Chapter III

Compendium of the Miscellaneous (Pankinnakasangahahvibhaga)

§1 Introductory Verse

Having explained accordingly the fifty-three associated states – consciousness and mental factors – with respect to tier intrinsic nature, now, taking consciousness alone, we will deal concisely with its classification by way feelings, roots, functions, doors, objects, and bases.

Guide to §1

The fifty-three associated states; Though 89 (or 121) types of consciousness are recognized in the Abhidamma, these are treated collectively as a single damma or reality because they all have the same characteristic, namely, the cognizing of an object. However, the fifty two cetasikas are considered to be each a separate reality because they all have different characteristics. Thus there are altogether fifty-three associated mental phenomena.

Taking Consciousness Alone (cittuppadavasen’ eva): The Pali term cittuppāda literally means an arising of consciousness. In other contexts it implies the citta together with its collection of cetasika but here it denotes citta itself. Nevertheless, it should be understood that consciousness always occurs in indissoluble union with its cetasikas, which often form the basis for its analysis and classification.

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Compendium of Feeling (Vedanansangaha)

§2 Analysis of Feeling

Guide to §2

In the compendium of feeling there are first three kinds of feeling, namely, pleasant, painful and that which is neither painful not pleasant. Again, feeling is analyzed as fivefold: pleasure, pain, joy, displeasure and equanimity.

Analysis of Feeling: As we have seen, feeling (vedanā) is a universal mental factor, the cetasika with the function of experiencing the “flavour” of the object. Since some sort of feeling accompanies every citta, feeling serves as an important variable in terms of which consciousness can be classified. In this section the author’s main concern is to classify the totality of cittas by way of their concomitant feeling.

Three kinds of feeling: Feeling may be analyzed as either threefold or fivefold. When it is analyzed simply in terms of its affective quality, it is threefold: pleasant, painful, and neither-painful nor-pleasant. In this threefold classification, pleasant feeling includes both bodily pleasure and mental pleasure or joy, and painful feeling includes both bodily pain and mental pain or displeasure.

Feeling is analyzed as fivefold: When feeling is analyzed by way of the governing faculty (indriya), it becomes fivefold. These five types of feelings are called faculties because they exercise lordship or control (indra) over their associated states with respect to the affective mode of experiencing the object.

When the fivefold analysis of feeling is considered, the pleasant feeling of the threefold scheme becomes divided into pleasure and joy, and former bodily and the latter mental; the painful feeling of the threefold scheme becomes divided into pain and displeasure, again the former bodily and the latter mental; and neither-painful-nor-pleasant feeling becomes identified with equanimity or neutral feeling.

In the Suttas the Buddha sometimes also speaks of feeling as twofold, pleasure (sukha) and pain (dukkha). This is a loose or metaphorical method of analysis, arrived at by merging the blameless neutral feeling in pleasure and the blameworthy neutral feeling in pain. The Buddha further declares that whatever is felt is included in suffering (yam kinci vedayitam tam dukkhasmim) In this statement the word Dukkha does not bear the narrow meaning of painful feeling, but the broader meaning of the suffering inherent in all conditioned things by reason of their impermanence.

Pleasure (sukha) has the characteristic of experiencing a desirable tangible object, the function of intensifying associated states, manifestation as bodily enjoyment, and its proximate cause is the body faculty

Pain (dukkha) has the characteristic of experiencing an undesirable tangible object, the function of withering associated states, manifestation as bodily affliction, and its proximate cause is also the body faculty.

Joy (somanassa) has the characteristic of experiencing a desirable object, the function of partaking of the desirable aspect of the object, manifestation as mental enjoyment, and its proximate cause in readability.

Displeasure (domanassa) has the characteristic of experiencing an undesirable object, the function of attaining undesirable aspect of the object, manifestation as mental enjoyment and is proximate case is the heart-base.

Equanimity (upekkha) has the characteristic of being felt as neutral, the function of neither intensifying nor withering associated states, manifestation as peacefulness and its proximate cause is consciousness without zest.

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§3 Classification Was of Consciousness

Of them, wholesome-resultant body-consciousness is the only one accompanied by pleasure.

Similarly, unwholesome-resultant body-consciousness is the only one accompanied by pain.

There are sixty-two kinds of consciousness accompanied by joy, namely:

(a) Eighteen types of sense-sphere consciousness – four rooted in greed, twelve types of sense-sphere beautiful consciousness, the two (rootless) types, joyful investigating and smiling consciousness ( 4 + 12 + 2);

(b) forty-four types of sublime and supramundane consciousness pertaining to the first, second, third, and fourth jhānas.

Only the two types of consciousness connected with aversion are accompanied by displeasure.

All the remaining fifty-five types of consciousness are accompanied by equanimity.

Guide to §3

The remaining fifty-five: Those cittas accompanied by equanimity are:

1. Six unwholesome cittas, four rooted in greed, two in delusion
2. Fourteen rootless cittas;
3. Twelve sense sphere beautiful cittas (four each wholesome, resultant, and functional);
4. three cittas of the fifth jhāna
5. twelve cittas of the immaterial jhānas; and
6. Eight supramundane cittas, example, the paths and fruits pertaining to the fifth supramundane jhāna

page 117*

§4 Summary

Feeling, therein, is threefold, namely, pleasure, pain and equanimity. Together with joy and displeasure it is fivefold. Pleasure and pain are each found in one, displeasure in two, joy in sixty-two, and the remaining (equanimity) in fifty-five.

Guide to §4

Pleasure and pain are each found in one: It should be noted that while the four pairs of sense consciousness other than body-consciousness are accompanied by equanimous feeling, body-consciousness arises in connection with either pleasure or pain. The Atthasālinī explains that in the case of the four doors-eye, ear, nose,and tongue – accompanied by equanimous feeling, body-consciousness arises in connection with either pleasure or pain. The Atthasālinī explains that in the case of the four doors – eye, ear, nose, and tongue – The sense object, which is derived matter, impinges on the sense faculty, which is also derived matter. When this happens, the impact is not strong enough, as when four balls of cotton placed on anvils are struck by four other balls of cotton. Thus the resulting feeling is neutral. But in the case of the body, the object consists of three of the primary elements. – earth, fire, and air. Thus when the object impinges on body-sensitivity, its impact is strong and conveyed to the primary elements of the body. This is comparable to four balls of cotton being struck by hammers, the hammer breaks through the cotton and hits the anvil. In the case of a desirable object the body-consciousness is wholesome-resultant and the concomitant bodily feeling is physical pleasure, in the case of an undesirable object the body-consciousness is an unwholesome-resultant and the concomitant bodily feeling is physical pain.

