Handbook

of
Abhidhamma
Studies
by

Venerable Sayādaw U Sīlānanda

(Volume II)
First edition: October 2012

© 2012 Copyright by SBVMS.

Selangor Buddhist Vipassana Meditation Society (SBVMS)

23, Jalan SS3/37, 47300 Petaling Jaya,
Selangor, West Malaysia.

Printed and Bound in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

by Majujaya Indah Sdn Bhd
Tel: 03- 4291 6001 / 6002
Fax: 03- 4292 2053
 Sabbadānaṃ dhammadānaṃ jināti
The Gift of Dhamma excels all gifts

Handbook of
Abhidhamma Studies
Venerable Sayādaw U Sīlānanda

Printed For Free Distribution by:

Selangor Buddhist Vipassana Meditation Society (SBVMS)

23, Jalan SS3/37, 47300 Petaling Jaya,
Selangor, West Malaysia
Tel/ fax: 03-7873 9168 email: [email protected]

Sharing of merits

May all beings share in the merits gained

Enjoy good health, prosperity and happiness
Cultivating loving-kindness and wisdom
Culminating in the cessation of all suffering.

Sādhu! Sādhu! Sādhu!

 Namo tassa Bhagavato Arahato Sammāsambuddhassa

Veneration to the Exalted One, the Homage-Worthy,

the Perfectly Self-Enlightened.

The Buddha is an Arahat and He is worthy of the highest

veneration. All beings including devas and brahmās venerate
the Buddha because the Buddha is the Supreme One, who has
extinguished all defilements, who has become perfectly self-
enlightened through the realization of the Four Ariya Truths,
and who is endowed with the six great qualities of glory,
namely, Issariya (supremacy), Dhamma (knowledge of the
path to Nibbāna), Yasa (fame and following), Siri (noble
appearance), Kāma (power of accomplishment) and Payatta
(diligent mindfulness).
 Preface

Editorial Preface

Handbook of Abhidhamma Studies is a series of

lectures given by the late Venerable U Sīlānanda on the
subject of Abhidhamma. Actually the talks originated from
courses he offered to American students on the
Abhidhammatthasaṅgaha. This book, Handbook of
Abhidhamma Studies, is designed to supplement the study of
the Abhidhammatthasaṅgaha.

The Abhidhammatthasaṅgaha is a small book that was

probably written by an Indian monk named Ācariya Anuruddha
in about the twelfth century. That small book provides an
introduction to subjects taught in the Abhidhamma texts of the
Tipiṭaka. Actually in order to understand the Abhidhamma
texts in the Pāḷi Canon, it is essential that the
Abhidhammatthasaṅgaha be thoroughly mastered.

Burmese monks in particular first memorize this book

and then pursue extended studies of it with their teachers. The
late Venerable U Sīlānanda followed this course of training.
The result was that he had a thorough and precise knowledge
of this small book, as well as the Abhidhamma texts in the
Tipiṭaka, the Commentaries, and the Sub-commentaries.

When Venerable U Sīlānanda came to the United

States, he taught courses on the Abhidhammatthasaṅgaha. In
these courses he often gave detailed explanations of the
subjects found in that book for the benefit of his students.
These explanations are very helpful as sometimes the
information given in the Abhidhammatthasaṅgaha is quite
terse and not easy for the uninitiated to understand.

I
 Preface

I began to study this book about one year before

Sayādaw arrived in the United States. Therefore, I very much
appreciated what a great difference his explanations made in
my understanding. It occurred to me that it would be very
helpful for others interested in this subject to have access to
these lectures in the written form. Therefore, I decided to
transcribe these talks. The talks have been as accurately
transcribed as possible. Sayādaw was very precise, organized
and meticulous in his presentation. It has been my hope to
emulate his fine example in these transcriptions.

Nonetheless, it is possible that some mistakes or errors

have escaped notice. Hopefully they are very minor.
Abhidhamma is a very challenging and deep subject,
sometimes quite precise and subtle. Whatever mistakes are
found I apologize to the readers for those and I accept fully
the demerit that comes from lack of skillfulness. At the same
time I hope that much merit may result from sharing the great
knowledge that my teacher had on this important subject with
others.

As the transcriber, I would like to take the opportunity

to express my gratitude to all Dhamma teachers as well as
friends for their tireless work for the Buddha-Sāsana. First of
all, I wish to express my gratitude to many Dhamma teachers
who have explained very patiently, over the course of many
years, many aspects of the Buddha's teachings. They include
the late Venerable Sayādaw U Sīlānanda, Venerable Beelin
Sayādaw, Venerable U Jotalankara, Venerable Ashin U Osadha,
Venerable U Jatila, Venerable U Kosalla, Venerable U Ghosita,
Venerable U Garudhamma, Venerable U Kavinda, Bhante
Guṇaratana, Bhikkhu U Nandisena. Most especially I am
indebted to Venerable Ashin U Dhammapiya. Not only has he
explained with precision and thoroughness the Buddha's
teachings, he also conceived the idea of publishing these
series of Abhidhamma lectures to enable many more people to
gain greater clarity of understanding of the Abhidhamma.

II
 Preface

Sādhu! Sādhu! Sādhu! To all these meritorious deeds!

Finally I wish to express my gratitude to the people of

Malaysia and Singapore. I am especially grateful to Brother
Chew How Ting, Brother Lim Mong Seng and Sister Pauline
Chong of Singapore and Malaysia who helped me edit these
talks. Their patience and kindness have been immeasurable.
While the late Venerable Sayādaw U Sīlānanda visited there
and taught there, they were always very supportive to him.
Sayādaw's visits to Malaysia and Singapore were so brief that
he could not cover every chapter in the
Abhidhammatthasaṅgaha with his students there. Each course
he taught in the United States lasted about a year. Over the
years he taught many courses to many audiences, sometimes
primarily to Burmese Americans, or to European Americans, or
to Vietnamese Americans.

We are fortunate that the Vietnamese American

community requested Venerable U Sīlānanda to teach the
course again in 1994-1995. This was after the most recent
edition of the Abhidhammatthasaṅgaha, edited by Venerable
Bhikkhu Bodhi, had been published. The Tu Quang Temple in
San Francisco was kind enough to host this series of talks
which were well attended by devotees of both the Theravāda
and Mahāyāna traditions.

We are grateful to Sayādaw for his great compassion.

We are grateful to all the devotees who supported Sayādaw in
so many ways so that he could share so much Dhamma
wisdom with us. Now devotees in Malaysia have graciously
offered to publish this series of talks.

May Dhamma wisdom continue to grow and flourish in

the world!
Sarah Marks, USA.

III
 Preface

Editor's Note

As editor of this work, I am aware that foreign words

are usually put in italics. However, it is allowable to capitalize
words that communicate important information or
philosophical concepts. Most of the Pāḷi words in this
manuscript are very significant terms in the Buddha’s
teachings and constitute a firm base for the reader to build a
correct understanding of Buddhism. Sayādaw U Sīlānanda has
expertly defined most of these words in his presentation. A
great many of these Pāḷi words refer to Paramattha Dhammas
(ultimate realities) which are so essential for our
understanding and experience of the Dhamma. Therefore, I
purposefully capitalized these Pāḷi words because they are key
philosophical concepts in Buddhism. The presentation done in
this manner is to also encourage the reader’s attention. In
addition terms in English referring to the Supramundane and
important doctrines have been capitalized out of respect.

Sarah Marks, USA.

IV
 Contents

Table of Contents
Editorial Preface................................................................I
Editor's Note...................................................................IV
Chapter Four....................................................................1
Cognitive Process: Thought Process (I)............................1
Vīthi........................................................................2
Six Kinds of Objects..................................................5
Life Span of Rūpa and Nāma......................................6
Eye-door Thought Process..........................................8
Object Taken..........................................................13
Cittas Represented..................................................14
Functions of Cittas...................................................15
Door......................................................................16
Bases....................................................................16
Vīthi Citta and Vīthimutta Citta..................................17
Other Processes......................................................18
Mahanta Object.......................................................20
Cognitive Process: Thought Process (II).........................24
Appanā Thought Processes.......................................41
Jhāna Thought Processes.........................................41
Thought Process (III) Tadārammaṇa-niyama Inclusive.....49
Path Thought Process..............................................50
Correlations in Absorption........................................56
Tadārammaṇa-niyama..............................................61
Guest Bhavaṅga......................................................67
Javana-niyama............................................................73
Puggala-bheda........................................................93
Twelve Individuals (5)..................................................96
Chapter Five.................................................................125
The Planes of Existence..............................................125
The Four Apāyas....................................................126
Human Realm.......................................................128
Six Deva Realms...................................................129
Brahma Realms.....................................................133
16 Rūpāvacara Realms...........................................133
4 Arūpāvacara Realms............................................135

i
 Contents

Individuals and Realms..........................................136

Life Span..............................................................140
Yojana..................................................................147
The Four Kinds of Paṭisandhi.......................................149
Fourfold Kamma....................................................160
Productive Kamma.................................................162
Supportive Kamma................................................163
Obstructive Kamma...............................................165
Destructive Kamma...............................................167
Kamma — Part One...................................................172
Weighty Kamma....................................................172
Death Proximate Kamma........................................176
Habitual Kamma....................................................178
Reserve Kamma....................................................179
Immediately Effective Kamma.................................180
Subsequently Effective Kamma...............................182
Indefinitely Effective Kamma...................................183
Defunct Kamma....................................................185
Unwholesome Kamma............................................187
Kamma — Part Two....................................................198
Wholesome Kamma of Sense-sphere.......................200
Wholesome Kamma of the Fine-material Sphere........206
Wholesome Kamma of the Immaterial Sphere...........206
Results of the Kammas...........................................207
Rūpāvacara and Arūpāvacara Kusala Kamma............213
Process of Death & Rebirth — Part One........................222
Four Causes of Death.............................................222
Death Defined.......................................................223
Death through Expiration of Life Span......................223
Death through Expiration of Kammic Force...............224
Death through Both...............................................224
Death through Destructive Kamma..........................225
Three Kinds of Objects at Death..............................226
Kamma................................................................227
Sign of Kamma.....................................................227
Sign of Destiny......................................................228
Process of Death & Rebirth — Part Two.........................250
Chapter Six..................................................................276
Enumeration of Matter...............................................276

ii
 Contents

Rūpa Defined........................................................276
Mahābhūtas..........................................................278
Pathavī-dhātu.......................................................279
Āpo-dhātu............................................................279
Tejo-dhātu............................................................280
Vāyo-dhātu...........................................................281
Dependent Matter..................................................282
Pasāda-rūpa.........................................................283
Eye-sensitivity......................................................283
Ear-sensitivity.......................................................284
Nose-sensitivity.....................................................284
Tongue-sensitivity..................................................285
Body-sensitivity.....................................................285
Gocara-rūpa.........................................................286
Rūpa, Sadda, Gandha, Rasa, Phoṭṭhabba...............287
Femininity............................................................288
Masculinity...........................................................289
Heart-base...........................................................290
Life Faculty...........................................................297
Āhāra...................................................................297
Nipphanna-rūpa....................................................298
Sabhāva-rūpa.......................................................298
Salakkhaṇa-rūpa...................................................298
Rūpa-rūpa............................................................299
Sammasana-rūpa..................................................299
Anipphanna-rūpa & Rūpa-vibhāga...............................300
Ākāsa-dhātu.........................................................301
Viññatti-rūpas.......................................................302
Kāya-viññatti........................................................303
Vacī-viññatti.........................................................304
Vikāra-rūpas.........................................................305
Rūpassa-lahutā, Mudutā, Kammaññatā....................305
Lakkhaṇa-rūpas.....................................................307
Rūpassa-upacaya, Santati, Jaratā, Aniccatā..............307
Rūpa-vibhāga............................................................312
Ahetuka, Sappaccaya, Sāsava, Saṅkhata, Lokiya,
Kāmāvacara, Anārammaṇa, Appahātabba.................312
Ahetuka...............................................................312
Sappaccaya..........................................................313

iii
 Contents

Sāsava.................................................................313
Saṅkhata..............................................................313
Lokiya..................................................................314
Kāmāvacara..........................................................314
Anārammaṇa........................................................314
Appahātabba........................................................315
Ajjhattika and Bāhira-rūpas....................................315
Vatthu and Avatthu-rūpas.......................................316
Dvāra and Advāra-rūpas.........................................316
Indriya and Anindriya-rūpas....................................316
Oḷārika, Sukhuma, Santike, Dūre, Sappaṭigha, Appaṭigha
...........................................................................318
Upādinna and Anupādinna......................................319
Sanidassana and Anidassana..................................321
Asampatta and Sampatta.......................................322
Gocaraggāhika and Agocaraggāhika.........................323
Avinibbhoga and Vinibbhoga...................................323
Origination of Matter..................................................326
Four Causes of Matter............................................326
Kamma as a Mode of Origin....................................327
Citta as a Mode of Origin........................................328
Utu as a Mode of Origin..........................................338
Āhāra as a Mode of Origin.......................................339
Matter Groups...........................................................349
Kalāpas Caused by Kamma.....................................350
Kalāpas Caused by Citta.........................................352
Kalāpas Caused by Utu...........................................355
Kalāpas Caused by Āhāra.......................................355
Arising of Matter....................................................361
In Kāmāvacara Loka..............................................362
During the Course of Existence................................362
At Rebirth-linking..................................................363
For Womb-born Creatures.......................................365
Occurrence of Matter & Nibbāna..................................374
The Last Occurrence, and Disappearance of Matter....374
Conclusion............................................................378
In Rūpāvacara Loka...............................................379
Asañña-sattas.......................................................380
Nibbāna...............................................................387

iv
 Contents

Kalāpas and Different Kinds of Beings..........................394

***

v
 Chapter Four

Namo tassa Bhagavato Arahato Sammāsambuddhassa

Chapter Four

Cognitive Process: Thought Process (I)

We have studied three chapters, chapters on

consciousness, mental factors and miscellaneous topics —
feelings, roots, functions, doors, objects and bases. I hope you
are familiar with the three chapters.

