sphere twenty-three are “Resultant”
twenty “Moral” and “Immoral”, and eleven are “Func- tional”; fifty-four in all.
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Notes:—
28. Sobhana—so called because they yield good