Table 3.1 Compendium of Feeling

Page 118*

Analysis of Roots: In this section all types of consciousness are classified by way of their concomitant hetus or “roots”. In the Suttas the word hetu is used in the general sense to cause or reason (kārana). There it is synonymous with the word paccaya, condition, with which it is often conjoined, and it applies to any phenomenon that functions as a cause or reason for other things. In the Abhidamma, however, hetu is used exclusively in the specialized sense of root (mūla), and it is restricted in application to six mental factors representing ethically significant qualities.

Formally defined, a root is a mental factor which establishes firmness and stability in the cittas and cetasikas with which it is associated. For it is said that those cittas that possess roots are firm and stable, like trees, while those that are rootless are weak and unstable, like moss.

Of the six roots enumerated in the text, three – greed, hatred, and delusion – are exclusively unwholesome, while three – non-greed, non-hatred, and non-delusion – may be either wholesome or indeterminate. They are wholesome when they arise in wholesome cittas and indeterminate when they arise in resultant and functional cittas. In either case, whether wholesome or indeterminate, these three roots are beautiful (sobhana) cetasikas.

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§6 Classification was of Consciousness

Therein, eighteen types of consciousness are without roots, namely, five-door adverting, the two sets of fivefold sense consciousness, receiving, investigating, determining, and smiling ( 1 + 5 + 5 + 2 +3 +1 + 1) All the remaining seventy-one types of consciousness are with roots.

Of them the two types of consciousness associated with sheer delusion have only one root. The remaining ten unwholesome types of consciousness and the twelve sense-sphere beautiful types of consciousness dissociated from knowledge – thus totaling twenty-two – are with two roots.

The twelve sense-sphere beautiful types of consciousness associated with knowledge, and the thirty-five sublime and supramundane types of consciousnesses – thus totaling forty-seven – are with three roots.

Guide to §6

The remaining ten unwholesome types of consciousness: The eight cittas accompanied by greed have greed and delusion as roots; the two cittas accompanied by aversion have hatred and delusion as roots.

The twelve… Dissociated from knowledge: These sense-sphere beautiful cittas – four each wholesome, resultant, and functional – are conditioned by non-greed and non-hatred; non-delusion is excluded because they are disassociated from knowledge.

Forty-seven… with three roots: These cittas are conditioned by the three beautiful roots.

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§7 Summary

Greed, hatred, and delusion are the three unwholesome roots. Non-greed, non-hatred, and non-delusion are (the three roots that are) wholesome and indeterminate.

Table 3.2 Compendium of Roots

It should be understood that eighteen (types of consciousness) are without roots, two with one root, twenty two with two roots, and forty-seven with three roots.

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Compendium of Functions (kiccasangaha)

§8 Analysis of Functions

In the compendium of functions there are fourteen functions, namely: 1) rebirth-linking 2) Life-continuum 3) adverting 4) seeing 5) hearing 6) smelling 7) tasting 8) touching 9) receiving 10) investigating 11) determining 12) javana 13) registration, and 14) death

Their further classification should be understood by way of stage as tenfold, namely: (1) rebirth-linking (2) life-continuum, (3) adverting (4) fivefold sense consciousness, and so forth.

Guide to §8

Analysis of functions: In this section the eighty-nine types of consciousness are classified by way of function. The Abhidamma posits altogether fourteen functions performed by different kinds of consciousness. These are exercised either at distinct phases within the cognitive process, or on occasions when consciousness is occurring outside the cognitive process , that is, in process-freed (vithimutta) consciousness.

Rebirth-linking (patisandhi): This function exercised at conception is called rebirth-linking because it links the new existence to the previous one. The consciousness that performs this function, the patisandhicitta or rebirth-linking consciousness, occurs only once in any individual existence, at the moment of rebirth.

Life-Continuum – (bhavanga): The word bhavanga means factor (anga) of existence (bhava), that is, the indispensable condition of existence. Bhavanga is the function of consciousness by which the continuity of the individual is preserved through the duration of any single existence, from conception to death. After the patisandchittta has arisen and fallen away, it is then followed by the Bhavangacitta, which is a resultant consciousness of the same type as the patisandcitta but which performs a different function, namely, the function of preserving the continuity of the individual existence. Bhavangacittas arise and pass away every moment during life whenever there is no active cognitive process taking place. This type of consciousness is most evident during deep dreamless sleep, but it also occurs momentarily during waking life countless times between occasions of active cognition.

When an object impinges on a sense door, the Bhavanga is arrested and an active cognitive process ensues for the purpose of cognizing the object. Immediately after the cognitive process is completed, again the Bhavanga supervenes and continues until the next cognitive process arises. Arising and perishing at every moment during this passive phase of consciousness, the Bhavanga flows on like a stream, without remaining static for two consecutive moments.

Adverting – (āvajjana): When an object impinges at one of the sense doors or at the mind door, there occurs a mind-moment called bhavanga-calana, vibration of the life continuum, by which bhavanga consciousness ‘vibrates’ for a single moment. This is followed by another moment called bhavanga-upaccheda, arrest of the life continuum, by which the flow of the bhavanga is cut off. Immediately after this, a citta arises turning to the object, either at one of the five physical sense doors or at the mind door. This function of turning to the object is termed adverting.