Now we come to the fourth chapter. The fourth chapter

deals with thought processes. In this chapter the Manual will
describe different thought processes. And also in the next
chapter it will deal with what are called process-free
consciousness — death, rebirth, and Bhavaṅga.

When consciousness arises, it arises one at a time.

Consciousness arises with mental factors. But when we study
consciousness, we have to study consciousness as a series —
not just one consciousness isolated with mental factors. But in
reality there is only one consciousness at a time. Note that
you will never see different types of consciousness arising
simultaneously, for example, all 17 moments of consciousness
in a thought process arising together. There is only one Citta
at each moment, one moment of consciousness at a time, but
we have to study it as a series, as a whole. In actuality there
are no 17 thought moments arising at the same time, only one
moment of consciousness arises at a time.

When we study the arising of consciousness or thought

processes, we have to apply our knowledge of the previous

1
 Chapter Four

chapters. We will have to describe or we will say which types

of consciousness are represented by each moment, and then
what feelings accompany them, how many roots they have,
what functions they do, through what doors they arise, what
objects they take, and what bases they depend upon. We have
to explain all these. That is why it is important that you are
familiar with the three previous chapters.

Vīthi
A thought process is called Vīthi in Pāḷi. This fourth
chapter is called “Vīthi-saṅgahavibhāga”. ‘Vīthi’ means a road,
a street, a line, a series. Here it means a series of, a line of
Cittas, a line of moments of consciousness.

When we study thought processes, we have to give

names to these thought processes. We can give names in two
ways. One way is by the door they arise through, so eye-door
thought process, ear-door thought process and so on. Also we
can name them by the consciousness that is important in that
thought process. For example, we say eye-consciousness
thought process, ear-consciousness thought process, nose-
consciousness thought process and so on. By way of doors or
by way of consciousness we can give names to these thought
processes.

Since there are six doors, there are six kinds of thought
processes — eye-door thought process, ear-door thought
process and so on. There are six kinds of consciousness
(Viññāṇa). In that case there are eye-consciousness thought
process, ear-consciousness thought process, and so on, and
mind-consciousness thought process. Mind-consciousness or
Mano-viññāṇa means all Cittas other than the ten
(Dvipañcaviññāṇa), those other than eye, ear, nose, tongue
and body-consciousness.

2
 Chapter Four

When we study the thought processes, we come to

understand the lawful order of consciousness or the fixed
order of consciousness. That means one consciousness arises
and it is followed by another type of consciousness, and it is
followed by another type of consciousness, and then another
type of consciousness and so on. They arise and disappear
according to that order. There is no agent or no one giving
order to the Cittas; they just arise and each consciousness is
followed by another type of consciousness and then another
type of consciousness and so on. They arise and disappear
according to that order. There is no agent or no one giving
order to the Cittas; they just arise doing their respective
functions.

In the CMA there are given conditions for each type of

thought process. There are conditions for arising of eye-
consciousness, ear-consciousness and so on (see CMA, IV, Guide to
§4, p.151-152).

For an eye-door process to arise or for eye-

consciousness to arise there are four conditions. I think you
are familiar with these four conditions. The four conditions
necessary for eye-consciousness to arise, that is, for eye-door
process to arise, are eye-sensitivity, visible object, and then
light, and then attention. We need these four conditions for
the eye-consciousness to arise. We must have the eyes or
actually the sensitive parts in the eyes or eye-sensitivity.
There must be something to be seen, visible object; if there is
nothing to be seen, there will be no seeing consciousness.
Then we need light. If this room is dark, then we will not see
anything. Finally there is attention. It is called Manasikāra
here. Actually attention here is Āvajjana — Pañcadvārāvajjana.

Similarly for ear-door or ear-consciousness there are

four conditions. Instead of eye-sensitivity here there is ear-

3
 Chapter Four

sensitivity. Then there is sound, space and attention. So when

there is no sound, we do not hear. When there is no space,
when our ear is closed, we do not hear. And when there is no
attention, we do not hear.

For nose-door process there is nose-sensitivity, smell,

air-element and attention. If we stay above the air, above the
wind, we don't get the smell. Only when we are downwind, do
we get the smell because there is air-element.

For tongue-door process or tongue-consciousness to

arise we need tongue-sensitivity, taste, and then water-
element and attention.

For body-consciousness we need body-sensitivity,

tangible object1 and then earth-element and attention.

For the mind-door thought process only three are given

here. Actually there are four. He may have not found it in the
Aṭṭhasālinī. So there are four conditions for mind-door thought
process also — heart-base, mental object, Bhavaṅga and
attention. Attention is missing here. Those types of
consciousness arising through the mind-door must have the
heart as a base in Kāmāvacara and Rūpāvacara realms. There
must be Dhamma objects. There are six kinds of Dhamma
objects. Then there must be Bhavaṅga or the mind because
the mind-door thought process arises from Bhavaṅga. There
must be attention, here it is Manodvārāvajjana. So we need
these conditions for seeing, hearing and so on — for these
thought processes to arise.

1 Tangible object means combination of three essential elements — earth-element, fire-

element, and air-element.

4
 Chapter Four

Six Kinds of Objects

The objects are divided into how many kinds? There
are six kinds of objects. I do not mean visible objects, audible
objects and so on. Here the presentation of objects is sixfold
or of six kinds. And they are what? They are:
• very great objects (Atimahanta),
• great objects (Mahanta),
• slight objects (Paritta),
• very slight objects (Atiparitta).
Those are for five-sense-door thought process.

For mind-door thought process there are:

• clear objects (Vibhūta), and
• obscure or not clear objects (Ativibhūta).
Altogether there are six kinds of objects or six kinds of
presentation of objects (see CMA, IV, §5, p.153).

Here ‘great’ does not mean that it is great in size or

that it is gross. It means the force of impact on consciousness
is great or we can call it a strong object. It may be small, but
it has force so that it can strike the mind and last for 17
thought moments. Such an object is called a very great object.

The object whose force is not so much as the very

great object is called the great object. Very great objects need
only one past Bhavaṅga. After one past Bhavaṅga it can
vibrate the Bhavaṅga. The great object needs two or three
past Bhavaṅgas. Slight and very slight objects need even more
past Bhavaṅgas (4-15) before vibration occurs. Intensity
varies. Therefore, the thought processes also are different for
these kinds of objects.

5
 Chapter Four

“(It is) not the size of the object, but the number of
process cittas (vīthicitta) that arise from the moment the
object enters the avenue of the sense door until the moment
the presentation of the object to consciousness ceases.” (CMA,
IV, Guide to §5, p.153)

That means when we study the first thought process,

we will see that there are 17 thought moments. Visible object
strikes at the mind and then there is only one past Bhava ṅga.
Then the visible object ceases with the 17 th thought moment.
Such an object is called a very great object.

Now we have to understand two things here — Vīthi

Citta and Vīthimutta Citta, process Citta and process-free
Citta. Bhavaṅgas are called process-free Cittas. The other
types of consciousness in a process are called process Cittas,
Vīthi Cittas. In this chapter we are going to study Vīthi Cittas.
But when we study process Cittas, we cannot study process
Cittas alone. We have to have the Bhavaṅgas preceding and
following each thought process. Bhavaṅgas are like a buffer
zone between different thought processes. No thought process
is immediately followed by another thought process. At least
there must be some moments of Bhavaṅga intervening
between the thought processes.

Life Span of Rūpa and Nāma

First, before we study the thought process proper, we
must understand the life span of Rūpa and Nāma, life span of
matter and life span of mind or life span of Citta. Life span of
Rūpa is said to be 17 times longer than the life span of a Citta.
Life span of a Citta is here called a moment, a consciousness
moment or a thought moment. That thought moment is said
to be very, very brief. In a moment you snap your fingers or in
a moment you blink. In those sorts of moments billions of
thought moments may arise it is said. So you understand how
brief, how short one thought moment is.

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 Chapter Four

As though it were not enough, each thought moment

consists of three sub-moments. These three sub-moments are
called:
• the first is called arising (Uppāda),
• the second is called presence (Ṭhiti), and
• the third is called death or decease (Bhaṅga).
There are these three sub-moments: arising, presence
and disappearing or dissolution or death. What we call
existence is just these three sub-moments, arising, presence
and dissolution.

Matter lasts 17 times longer than Citta. So for matter

there are how many sub-moments? There are 51 sub-
moments. Life of matter is 51 sub-moments. Matter also has
arising, presence and dissolution. Arising of matter is the same
as arising of consciousness. The dissolution of matter is also
the same as the dissolution of consciousness. But the presence
of matter is much longer than the presence of Citta. How
many sub-moments for the presence of matter are there?
There are 49 sub-moments. So for matter arising is the same
as arising moment of Citta and dissolution of matter is the
same as dissolution of Citta. But the presence of matter is
equal to 49 sub-moments because matter lasts for 17 thought
moments. The first point is arising and the last point is
dissolution. In between there are 49 sub-moments. These 49
sub-moments are said to be the presence phase of matter. So
there are three sub-moments for every moment of
consciousness.

There were teachers who thought there were only two

sub-moments, not three. They thought there were just arising
and disappearing. Many teachers did not agree with those
teachers. The common opinion is that there are three sub-
moments for each moment of consciousness.

7
 Chapter Four

Eye-door Thought Process

Now let us study the thought process. The diagram is
for the eye-door thought process (see CMA, IV, Table 4.1, p.155) . That
means when you see something this thought process will arise
in your mind. There is the present visible object, the visible
object which is present. It will last for 17 thought moments.

There are what are called Bhavaṅga consciousnesses.

You know what Bhavaṅga consciousness is, right? Bhavaṅga
consciousness is one of 19 Vipāka Cittas, all of which are
resultant consciousness. It is the same as relinking
consciousness (Paṭisandhi Citta). The same type of
consciousness which arises after relinking consciousness is
called Bhavaṅga. Bhavaṅga consciousness arises all through
our lives when there is no prominent object or no special
object. There is this Bhavaṅga flowing with rapid force.

When a visible object comes into the avenue of the

eye, so when a visible object presents itself to our eyes, this
visible object is said to impinge upon our eye as well as upon
the Bhavaṅga. What door is Bhavaṅga? It is mind-door. When
a visible object strikes at the eye, at the same time, it strikes
at the Bhavaṅga also. So it strikes at the Bhavaṅga. When the
Bhavaṅga is struck by the object, then the striking occurs at
one moment. That one moment is called the past moment.
That means one moment passes before the Bhavaṅga vibrates.
That is actually the first impact of the object on the sense-
organ here on the eye and also on the Bhavaṅga. One
Bhavaṅga passes.

After that one moment there are two moments of

Bhavaṅga. These two moments of Bhavaṅga are called
vibrating Bhavaṅga. They are shaking. Between these two, the

8
 Chapter Four

first one is called vibrating Bhavaṅga or Calana Bhavaṅga. The

second one is called Upaccheda Bhavaṅga or arrested
Bhavaṅga or cut off Bhavaṅga. Actually these two are vibrating
Bhavaṅgas, but since with the second one the flow of
Bhavaṅga stops, the second one is called arrested Bhavaṅga
(Upaccheda Bhavaṅga). When the object strikes at the
Bhavaṅga and at the eye, Bhavaṅga cannot stop abruptly. It
has to go one or two moments, one or two times before it
stops. With this object — let us say, it is a very great object —
we need one past Bhavaṅga and two vibrating Bhavaṅgas. So
the third Bhavaṅga in the series is called Upaccheda Bhavaṅga
or arrested Bhavaṅga. The flow of Bhavaṅga will stop with the
dissolution of Upaccheda Bhavaṅga.

Immediately after the dissolution of Upaccheda

Bhavaṅga, five-sense-door-adverting will arise,
Pañcadvārāvajjana. You are familiar with Pañcadvārāvajjana.
It is called Pañcadvārāvajjana because it arises in all five
doors. Here it is in eye-door, but it will also arise in ear-door
and so on. ‘Pañca’ means five. ‘Dvāra’ means door. So
Pañcadvārāvajjana means five-sense-door-adverting.
‘Āvajjana’ is called adverting. There are two meanings for this
word ‘Āvajjana’. The first meaning is to pay attention to the
object presented to the mind. It also turns the mind to the
object and from this moment on a new set of consciousness
arises, that is active consciousness. The first three moments
are Bhavaṅga, so they are inactive types of consciousness. At
the arising of Pañcadvārāvajjana the quality of consciousness
changes. It is a turning point from inactive to active. Also it is
the point where mind turns to the object which is presented. It
is the point where mind takes note of the object or mind pays
attention to the object. That is why it is called Āvajjana. There
it is through the eye-door. For others it may be ear-door, nose-
door and so on. Therefore, this consciousness is called
Pañcadvārāvajjana.

We will have another one, a second one called

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 Chapter Four

Manodvārāvajjana when we come to mind-door thought

process. But in the five-sense-door thought process mind
turns toward the object with the arising of Pañcadvārāvajjana.

After Pañcadvārāvajjana, after this type of

consciousness which pays attention to the object, the next
moment in this example is seeing consciousness, in Pāḷi
Cakkhu-viññāṇa. Cakkhu-viññāṇa arises. Cakkhu-viññāṇa sees
the visible object.

After seeing the object, there is Sampaṭicchana,

receiving moment, receiving consciousness.

After Sampaṭicchana, receiving consciousness, there is

Santīraṇa, investigating consciousness.

After investigating there is Voṭṭhabbana, determining

the object. There is some problem with Santīraṇa and
Voṭṭhabbana for me at least. How does it investigate and how
does it determine? I am not sure. In Pāḷi books I do not find it
clearly explained. Some Burmese books say that it determines
what the object is, for example, that it is a visible object. In
other books it says that it determines whether it is desirable or
undesirable or whether it is to be liked or to be disliked.

After determining how many moments follow? There

are seven moments of Javana. It is said that under normal
conditions Javanas always arise seven times, for seven
thought moments. There are some special cases where they
may arise six times, five times, four times, three times, twice
or just once. Normally Javanas run for seven moments. This
word ‘Javana’ is very difficult to translate. I don't think the
translation, the word ‘impulsion’, will help us much. When I
say the word ‘impulsion’, people don't understand. I don't

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 Chapter Four

understand either. ‘Javana’ means swift or swift running. It has

force, so I interpret it as full experience of the object. Only
during these seven thought moments is the object fully
experienced. Since it is fully experienced, it is either Kusala or
Akusala or Kiriya.

