Over one year has passed since we started to study Abhidhamma. You can find our earlier lessons on Internet at http://www.bddronline.net.au and http://www.bdcu.org.au.
Dvara sangaha - citta and cetasika based on the sense-doors
Glossary
dvara = door
pasada = sensitive corporeality - gives feeling in body
cakkhu-dvara = eye-door (cakkhu-pasada) - gives seeing
sota-dvara = ear-door (sota-pasada) - gives hearing
ghana-dvara = nose-door (ghana-pasada) - gives smelling
jivha-dvara = tongue-door (jivha-pasada) - gives taste
kaya-dvara = body-door (kaya-pasada) - gives feeling in body
mano-dvara = mind-door (19 bhavanga-citta) - gives mental life
bhavanga-sota = subconscious stream - below awareness
vinnana-sota = flux , stream of consciousness
acetanatta = no thought
appatighabhavato = sense-resistance
ti-lakkhana = 3 characteristics
Today we will study citta and cetasika that are based on the six sense-doors. The following text was written by Dr. Mehm Tin Mon in "The Essence of Buddha Abhidhamma" (1995).
There are six sense doors in our body through which outside senses can enter.
cakkhu-dvara = eye-door (cakkhu-pasada)
sota-dvara = ear-door (sota-pasada)
ghana-dvara = nose-door (ghana-pasada)
jivha-dvara = tongue-door (jivha-pasada)
kaya-dvara = body-door (kaya-pasada)
mano-dvara = mind-door (19 bhavanga-citta)
Note: The names in brackets describe the essential element of each door. Pasada is sensitive corporeality at which the sense impression takes place.
The first five dvaras are rupa dvaras whereas the sixth door is a nama-dvara.
In class, we will refer to Chart No. 4.3 in Dr. Mon's book for a quick review.
1. Forty-six citta arise at the eye-door:
panca=dvaravajjana 1 (apprehending)
cakkhu-vinnana 2 (seeing)
sampaticchana 2 (receiving)
santirana 3 (investigating)
vottapana or mano-dvaravajjana 1 ( determining)
kama-javana 29 (apperceiving)
tadalambana 8 (registering)
Total 46 citta
Note: Of the 11 tadalambaa citta, 3 santiranas are already counted in 1(d). So only the 8 mahavipaka citta are counted in 1 (g).
2. Forty-six citta arise a the ear-door.
The citta are as in (1) - just change cakkhu-vinnana to sota- vinnana.
3. Forty-six citta arise at the nose-door.
The citta are as at (1) - ghana- vinnana is substituted for cakkhu- vinnana.
3. Forty-six citta arise at the tongue-door.
The citta are as in (1) - jivha- vinnana is substituted for cakkhu- vinnana.
4. Forty-six citta arise at the body-door.
The citta are as in (1) - kaya- vinnana is substituted for cakkhu- vinnana.
5. Sixty-seven citta arise at the mind door.
mano-dvaravajjana 1 (apprehending and determining)
kama-javana 55 (apperceiving)
tadalambana 11 (registering)
Total citta: 67
Please refer to Dr. Mehm Tin Mon's book for more details (p. 123-124).
In the "Manual of Buddhist Terms and Doctrines" written by Nyanatiloka, it is explained (1980, pp. 241-242):
"As soon as a visible object has entered the range of vision, it acts on the sensitive eye-organ (cakkhu-pasada), and conditioned thereby an excitation of the Subconscious Stream (bhavanga-sota) takes place.
"As soon, however, as subconsciousness is broken off, the functional mind-element, grasping the object and breaking through the subconscious stream, performs the function of 'Adverting' the mind towards the object (avajjana).
"Immediately thereupon there arises at the eye-door, and based on the sensitive eye-organ, the eye-consciousness, while performing the function of 'Seeing' (dassana) …
"Immediately thereafter there arises the mind-element performing the function of 'Receiving' (sampaticchana) the object of that consciousness
"Immediately thereafter there arises… the mind-consciousness-element, accompanied by indifference, while performing the function of 'Determining' (vottapana) the object…
"Now, if the object is large, the immediately afterwards there are flashing forth 6 or 7 'Impulsive Moments' (javana-citta), associated with one of the 8 wholesome, or 12 unwholesome, or 9 functional classes of consciousness.
"Now, if at the end of the impulsive moments, the object at the five-sense door is very large, and at the mind-door clear, then there arises, once or twice, one of the 8 root-accompanied, karma-produced classes of consciousness of the sense-sphere, or one of the 3 rootless karma-produced mind- consciousness-elements. …Because this consciousness after the vanishing of the impulsive moments, possesses the faculty continuing with the object of the subconsciousness, taking the object of the subconsiousness as its own object, therefore it is called 'Registering', (tad-arammana), 'that object', or 'having that as object'.
Notes: Freud talks of "unconscious" rather than "sub-conscious".
"If, however, the sense-object is weak, then it reaches merely the state of 'Impulsion' (javana), or of 'Determining' (vottappana); if very weak, only an excitation of the "subconsciousness" takes place.
The process of the Inner, or Mind Consciousness, i.e. without participation of the 5 physical senses, is as follows: in the case that the mind-object entering the mind-door is distinct, then it passes through the stages of 'Advertence at the Mind-door' (manodvarajjana), the 'Impulsive stage' and the "Registering stage', before finally sinking into the subconscious stream.
Bhadantacariya Buddhaghosa expounds in the Visuddhimagga (I, 53):
… On seeing a visible object with the eye:
on seeing a visible object with the eye-consciousness that is capable of seeing visible objects and has borrowed the name 'eye' from its instrument.
But the Ancients (Porana) said 'The eye does not see a visible object because it has no mind.
The mind does not see because it has no eyes.
But when there is the impingement of door and object he sees by means of the consciousness that has eye-sensitivity as its physical basis.
If the eye were to see the visible object, then (organs) belonging to other kinds of consciousness would see too; but that is not so. Why Because the eye has no thought (acetanatta). And then, were consciousness itself to see a visible object, it would see it even behind a wall because of being independent of sense-resistance (appaighabhavato); but that is not so either because there is no seeing in all kinds of consciousness. And herein, it is consciousness dependent on the eye that sees, not just any kind. And that does not arise with respect to what is enclosed by walls, etc., where light is excluded. But where there is no exclusion of light, as in the case of a crystal or a mass of cloud, there it does arise even with respect of what is enclosed by them. So it is as a basis of consciousness that the eye sees (I, 53, footnote 14).
Just as the other Groups of Existence, Consciousness is a flux (vinnana-sota, 'stream of consciousness) and does not constitute an abiding mind-substance; nor is it a transmigrating entity or soul. The 3 Characteristics (ti-lakkhana), impermanence, suffering and no-self, are frequently applied to it in the texts (e.g. in the Anatta-lakkana-Sutta).
The Buddha often stressed that "apart from conditions, there is no arising of consciousness"; and all these statements about its nature hold good for the entire range of consciousness, be it "past, future or presently arisen, gross or subtle, in oneself or external, inferior or lofty, far or near" (Nyanatiloka p. 40).
Bibliography
Mon, Dr. Mehm Tin (1995), "The Essence of Buddha Abhidhamma", Publisher Mehm Tay Zar Mon, Yangon.
Buddhaghosa, Bhadantacariya, (no date), "The Visuddhi Magga", translated from the Pali by Bhikkhu Nanamoli, Singapore Buddhist Meditation Centre, Singapore
Nyanatiloka, (edited by Nyanaponika), (1988), "Buddhist Dictionary - Manual of Buddhist Terms and Doctrines), Buddhist Publication Society, Kandy, Sri Lanka.
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