Seeing, etc: In a cognitive process at the sense doors, after the moment of adverting, there arises a citta which directly cognized the impingement object. This citta, and the specific function it performs, is determined by the nature of the object. If the object is a visible form, eye-consciousness arises seeing it; if it is a sound, ear-consciousness arise hearing it, and so forth. In this context, the functions of seeing and hearing, do not refer to the cognitive acts which explicitly cognitive acts which explicitly identify the object of sight and hearing as such. They signify, rather, the rudimentary momentary occasions of consciousness by which the sense datum is experienced in its bare immediacy and simplicity prior to all identificatory, cognitive operations. pg 123

Receiving: In the case of a cognitive process through any of the five sense doors, following the citta that performs the function of seeing, there arise in succession cittas that perform the functions of receiving (sampaticchana), investigating (santirana), and determining (votthapana) the object. In the case of a cognitive process occurring in the mind door independently of the physical sense, these three functions do not occur; rather, mind-door adverting follows immediately upon the cutting off of the Bhavanga without any intermediate functions.

Javana: Javana is a technical term of Abhidhamma usage that is best left untranslated. The literal meaning of the word is running swiftly. As a function of consciousness it applies to the stage of the cognitive process that immediately follows the determining stage and consists of a series of cittas (normally seven, all identical in kind) which “run swiftly’ over the object in the act of apprehending it. The javana stage is the most important from an ethical standpoint, for it is at this point that wholesome or unwholesome cittas originate.

Registration (tadārammana): The word tadārammana means literally “having that object” and denotes the function of taking as object the object that had been apprehended by the javanas. This functions is exercised for two mind-moments immediately after the javana phase in a sense-sphere cognitive process when the object is either very prominent to the senses or to the clear mind. When the object lacks special prominence or clarity, as well as in other types of cognitive process apart from the sense-sphere process, this function is not exercised at all. Following registration (or the javana phase when registration does not occur) the stream on consciousness again lapses back into the bhavanga.

Death (cuti) : The death consciousness is the last citta to occur in an individual existence: it is the citta which marks the exit from a particular life. This citta is of the same type as the rebirth-linking consciousness and the bhavanga, and like them it pertains to the process-freed side of existence, the passive flow of consciousness outside an active cognitive process. It differs from them in that it performs a different function, namely, the function of passing way.

By way of stage as tenfold: The word “stage” (thāna) means a moment or occasion between two other cittas at which a given citta is able to arise. Although there are fourteen functions of consciousness, the five sensory functions of seeing, all occupy the same stage of the cognitive process, between the two stages of adverting and receiving. Thus the fourteen function can be condensed into ten stages of consciousness.

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§9 Classification by way of Consciousness

Of them, nineteen types of consciousness perform the functions of rebirth-linking, life-continuum, and death. They are: two types of investigating consciousness accompanied by equanimity: eight great resultants: and nine fine-material-sphere and immaterial-sphere resultants (2 + 8 + 9 = 19).

Two perform the function of adverting.

Similarly, two perform each of the functions of seeing, hearing, smelling, tasting, and receiving.

Three perform the function of investigating.

The mind-door adverting consciousness performs the function of determining in the five sense doors.

With the exception of the two types of adverting consciousness, the fifty-five types of unwholesome. wholesome, fruition and functional consciousness perform the function of javana.

The eight great resultants and the three types of investigating consciousness, totalling eleven, perform the function of registration.

Guide to §9

Classification by way consciousness: The present section will be less likely to cause perplexity if it is recognized that there is a distinction between a type of consciousness and the function after which it is commonly named. Although certain types of consciousness are named after a single function that they perform, this name is chosen as a convenient designation and does not mean that the type of consciousnesses so named is confined to that particular function. To the contrary, a given type of consciousness may perform several functions completely different from the one with reference to which it is named.

The functions of rebirth-linking, life continuum, and death: As pointed out above, in any single life it is the same type of consciousness that performs the three functions or rebirth-linking, life-continuum, and death. At the moment of conception this type of consciousness arises linking the new existence to the old one; throughout the course of life this same type of consciousness arises countless times as the passive flow of Bhavanga, maintaining the continuity of existence; and at death this same type of consciousness again occurs as the passing away from the old existence.

There are nineteen cittas which perform theses three functions. The unwholesome-resultant investigating consciousness (satīrana) does so in the case of those beings who take rebirth into the woeful planes – the hells, the animal realm, the sphere of petas, and the host of asuras. The wholesome-resultant investigating consciousness accompanied by equanimity performs these functions in the case of a human rebirth as one who is congenitally blind, def, dumb, as well as among certain lower classes of gods and spirits. While the deformity itself is due to unwholesome kamma, the human rebirth is the result of wholesome kamma, though of a relatively weak degree. It should not be thought that investigation occurs at the moment of rebirth or during the life continuum for a consciousness can perform only one function at a time. The eight great resultants – the beautiful sense-sphere resultants with two and three roots – perform these three functions for those reborn in the fortunate sensuous realms as gods and humans free from congenital defects.

The above ten cittas pertain to rebirth in the sensuous plane.

The five fine-material-sphere resultants serve as rebirth consciousness, life-continuum, and death consciousness for those reborn into the fine material plane of existence, and the four immaterial-sphere resultants for those reborn into the respective immaterial planes of existence.

The function of averting: The five-sense-door adverting consciousness (pañcadvārāvajjana) performs this function when a sense object impinges on one of the five physical sense doors. The mind-door adverting consciousness (manodvārāvajjana) does so when when an object arises at the mind door. Both these cittas are rootless functionals (ahetukakiriya).

The function of seeing.: the two cittas that perform each of these five functions are the wholesome-resultant and unwholesome-resultant eye-consciousness. page 125

Receiving: The function of receiving is performed by two types of receiving consciousness (sampaticchanacitta)

The function of investigation: The three cittas that perform this function are the two rootless resultants accompanied by equanimity – one wholesome-resultant, the other unwholesome-resultant, the rootless wholesome-resultant accompanied by joy.