There is one phrase in the CMA we should discuss,

“Following this, any one of the 29 sense sphere javanas
which has gained the right conditions runs its course, …” (CMA,
IV, §6, p.154)

Now “which has gained the right conditions” is not

explained in this CMA, that is, in Bhikkhu Bodhi's book. It is
important. “Which has gained the right conditions” — that
means according to these conditions the Javanas will be
Kusala or Akusala or Kiriya. The key to Javana being Kusala or
Akusala is Yoniso-manasikāra or its opposite Ayoniso-
manasikāra. Yoniso-manasikāra is translated as wise attention,
so right attitude towards things or right attention. Ayoniso-
manasikāra means unwise attention, wrong attitude towards
things. If you have right attitude towards things, if you have
right attention, then your Javana will be Kusala. If you have
unwise attention, the Javana will be Akusala. The quality of
the Javanas whether they should be Kusala or Akusala is
determined by your attention, that is, wise attention or unwise
attention. When there is wise attention, the Javana will be
Kusala. When there is unwise attention, the Javanas will be
Akusala. That wise attention can be here Pañcadvārāvajjana or
it may be Voṭṭhabbana also, determining. So if we take
Voṭṭhabbana to be determining just ‘this is an object’, then the
quality of the Javanas is influenced by Pañcadvārāvajjana. But
if we take Voṭṭhabbana to be determining ‘this is to be liked,
this is to be disliked’, then we can say that Voṭṭhabbana also
determines the quality of Javanas.

Seven thought moments run, and then after these

seven there are two moments of registering. Tadārammaṇa is
a Pāḷi word. ‘Tad’ means that. ‘Ārammaṇa’ means object. So

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 Chapter Four

Tadārammaṇa means having that object. That means having

that object taken by the Javanas. So the two Tadārammaṇa
Cittas take the same object that was taken by seven Javana
moments. They are compared to water following the boat.
When you row the boat, a little water follows the boat. In the
same way, these two moments are the followers of the
Javanas. They are also compared to after-taste.

After two Tadārammaṇa moments disappear, the mind

lapses into Bhavaṅga again. So in this thought process the first
Citta is Bhavaṅga and the last Citta is Tadārammaṇa followed
by Bhavaṅga. That means before the first Bhavaṅga moment
in the thought process there can be many Bhavaṅga moments.
After the last Citta there is Bhavaṅga. After the last
Tadārammaṇa moment in the thought process there can also
be many Bhavaṅga moments. So there can be many Bhavaṅga
moments before and after this thought process.

A thought process that takes one of the five sensory

objects (sight, sound, smell, taste, touch) lasts for 17 thought
moments. If it is a visible object, for example, that visible
object arises at the same moment as the past Bhavaṅga. That
visible object dissolves or disappears with the last sub-
moment of the second registering Citta in the thought process.
The visible object disappears and the thought process finishes.
(see CMA, IV, Table 4.1, p.155) Then other types of thought processes
follow.

Now if you remember the third chapter section on

objects, Bhavaṅgas take Kamma, sign of Kamma or sign of
destiny as object. The first three moments — past Bhavaṅga,
vibrating Bhavaṅga and arrested Bhavaṅga — these three do
not take the present visible object. These three take Kamma
or Kamma-nimitta or Gati-nimitta. Although there is a visible
object, they do not take the visible object as object because
Bhavaṅga moments always take Kamma, or sign of Kamma, or

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 Chapter Four

sign of destiny as object. These three do not take the present

visible object.

Beginning with Pañcadvārāvajjana, Cakkhu-viññāṇa,

Sampaṭicchana, Santīraṇa, Voṭṭhabbana, Javana and
Tadārammaṇa — all of these types of Cittas take the present
visible object as object. The Bhavaṅga which follows again
takes Kamma, or the sign of Kamma, or the sign of destiny as
object.

Do you remember the simile of the mango? A man

sleeps under a mango tree. The mango falls grazing his nose.
He turns toward the mango. He looks at it. He picks it up. He
investigates it. He smells it and decides that it is good. Then
he eats it. Finally he swallows some remnants of the mango.
Then he goes to sleep again. That is a very good example for
the thought process. I will not repeat that since I told you in
the first chapter.

Now we will have to apply our knowledge of the first

and the third chapters to thought process.

This is eye-door thought process or eye-consciousness

thought process or seeing thought process.

Object Taken
This seeing thought process takes present visible object
as object. It runs for 17 thought moments. The present visible
object is a very great kind of object.

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 Chapter Four

Cittas Represented
The first three Cittas in the thought process (see CMA, IV,
are represented by what types of consciousness?
Table 4.1, p.155)
They are represented by Bhavaṅga Cittas. Do you remember
how many Cittas have the function of Paṭisandhi, Bhavaṅga
and Cuti? 19 Cittas have the functions of Paṭisandhi, Bhavaṅga
and Cuti. But can we have all 19 here? Can immaterial
Brahmas see? They do not have eyes. Therefore, we have to
leave the four Arūpāvacara Vipākas out. So, the first three
Cittas in the thought process are represented by other types
of consciousness. What are those? They are the two Santīra ṇa
associated with Upekkhā, eight Kāmāvacara Sahetuka Vipākas
and five Rūpāvacara Vipākas. So we must apply our
knowledge of previous chapters to this thought process.

The fourth Citta in the thought process is

Pañcadvārāvajjana. The fifth Citta in the thought process is
Cakkhu-viññāṇa. If the visual object is desirable, then it is the
result of Kusala as is the eye-consciousness which takes that
object. If it is an undesirable object, then it is the result of
Akusala. If the object is something that you don't want to see,
then the seeing consciousness is Akusala-vipāka. If it is an
object you want to see, then seeing consciousness is Kusala-
vipāka.

Sampaṭicchana is the sixth Citta in the thought process.

If it is desirable, it will be Kusala-vipāka. If it is undesirable, it
will be Akusala-vipāka.

Santīraṇa is the same. Here there is differentiation

between very desirable and average desirable. If the object is
very desirable, it must be Kusala-vipāka accompanied by
Somanassa. If it is just ordinary desirable, it must be Kusala-
vipāka accompanied by indifferent feeling. If it is undesirable,
then the result of Akusala will arise.

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 Chapter Four

The eighth Citta in the thought process is Vo ṭṭhabbana.

What is Voṭṭhabbana? Which consciousness is called
Voṭṭhabbana, determining? Manodvārāvajjana does the
function of determining. Manodvārāvajjana has two functions,
Voṭṭhabbana and Āvajjana. When it arises in five-sense-door
thought processes, it has the Voṭṭhabbana function,
determining function. When it arises in the mind-door thought
processes, it has the Āvajjana function, adverting function.

Javanas — I don't have to tell you how many Javanas

are presented because the Manual says how many? There are
29 sense-sphere Javanas. Please tell me those 29 sense-
sphere Javanas. There are twelve Akusala, eight Kāmāvacara
Kusala, eight Kāmāvacara Sahetuka Kiriya and one
Hasituppāda. One of those 29 types of consciousness will be
represented by the seven moments of Javana. The quality of
the Javanas will be determined by whether you have wise
attention or unwise attention, or if you are an Arahant, the
Javanas will be Kiriya. There are three conditions:
• unwise attention — Akusala Javana,
• wise attention — Kusala Javana, and
• if you are an Arahant — Kiriya Javana.

Then there are two Tadārammaṇas. How many Cittas

have the function of Tadārammaṇa? Eleven Cittas have the
function of Tadārammaṇa. Please tell me which eleven. They
are the three Santīraṇa Cittas and eight Kāmāvacara Sahetuka
Vipāka. One of these eleven Cittas will be represented by
Tadārammaṇa moments.

Functions of Cittas
Now let us look at the functions. Functions are not

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 Chapter Four

difficult. The first three moments in the five-sense-door

thought process have what function? You have to remember
how many functions. There are 14 functions. These three
Cittas have what function? They have Bhavaṅga function. Then
Pañcadvārāvajjana has what function? Āvajjana is its function.
Cakkhu-viññāṇa has what function? It has the function of
seeing. Sampaṭicchana has what function? It has the function
of accepting or receiving. Santīraṇa has what function? It has
the function of investigating. Voṭṭhabbana has what function?
Determining is the function of Voṭṭhabbana. The next seven
Cittas have what function? They have Javana function. The last
two have what function? Tadārammaṇa is the function of the
last two Cittas.

Door
Through what door does this thought process arise? It
arises through eye-door. That is why it is called eye-door
thought process. All these types of consciousness beginning
with Pañcadvārāvajjana arise through the eye-door.

Bases
Bases — what is the base for the Bhavaṅgas? Heart-
base is the base for Bhavaṅga Cittas in Kāmāvacara and
Rūpāvacara realms. Pañcadvārāvajjana has what base? It has
heart-base. Cakkhu-viññāṇa has what base? It has eye-base.
Sampaṭicchana has what base? It has heart-base. Santīraṇa
has what base? It has heart-base. Voṭṭhabbana has what base?
It has heart-base. The Javanas have what base? They have
heart-base. Tadārammaṇa have what base? They have heart-
base. We can go into more detail, but I will not do so now as it
will be confusing. Which eye-sensitivity and which heart-base
do they depend on — there is difference of opinion about these
things. I will not say anything about it here. After the sixth
chapter we may come back here. The bases we already know.

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 Chapter Four

There is heart-base and then eye-base and the remaining ones

are dependent on heart-base. So we have to apply our
knowledge of the first chapter and the third chapter to these
thought processes. They are not all. We have to find out in
what type of individuals they arise and in what realms they
arise. We will study that later.

Now you know the eye-door process that takes the

present visible object as object. Here the present visible object
is a very great object. The object lasts for 17 thought
moments coinciding with 17 thoughts beginning with past
Bhavaṅga and so on.

Vīthi Citta and Vīthimutta Citta

We have to differentiate between Vīthi Cittas and
Vīthimutta Cittas. How many Vīthi Cittas and Vīthimutta Cittas
are there? Vīthimutta means free from Vīthi, free from thought
process, not included in the thought process proper. The first
three moments in the thought process are Vīthimutta
(process-free) because they don't arise through any door. The
rest are called Vīthi Cittas, process Cittas. And then the
Bhavaṅga following the 17th thought moment in the thought
process and however many more Bhavaṅgas are process-free
or Vīthi-free Cittas. How many Vīthi Cittas are there in this
thought process? There are 14 Vīthi Cittas — that means 14
arisings of Vīthi Cittas. How many types of Vīthi Cittas are
there? Pañcadvārāvajjana is one type; seeing consciousness is
one type; Sampaṭicchana is one type; Santīraṇa is one type;
Voṭṭhabbana is one type; Javana is one type and Tadārammaṇa
is one type. There are seven kinds of Vīthi Cittas. But if we
count individual arisings of Vīthi Cittas we get 14. There are 14
Vīthi Cittas and seven kinds of Cittas.

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 Chapter Four

Other Processes
If the object is present audible object, we just have to
substitute Sota-viññāṇa for Cakkhu-viññāṇa. The others are all
the same. In that case we will have past Bhavaṅga, vibrating
Bhavaṅga, arrested Bhavaṅga, five-sense-door-adverting, and
then Sota-viññāṇa (ear-consciousness), and the rest is the
same.

When you smell something, the same Cittas will arise

except with nose-consciousness. When you taste something,
the same thought process will arise with tongue-
consciousness. When you touch something, the same thought
process will arise with body-consciousness. We get five kinds
of thought processes here.

If we take all types of consciousness that arise in these

processes, five-sense-door thought processes, how many
types of consciousness will we get? We will get 54 Kāmāvacara
types of consciousness. It is stated in the CMA I believe on
page 162.
“There are seven modes and 14 different states of
consciousness in the cognitive process. In detail there are
accordingly 54 in the five doors.” (CMA, IV, §11, p.162)
That 54 is the 54 types of Kāmāvacara consciousness.

This thought process shows us there is no person or no

individual behind these arisings of thought moments. Each
thought moment does its own function. When one thought
moment arises and does its function and disappears, then the
next thought moment arises. Then it does its function and
disappears and another thought moment arises or follows it.
There is an order in this thought process. For example,
Sampaṭicchana or receiving always follows eye-consciousness.
Similarly Santīraṇa always follows Sampaṭicchana and so on.
This is the fixed order of consciousness. In this process of

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 Chapter Four

consciousness we do not find any doer or anybody or anyone

who gives orders: “You be Sampaṭicchana, you be Cakkhu-
viññāṇa, you be Santīraṇa” and so on.

So the Cittas arise and disappear on their own accord.

One thought moment arises and disappears and then another
thought moment follows. When one thought moment
disappears, it becomes the condition for the next thought
moment to arise. If it does not disappear, the next thought
moment cannot arise. There is much more to understand with
regard to this thought process, that is, if we know Pa ṭṭhāna.
We can apply Paṭṭhāna conditions here, after the eighth
chapter we may want to try our knowledge of Paṭṭhāna with
the thought processes, but not now.

So what seems to be a very simple experience like

seeing something is actually a very complex experience. In
that ‘simple experience’ there are 17 thought moments, an
object, their bases, their functions. We left out the Cetasikas.
You can put in the Cetasikas if you want to. You may
determine how many Cetasikas are with Bhavaṅga or how
many Cetasikas are with Pañcadvārāvajjana, or how many are
with seeing consciousness and so on. So when we understand
Abhidhamma, we understand in very great detail about our
experience. A seemingly very simple experience becomes a
very complex one. Actually only the mind of the Buddha can
discover all these intricacies between different thought
moments and also how they are related to the object and their
relation to the bases, and their relation to each other — to the
preceding ones and the succeeding ones and so on. If you
understand the Abhidhamma, you know a lot about your
experiences.

Today we studied five kinds of thought processes.

Those five kinds of thought processes take very great object
as object.

