Prepared by
Evelin Halls, DipFLC
Pennie White, BA, DipEd
Abhidhamma Class No. 40, 25 March 2003
Kaya-lahuta and Citta-lahuta
Glossary
lahuta: Pali language word most closely translated into English as lightness or agility.
For this week’s Abhidhamma class we will learn more about kaya-lahuta and citta-lahuta.
Lahuta may be of three kinds: of corporeality (rupassa lahuta, of mental factors (kaya-lahuta and of consciousness (citta-lahuta). (Nyanatiloka, nd, p 90)
“Lahuta is lightness or buoyancy or agility. Suppressing the heaviness of the mental concomitants is the chief characteristic of kaya-lahuta; suppressing the heaviness of the citta is the chief characteristic of citta-lahuta. It is the laying down of a heavy burden.” (Mon, 1995, pp 90-91)
“Kaya-lahuta and citta-lahuta are opposed to thina and middha (sloth and torpor) which cause heaviness and rigidity in mental concomitants and consciousness.” (Mon, 1995, p 91)
“Herein, stiffening (thinanata) is stiffness (thina); making torpid (middhanata) is torpor (middha). The meaning is paralysis due to lack of urgency, and loss of vigour.
The compound thinamiddha (stiffness-and-torpor) should be resolved into thinan ca middhan ca. Herein, stiffness has the characteristic of lack of driving power. Its function is to remove energy.
It is manifested as subsiding. Torpor has the characteristic of unwieldiness. Its function is to smother. It is manifested as laziness, or it is manifested as nodding and sleep.
The proximate cause of both is unwise attention to boredom, sloth, and so on.” (Buddhaghosa, nd, XIV, 163, p 530)
“‘Because the paralysis (samhanana) of consciousness comes about through stiffness, but that of matter through torpor like that of the three aggregates beginning with feeling, therefore torpor is manifested as nodding and sleep’ (Paramattha-manjusa, Visuddhimagga Atthakatha (Commentary) 493 cited in Buddhaghosa, X1V, footnote 68, p 530)
“The Atthasalini (I, Book I, Part IV, Chapter1,30) explains: Kaya-lightness is buoyancy of mental factors; citta-lightness is buoyancy of consciousness.
They have the characteristic of suppressing the heaviness of the one and the other; the function of crushing heaviness in both; the manifestation of opposition to sluggishness in both, and have mental factors and consciousness as proximate cause.
They are the opponents of the corruptions, such as sloth and torpor, which cause heaviness and rigidity in mental factors and consciousness.” (Nina van Gorkom, Chapter 31: Six pairs of beautiful cetasikas).
The Visuddhimagga (XIV, 145) gives a similar definition: The light (quick) state of the [mental] body is lightness of the body. The light (quick) state of consciousness is lightness of consciousness.
Their function is to crush heaviness in the [mental] body and in consciousness.
They are manifested as non-sluggishness of the [mental] body and of consciousness.
Their proximate cause is the [mental] body and consciousness. They should be regarded as opposed to the defilements of stiffness and torpor, which cause heaviness in the body and in consciousness.
Lightness (lahuta) is the opponent of sloth and torpor (thina and middha), which cause heaviness and sluggishness with regard to kusala.
When there is akusala citta, there is mental heaviness and we are unable to perform any kind of kusala.
Kusala citta needs confidence (saddha), it needs mindfulness or non-forgetfulness and it also needs mental lightness which suppresses heaviness and rigidity.
When there is lightness of cetasikas and of citta they react with alertness so that the opportunity for kusala is not wasted.
There are many moments of unawareness. There are seeing, visible object or hardness time and again, but we may be dull and tired without any interest in awareness.
However, when mindfulness arises there are also lightness of cetasikas and of citta which perform their functions: all tiredness is gone and there is alertness.
Lightness is needed for the development of right understanding. When understanding of what appears through one of the six doors is being developed, there is also lightness which crushes sluggishness.
If this moment is not wasted realities can eventually be seen as impermanent and not self. (Nina van Gorkom: 1999).
‘Blessings for our Teachers’ long life’
Our Buddha Dhamma Teacher, John D. Hughes is critically ill in hospital. John’s wife Anita and students Julie O’Donnell and Julian Bamford are attending to him 24 hours each day.
We thank all the Doctors, Advisers, Nurses, Staff, Chief Deva and his retinue at the Maroondah Hospital for their dedication in caring for our Teacher.
We dedicate the merits of this Abhidhamma class to increasing the health, strength and long life of John D. Hughes.
We will continue with the 49 days of Medicine Buddha Practice.
May the merit of these good actions bless the Chief Deva of Maroondah Hospital, his attendants and advisers.
May all the Doctors, Advisers, Nurses and Staff of the Maroondah Hospital be well and happy.
May they make the correct decisions to prolong the long life of John D. Hughes.
May they be guided by the Buddha in their decision making.
May the merit of these good actions increase the health, strength and long life of Anita M. Hughes.
May the merit of these good actions increase the health, strength and long life of John D. Hughes.
May all beings be well and happy.
May you be well and happy.
References
Buddhaghosa, Bhadantacariya, (no date), “The Visuddhi Magga”, translated from the Pali by Bhikkhu Nanamoli, Singapore Buddhist Meditation Centre, Singapore, XIV, 163, p 530. (look up and include: lightness (lahuta) XIV 64, 76, 79, 133, 145; XVIII 13; XX 23, 32, 36)
Mon, Dr. Mehm Tin (1995), “The Essence of Buddha Abhidhamma”, publisher Mehm Tay Zar Mon, Yangon, pp 90-91.
Nyantiloka (no date) Buddhist Dictionary, The Corporate Body of the Buddha Educational Foundation, Taiwan, p 90.
Van Gorkom, Nina (1999) “Cetasikas”, Chapter 31, Part IV, Sobhana Cetasikas, accessed 25 March 2003 at URL
http://www.dhammastudy.com/cetasikas33.html
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