The function of determining: There is no distinct citta known as determining consciousness. It is the same type of citta – a rootless functional consciousness accompanied by equanimity. That performs the function of mind-door adverting in the mind-door process and the function of determining in a process in the five physical sense doors. page 128

The Function of Javana: The fifty-five cittas, that function as javanas are the twelve unwholesome cittas, twenty-one, wholesome cittas, four resultants (i.e. the supramundane fruits), and the eighteen functional (the two advertiser cittas being excepted)

The Function of Registration: These eleven are resulting cittas. When the three investigating consciousnesses perform the functions of registration, they do not simultaneously perform the functions of registration, they do not simultaneously perform the function of investigating.

Table 3.3 Compendium of Functions

Page 125 – 128*

§10 Classification by Numbers of Functions

Of them, the two types of investigation consciousness accompanied by equanimity perform five functions – rebirth-linking, life continuum, death, registration, and investigation.

The eight great resultants perform four functions – rebirth-linking, life – continuum, death and registration.

The nine sublime resultants perform three functions – rebirth – relinking, life continuum, and death.

The investigating consciousness accompanied by joy performs two functions – investigating and registration.

Similarly, the determining consciousness performs two functions – determining and adverting.

The eight great resultants perform four functions – rebirth – relinking, life continuum, and death.

All the remaining types of consciousness – javana, the triple mind element and the two types of five fold consciousness – perform only one function as they arise.

The investigation consciousnesses accompanied by joy performs two functions – investigating and registration.

Similarly, the determining consciousness performs two functions – determining and averting.

All the remaining types of consciousness – javana, the triple mind element, and the two types of fivefold sense consciousness – perform only one function as they arise.

Guide to § 10

Javana: The fifty-five cittas that perform the function of javana occur solely in the javana and do not perform any other functions.

The Triple Mind Element: The five-door adverting consciousness and the two types of receiving consciousness.

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Guide to §10

Javana: The fifty-five cittas that perform the function of javana occur solely in the role of javana and do not perform any other functions.

The triple mind element: the five-door adverting consciousness and the two types of receiving consciousness.

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§11 Summary

The types of consciousness are declared to be fourteen according to functions such as rebirth-linking and so forth and ten according to analysis by stages. It is stated that those which perform one function are sixty-eight; two functions, two; three functions, nine; four functions, eight; and five functions, two respectively.

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Compendium of Doors (Dvārasangaha)

§12 Analysis of Doors

In the compendium of doors, there are six doors, namely: Eye door, ear door, nose door, tongue door, body door, and mind door.

Therein, the eye itself is the eye door; and so for the ear door and the others. But the life continuum is called the mind door.

Guide to §12

Analysis of doors: The term “door” (dvāra) is used metaphorically in the Abhidhamma to denote the media through which the mind interacts with the objective world. Three doors of action are specified – body, speech, and mind – the channels through which the mind acts upon the world. Again, six doors of cognition are recognized: the six sense doors by which the citta and cetasikas go out to meet the object and by which objects enter into the range of the citta and cetasikas. In the present section the author will first enumerate the six sense doors. Then he will identify the cittas that arise through each door and classify the cittas accordingly to the number of doors through which they arise.

The eye itself is the eye door: Five of the doors are material phenomena (rūpa), namely, the sensitive matter (pasādararūpa) in each of the five sense organs. Each of these serves as a door by which the citta and cetasikas occurring in a cognitive process gain access to their object, and by which the object becomes accessible to the cittas and the cetasikas. Eye-sensitivity, is the door for the cittas belonging to an eye-door process, enabling them to cognize, visible forms through the eye. The same holds for the other sensitivities of the sense organs in relation to their respective processes and objects.

The life-continuum is called the mind door: Unlike the first five doors, the mind door (manodvāra) is not the material but mental (nāma) namely, (bhavanga) consciousness. When an object is to be cognized by a mind-door process, the cittas belonging to that process gains access to the object solely through the mind door, without immediate dependence on any material sense faculty.

Different commentaries express contrary opinion about the precise denotation of the mind door. The Vibhavini-Tika states that the Bhavanga citta immediately preceding the mind-door adverting consciousness, the arrest Bhavanga (Bhavang-upaccheda), is the mind door. Other Abhidamma commentaries identify the mind door as the Bhavanga citta together with the mind-door adverting. However, Ledi Sayadaw and the commentary to the Vibhanga both state that the entire Bhavanga without distinction is called the mind door.

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§13 Classification by way of Consciousness

Therein, forty-six types of consciousness arise in the eye door according to circumstances: five-door adverting, eye-consciousness, receiving, investigating, determining, sense-sphere javanas, and registration.

Likewise in the ear door, forty six types of consciousness arise, five-door adverting, ear-consciousness, and so forth.

It should be understood that altogether the fifty-four types of sense sphere conciousness occur in the five doors.

In the mind door sixty-seven types of consciousness arise: mind-door adverting, fifty-five types of consciousness arise: mind-door adverting, fifty-five javanas and registration.

Nineteen types of consciousness are door-freed, occurring by way of rebirth-linking, life continuum, and death.

Guide to §13

Forty-six types of consciousness arise in the eye door: The forty-six types of consciousness arise in the eye door: The forty-six cittas are a follows:

1 five-door adverting consciousness

2 eye-consciousnesses

2 recieving conciousness

3 investigating consciousness

1 determining conciousness

29 sense-sphere javanas (12 unwholesome, 8 wholesome, 8 beautiful functional, 1 smile producing functional)

8 registration (= sense-sphere beautiful resultants; the other three being included under investigation consciousness – see §9).

The same types of cittas arise in the other four physical sense doors with their respective object, except that in each case the pair of sense consciousness are to be replaced in correlation with the sense door.

According to circumstances (yathāraham): Although a total of forty-six cittas arise in the eye door, they cannot all arise together in one process, but only as determined by conditions. Ledi Sayadaw specifies these condition as (i) the object (ii) the plane of existence (iii) the individual and (iv) attention.

(i) For example, if the object is undesirable, then the eye-consciousness, receiving investigating, and registration are unwholesome-resultants, while if the object is exceptionally desirable, then they are wholesome-resultants. If the object is exceptionally desirable investigating and registration consciousness are accompanied by joy, while if the object is only moderately desirable, they are accompanied by equanimity.