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 Chapter Four

This thought process has 17 thought moments and the

present visible object. This present visible object is very great
object. That means it strikes the eye and mind, and there is
only one moment of past Bhavaṅga. After one past Bhava ṅga,
the Bhavaṅga vibrates.

Mahanta Object
But there are objects that are not as strong as the very
great object. They are called great objects. These objects need
not just one past Bhavaṅga, but two or three past Bhavaṅgas.
When they strike at the eye and the mind, it takes two or
three past Bhavaṅgas before the Bhavaṅga vibrates. So for the
great object there can be two types of thought processes. Do
you know how to do the thought process with great object?
With great object you need two past Bhavaṅgas or three past
Bhavaṅgas. So there are two kinds of thought processes that
take great object. In the first case there will be past Bhavaṅga
and so on. Can there be Tadārammaṇa in that thought
process? It is said that Tadārammaṇa arises twice or none at
all arises. If they arise, they must arise twice. If there is only
one moment left, then Tadārammaṇa cannot arise. If we put
one more Atīta or past Bhavaṅga there (at the beginning of
the thought process), we get one more moment for
Tadārammaṇa, but Tadārammaṇa cannot arise. Instead of
Tadārammaṇa there is one more Bhavaṅga. That Bhavaṅga is
inside the thought process because that Bhavaṅga is the 17 th
thought moment. In that case the process for the great object
begins with past Bhavaṅga, another past Bhavaṅga, then
vibrating Bhavaṅga, arrested Bhavaṅga and so on until Javana.
After the Javanas, other Bhavaṅgas follow. The first Bhavaṅga
is included in the thought process, and the others are outside
the thought process.

What about the second type of thought process. There

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 Chapter Four

we will have three past Bhavaṅgas — past Bhavaṅga, past

Bhavaṅga, past Bhavaṅga, then vibrating Bhavaṅga, arrested
Bhavaṅga and so on. This time the seventh Javana coincides
with 17 moments. The end of that process is the seventh
Javana. After seven Javanas the usual Bhavaṅgas follow. So
we get two kinds of thought processes that take great object.

Altogether we now have three types of thought

processes. The first one is on the diagram (see CMA, IV, Table 4.1,
p.155) and two are in your mind. Can you say the other two?
Past Bhavaṅga, past Bhavaṅga, vibrating Bhavaṅga, arrested
Bhavaṅga, five-sense-door-adverting, seeing, receiving,
investigating, determining, seven Javanas and one Bhavaṅga
are the Cittas in one of the thought processes. The next one is
past Bhavaṅga, past Bhavaṅga, past Bhavaṅga, vibrating
Bhavaṅga, arrested Bhavaṅga, adverting, seeing, receiving,
investigating, determining, seven Javanas.

In the CMA (see CMA, IV, Table 4.1, p.155) the sub-moments are
represented by asterisks. But in other places they are
represented by zeros. In Burma we use zeros to represent the
thought sub-moments of consciousness. Do you know why?
Zero is void. So we want you to be reminded that they are
void of permanency, void of satisfactoriness, void of Atta. To
show the ‘voidness’ of Cittas we use the zero for each sub-
moment instead of asterisk or some other thing. When you
see these zeros, you know that they are nothing. That means
they are not permanent, they are not satisfactory — they are
not permanent entities — they are not Atman.

These are the first three thought processes. Next week

we will go through the other kinds of thought processes which
take slight objects and very slight objects. Once you
understand the first ones, then the others are not hard to
understand.

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 Chapter Four

Do you have any questions?

Student: This represents a thought process that lasts a

billionth of a second. Does it ever move to another
thought process without intervening Bhavaṅga?
Sayādaw: After this thought process there will always be
Bhavaṅga moments. How many we do not know.
This thought process will be followed by mind-door
thought processes, different kinds of mind-door
thought processes. We have not seen a thing yet.
With this thought process all we see is just the
visible object. Let's say, for example, we see a
rose. With this thought process we have not seen
the rose; we have just seen the visible object, a
general object. We do not come to decision that it
is a rose or that is a visible object until later. In
order to know, in order to be able to say, “this is
red”, “this is yellow”, or “this is a rose”, we need
some more kinds of thought processes. They are
called forwarding thought processes. They are
explained in the CMA (see CMA, IV, Guide to §12, p.163-164).
We need some more thought processes before we
can say, “this is a rose” or “this is a book”. This is
just the initial contact with the object. It is not
enough for us to be able to say, “I see a rose”. You
have to wait because we are doing the five-sense-
door thought processes. Later on we will go to
mind-door thought process.

Mind-door thought processes are treated very briefly in

the Manual. In Burma different teachers have different
opinions, so there can be many kinds of thought processes. In
Leḍī Sayādaw's book there are many thought processes. We
will study some of them.

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 Chapter Four

You may check in the CMA (see CMA, IV, Table 4.1, p.155), the
“14 acts of process consciousness” means Vīthi Cittas, 14
arisings of Vīthi Cittas, #4 to #17, that is, the fourth Citta
(Pañcadvārāvajjana) through the seventeenth Citta
(Tadārammaṇa) in the thought process.

The kinds of process Cittas are only seven.

Student: Would you take a look on page 161 of the CMA (see
CMA, IV, Table 4.2, p.161)? In the process that takes a
great object and ends in Bhavaṅga, what object
does that Bhavaṅga Citta take?
Sayādaw: The object of Bhavaṅga is always Kamma, Kamma-
nimitta (sign of Kamma), or Gati-nimitta (sign of
destiny).

Student: [Inaudible].

Sayādaw: Whatever object we experience in this life whether

desirable or undesirable is influenced by the past
Kamma. The result of past Kamma is
consciousness — Kusala-vipāka or Akusala-vipāka
consciousness. That consciousness is the real result
or Vipāka of past Kamma. The material things we
come across are not the direct result of Kamma.
Kamma may have some influence over them. We
will come to this later. And also in the fifth chapter
we talk about Kamma and the results of Kamma.

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 Chapter Four

Cognitive Process: Thought Process (II)

Last week we studied the five-sense-door thought

processes. We studied the first three of the eye-door
processes. The first is Atimahanta. It's a very great object.
Great means it is so strong that it can cause the Bhava ṅga to
vibrate after only one past Bhavaṅga arises. There are some
objects that are not as strong as that. So for them it will take
two or three past Bhavaṅgas' arising before they can cause the
Bhavaṅga to vibrate. These two are called Mahanta (great).
There are two thought processes of Mahanta. In the first one
there is Bhavaṅga after 7 Javanas. The second of the Mahanta
has no Bhavaṅga after Javana in the thought process.

The object of the thought process is the present visible

object. The life span of the present visible object is 17 thought
moments. A thought process consists of 17 thought moments.
If you look at the first Mahanta thought process, there is one
moment left after Javana. Tadārammaṇa (registering) cannot
arise there because it is said in the books that Tadārammaṇas
arise always twice or not at all. So if we only have one thought
moment left, then Tadārammaṇa will not arise there. Since
Tadārammaṇa cannot arise, there is Bhavaṅga. So this
Bhavaṅga is included in the thought process.

For the second thought process there is no thought

moment left after the Javanas, so there is no problem. With
the one thought process, there is a question that if
Tadārammaṇas must arise twice, why not let Tadārammaṇa
arise twice in the first Mahanta thought process? In that case
one Tadārammaṇa will be inside the thought process and the
other outside the thought process. That is not possible
because in one thought process, with the exception of the
Magga thought process and some others, the object must be
the same. So if we allow the Tadārammaṇa to arise there, the

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 Chapter Four

first Tadārammaṇa would take the present object and the

second Tadārammaṇa would take the past object as object. So
there is a difference in object. That is why Tadārammaṇa or
registering cannot arise there although there is one thought
moment left.

Today we go to the others, slight and very slight

thought processes. The object of these six thought processes
is weaker than the one for the Mahanta. It is so weak that it
needs four past Bhavaṅgas before it causes the vibrating
Bhavaṅga. When there are four past Bhavaṅgas, then we go
there until we get to 17. There are now how many Bhava ṅgas
at the end? There are four Bhavaṅgas — and before the four
Bhavaṅgas there are three Voṭṭhabbanas. In the Manual it says
Voṭṭhabbana may arise twice or three times (see CMA, IV, §8, p.160).
So here we take Voṭṭhabbana as arising three times. After
Voṭṭhabbana there are four moments left to make 17 thought
moments. They are filled with Bhavaṅga moments. There are
four Bhavaṅga moments before the object of that thought
process disappears. Still there is some room, so we can have
the slight object thought processes #2, #3, #4, #5 & #6.
• Paritta #2 has how many past Bhavaṅgas?
There are five past Bhavaṅgas. Since there are
five past Bhavaṅgas, there are only 3 Bhavaṅgas
left at the end.
• And then in Paritta #3 there are 6 past
Bhavaṅgas which leaves 2 Bhavaṅgas at the
end.
• Then Paritta #4 has 7 past Bhavaṅgas and only
one Bhavaṅga at the end.
• Paritta #5 has 8 past Bhavaṅgas and so there is
no Bhavaṅga at the end — just 3 moments of
Voṭṭhabbana.
• Paritta #6 has 9 past Bhavaṅgas and only 2
Voṭṭhabbanas. With the second Voṭṭhabbana the
object disappears.

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So we have 6 kinds of Paritta thought processes. The

object of these Paritta thought processes is actually weak, not
so strong. Only Voṭṭhabbana can arise here, no Javanas.

There is a weaker object than the object in the Paritta

thought processes. These thought processes are called
Atiparitta — ‘Ati’ means very and ‘Paritta’ means slight.
Sometimes we think that we hear something or we see
something, then we lose it. It's something like that, very, very
weak. Actually there is no Vīthi thought moments in these
thought processes.
• So Atiparitta thought process #1 has 10 past
Bhavaṅgas and there are only two vibrations
and then Bhavaṅga again.
Since there is no stopping of Bhavaṅga, we do not call
the second one Upaccheda (arrested) Bhavaṅga because
Bhavaṅga does not stop there, it goes on. So we just have two
moments of Bhavaṅga Calana and then 5 ordinary Bhavaṅga
moments. In this thought process there is just a little bit of
vibration of Bhavaṅga and then back to Bhavaṅga again.
Sometimes we may be sleeping or may be dozing and we go
back to sleep. Bhavaṅga is like that. So the objects of these
thought processes are very weak.
• Atiparitta thought process #2 has 11 past
Bhavaṅgas, 2 vibrating Bhavaṅgas and at the
end 4 Bhavaṅga moments. There is no
Voṭṭhabbana here; there is just the vibration of
Bhavaṅga.
• Atiparitta thought process #3 has 12 past
Bhavaṅgas, 2 Calana Bhavaṅgas and 3
Bhavaṅgas at the end.
• Atiparitta thought process #4 has 13 past
Bhavaṅgas, 2 vibrating Bhavaṅgas and only 2
Bhavaṅgas at the end.
• Atiparitta thought process #5 has 14 past

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Bhavaṅgas, 2 vibrating Bhavaṅgas and only 1

Bhavaṅga at the end.
• And then Atiparitta thought process #6 has 15
Bhavaṅgas and two vibrating Bhavaṅgas at the
end.
Actually there are no Vīthi Cittas in these thought
processes. Vīthi Citta means Pañcadvārāvajjana, Cakkhu-
viññāṇa and so on. There is just the vibration of Bhavaṅga.

Now these 15 thought processes are called eye-

consciousness or seeing. For hearing, smelling, etc., we can
have 15 each. So there are altogether in the five-sense-door
thought processes 75. These thought processes are called
Pañcadvāravīthi.

The first one is called Tadārammaṇa course, that is, the

thought process ending with Tadārammaṇa. The two Mahanta
thought processes are called Javana course because they end
with Javana. The next 6, the Paritta, what do they end with?
They are called Voṭṭhabbana course because they end with
Voṭṭhabbana. Then the Atiparitta 6, how are they called? They
are called zero course — it is called Moghavāra; it is translated
as futile course or we may just call it zero course because
there are no Vīthi Cittas at all in these 6 thought processes.

All the types of consciousness arising in these thought

processes are among the 54 Kāmāvacara Cittas. So there are
no Rūpāvacara Cittas, Arūpāvacara Cittas or Lokuttara Cittas
in these thought processes. That is why they are called
Kāmāvacara thought processes. Kāmāvacara thought
processes have two divisions — one is five-sense-door and the
other is mind-door.

Now I think we can think of some simile for Atīta

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Bhavaṅgas. Suppose a person is asleep and you hit at the

door. When you hit strongly, he will wake up or his sleep will
be disturbed after just one hit. Then if your hit is not so
strong, you will have to hit two times. Then if you hit even less
strongly, you will have to hit three times. Four times and so on
up to 15 times. So when the object is strong (whether it is
small or big doesn't matter), when the impact of the object is
strong, it only needs one past Bhavaṅga. If it is less strong, it
needs two, three or four past Bhavaṅgas and so on.

The object of Atiparitta is very, very weak. There is

almost no object at all. They are just able to make the
Bhavaṅga vibrate and then go back to Bhavaṅga again. They
are called Moghavāra (zero course).

In these Citta thought processes, especially the first

one, there are how many Vīthi Cittas? There are seven Vīthi
Cittas:
(1) Pañcadvārāvajjana,
(2) Cakkhu-viññāṇa,
(3) Sampaṭicchana,
(4) Santīraṇa,
(5) Voṭṭhabbana,
(6) Javana, and
(7) Tadārammaṇa.
How many arisings of Citta are there (That means
individual Cittas)? There are 14. So altogether for five-sense-
door thought processes we get 54 Kāmāvacara Cittas. I hope
you remember how to apply your knowledge of Vatthu (base),
Dvāra (door), and Ārammaṇa (object) to this.

Now we go to mind-door thought process. Mind-door

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thought process in the Manual (see CMA, IV, §12, p.163) is very
simple, but the teachers have more to say. One teacher may
say one thing and another teacher may say some other thing.
We have differences of opinion and different kinds of thought
processes. First let us go through the Manual.

