Dr. Mehm Tin Mon explains the six types of visayappavatti as follows (1995: 136):
There are six types of visayappavatti -four at the five sense-doors and two at the mind-door.
(a) Visayappavatti at Pańca-dvaras
(Presentation of sense-objects at the five sense-doors)
1. Atimahanta-rammana = 5 sense-objects with very great intensity causing a very long cognitive series of consciousness to arise.
2. Mahanta-rammana = 5 sense-objects with great intensity causing a long cognitive series of consciousness to arise.
3. Paritta-rammana = 5 sense-objects with slight intensity causing a short cognitive series of consciousness to arise.
4. Atiparitta-rammana = 5 sense-objects with very slight intensity causing no cognitive series to arise.
(b) Visayappavatti at Mano-dvara
(Presentation of sense-objects at the mind-door)
1. Vibhuta-rammana = clear presentation of sense objects.
2. Avibhuta-rammana = obscure presentation of sense objects.
"With regard to very great and so on, [the presentation of an object] that comes into range after one consciousness-moment has passed and lasts for sixteen consciousness-moments is called very great; that which does so after two or three consciousness-moments have passed and lasts for fifteen or fourteen consciousness-moments is called great; that which does so after from four to nine consciousness-moments have passed and lasts from thirteen to eight consciousness-moments is called slight; that which does so after from then to fifteen consciousness-moments is called very slight.
"What is distinct is clear; what is indistinct is unclear. (Summary of the Topics of Abhidhamma and Exposition of the Topics of Abhidhamma, p.120)
"The three moments consisting of arising, presence, and dissolution are defined as one consciousness-moment. (Summary of the Topics of Abhidhamma and Exposition of the Topics of Abhidhamma, p.121)
Nina Van Gorkom explains in "Abhidhamma in daily life", chapter 17:
(http://www.saigon.com/~anson/ebud/nina-abhidhamma/nina-abhi-17.htm, accessed 10 February 2004)
The Buddha pointed out the dangers of being infatuated by the objects we experience through the six doors. He taught people to develop the wisdom which knows the realities experienced through the six doors as nama and rupa, phenomena which are impermanent and not self. What is impermanent is 'dukkha', it cannot be happiness. When we come to know things as they are, we will be less infatuated by objects.
In the 'Kindred Sayings' (IV, Salayatana-vagga, Kindred Sayings on Sense, Second Fifty, Chapter III, par. 81, A brother) about the purpose of the Buddha's teachings, it is said:
Then a number of monks came to see the Exalted One.... Seated at one side those monks said to the Exalted One:- -
'Now here, lord, the wandering sectarians thus question us: 'What is the object, friend, for which the holy life is lived under the rule of Gotama the recluse?' Thus questioned, lord, 'we thus make answer to those wandering sectarians : 'It is for the full knowledge of dukkha that the holy life is lived under the rule of the Exalted One. Pray, lord, when, thus questioned, we so make answer, do we state the views of the Exalted One, without misrepresenting the Exalted One by stating an untruth? Do we answer in accordance with his teaching, so that no one who agrees with his teaching and follows his views could incur reproach?'
'Truly, monks, when thus questioned, you thus make answer, you do state my views.. in stating that it is for the full knowledge of dukkha that the holy life is lived under my rule.
But if, monks, the wandering sectarians should thus question you : 'But what, friend, is that dukkha, for the full knowledge of which the holy life is lived under the rule of Gotama the recluse?'- - thus questioned you should answer thus: 'The eye, friend, is dukkha. For the full knowledge of that the holy life is lived... Objects...that pleasant or unpleasant or indifferent feeling that arises through mind-contact,- - that also is dukkha. Fully to know that, the holy life is lived under the rule of the Exalted One.' Thus questioned, monks, by those wandering sectarians, thus should You make answer.'