(ii) If an eye-door process occurs in the sensuous plane (kamabhūmi). All forty-six cittas can arise, but if the process occurs in the fine-material plane (rūpabhūmi)

(iii) If the individual is a worlding or a trainee, the javana cittas will be wholesome or unwholesome (according to the level of attainment in the case of trainees), while if the individual is an Arahant the javansa will be functional.

(iv) If a worlding or a trainee applies wise attention (yonsio mansikara), wholesome javans will arise, while if unwise attention is applied, unwholesome javanas will arise. Similarly, whether prompted or unprompted cittas arise is also governed by circumstances.

The fifty-four types of sense-sphere consciousness occur in the five doors: In an any single door, all types of sense-sphere consciousness occur except for the four pairs of sense consciousness

In the mind door: All fifty-five types of javana occur in the mind door. Only twenty-two cittas do not occur in the mind door: the five-door adverting, the two sets of five-fold sense consciousness pertained to the other four sense faculties. Thus when these are totaled, all types of sense sphere consciousness occur in the five door adverting, the two sets of fivefold sense consciousness, the two types of receiving consciousness, the fivefine-material resultants, and the four immaterial resultants.

Door-freed (dvāravimutta): These nineteen cittas, enumerated in §9, are known as “door-freed” because their particular functions of rebirth, bhavanga, and death do not occur in the sense doors and because they do not receive any new object but apprehend only the object determined by the last cognitive process of the preceding existence.

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§14 Classification by Number of Doors

Of those (that arise through doors), thirty-six types of consciousness – the two set of fivefold sense consciousness and the sublime and supramundane javanas – are with one door accordingly. The three mind elements arise through the five doors.

Joyful investigation, determining, and the sense sphere javanas arise through six doors.

Investigating consciousness accompanied by equanimity and the great resultants arise either through the six doors or as door-freed. The sublime resultants always arise as door-freed.

Table 3.4: Compendium of Doors

Page 132-133*

Guide to §14

Accordingly: The two sets of five fold sense consciousness arise only in their respective sense doors, the sublime and supramundane javans arise only in the mind door.

Joyful investigating: This citta arises with the functions of investigating and registration in the five sense doors and with the function of registration alone in the mind door.

Determining: This citta performs the functions of determining in the five sense doors and the function of adverting in the mind door.

The Great Resultants: These eight cittas, like the two types of investigating consciousness accompanied by equanimity, arise through the six doors in the role of registration, and as door-freed in the roles of rebirth, bhavanga, and death consciousness.

The Sublime Resultants: These nine cittas – the five fine-material sphere resultants and the four immaterial-sphere resultants – arise exclusively in their respective planes as rebirth, bhavanga, and death consciousness. Hence they are always free of doors.

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§15 Summary

Thirty-six types of consciousness arise through one door, three through five doors, thirty-one through six doors, ten through six doors or as door-freed, nine wholly free from a door. Thus in five ways they are shown.

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§16 Analysis of Objects: In the compendium of objects, there are six kinds of objects, namely, visible form object, sound object, smell object, taste object, tangible object, and mental object.

Therein, visible form itself is visible form object. Likewise, sound, are sound object, But mental object is sixfold: sensitive matter, subtle matter, consciousness, mental factors, Nibbāna, and concepts.

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Guide to §16

Analysis of Objects: Every consciousness, along with its associated mental factors, necessarily takes an object, for consciousness itself essentially consists in the activity of cognizing an object. In Pali two principal words are used to denote an object. One is ārammana, derived from a root meaning ” to delight in.” The other is ālambana, derived from an altogether different root meaning “to hang on to.” Thus the object is that which consciousness and its concomitants delight in or that which they hang on to. In this section the author will first specify the kinds of objects. Then he will determine which kinds of objects occur through each of the six doors as well as to door-freed consciousness. Finally he will determine which kinds of objects occur through each of the six doors as well a to door-freed consciousness. Finally he will determine the range of objects taken by each type of consciousness.

Six kinds of objects: In the Abhidhamma six kinds of objects are recognized, corresponding to the six senses. The first five are all included in the category of materiality. Four of these – visible form, sound, smell, and taste – are considered to be kinds of derived matter (upādā rupā), that is, secondary material phenomena dependent on the primary elements of matter. The tangible object is identified with three of the four primary elements themselves: the earth element, or solidity, which is experienced by touch as hardness or softness: the fire element, which is experienced as heat or cold and the air element, which is experience as distension or pressure. The fourth primary element, the water element, has the characteristic of cohesion, and this, according to the Abhidhamma, cannot be experienced as a datum of touch but can only be cognized through the mind door.

Mental object is sixfold: Each of the first five objects can be cognized in any of these ways (1) through its own respective sense-door process; (2) through a mind-door process and (3) by the process freed cittas occurring in the roles of rebirth-linking, bhavanga, and death. Mental objects – the objects of the sixth class – cannot be cognized at all through a sense-door process. They can be cognized only by the cittas of a mind-door process or by the process-freed cittas that occur independent of the sense doors.

Six kinds of objects fall into the category of mental object (dhamārammana). Sensitive matter (pasādarūpa), is the sensory receptive substance in the five sense organs; it is fivefold, eye-sensitivity, ears sensitivity, Subtle matter (sukhumarūpa) includes sixteen species of material phenomena enumerated below, among them the water element. Citta is also a type of mental object. Through citta experiences objects, cittas in turn can become and object. It should be noted that a citta in its immediacy cannot become its own object. for the recognizing cannot cognize itself, but a citta in an individual mental continuum cab experience earlier cittas in the same continuum as well as the cittas of other beings. The fifty-two cetasikas can also become objects of a mind door process, as for example, when one becomes aware of one’s feelings, volitions, and emotions. Nibbāna becomes the object of cittas occurring in the mental process of noble individuals, both trainees and Arahants. Concepts – the class of conventional realities, thing which do not exist in the ultimate sense – also fall into the category of mental object.