When the mind-door thought process arises, it does not

need the five sense-doors. An object may strike at the mind
after Bhavaṅga. Mostly the objects of the mind-door processes
are past objects, future objects or timeless objects like
concepts and Nibbāna. Present objects are also objects of
mind-door thought processes.

Since the objects arise only through mind-door and not

through any of the five sense-doors, they are called Suddha-
mano-dvāra-vīthi, pure mind-door thought processes. You may
remember that with regard to five-sense-door thought
processes actually the object strikes at two doors at eye-door
and mind-door or ear-door and mind-door and so on. But in
the mind-door thought processes it is only through mind-door
or Bhavaṅga that these processes arise.

There are different ways for objects to enter or strike at

the mind-door. They are given in the CMA on page 164. How
objects present themselves to the mind-door — paragraph #2
“An independent mind-door process occurs when any of
the six objects enters the range of cognition entirely on its
own, not as a consequence of an immediately preceding
sense-door process.” (CMA, IV, Guide to §12, p.164)

Now we will look at the mental thought processes in

the CMA. We will also study the mind-door thought processes
that are called in Pāḷi ‘Tadanuvattikā’. That means ‘following
thought processes’, those that follow the five-sense-door
thought processes. Here we are studying just the independent

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mind-door thought processes.

“The question may be raised how an object can enter

the range of the mind door independently of a proximate
sensory impingement.” (CMA, IV, Guide to §12, p.164)
There is no sensory impingement but through mind,
objects can arise or objects can present themselves to the
mind without the help of the five senses.

“Leḍī Sayādaw cites various sources (Suttas): ” (CMA, IV,

Guide to §12, p.164)

Actually these are from the Aṭṭhasālinī and Mūlaṭīkā,

Ṭīkā of the Aṭṭhasālinī.

So it is said that “through what was directly perceived

earlier, …” (CMA, IV, Guide to §12, p.164)
That means you have experienced something before.
Later on you call that experience to your mind, that object
appears to your mind. Let us say, you saw something
yesterday. Now you can recall it and see it in your mind. That
past object presents itself to your mind. That is because of
your mental power. There are two different presentations. The
object of five senses strikes at the mind-door and at the
sense-doors. In the five sense-doors it is the power of the
object that makes the Bhavaṅga vibrate and the other thought
moments arise. But here it is the power of your mind that
brings forth objects to your mind. It is not through the power
or strength of objects but through the power of your mind that
these objects mostly past or future appear inside your mind.

“Through what was directly perceived earlier, …” (CMA, IV,

Guide to §12, p.164)

That means through what you have experienced

through five senses before.

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“… or by inference from what was directly perceived;

…” (CMA, IV, Guide to §12, p.164)

That means what you have seen or what you have

heard and so on. That way also the object can appear to your
mind or enter the range of cognition.

“… through what was learnt by oral report, …” (CMA, IV,

Guide to §12, p.164)

That means you learn of something through hearsay.

You do not experience it yourself, but you hear someone say
something about it. Then you think of it and have that object
in your mind.

“… or by inference from what was learnt by oral report;

…” (CMA, IV, Guide to §12, p.164)

That is by inference.

“… on account of belief, …” (CMA, IV, Guide to §12, p.164)

Sometimes you believe in something and you think of it

and then the object enters your mind. Sometimes on account
of your opinion, you have some kind of opinion, so that
appears to your mind. Sometimes there is reasoning. You
don't just think about it. You weigh it in your mind and have
reason for this and that and you come to a conclusion. In that
way, the object can enter your mind.

“… or reflective acceptance of a view; …” (CMA, IV, Guide to

§12, p.164)

That means you accept some view after reflecting on it.

When you have accepted it, that view appears to your mind.

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“… by the power of kamma, …” (CMA, IV, Guide to §12, p.164)

Sometimes, for example, the Kamma object will appear

to your mind when you are dying. It is by the power of Kamma
that that object is presented to your mind.

“… (and by) psychic power, …” (CMA, IV, Guide to §12, p.164)

So if you have psychic power or Abhiññā and others,

then you can take these objects in your mind.

“… disturbance of the bodily humors, …” (CMA, IV, Guide to

§12, p.164)

Sometimes because your body is not in good health

this object will appear. Bodily humor means something in the
body like phlegm, wind and bile. They are called the three
Dosas of the body. Dosa doesn't mean anger here; ‘Dosa’ here
means three faulty things in the body. They should be
balanced. If they are not in balance, you have some kind of
disease. If you have too much phlegm, maybe you have one
kind of disease. If you have too much wind, maybe you will
have some other kind of disease. And if you have too much or
too little bile, you will have another kind of disease. These are
called bodily humors. Sometimes they are unbalanced. So
when they are unbalanced, some objects may enter your
mind. Sometimes you have bad dreams because it is too cold
for you or too hot for you or you are constipated or something
like that.

Then “… the influence of the deities, …” (CMA, IV, Guide to

§12, p.164)

Sometimes deities can cause you to have dreams or

you have visions or something like that. They all come through
the mind-door.

Then “… (there is) comprehension, realization, etc.”

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(CMA, IV, Guide to §12, p.164)

Comprehension means directly seeing it. For example,

we have studied and know there are Four Noble Truths and
there is Nibbāna. Until we realize Nibbāna by Magga Citta, we
do not know Nibbāna directly. Now we think of Nibbāna.
Nibbāna is the object. That Nibbāna is presented to us through
mind-door or at the moment of Gotrabhū, Gotrabhū can take
Nibbāna as object, but that is also direction not realization.
Realization comes at the moment of Magga or Path. All these
objects are understood through the mind-door or these
objects enter the range of cognition through the mind-door.

Through the mind-door many kinds of objects can be

presented — past, present, future, and also time-free
consciousness, and Nibbāna. In mind-door thought processes
the objects are divided into only two:
• Vibhūta, and
• Avibhūta.
‘Vibhūta’ means clear and ‘Avibhūta’ means unclear.
There are only two kinds of objects for mind-door thought
processes — clear and unclear or obscure. Since it is
presented through mind-door, we do not need
Pañcadvārāvajjana; there are 7 Javanas and then two
registration moments and Bhavaṅga again. We need not worry
about past Bhavaṅga or 17 thought moments because mostly
the objects of these mind thought processes are past, future
or time-free. That is why there is no Atīta Bhavaṅga or past
Bhavaṅga here. According to this Manual (see CMA, IV, §12, p.163),
the mind-door thought process runs vibrating Bhavaṅga,
arrested Bhavaṅga, Manodvārāvajjana, 7 Javanas and then
two Tadārammaṇas. For obscure object still we do not need
Atīta Bhavaṅga. We have vibrating Bhavaṅga, arrested
Bhavaṅga, Manodvārāvajjana, 7 Javanas and that is all. Then
there is Bhavaṅga again. Later we will see that registration can
arise only with clear objects. With regard to obscure objects
no Tadārammaṇa arises. In the thought process for obscure

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objects there is no Tadārammaṇa, just 7 Javanas arise and

then Bhavaṅga again. It is a very simple mind-door thought
process — one for clear objects and one for obscure objects.

Now as I said before, teachers have different opinions

about that. They argue about what if the object is present. If it
is present, we can have 17 thought moments for it. Since it is
a present object and it lasts for 17 thought moments, there
should be Atīta Bhavaṅga. According to these teachers, there
are five Vibhūta thought processes and two Avibhūta thought
processes. If it is too complicated, just forget about it. So long
as you are familiar with the two described in the CMA itself
and the diagram (see CMA, IV, Table 4.3, p.166), that is enough. So,
according to these teachers, there are different kinds of
objects, especially objects that have a duration of 17 thought
moments and objects that do not have that duration. For those
that have duration of 17 thought moments we need Atīta
Bhavaṅga. So here there is first Atīta Bhavaṅga, then vibrating
Bhavaṅga, arrested Bhavaṅga, Manodvārāvajjana, 7 Javanas
and then 2 Tadārammaṇas and 4 Bhavaṅgas at the end. For
the second one we add one more Atīta Bhavaṅga, for the fifth
one we add Atīta Bhavaṅga until we get the second
Tadārammaṇa as #17.

Then Avibhūta, obscure object — here if the obscure

object is the Rūpa object of 17 thought moments, we have 6
Atīta Bhavaṅgas and then vibrating Bhavaṅga, arrested
Bhavaṅga, Manodvārāvajjana, 7 Javanas and Bhavaṅga at the
end. The second one has one more Atīta Bhavaṅga; the others
are the same and end with the seventh Javana.

So these objects whose life span is 17 thought

moments are material properties other than the two
intimations and four characteristics. Now it is said that the two
intimations arise and perish with Citta. So they do not last for
17 thought moments. If you do not know what the four

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characteristics are, you do not understand this. In order to

understand this you have to be familiar with the 28 material
properties. Among the 28 material properties there are two
that are called intimations, bodily intimation and verbal
intimation. Now this is bodily intimation, right, I'm doing
something like this (motions with hand). I'm calling you to
come here. You understand what I want. So that is bodily
intimation, not the movement itself, but some mode of
movement in my hand. That is bodily intimation.

Verbal intimation means my speaking. You understand

what I am saying. That is through verbal intimation. It is said
that these two intimations last for only one moment and not
17 thought moments, so they are excluded from the objects
here for these thought processes.

The four characteristics are like Anicca, Dukkha and

Anatta. They are arising, continuation and disappearing — so
they do not last for 17 moments. They last for one moment or
some last for 49 sub-moments. So they are not included here.

Then if the object is mixed present, past, future, and

timeless objects, there are two thought processes — Vibhūta
and Avibhūta. For Vibhūta the object can be past, present and
future. They are 54 Kāmāvacara Cittas, 52 Cetasikas, two
intimations and four characteristics. If they are past and
future, they are the other Rūpas. And for Avibhūta, obscure,
they can be past, present and future and they are all Cittas, all
Cetasikas, two intimations, and four characteristics. And if
they are past and future, they are other Rūpas (22 Rūpas),
time-free Paññatti. These are the thought processes added by
teachers in Burma. There are many other thought processes
also. So if you can think of one thought process, you may
think we should add this or we should add that. In the Manual
and in Leḍī Sayādaw's book there are many more thought
processes.

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Now we will go to the subsequent thought processes,

thought processes that follow five-sense-door thought process.
They are not mentioned in the Manual. In Burma our teachers
have this opinion that five-sense-door thought process alone is
not enough for us to say, “I see a rose”, “I see a book”, “I see
a man”. In order for us to be able to say, “I see a rose; I see a
man”, we need more kinds, more types of thought processes.

When we say, “I see a rose”, first the rose comes into

the avenue of the eye; that is the first thought process,
Atimahanta, the first one for the eye-door process. This
thought process arises and disappears. But at the end of the
thought process we have not seen the rose. We have just seen
the visible object. We do not know that it is a rose at that
moment; we just know that it is a visible object. After that,
one kind of mind-door thought process arises taking past
object as object. The life span of the object of this thought
process is 17 thought moments. After 17 thought moments
the object disappears. Actually the rose disappears although
you may continue seeing the rose. Actually the rose you have
seen with the first thought process has disappeared. When it
has disappeared, there is another thought process which is
through the mind-door. That process, a mind-door process,
takes that past object as object. It is like bringing it back to
your mind. So that kind of thought process arises. Many such
thought processes of that kind may arise. That process is
called ‘taking the past’; it is the process of taking the past as
object.

Then another thought process arises, the process

taking the whole, taking all. When you see a man — let's say,
first you see the head; actually you don't see the head at
once. You see the visible object or the material particles. So
there is seeing thought process and then a process taking the
past as object. These two processes arise many times until
you have seen all the material particles in the whole man.

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With the third thought process you take all, all the
visible objects as object. So the first thought process takes
one or a small amount of visible object as object. The second
takes the past as object. Now the third kind of thought process
takes all the visible objects in a man. Although it is whole, it is
called ‘Samūha’ in Pāḷi or group. It is still ultimate reality. It
has not passed into the realm of concept yet. The thought
process taking the past as object and the thought process
taking the whole as object are both ultimate realities,
Paramatthas.

Now follows another thought process which takes man

as object, the substance, the person — man as object. When
that object arises you have gone into the realm of Paññatti.
Now it becomes a concept. With that type of thought process
one thinks, “I see a man”. But still the word ‘man’ does not yet
come to the mind. One sees a group of material properties in
the shape of a man.

Another thought process follows. With that thought

process the name ‘man’ appears to the mind. That is called
taking name. So there are four thought processes following
the seeing thought process. We need altogether five kinds of
thought processes in order to say, “I see a rose; I see a man.”
These thought processes may arise again and again, millions
of times. What are the four following the sense-door thought
process? Number one is taking the past, number two is taking
the whole, number three is taking the thing, the substance,
taking the person if it is a man and number four is taking the
name. Only after these four thought processes can we say, “I
see a rose, I see a man.” So we are seeing things every
moment and we think it is a very simple experience, that we
see or that we hear something, but if we apply our knowledge
of Abhidhamma to just seeing, we know it is very complex. We
can explain many things here: how they arise, through what
sense-door they arise, what type of consciousness performs

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what function and what object is taken and so on. It is very

complex. With regard to seeing, smelling, tasting and
touching, we need these four subsequent thought processes,
altogether five, in this order: seeing present visual data,
cognizing the past, taking the whole, seeing the object,
naming the object. In the seeing thought process the name
will only arise when you know the name of it. If you don't
know the name of it, that process won't arise. Sometimes we
see a thing and don't know the name of it. Nowadays we go
into a store and see thousands of things there. You don't know
the names of all these things. So if you don't know the name
of a thing, although you see it, the taking name thought
process cannot arise.

