Dr. Mehm Tin Mon explains cakkhu-dvara vithis in his book "The Essence of Buddha Abhidhamma" (1995: pp. 142-144):
When a visible object of very great intensity strikes the eye-door, atimahanta-rammana vithi arises.
The cognitive series may be represented by the following symbols:
Bha-"Ti-Na-Da-Pa-Ca-Sam-Na-Vo-Ja-Ja-Ja-Ja-Ja-Ja-Ja-Da-Da-"Bha-
Bha
= bhavanga = life-continuum
At first there is a stream of bhavanga-cittas (life-continuum)
Ti
= atita-bhavanga (in Dr. Mon's book, the three small circles represent three small instants that make up a cittakkhana)
At the arising instant of this citta, the visible object and the cakkhu-pasada arise simultaneously. This is the arising instant (uppada) of ruparammana (visible object).
Na
= bhavanga-calana (vibrating life-continuum)
At the arising instant of this citta, rupa-rammana appears (becomes distinct) at cakkhu=pasada (eye-door).
Note that atimahantarammana takes one cittakkhana for its full development after uppada.
Da
= bhavangupaccheda (arresting life-continuum)
Bhavanga-stream is cut off after the dissolution of this citta.
Pa
= panca-dvaravajjana (five-door-adverting consciousness)
It is always the first citta in the cognitive series of pañca-dvara vithis. It adverts the consciousness stream towards the sense-object.
Ca
= cakkhu-vinnana = eye consciousness
It sees the visible object. It makes the sense impression and transmits the impression to the next consciousness before it dissolves.
Sam
= sampatticchana = receiving consciousness
It receives the visible object together with the sense impression and relays them to the next consciousness.
Na
= santirana = investigating consciousness
It investigates the object and the impression.
Vo
= votthapana (mano-dvaravajjana) = determining consciousness
It determines whether the object is good or bad.
Ja
= javana = impulsive consciousness enjoying the taste of the sense-object.
One of the 29 kama-javana cittas, as conditioned by manasikara and votthapana, arises mostly seven times, i.e., it runs for seven conscious moments.
Da
= tadalambana = registering consciousness
It immediately follows javana and runs for two conscious moments enjoying the taste of the sense-object. At the dissolving instant of the second tadalambana citta, the visible-object and the cakkhu-pasada dissolve together because their life-time of 17 conscious moments is now complete.
Bha
= bhavanga = life-continuum
Since the visible object no longer exists, the cognitive series ends and the consciousness-stream sinks into life-continuum (subconsciousness).
Note: The atimahanta-rammana vithi is also known as "tadalambana-vara vithi" as it terminates with tadalambana-citta.
Today we have studied atimahanta-rammana vithi, which arises when a visible object of very great intensity strikes the eye-door.
In our next Abhidhamma classes we will study mahanta-rammana vithi, paritta-rammana vithi, and atiparitta-rammana vithi.
Mahanta-rammana vithi arises when a visible object of fairly great intensity strikes the eye-door.
Paritta-rammana vithi arises when a visible object of slight intensity strikes the eye-door.
Atiparitta-rammana vithi arises when a visible object of very slight intensity strikes the eye-door.
We will study this in next week's Abhidhamma class.
"The study of Abhidhamma furnishes one with the right view that 'I' or 'atta' does not exist and what really exists in man are citta, cetasika and rupa.
" When one decides to follow the Noble Eightfold Path to free oneself from all miseries, one begins with the right view and develops sila (morality), samadhi (concentration) and pañña (wisdom) step by step. In so doing one has to undertake samatha-vipassana (tranquility and insight) meditation and try to observe how the cittas, cetasikas and rupas are functioning. How they are being produced incessantly, how the causal relations really work, and, in short, how all the phenomena described in Abhidhamma really take place. (Mon 1995: p.19)
Discerning - considering - this - what occurs at the round of rebirth in the manner stated - as inconstant - impermanent, subject to decay - the intelligent - the wise - having long - for a long time - kept to their vows, having understood - having realised by the knowledge of the paths and fruits - the unperishing - constant, not liable to fall away - state - nibbana - then as those who have completely cut the bonds of attachment, they find - they gain - peace - the realm of nibbana without a remnant of attachment. (from the "Summary of the Topics of Abhidhamma" called "Exposition of the Topics of Abhidhamma", translated by R.P. Wijeratne and Rupert Gethin, pp. 213-214)
Bibliography
Dr. Mehm Tin Mon, "The Essence of Buddha Abhidhamma", publisher Mehm Tay Zar Mon, Yangon, 1995
Wijeratne, R. P. and R. Gethin (translators), 2002, "Summary of the Topics of Abhidhamma" and "Exposition of the Topics of Abhidhamma", Pali Text Society, Oxford
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