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§17 Classification by Way of Doors

For all types of eye-door consciousnesses: In an eye-door cognitive process, all the cittas pertaining to that process take the visible form as their object. The visible form is not the object solely of eye-consciousness. The five-door averting consciousness, the receiving, investigating and determining consciousness, the javanas, and the registration cittas occurring in an eye-door process take “visible form alone” (rūpam eva) the form is not the object solely of eye consciousness. The five-door adverting consciousness, the receiving, investigation, and determining consciousness, the javanas, and registration cittas also occur with the same visible form as their object.

And that pertains only to the present: The word ‘present’ is used here in the sense of “momentary present” (khanikapaccuppanna), that is, in reference to what has actual being at the present moment of experience. Since material phenomena have a slower rate of change than mental phenomena, a single visible form can remain present to all the cittas in a process occurring in the eye door. So too for the objects of the other physical senses (See below, pp. 156-57)

The object of mind-door consciousness: The cittas that arise in a mind-door process can cognized any of the five physical sense objects as well as all types of mental objects in accessible to the cittas in a sense door proceeds. Mind-door cittas can also cognized object belonging to any of the three periods of time Kālavimutta. This last expression applies to Nibbana and concepts. Nibbana is timeless because its intrinsic nature Sabhava is without arising, change and passing away; concepts are timeless because they are devoid of intrinsic nature.

According to circumstances: The Vibhāvini-Tikā explains: according to whether the cittas are sense-sphere javanas, direct-knowledge javanas, the remaining sublime javanas. For the sense-sphere javanas, except the smile producing consciousness, take objects of the three times and timeless objects. The smile-producing consciousness take only objects of the three times. The direct-knowledge cittas (or abhinnas – see Guide to § 18) take objects of the three times as well as the timeless. The sublime javanas take timeless objects (concepts) except for the second and fourth immaterial jhānas, which take past cittas as objects. The supramundane javanas take a timeless object, Nibbāna.

In the case of the door-freed consciousness: The door-freed consciousness is the citta that performs, in any single life, the three functions of rebirth-linking, bhavanga, and death. It is of nineteen types, as explained earlier §9. The object of this citta can be of six kinds: it can be any of the five sense objects, either past or present, or it can be a mental object. In all three of its function, this citta retains the same object from the rebirth moment to the moment of decease. That same object from the rebirth moment to the moment of decease. That same object is grasped at the moment of rebirth by the relinking consciousness; object is grasped at the moment of rebirth by the re-linking consciousness: during the course of life it is held to by every bhavanga citta; and at the moment of death it is held to by the death consciousness.

The object of the door-freed consciousness in any given existence is generally identical with the object of the last cognitive process in the immediately preceding existence When a person is on the verge of death, in the last phase of active consciousness some object will present itself in the last phase of active consciousness some object will present itself to the cognitive process, determined by precious kamma and present circumstances. This object can be one of three kinds:

(1) It can be a kamma, a good or evil deed performed earlier during the same lifetime.

(2) It can be a sign of kamma (kammanimitta), that is, an object or image associated with the good or evil deed that is about to determine rebirth or an instrument used to perform it. for example, a devout person may see the image of a monk or temple, a physician may see the image of patients, a butcher may hear the groans of slaughtered cattle or see an image of a butcher knife.

(3) It can be a sign of destiny (gatinmitta), that is , asymbol of the realm into which the dying person is about to be reborn. for examle, a person heading for a heavenly rebirth may see celestial mansions, a person heading for an animal rebirth may see forsts or fields, a person heading for a rebirth in hell may see infernal fires.

According to the situation (yathasambhavam): The Vibāvinī -Tīkā explains this phrase to mean that the object cognized by the door-freed citta varies according to the door at which it was originally apprehended by the last mental process of the preceding life; according to whether it is a present or past object or a concept; and according to whether it is a kamma, a sign of kamma, or a sign of destiny. The explanation is as fallows:

Mental object is sixfold: Each of the first five objects can be cognized in any of these ways: 1) through its own respective sense-door process, 2) Through the mind door process; and 3) by the process-freed cittas occurring in the roles of rebirth-linking, bhavanga, and death.

In the case of a sense-sphere rebirth, any one of the five sense objects apprehended in any of the six doors in the last javana process of the preceding existence may become an object as sign of kamma. Such an object, on the occasion of rebirth-linking and the first series of bhavanagas, can be either past or present. It can be present because the sense object apprehended by the last javana process of the previous existence may still persist as far as the first few mind-moments of the new existence. Thereafter for the bhavanga, and for the death consciousness of the new existence, that object is necessarily past.

A mental object apprehended in the mind door in the last javana process of the previous existence may become an object of the rebirth-linking, Bhavanga, and death consciousness of the new existence as a kamma or as a sign of kamma that is past. If the object should be a sign of destiny, it is usually a visible form apprehended in the mind door and is present.

In the case of a fine-material-sphere rebirth, the object of the three process-freed cittas is a mental object apprehended in the mind-door process of the preceding existence; it is a concept (hence timeless) and is considered a sign of kamma. So too in the case of rebirth into the first and third immaterial panes. In the case of rebirth into the second and fourth immaterial planes, the object, being a citta, is a mental object; it is past and is also considered a sign of kamma.

Usually (yebhuyyena): This qualification is added with reference to those reborn after passing away from the realm of the non-percipient beings (asaññasattā), a realm in the fine-material plane where consciousness is altogether absent. For such being the object of the door freed cittas cannot be something apprehended in the immediately preceding existence, sine in that existence there was no consciousness. For these being the object presents itself to the rebirth, bhavanga, and death consciousness as a sign of kamma, entirely through the power of a past kamma from an existence prior to that in the non-percipient realm.

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Table 3.6: Conceptual Objects of Sublime Cittas

§18 Classification by type of Consciousness

(i) Of the beautiful, firstly, the nineteen universal beautiful factors are found in all the fifty-nine types of beautiful consciousness.

(ii) The three abstinence are necessarily found together in their entirety in every supramundane type of consciousness. But the mundane sense-sphere wholesome types of consciousness they are only sometimes present (and then) separately (8 + 8 = 16)

(iii) The illimitables arise at times variably in twenty-eight types of consciousness, namely, the twelve sublime types of consciousness excluding the fifth jhāna, the (eight types of) sense-sphere functional consciousness with roots (12 + 8 + 8 = 28). Some, however, say that compassion and appreciative joy are not present in the types of consciousness accompanied by equanimity.