What about when you hear? You hear my voice. You

hear words and sounds. We need these four thought
processes, but the order is a little different. You hear my voice
— let's say, one syllable. You hear the word ‘man’, one
syllable. So first you take the present sound as object. Instead
of Cakkhu-viññāṇa there will be Sota-viññāṇa. Then the sound
disappears very quickly, so you recollect that sound by the
past object thought process. Can there be a third process
which takes all? There is only one sound, so there will be no
process taking all. Next is the thought process taking the
name. The name-concept comes first; only after that do you
come to the thing. That is the difference between the other
thought processes and the hearing thought process. In
hearing thought process you have past object, all, name and
thing, but if there is only one syllable there will be no thought
process taking all. If there are two syllables, then we will have
to have the thought process taking all. If there are three
syllables, then one more thought process is needed. If there
are four syllables, for example, in the word ‘dedication’, there
is one more. When you hear something — that means the
words heard by some person — first you hear the sound with
Sota-viññāṇa. That Sota-viññāṇa thought process takes that
present sound as object. Mano-dvāra thought process takes
that past sound as object. Let's say, there are two syllables.

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Next you take all, the two syllables together. Then in the
fourth process the name-concept comes to you. When I say
the word ‘man’, the name or the noun ‘man’ comes to your
mind. Only after that do you know the man, a person. Here
the thought process taking thing-concept comes last.

Here also if you do not know the meaning of that

sound, the last process will not arise. There are many English
words that you do not know, right? If we hear those words, we
are blank. We don't know the meaning. If that is the case,
there is no thought process taking Attha-paññatti as object.
That process we do not understand. In order to understand
what another person says we need two conditions. First we
must hear it or the object must come into contact with our ear.
Then we must have known the meaning of the sound before.
Only then do we understand what other people say.

Sometimes we do not understand. Sometimes we talk

too fast. Our knowledge is not so perfect, so we don't hear
these things and we don't understand. In order to understand
we must hear the word clearly and we must have known the
meaning of the word before. Only then do we understand.

If we are familiar with the language, like our own

language, although we do not hear the sounds distinctly, we
can fill in these sounds because we are so familiar with our
language. When we talk among ourselves — Vietnamese
people — you don't pronounce the words clearly. Sometimes
they blur, but you understand. If you talk this way with a
person who does not speak the language from birth, they do
not understand. They say, “Please speak slowly and distinctly.”
We ask American people to say it again or we say, “I didn't
hear what you said.” In order to understand we need two
conditions. First we must hear it, hear it clearly. And then we
must have known the meaning of it before. Only then do we
understand. With the language which we are familiar with we

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may be able to fill in these indistinct sounds because we know

the language very well.

There are at least these four thought processes, four

mind-door thought processes following one of the five-sense-
door thought processes. Only after these five thought
processes do we really experience the object, do we really see
or do we really hear and understand. After the five-sense-door
thought process all the subsequent thought processes go
through mind-door. Those subsequent mind-door thought
processes are not mentioned in the Manual. I mean the
original Manual, Abhidhammatthasaṅgaha. Here in Bhikkhu
Bodhi's book, CMA, they are mentioned. What I have
explained to you is the general opinion of teachers, but what
he gave in this book CMA is mostly the opinion of Leḍī
Sayādaw (see CMA, IV, Guide to §12, p.163-166).

Leḍī Sayādaw was very learned and very intelligent, so

he put some more mind-door thought processes like
determining and some others — recognition of color,
Vaṇṇasallakkhaṇā; grasping the entity, Vatthugāhikā, etc., (see
CMA, IV, Guide to §12, p.164) . They are interesting, but if they are too
much for you, you can just leave them alone.

We come to the end of the Kāmāvacara Mano-dvāra

thought process. In these Kāmāvacara Mano-dvāra thought
processes there are only three Vīthi Cittas and ten arisings of
Cittas. On page 166 of the CMA, §13 “Summary”:
“Three modes and ten different states …” (CMA, IV, §13,
p.166)

That means three Vīthi Cittas and ten arisings of Cittas.

What are the three Vīthi Cittas? They are Manodvārāvajjana,
Javana and Tadārammaṇa. And what are the ten individual
Cittas? They are Manodvārāvajjana, seven Javanas and two
Tadārammaṇas. So when it is asked how many Vīthi Cittas
there are, we answer three. How many individual Cittas? We

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say ten.

Appanā Thought Processes

Jhāna Thought Processes

Now we come to the Appanā thought process. There
are different kinds of Appanā. Now first let us look at the
meaning of the word ‘Appanā’. Primarily the word ‘Appanā’ is a
synonym for the word ‘Vitakka’. What is the function of
Vitakka? The function of Vitakka is to put the Citta onto the
object. Appanā has the same meaning; it means to apply the
Citta onto the object. Appanā is a synonym for Vitakka. In
these Appanā thought processes it is not ordinary Vitakka, but
it is highly developed Vitakka, so that it has the power to keep
the mind firmly on the object.

First Jhāna is also called Appanā because it is with

Vitakka which is Appanā. Sometimes if something is with some
other thing, you call it by that one thing only. Primarily Appanā
means Vitakka. By extension Appanā means first Jhāna
because first Jhāna is accompanied by Vitakka which is
Appanā. By further extension all Jhānas, Maggas and Phalas
can be called Appanā because they resemble first Jhāna in
being able to inhibit the mental hindrances. So here Appanā
means Jhāna, Magga and Phala. When we say Appanā thought
process, it may be Jhāna thought process, or it may be Magga
thought process, or it may even be Phala-samāpatti thought
process, or Nirodha-samāpatti thought process.

In the Appanā thought process there is no distinction

between Vibhūta and Avibhūta. That means there is no
division of objects between clear and obscure because Appanā
means Jhāna and Magga. If you do not have the kind of Kasiṇa
clearly in your mind, you cannot get Jhāna. That means the

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object is always clear. There is no division between clear and

unclear. It must always be clear, Vibhūta object.

Also in the Appanā thought processes there is no

arising of Tadārammaṇa. Later on we will see that
Tadārammaṇa can only arise with regard to Kāmāvacara
objects, only to Kāmāvacara beings, and in Kāmāvacara
realms. If the object is not a Kāmāvacara object,
Tadārammaṇa cannot arise, however clear the object is. So
there will be no Tadārammaṇa in the Appanā thought process.

Since Appanā thought process is a mind-door thought

process, we do not need to bother about 17 thought moments.
We will not have Pañcadvārāvajjana. Instead of
Pañcadvārāvajjana we will have Manodvārāvajjana. So a
thought process runs one vibration, one arrested Bhavaṅga
and then Manodvārāvajjana (mind-door-adverting). After that
there are four moments of Kāmāvacara Javana. Kāmāvacara
Javana means Kusala and Kiriya. There are four moments of
Kāmāvacara Javana accompanied by knowledge. If it is not
accompanied by knowledge, you cannot get Jhāna and Magga.
They must be Ñāṇa-sampayutta, accompanied by knowledge.
Four come from Kāmāvacara Kusala and four come from
Kāmāvacara Kiriya. There are eight. Let us say, it is for a non-
Arahant. If it is for a non-Arahant, one of the four Kāmāvacara
Kusala accompanied by knowledge will arise. One of these four
will arise four times in these thought processes.

The first Javana in the Appanā thought process is called

Parikamma, preliminary. The second one is called Upacāra,
neighborhood or access. The third one is called Anuloma,
conformity. The fourth one is called Gotrabhū. These four are
actually Kāmāvacara Javanas, one of the eight Kāmāvacara
Kusala or Kiriya Cittas accompanied by Paññā. For those who
are non-Arahants one of the four Kāmāvacara Kusala will arise
and for Arahants one of the four Kāmāvacara Kiriya will arise.

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So Kāmāvacara Javanas run for four times. After that there is

Jhāna. Then Bhavaṅga follows. That Jhāna can be how many
Cittas for a non-Arahant? It may be any one of nine Cittas. If
the person is an Arahant, that Jhāna can be how many Cittas?
It may be any one of nine Cittas. This is how the thought
process arises at the first attainment of Jhāna. At the first
attainment of Jhāna only one moment of Jhāna will arise and
then it subsides into Bhavaṅga.

It goes like this. A person practises Samatha

meditation. Let's say, he practises Kasiṇa meditation. He gets
the image of the Kasiṇa in his head. First it is called the
grasped sign. He contemplates on that sign again and again.
The sign becomes refined, bright and clear. At that time it is
called counterpart sign, counterpart sign of the Kasiṇa. He
contemplates on that counterpart sign as earth, earth, for
example. When he is doing that, dwelling on the counterpart
sign, there are mind-door thought processes running in his
mind, mind-door thought processes that take that Kasiṇa as
object. Then a time will come when he gets Jhāna. When he
gets Jhāna, there is one thought process (also see CMA, IV, Table 4.4,
p.169). That thought process arises when he gets Jhāna for the
first time.

Suppose a person has not yet attained any of the

Jhānas, a complete beginner. He practises meditation and gets
the first Jhāna. At the first attainment of Jhāna the thought
process runs like this: vibrating Bhavaṅga, arrested Bhavaṅga,
Manodvārāvajjana, Parikamma, Upacāra, Anuloma, Gotrabhū.
You have to memorize those names. You can take the English
translation from the book CMA (see CMA, IV, Guide to §14, p.168). After
Gotrabhū arises, Jhāna Citta arises only once. Then it subsides
into Bhavaṅga. That is for the first attainment of Jhāna.
Among the four Javanas the first one is called what? It is
called Parikamma, preliminary or preparation.

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These four thought moments go under different names

at times. In the Commentaries the first three are called by any
of three names. For example, the first one may be called
Parikamma, Upacāra or Anuloma. There is confusion. Here in
the Manual they are given just one name each, so I think that
is better for us. Later on you will understand.

The first one of these four is Parikamma, preparation.

It prepares the mental continuum for the attainment which is
to follow. The next one is called Upacāra. ‘Upacāra’ means
neighborhood. It is here translated as access. The third one is
called Anuloma. ‘Anuloma’ means conformity. It conforms to
both the preceding and succeeding Cittas. It is compatible with
both preceding and succeeding Cittas. ‘Preceding Cittas’ here
means this Citta conforms not only with Cittas in this thought
process but with preceding Cittas in the thought processes
that have arisen before. When you are practising for Jhāna,
you have many thought processes taking the sign of Kasiṇa as
object. Preceding Cittas mean not only those in this thought
process but those in the former thought processes as well. It
is called conformity.

The fourth one is called Gotrabhū. ‘Gotra’ means

lineage. ‘Bhū’ has two meanings. One meaning is to overcome.
The other meaning is to reach into. It is made to mean two
things. There are two meanings. When a person attains Jhāna,
the Jhāna consciousness belongs to Mahaggata, Mahaggata
lineage we can say. Parikamma, Upacāra, Anuloma and
Gotrabhū belong to Kāmāvacara. So when it reaches to
Gotrabhū, it is overpowering the Kāmāvacara lineage. It
reaches into Mahaggata lineage. So this one Citta is said to
have two meanings — overcoming Kāmāvacara lineage and
reaching into Mahaggata lineage. Therefore, it is called
Gotrabhū.

In the Magga thought process we will also find these

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four. There Gotrabhū should be explained as overcoming

Puthujjana lineage and reaching into Noble (Ariya) lineage. If
it is a Magga thought process, until Gotrabhū the person is a
Puthujjana. Then beginning with Magga moment that person is
an Ariya, a Noble Person. So it is like a transition here. In this
case it is called Gotrabhū because it overpowers Puthujjana
lineage and it reaches into Ariya, Noble lineage. And in Jhāna
thought process Gotrabhū overpowers Kāmāvacara lineage
and reaches into Mahaggata lineage.

There are two kinds of persons here, a person of

average faculty, and a person of keen faculty — that means a
person who is not so bright and one who is very bright. He is
called of average faculty even though he gets Jhāna, so he is
actually bright, but comparing with the other one he is not so
bright. For the first kind of person there needs to be four kinds
of Kāmāvacara Javanas — Parikamma, Upacāra, Anuloma and
Gotrabhū. But for the person who has keen faculties, who is
very bright, he needs only three Kāmāvacara Javanas. The
first one is dropped. There is Upacāra, Anuloma and Gotrabhū.
There are only three moments. With regard to Jhāna there is
no adjustment, just drop Parikamma. With Magga we will see
what we will do. There are two persons, one of average faculty
and one of keen faculty. For those of average faculty there are
four moments of Kāmāvacara Javanas. For those of keen
faculties there are three moments of Kāmāvacara Javanas.
The first one, Parikamma, is dropped so there are only
Upacāra, Anuloma and Gotrabhū. If it is Jhāna thought
process, there is one moment of Jhāna and then it lapses into
Bhavaṅga.

In the Manual, in the middle of page 167 of the CMA, in

the translation of the passage:
“… any one of the javanas among the 26 types of
sublime or supramundane javanas enters upon the process of
absorption …” (CMA, IV, §14, p.167)

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If you take Javana as just Appanā Javana, then there

are 26.

“… in accordance with the way the mind is conveyed.”

(CMA, IV, §14, p.167)

What does that mean? If you direct your mind toward

attaining Jhāna, there will be Jhāna thought moments. If you
direct your mind toward attaining Nibbāna and practising
Vipassanā meditation, then the Appanā Javanas will be Magga
and Phala. So “in accordance with the way the mind is
conveyed” means in accordance with how you direct your
mind. Sometimes you want to attain Jhāna, so you direct your
mind to attaining Jhāna and practise Samatha meditation.
Sometimes you want to attain Nibbāna; so in order to achieve
that you practise Vipassanā meditation and direct your mind
towards the attainment of Nibbāna. In that case and if you are
successful, the Appanā Javanas will be Magga and Phalas. The
26 Sublime or 26 Mahaggata and Lokuttara Javanas arise
according to how you direct your mind.

“After that, at the end of absorption, there is

subsidence into the life-continuum.” (CMA, IV, §14, p.167)
Now let us study “at the end of absorption”. The
explanation given in the CMA on page 169 is not so complete.
“At the end of absorption” — this phrase is important here. If
it is said, “After that, there is subsidence into the Bhava ṅga”, if
it is said in that way, there could be misunderstanding because
whatever the thought process is, Bhavaṅga always follows
after the first moment of Appanā. If it is taken that way, no
Phala moments can follow Magga, and no Jhāna and Phala
moments can follow one after another in the sustained
attainment thought processes. That is why this phrase is put
there. “At the end of absorption” means at the end of
absorption Javanas. For example, in the Magga thought
process there is one Magga moment and two or three Phala
moments. Only after all the Appanā Javanas will Bhavaṅga
arise. In order to let us know that, the author put this phrase

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“at the end of absorption.” Only after the absorption Javanas

will there be Bhavaṅga, not just after one Appanā Javana. If
there are two Appanā Javanas, then after two Appanā Javanas
Bhavaṅga will arise. If there are 1000 Appanā Javanas, only
after 1000 Appanā Javanas will there be Bhavaṅga moments.