In being aware of nama and rupa which appear, such as seeing, visible object, feeling or thinking, we can prove the truth of the Buddha's teachings by ourselves; we can prove that the objects experienced through the six doors are impermanent and not self. The truth will not be known if one follows other people blindly or if one speculates about the truth. We read in the 'Kindred Sayings' (IV, Salayatana-vagga, Third Fifty, Chapter V, par. 152, Is there a method?) that the Buddha said:
'ls there, monks, any method, by following which a monk, apart from belief, apart from inclination, apart from hearsay, apart from argument as to method, apart from reflection on reasons, apart from delight in speculation, could affirm insight thus : 'Ended is birth, lived is the righteous life, done is the task, for life in these conditions there is no hereafter?' 'For us, lord, things have their root in the Exalted One... Well indeed were it if the meaning of this that has been spoken were to manifest itself in the Exalted One. Hearing it from him the monks will remember it.'
'There is indeed a method, monks, by following which a monk....could affirm insight...And what is that method?
Herein, monks, a monk, seeing an object with the eye, either recognizes within him the existence of lust, malice and ignorance, thus : 'I have lust, malice and ignorance', or recognizes the non-existence of these qualities within him, thus: 'I have not lust, malice and ignorance.' Now as to that recognition of their existence or non-existence within him, are these conditions, I ask, to be understood by belief, or by inclination, or hearsay, or argument as to method, or reflection on reasons, or delight in speculation?'
'Surely not, lord.'
'Are not these states to be understood by seeing them with the eye of wisdom?'
'Surely, lord.'
'Then, monks, this is the method by following which, apart from belief... a monk could affirm insight thus: 'Ended is birth...for life in these conditions there is no hereafter."
The same is said with regard to the ear-door, the door of the nose, the door of the tongue, the body-door and the mind-door.
When we study the Abhidhamma we should keep in mind the purpose of the Buddha's teachings : the eradication of defilements through the wisdom which realizes phenomena appearing through the six doors as they are. Through this method there will be an end to the cycle of birth and death. We should remember that the Abhidhamma is not a theoretical textbook but an exposition of realities appearing in daily life. We learn about nama and rupa ; we learn about cittas which each have their own function in the sense-door process and in the mind-door process. There are sense-door processes and mind-door processes time and again, and objects are experienced during these processes of citta. If there is awareness of characteristics of nama and rupa when they appear, the panna is developed which can eradicate defilements. This kind of wisdom is deeper than any kind of theoretical knowledge.
Cittas arising in a process which experience an object through one of the six doors are vithi-cittas (vithi means: way, course, process). Vithi-cittas are named after the door through which they experience an object. For example, the cittas which experience an object through the eye-door are called cakkhu-dvara-vithi-cittas (cakkhu-dvara means eye-door) ; the cittas which experience an object through the ear-door ; (sota-dvara) are called sota-dvara-vithi-cittas; the cittas which experience an object through the mind-door (mano-dvara) are called mano-dvara-vithi-cittas.
In between the different processes of citta there have to be bhavanga-cittas (life-continuum). Bhavanga-cittas are not vithi-cittas. They are not part of the process of cittas experiencing objects which time and again throughout our life experiencing on the six doors. They experience an object without being dependent on any doorway. The pa?isandhi-citta, the bhavanga-cittas and the cuti-citta of one life experience the same object as the last javana-cittas which arose before the cuti-citta of the previous life. The pa?isandhi-citta, the bhavanga-citta and the cuti-citta are vithi-vimutti-cittas (vithi-vimutti means: process-freed), thus, they are different from the cittas arising in sense-door processes and mind-door processes.
Next week we will study vithi-cittas and vithi-vimutti cittas (vithi-consciousness and vithi-freed consciousness).
References
Anuruddha, Summary of the Topics of Abhidhamma, and
Sumangala, Exposition of the Topics of Abhidhamma, R. P Wijeratne and Rupert Gethin (translators), Pali Text Society, Oxford, 2002
Nina Van Gorkom, "Abhidhamma in daily life", Chapter 17: Doors and Physical Bases of Citta, BuddhaSasana Home Page , Dhamma Study Group, http://www.dhammastudy.com,
http://www.saigon.com/~anson/ebud/nina-abhidhamma/nina-abhi-17.htm , accessed 10 February 2004
Dr. Mehm Tin Mon, "The Essence of Buddha Abhidhamma", publisher Mehm Tay Zar Mon, Yangon, 1995
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