(iv) Wisdom goes into combination with forty-seven types of consciousness -0 namely, the twelve types of sense sphere consciousnesses associated with knowledge, and all the thirty-five sublime and supramundane types of consciousness (12 + 35 + 47)

Table 2.3: Combinations of Mental Factors

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Among the immaterial, etc: The second immaterial citta takes the first immaterial citta as object, while the fourth immaterial citta takes the third as object. thus these two cittas take sublime entities as object. page 143

All the remaining sublime consciousnesses: The fine-material Jhāna cittas take as object a conceptual entity such as the counterpart sign in the case of the kasinas.

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§18 Classification by Type of Consciousness

Of these, eye consciousness, each take a single object, receptively, visible form, But the triple mind element takes (all) five kinds of (sense) object, visible form, The remaining sense sphere resultants and the smiling consciousness always have only sense-sphere objects.

The unwholesome (consciousnesses) and the sense-sphere javanas that are dissociated from knowledge take all objects except supramundane states.

The sense-sphere wholesome (consciousnesses) associated with knowledge, and the wholesome direct-knowledge consciousness consisting in the fifth jhana, take all objects except the path and fruit of Arahantship.

The sense-sphere functionals associated with knowledge, the functional direct-knowledge consciousness, and the determining consciousness can all take all kinds of objects.

Among the immaterial (consciousnesses) the second and fourth take sublime object. all the remaining sublime consciousnesses take concepts as objects. the supramundane consciousnesses take Nibbāna as object.

Guide to §18

The triple mind element: The five-door adverting consciousness and the two kinds of receiving consciousness – collectively known as the triple element mind element – take all five kinds of sense objects, visible form, etc, since they arise in all five doors.

The remaining sense-sphere resultants: These resultants- the three investigation cittas and the eight great resultants- take all kinds of sense sphere objects presented at the six doors when they occur by way of registration. Again, these same resultants -excluding the investigating consciousness accompanied by joy – take the six objects freed from doors when they occur as rebirth, bhavanga, and death consciousness. The smile producing consciousness of Arhants also takes all six kinds of sense-sphere objects.

The unwholesome: The nine supramundane states – the four paths, their fruits, and Nibbāna – because of their extreme purity and profundity, cannot be apprehended by any unwholesome cittas nor by wholesome and functional cittas devoid of knowledge.

The sense-sphere wholesome: Wording and trainees cannot know the path and fruition consciousnesses of an Arahant. Since they have not attained these states themselves, these two cittas remain inaccessible to the wholesome sense-sphere cittas associated with knowledge that arise in their mental process.

The path and fruition cittas of trainees are inaccessible to the cittas of worldings. The path and fruition cittas of trainees at a higher stage are inaccessible to the cittas of trainees at a lower stage. The wholesome sense-sphere cittas associated with knowledge can know the path and fruition cittas as well as Nibbāna when trainees review their own supramundane attainments. these same cittas take Nibbāna as object on the occasion called change-of-lineage (gotrabhu) immediately preceding the arising of the supramundane path.

The wholesome direct-knowledge consciousness: The direct knowledge (abhiñña) are types of higher knowledge accessible to those who have mastery over the five jhānas. Five kinds of mundane direct are mentioned in the texts: supernormal powers, the divine ear, knowledge of others’ mind, the recollection of past lives, and the divine eye. These knowledges are acquired through a special application of the fifth-jhaña citta, wholesome in the case of worldings and trainees, functional in the case of Arahants. By the third direct knowledge trainees with mastery of the fifth jhaña can cognize the path and fruition cittas of trainees on a level of equal to or lower than their own, but they cannot know the path and fruition cittas of those on a higher level. The path and fruition consciousness of Arantship is utterly beyond range of the wholesome direct-knowledge citta.

The sense-sphere functional: By means of the sense-sphere functional cittas associated with knowledge, an Arahant can know his own path and fruition cittas when reviewing his attainment, and by the functional direct-knowledge citta he can know the path and fruition cittas of together noble disciples, both trainees and Arahants. The determining consciousness apprehends the five sense objects in a sense-door process and all six objects in its role as the mind-door adverting consciousness.

Among the immaterial: The second immaterial citta takes the first immaterial citta as object, while the fourth immaterial citta takes the third as object. Thus these two cittas take sublime entities as object.

Table 3.5: Compendium of Objects

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§ Summary 19

The triple mind element: The five-door adverting consciousness and the two kinds of receiving consciousness – collectedly know as the triple element – take all five kinds of sense objects, visible form, etc, since they arise in all five doors…

The remaining sense-sphere resultants: These resultants – the three investigating cittas and the eighth great resultants – take all kinds of sense sphere objects presented at the six doors when they occur by way of registration…

The unwholesome, etc: The nine supramundane states – the four paths, their fruits, and Nibbana – because of their extreme purity and the profundity cannot be apprehended by any unwholesome cittas nor by wholesome and functional cittas devoid of knowledge.

The sense Sphere wholesome: Worldlings and trainees cannot know the path and fruition consciousness of an Arahant. Since they have not attained these states themselves, these two cittas remain inaccessible to the wholesome sense-sphere cittas associated with knowledge that arise in their mental process. The and fruition cittas of trainees are inaccessible to the cittas of wordings. The path and fruition cittas of trainees at a higher stage are inaccessible to the cittas of trainees at a lower stage. The wholesome sense-sphere cittas associated with knowledge can know the path and fruition cittas as well as Nibbana when trainees review their own supramundane attainments. These same cittas take Nibbana as object on the occasion called change of lineage (gotrabhu) immediately preceding the arising of the supramundane path.

The wholesome direct-knowledge consciousness: The direct knowledge (Abinna) are types of higher knowledge accessible to those who has mastery over the five Jhānas. Five kinds of mundane direct knowledge are mentioned in the texts: super normal powers, the divine ear, knowledge of others’ mind, the recollection of past lives, and the divine eye. These knowledge are acquired through a special application of the fifth-jhāna citta, wholesome in the case of wording and trainees, functional in the case of Arahants.