“… with no occurrence of registration cittas.” (CMA, IV,

Guide to §14, p.169)

We do not need to say this here because it is already

stated before. There is no arising of registration-consciousness
in the Appanā thought processes. So here “there is subsidence
into life-continuum at the end of absorption” means there is
Bhavaṅga at the end of all Appanā Javanas. The non-
occurrence of registration has already been stated above.

In the thought process that is called Samāpajjana, later

sustained attainment process, there can be thousands and
thousands of moments of Jhāna. A person first gets Jhāna.
Later on he wants to get into the Jhāna again. He practises
meditation again in order to reach that Jhāna. Then according
to his wish — he may have a wish: “May I be in Jhāna” or
“May Jhāna Cittas arise again for one hour, two hours or for a
day or two” — so with that wish in mind, he practises
meditation and that process arises. In this thought process
there are millions and millions of Jhāna moments. This is
called later sustained attainment; it is the way to enjoy Jhāna
actually. First you get the Jhāna. Then you want to enjoy it.
You want to enjoy Jhāna because when your mind is in Jhāna,
your mind is very still and calm. Vitakka, Vicāra, Pīti, Sukha
and Ekaggatā are very strong, so you are very happy at that
time, very peaceful. You want to enjoy the peacefulness of
Jhāna. So you want to enter into Jhāna again. In that case
since you want there to be many moments of Jhāna, Jhāna
moments will be thousands and thousands. Here in the
attainment thought process there is vibrating Bhavaṅga,
arrested Bhavaṅga, and then Manodvārāvajjana, Parikamma,
Upacāra, Anuloma, Gotrabhū (Actually here it is Vodāna.), and

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then many many moments of Jhāna, millions and millions of

moments of Jhāna.

At the appointed time the meditator emerges from

Jhāna. That means Bhavaṅga moments arise. He can be in this
type of Jhāna thought process as long as he wants. If he
makes a wish or a resolution, “May I be in the Jhāna thought
process for one hour”, then he will be in the Jhāna for one
hour. At the end of an hour the Bhavaṅga will automatically
arise. That is what we call the emergence from Jhāna. If he
makes a resolution, “May I be in Jhāna for three days”, then
he will be in the Jhāna for three days. At the end of three days
automatically the Bhavaṅga will arise.

Here for people of average faculty and for keen faculty

there is only one thought moment difference. The others are
the same. Parikamma will not arise for those of keen faculty.

With regard to Jhāna thought process there are two

kinds — first attainment and later sustained attainment. The
first is called Adhikammika. ‘Adhi’ means first. ‘Kamma’ means
work. So it means one who is engaged in first working, a
beginner. Sustained attainments are called Samāpajjana
thought process. You are familiar with the word Samāpatti.
Samāpatti and Samāpajjana come from the same root.
Actually they mean the same thing. We call this Jhāna-
samāpatti Vīthi.

The Jhāna moments can be represented by five

Rūpāvacara Kusala and four Arūpāvacara Kusala if it is a non-
Arahant. If it is for an Arahant, Jhāna moments will be
represented by five Rūpāvacara Kiriya and four Arūpāvacara
Kiriya.

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What is the object of this thought process? You go back

to Ārammaṇa, objects in the third chapter. Let's go back now
to page 142 (see CMA, IV, Table 3.6, p.142). The object of, let us say,
the first thought process of Appanā or first Jhāna thought
process are Paññatti. How many kinds of concepts are there?
Look at the chart. 25 concepts can be the objects of the three
first Jhāna Cittas. The object of this first Jhāna thought
process is one of these 25 concepts. They are ten Kasi ṇa
concepts, ten foulness of the body concepts and then one
body concept (that means hair of the head, hair of the body,
nails, teeth, skin and so on), and then in-and-out breath
concept, and then beings as object of loving-kindness (Mettā),
beings as object of Karuṇā, and beings as object of Muditā.
Altogether there are 25. One of these 25 concepts is the
object of this Jhāna thought process. The object of the
sustained thought process is the same thing, one of these 25
Paññatti objects. If you want to understand the objects in
detail, you go back to this Table 3.6 (see CMA, IV, Table 3.6, p.142).

Thought Process (III) Tadārammaṇa-niyama

Inclusive

Last week we studied the mind-door thought

processes. Now this chapter deals with different kinds of
thought processes. There are five-sense-door thought
processes. Five-sense-door thought process is divided into
very great, great, slight and very slight. Mind-door thought
process is first divided into Kāmāvacara and Appanā. ‘Appanā’
means Mahaggata and Lokuttara. Kāmāvacara is divided into
Vibhūta and Avibhūta, clear object and obscure object. Appanā
thought process is also divided up into Jhāna and Magga. Then
there is also Nirodha. Jhāna is divided into two — first
attainment and later sustained attainment. Magga thought
process here is first attainment and then later Phala
attainment.

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Path Thought Process

Now today we will study the Path thought process.
Actually the Path thought process will be described in the ninth
chapter. In this chapter the Path thought process is just
implied but not described separately. I think we should study
Path thought process here also. Then when we get to the ninth
chapter, we will study it again.

Path thought process arises when a person gains

enlightenment. Suppose a person practises Vipassanā
meditation. He progresses from one state of Vipassanā
knowledge to another. When he practises Vipassanā
meditation, there are millions and millions of thought
processes. These thought processes take miscellaneous
formations as object. ‘Miscellaneous formations’ means
actually conditioned phenomena or just mind and matter.
When you practise Vipassanā meditation, you take mind or
matter as object. You try to see impermanence, suffering and
no-soul nature of mind and matter, their arising and
disappearing and so on. These objects of Vipassanā meditation
are called miscellaneous formations, different kinds of
formations, different kinds of Saṅkhāras. So when a person is
practising Vipassanā meditation, his mind-door thought
processes take these miscellaneous formations — mind or
matter as object.

Suppose his Vipassanā becomes mature. He is going to

attain enlightenment. At the moment of attainment of
enlightenment the Path thought process arises. The Path
thought process goes: first past Bhavaṅga (Atīta Bhavaṅga),
then vibrating Bhavaṅga (Calana Bhavaṅga), and then arrested
Bhavaṅga (Upaccheda Bhavaṅga). After that Bhavaṅga is
arrested, Vīthi Cittas, process consciousness arises. There are
four moments of Kāmāvacara Javanas, the same as in the

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Jhāna thought process. In the Jhāna thought process there are

what Kāmāvacara Javanas? There are Parikamma, Upacāra,
Anuloma and Gotrabhū. Before them there is mind-door-
adverting. Instead of five-sense-door-adverting here we have
mind-door-adverting, Manodvārāvajjana. After
Manodvārāvajjana has turned the mind toward the object,
there is first Parikamma, then Upacāra, Anuloma and
Gotrabhū. These four moments represent Kāmāvacara Kusala
associated with knowledge, Ñāṇa-sampayutta. The first one is
called preparation; the second one is Upacāra, neighborhood
or access; the third one is called Anuloma, that is, it conforms
to both succeeding and preceding moments; and the fourth
one is called Gotrabhū.

I explained about Gotrabhū last week. What is the

meaning of Gotrabhū? Gotrabhū has the meaning of change of
lineage. ‘Gotra’ means lineage. ‘Bhū’ means to overcome or to
enter into. Gotrabhū here means to overcome Puthujjana
lineage because from the moment of Magga he is going to be
a Noble Person, an Ariya. At the moment of Gotrabhū the
Puthujjana lineage is overcome and it pushes into Ariya
lineage. So it overcomes Puthujjana lineage and it enters into
Ariya lineage. Therefore, it is called Gotrabhū.

Although there are four Kāmāvacara Javanas —

Parikamma, Upacāra, Anuloma and Gotrabhū — they have
different objects. Now you see that Parikamma, Upacāra and
Anuloma take miscellaneous formations as object. Gotrabhū
has Nibbāna as object. In the third chapter, the section on
objects those that take Nibbāna as object are Kāmāvacara
Kusala Ñāṇa-sampayutta. They can take Nibbāna as an object,
actually only when they function as Gotrabhū. They can take
Nibbāna as an object at that one time only, that is, at the first
moment of direct seeing of Nibbāna. Until that time Nibbāna is
not real Nibbāna. It is just the designation Nibbāna or some
kind of concept. Gotrabhū really takes Nibbāna as object. It is
an exception. In this one thought process the objects differ.

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The objects of Manodvārāvajjana, Parikamma, Upacāra and

Anuloma are what? The objects are miscellaneous formations
or conditioned phenomena, mind and matter. The object of
Gotrabhū is Nibbāna.

After Gotrabhū comes Magga (Path consciousness)

followed by two moments of Phala consciousness. Then that
thought process lapses into Bhavaṅga. When we talk about
enlightenment, we must understand with reference to this
thought process. So Parikamma, Upacāra, Anuloma and
Gotrabhū are wholesome sense-sphere Cittas — Kāmāvacara
Kusala Cittas. Magga is what Citta? Magga is Lokuttara Citta,
Supramundane Citta. Phala moments are also Supramundane
Cittas. At the moment of Magga what happens? There is
destruction of defilements, destruction of Kilesas. When we
say the defilements are destroyed or eradicated, we mean that
they are destroyed by this moment of Path consciousness. 2
What is the object of Path consciousness? Nibbāna is the
object of Path consciousness. What is the function of Path
consciousness? It has the function of destruction of
defilements. What we mean by enlightenment is just this, this
moment of Magga. Magga arises taking Nibbāna as object and
does the function of destroying the defilements. Magga is so
strong, so powerful that by just arising once it can eradicate
mental defilements altogether so that they do not arise again.

You all know at the moment of Sotāpatti-magga how

many Kilesas are destroyed. Do you remember? Wrong view
and doubt are destroyed. If you don't remember, don't worry.
When you reach the ninth chapter, you will understand. At the
moment of Sotāpatti-magga two defilements are eradicated.
When they are eradicated, they are eradicated once and for
all. They will never arise again in that person. Magga has that
power. That is why the abandonment by Magga is called
complete abandonment. There are three kinds of
2 At the arising of Magga Citta no Kilesas are present. Technically, Magga Citta destroys
Anusaya, the latent potentiality or liability to have unwholesome consciousness or
unwholesome mental states.

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abandonment — momentary, temporary and altogether.

When you are learning Abhidhamma or paying homage

to the Buddha, you do not have defilements. That is
momentary abandonment. If you get Jhāna or if you practise
Vipassanā and you can put aside the defilements for some
time, it is called temporary abandonment. When you reach the
state of Magga, you can destroy them altogether. In Pāḷi it is
called Samuccheda — that means cutting off. If you cut
something, then it cannot be joined again. At Magga the
respective defilements are destroyed once and for all. So they
never arise in that person again.

That moment of Magga in the thought process is

followed by two Phala moments. Phala moments are the
results of Magga moment. There is nothing intervening
between Magga and Phala. Magga is the cause and Phala is
the result. The result follows the cause immediately.

Now let us remember the attributes of the Dhamma.

What is one attribute of the Dhamma? Akālika is one of the
attributes of the Dhamma. Akālika is translated as timeless,
but that is not easy to understand. Akālika means it does not
wait for another time to give result. That means it gives
immediate results. Immediately after Magga disappears, the
Fruit, Phala arises. When we say Dhamma is Akālika, Dhamma
is without time, we mean by Dhamma — Magga, not Phala,
not Nibbāna.

So Magga moment is followed by two moments of

Phala. What is the function of these Phala moments? Further
tranquilization of defilements is the function of Phala. Magga
puts out the fire. Phala puts some more water on the fire,
already put out by Magga, so that it cannot burn again. That is
what Phala moments do. In Pāḷi they are called Paṭippassaddhi

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— tranquilizing again, pacifying again. That means they keep

the defilements well eradicated so they cannot come up again.

There are two Phala moments and then the thought

process lapses into Bhavaṅga. This is the Path thought
process. There are always Phala moments in Path thought
process, but we call it Path thought process because Phala
moments are always connected with Magga moment. After
that Bhavaṅga moments arise and then reflection thought
process follows. They are mind-door thought processes.

After reaching the first Magga, let us say, that person

wants to enter into it again. As you know, Magga
consciousness does not arise more than once. What the
Enlightened Person enters into is Phala moments. In order to
get into Phala moments and enjoy the bliss of emancipation he
practises Vipassanā meditation again. Then the sustained
attainment of Phala thought process arises.

Let's look at CMA, IV, Table 4.4, page 169. The first one
is for Sotāpatti-magga. There can be two kinds of Sotāpatti-
magga thought processes — that for those of average faculty
and that for those of keen faculty. For those who are of
average faculty there are four Kāmāvacara moments —
Parikamma, Upacāra, Anuloma and Gotrabhū — Magga and
then two moments of Phala. But for those of keen faculty
there are only three moments of Kāmāvacara Javanas —
Upacāra, Anuloma and Gotrabhū — then Magga and three
Phala moments. Do you know why there are three Phala
moments here? You don't. We need seven moments here, so
Upacāra, Anuloma, Gotrabhū, Magga, Phala, Phala and Phala.
Therefore, we have three Phala moments for those of keen
faculty.

Now for the upper Maggas — Sakadāgāmī-magga,

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Anāgāmī-magga and Arahatta-magga — the thought

processes are the same except there is a different name for
Gotrabhū. Here it is called Vodāna. ‘Vodāna’ means cleansing.
After one attains Sotāpatti-magga one is already an Ariya, so
Gotrabhū cannot arise there because there is no lineage to
overcome and enter into. Therefore, that moment is called
Vodāna instead of Gotrabhū. It is also a Kāmāvacara Javana.
There are Manodvārāvajjana, Parikamma, Upacāra, Anuloma,
Vodāna and then Magga and two Phala moments. That is for
those of average faculty. For those of keen faculty drop
Parikamma and put in one more Phala. The others are the
same, so we can drop Parikamma, add in one more Phala and
there is Vodāna in place of Gotrabhū.