The sense-sphere functional: etc. By means of the sense-sphere functional cittas associated with knowledge, an Arahant can know his own path and fruition cittas when reviewing his attainment, and by the functional direct-knowledge cittas he can know the path fruition cittas of other noble disciples, both trainees and Arahants. The determining consciousness apprehends the five sense objects in a sense-door process and all six objects in its rope as the mind-door adverting consciousness.

Among the immaterial, etc : The second immaterial citta takes the first immaterial cittas as object, while the forth material citta takes the third as object. Thus these two cittas take sublime entities as object

All The remaining sublime consciousness: The fine-material Jhānas cittas take as object a conceptual entity such as the counterpart sign in the case of the Kasinisa (see I, guide to §§ 18 – 20), or living beings in the case of the illimitables. the first immaterial citta takes as object the concept of infinite space, the third takes as object the concept of nothingness or non-existence (See Table 3.6). pg. 142

§19 Analysis of Bases

Twenty five types: The twenty-three sense-sphere resultants, the five-door adverting, and the smile-producing consciousnesses take lower, i.e. sense-sphere, objects only.

Six with the sublime: These are the second and fourth immaterial jhānas, as wholesome, resultant and functional.

Twenty-one with concepts: These are the five fine-materiel jhānas and the first and third immaterial jhānas, all considered as wholesome resultant, and functional.

Eight with Nibbana: These are the paths and fruits.

Twenty… except the supramundane: The twelve unwholesome, and the four wholes some and four functional dissociated from knowledge.

Five the four sense-sphere wholes worth knowledge and the wholesome direct knowledge citta.

Six with all: the four great functional with knowledge, the functional fifth jhāna direct-knowledge citta, and the determining citta.

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§20 Analysis of Bases

Analyses of Bases: In those planes of existence where materially obtains, cittas and cetasikas arise in dependence on a condition called a base (vitthu). A base is a physical support for the occurrence of consciousness. Although the first five bases coincide with the first five doors – namely, the sensitivity matter of the five sense faculties – a base is not identical with a door, since it plays a different role in the origination of consciousness.

Heart-base (hadayavatthu): According to the Pali commentators, the heart serves as the physical support for all cittas other than the two sets of fivefold sense consciousness, which take their respective sensitivities as their base. In the canonical Abdidamma the heart-base is not expressly mentioned. The Patthana, the last book of the Abhidamma Pitaka, simply speaks of “that matter in dependence on which the mind element and mind consciousness element occur”

The commentaries, however, subsequently specify “that matter” to be the heart base, a cavity situated within the physical heart.

In the sense world, etc:

In the sensuous plane of existence all six bases are found, except in the case of those who are born blind or deaf, In the fine-material world the three bases of nose, tongue, and body – the supports for the corresponding types of sensuous experience – are absent, since these types of sense experience are coarser in the quality than the other two (sight and hearing) and thus are excluded from this elevated plane. The commentators say that the beings there possess the physical forms of these organism but these organs lack sensitivity and hence cannot serve as vases fro smelling, tasting and touching sensory experience that therefore so no occur in the fine-material realm. In the immaterial world no bases exist because all the bases are made of matter.

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21§ Classification by Way Consciousness

Therein, the five elements of sense consciousness occurs entirely dependent on the five sensitive parts ( of the sense organs). as their respective bases (2 x 5 = 10). But the mind element – namely, the five-door-adverting consciousness, and the (two types of) receiving consciousness – occurs in dependence on the heart. Likewise those that remain – namely, the mind-consciousness element comprising the investigating consciousness. and the two types of receiving consciousness – occurs in dependence on the heart, the great resultants, the two accompanied by aversion, the first path consciousness, smiling consciousness, and fine materials, 0 =1, somewhere consciousnesses dependence on the hear. Likewise those =2 that remain-namely, the mind-consciousness element comprising the investigating consciousness, the great resultants, the two accompanied by aversion, the first path consciousness – occur in dependence on the heart (3 + 3 + 8 + 2 + 1 + 1 + 15 = 33. The remaining classes of consciousness, whether wholesome, unwholesome, functional, or supramudane, may be either depend on, or independent of, heart-base (12 + 10 + 13 + 7 = 42) Likewise those that remain – namely, the mind consciousnesses element comprising the investigating consciousness = 15 = 3… page 145

The five elements of sense consciousness, etc. : In the Abhidamma all eighty-nine types of citta are distributed among seven consciousness elements (viññañadhātu)

But the mind-element … occurs in dependence on the heart: The thirty-three cittas enumerated here do not arise in the material word. But only in the worlds where matter exists. Hence they are always supported by the heart-base. The cittas accompanied by aversion has been well suppressed as a prerequisite for attaining Jhana. The first path consciousness, the path consciousness of stream entry, cannot occur in the immaterial realms because it is contingent on hearing the Dhamma, which presupposes the ear faculty. The smile-producing consciousness of course, requires a body to exhibit the smile… page 146

The remaining classes of consciousness: They are; ten unwholesome cittas (excluding the two accompanied by aversion), the eight great wholesome cittas, the eight great functional cittas, four immaterial wholesome, four immaterial functional, seven supramundane (excluding the first path), and the mind-door adverting – a total of forty-two. these cittas are dependent on the heart-base when they occur in the panes where matter exists, i.e. in the sensuous plane and the fine-material plane and independent of the heart-base when they occur in the immaterial plane. the immaterial-sphere resultants occur only in the immaterial pane and thus do not depend on any base. On the three planes… page 147

Forty-three (types of consciousness arise dependent on a base. Forty-two arise with or without a base. The immaterial resultants arise without base.

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Guide to §22

In the sense world, etc: In the sensuous plane five consciousness elements arise each dependent on their own base, the mind element and mind-consciousness element in dependence on the heart-base. In the fine-material plane the nose- tongue- and body-bases, along with their corresponding consciousness elements, are absent. In the immaterial plane only mind consciousness element occurs, and that without a base.

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