Sustained Phala attainment — in sustained Phala

attainment what do you find? There are four Anuloma
moments. The four moments are called Anuloma here. It is
confusing. The same four moments Parikamma, Upacāra,
Anuloma and Vodāna here are called Anuloma. So there are
four Anuloma moments. Here there is no Magga. Instead of
Magga there is Phala. There is Phala with a series of dots
following it. That means there are many moments of Phala,
millions and millions of moments of Phala. That is for person of
average faculty. For a person of keen faculty we drop
Parikamma. The others are the same. That is for Phala-
samāpatti thought process.

With regard to Path thought process we have to

understand the Path thought process and then that it is
immediately followed by reflection, Kāmāvacara thought
processes. We will study them in the ninth chapter. There can
also be sustained attainment thought processes. This thought
process is first attainment thought process. In sustained
attainment thought process no Magga arises, but instead
Phala moments arise millions and millions of times. And again
the Kāmāvacara Javanas preceding Magga do the function of
what? They do the functions of Parikamma, Upacāra, Anuloma

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and Gotrabhū. The first three take miscellaneous formations

as object and Gotrabhū takes Nibbāna as object. Then Magga
follows and next two Phala moments follow.

Now there is a question. I do not know whether to

discuss it here or to wait until we come to the ninth chapter.
Can we call Gotrabhū Vipassanā or not? Gotrabhū does not
take miscellaneous formations as object. It takes Nibbāna as
object. If it is Vipassanā, it must take miscellaneous
formations as object. So actually Gotrabhū is out of Vipassanā,
but you may call it Vipassanā if you like. Strictly speaking, it is
not Vipassanā. It is the culmination or top most part of
Vipassanā.

Correlations in Absorption
Now we study “Correlations in Absorption”, chapter four
(see CMA, IV, §15, p.169) .
You have to remember the Cittas. If you
have read the book, CMA, you already know it. I will read the
English translation.

“Therein, immediately after a javana accompanied by

joy, …” (CMA, IV, §15, p.169)

That means Somanassa Javana. Here Somanassa

Javana means Somanassa Kāmāvacara Javana.

So “Therein, immediately after a javana accompanied

by joy, absorption …”
That means Jhāna, Magga and Phala.

“… absorption accompanied by joy may be expected.”

(CMA, IV, §15, p.169)

That means Somanassa Kāmāvacara Javana is followed

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by Somanassa Appanā.

“Immediately after a javana accompanied by

equanimity, …” (CMA, IV, §15, p.169)
That means Upekkhā.

“… absorption (occurs) accompanied by equanimity.”

(CMA, IV, §15, p.169)

Upekkhā Javana is followed by Upekkhā Appanā. Either

in the Jhāna thought process or the Magga thought process
Parikamma, Upacāra, Anuloma and Gotrabhū can be
Somanassa or Upekkhā. If they are Somanassa, then the
following Magga, Phala and Jhāna must be Somanassa. If they
are Upekkhā, then the following Magga, Phala and Jhāna will
be Upekkhā. So Somanassa Javanas are followed by
Somanassa Appanā and Upekkhā Javanas are followed by
Upekkhā Appanā.

“Therein, too, immediately after a wholesome javana,

…” (CMA, IV, §15, p.169)

That means Kusala Javana.

“… absorption occurs through a wholesome javana and

the three lower fruits.” (CMA, IV, §15, p.169)
That means after Kusala Javana, the Appanā Javanas
are Kusala and three lower Phalas. After Kusala Javana follow
Kusala Javanas and three lower Phalas.

“Immediately after a functional javana, …” (CMA, IV, §15,

p.169)

That means after Kiriya Javanas.

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“… absorption occurs through a functional javana and

the fruit of Arahantship.” (CMA, IV, §15, p.169)
That means Kiriya Javanas and Arahatta-phala Javanas
follow. Is it clear? Not yet.

Let's consider the Kāmāvacara Kusala — how many are

there? There are eight. Among them how many are
accompanied by Somanassa? Four are accompanied by
Somanassa. Among them how many are accompanied by
knowledge? The first two are accompanied by knowledge. How
many Appanā Javana3 are there? Altogether there are 26. That
is taking Lokuttara to be eight. After the first two Kāmāvacara
Javanas that are accompanied by knowledge there can follow
Kusala which are accompanied by Somanassa. That means
four Rūpāvacara Kusala, and Magga Citta accompanied by
Somanassa, and then three Phalas accompanied by
Somanassa. So how many are there? There are 32. Again
after the Kāmāvacara Kusala accompanied by knowledge, 32
Appanā Javanas may arise. They are four from Rūpāvacara
Kusala, 16 from Magga and twelve from Phala. Altogether you
get 32.

Then what about Upekkhā, Kāmāvacara Kusala

accompanied by Upekkhā and knowledge? There are two
Kāmāvacara Kusala Cittas accompanied by Upekkhā and
knowledge. How many Appanā Javanas may follow? They must
be Upekkhā. One comes from Rūpāvacara, four come from
Arūpāvacara, and there are four Magga and three lower
Phalas. Altogether there are twelve. Twelve Appanā Javanas
can follow two Kāmāvacara Javanas accompanied by Upekkhā
and knowledge. When we are talking about Kāmāvacara
Javanas, please have in mind the Jhāna thought process and
Magga thought process. So in the Jhāna thought process there
are Parikamma, Upacāra, Anuloma and Gotrabhū, right? They
are accompanied by Somanassa and also by Upekkhā. In
3 Appanā Javana means Rūpāvacara, Arūpāvacara and Lokuttara Javanas; they are
called Appanā Javanas.

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Magga also they can be accompanied by Somanassa and

Upekkhā. If they are accompanied by Somanassa, then
Rūpāvacara Cittas (first Jhāna, second Jhāna, third Jhāna, and
fourth Jhāna) and then Magga Cittas (also first, second, third
and fourth Jhāna) can follow. If they are accompanied by
Upekkhā, then fifth Rūpāvacara Jhāna Kusala, and then four
Arūpāvacara Jhāna Kusala, four Maggas accompanied by
Upekkhā and three lower Phalas accompanied by Upekkhā
may follow — so twelve. After Somanassa Kāmāvacara Kusala
Ñāṇa-sampayutta there follow 32 Appanā Javanas. After
Upekkhā Kāmāvacara Kusala Ñāṇa-sampayutta there follow
twelve Appanā Javanas.

This you can find out following the statement here.

After Somanassa Javana follow Somanassa Appanā. After
Upekkhā Javana follow Upekkhā Appanā. After Kusala follows
what? Kusala Javana and three lower Phalas. After Sahetuka
Kiriya Javanas what follows? Kiriya Javanas and Arahatta-
phala follow.

Next we will go to Kiriya Javanas. How many

Kāmāvacara Sahetuka Kiriya Javanas are there? There are
eight Kāmāvacara Sahetuka Kiriya Javanas. How many are
accompanied by Somanassa? Four are accompanied by
Somanassa. How many of these are accompanied by
knowledge? Two are accompanied by knowledge. After these
two how many can follow? Four Rūpāvacara Kiriya, and then
four Arahatta-phala can follow these two. After Kāmāvacara
Kiriya, Magga and the other Phalas cannot follow. So after
Kāmāvacara Kiriya accompanied by Somanassa and
knowledge there follow only eight Appanā Javanas — four from
Rūpāvacara and four from Arahatta-phala.

Now let's go to Upekkhā. How many can follow the two

Upekkhā Kāmāvacara Kiriya Cittas accompanied by
knowledge? One comes from Rūpāvacara, four come from

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Arūpāvacara and the last one from Arahatta-phala — so six.

Let's check with the Manual on page 170 of the CMA.

“Following wholesome consciousness accompanied by
joy, 32 (classes of absorption javanas) arise.” (CMA, IV, §16, p.170)
We got it right.

“After (wholesome consciousness) accompanied by

equanimity, twelve (classes of absorption javanas arise).” (CMA,
IV, §16, p.170)

They are found. That's right.

“After functionals accompanied by joy, eight classes

arise, and after (functionals) accompanied by equanimity, six
classes arise.” (CMA, IV, §16, p.170)

When we study Abhidhammatthasaṅgaha, we are very

young. When we come to this place, if a student can find out
by himself the 32, 12, 8 and 6, then he is awarded something
— maybe a set of robes or some books. If he could do it
without the help of a teacher, he will get some kind of reward.

In the last paragraph for this section on page 171 of

the CMA:
“In the case of worldlings and trainees who have
attained the three lower paths and fruits, after any of the four
wholesome sense-sphere javanas accompanied by knowledge
there arises one of the 44 absorption javanas described above
(32 + 12 = 44).” (CMA, IV, Guide to §16, p.171)
That means 32 and twelve.

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“After the four functional sense-sphere javanas

accompanied by knowledge, there arises to the Arahant one of
the above 14 absorption javanas (8 + 6 = 14).” (CMA, IV, Guide to
§16, p.171)

You have to add eight and six. This is the Appanā

thought processes.

Please remember that Appanā was the name of what?

Originally it was the name of Vitakka. Then it was applied to
first Jhāna. Then it was applied to all Jhānas, Magga and
Phala. When we say Appanā Javana, we mean Mahaggata and
Lokuttara Javanas. If we take Lokuttara to be eight, there are
26 Appanā Javanas.

Now we have finished Appanā thought process. We will

study other mind-door thought processes later. Later means at
the end of the fifth chapter — that is not necessarily mind-
door; it could be five-sense-door and mind-door, the death
thought process. Then we will study others in the ninth
chapter.

Tadārammaṇa-niyama
Next comes the procedure of registration,
Tadārammaṇa-niyama. ‘Tadārammaṇa-niyama’ means
determining the Tadārammaṇa, so which Tadārammaṇa follows
which Javana and which Tadārammaṇa arises with regard to
which type of object.

Now there are three kinds of objects mentioned here.

The quality of the object is determined by way of average
beings. We will come to that later. The objects are divided into
three:
• The first one is Aniṭṭha — undesirable objects.

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• The second one is Iṭṭha or Iṭṭhamajjhatta. That

means average desirable.
• The last one is Ati-iṭṭha, very desirable,
exceptionally desirable, extremely desirable.
Three kinds of objects are mentioned here. Although
there are two varieties for desirable, there is only one for
undesirable. Any object which is undesirable is just
undesirable. But any object which is desirable is divided into
two — just desirable and very desirable. For the Buddhists the
Buddha is very desirable object. For a young man a woman
may be a very desirable object. There are these three kinds of
objects.

These three kinds of objects are determined by an

average being. That means it would be very difficult to decide
what is desirable and undesirable if we take into account every
individual. One thing you like may not be liked by another
person. One thing desirable for you may be undesirable for
another person. So how do we decide, how do we determine
which is desirable and which is undesirable? In the
Commentaries it is said they are determined with regard to
average persons. If you are a king or a very rich man, then
some ordinary things will not be desirable for you. If you are a
poor man, then even a small thing will be desirable for you. So
we do not go by very rich people or very poor people, but
those of average wealth, average people. If it is desirable for
average people, it is supposed to be desirable. If it is
undesirable for average people, then it is considered
undesirable. So there are three kinds of objects.

Even if we decide by way of average being, there are

other things to take into consideration. One teacher said that
we should determine the quality of the object by Vipāka. That
is just saying the other way around. If the consciousness is
Akusala-vipāka, it must be undesirable. If the consciousness is
Kusala-vipāka, then it is desirable. He states it in that way.

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It is said also that by way of doors we can determine

the quality of the object. The example given is excrement.
Excrement is undesirable to the eye. You don't want to see
excrement. It is undesirable to the nose also. But to the touch
it is good. It is soft. According to the touch it is desirable, but
according to the sight or smell it is undesirable. Sometimes
you have to decide through Dvāra. Now a flower — sometimes
there are flowers that have a bad smell. So it is desirable
through Cakkhu-dvāra, eye-door, but in this case undesirable
through nose-door.

Also in summer cold is desirable. When we feel hot, we

turn on fans or air conditioning. We want cold or coolness. But
in winter we want heat. So cold is desirable in summer and
undesirable in winter. It depends like that. According to
seasons and to time, the quality of the objects can change. All
this must be determined through the experience of an average
being, not so very rich, not so very poor. There are three kinds
of objects — undesirable, average desirable and very
desirable.

Now if the object is undesirable, Sampaṭicchana,

Santīraṇa and Tadārammaṇa are the result of Akusala. Please
have the thought process in mind. When the object is
undesirable object, then Sampaṭicchana, Santīraṇa and
Tadārammaṇa must be from Akusala-vipāka. Tadārammaṇa is
just the Santīraṇas. If the object is average desirable, then
Sampaṭicchana, Santīraṇa and Tadārammaṇa are result of
Kusala. In a given thought process we can say, if the object is
undesirable, then the Sampaṭicchana and so on are Akusala-
vipāka. If the object is average desirable, then they are
Kusala-vipāka and are accompanied by Upekkhā. But if the
object is Ati-iṭṭha, very desirable, then Sampaṭicchana is the
same Kusala-vipāka4 accompanied by Upekkhā, but Santīraṇa
4 In the talk Pañcadvāra was mentioned but it is Kiriya, so the editor removed it
where it was appropriate.

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and Tadārammaṇa are accompanied by Somanassa. Here

Tadārammaṇa also means Kāmāvacara Sahetuka Vipākas.
Please note this. If the object is undesirable, Sampaṭicchana
and others are the result of Akusala.5 If the object is average
desirable, they are the result of Kusala and are accompanied
by Upekkhā. If the object is very desirable, then
Sampaṭicchana is Kusala-vipāka accompanied by Upekkhā. But
Santīraṇa and Tadārammaṇa are accompanied by Somanassa.
This is determining the object and the Cittas taking them as
object.

Now Pañcadvārāvajjana, Sampaṭicchana, Santīraṇa and

Tadārammaṇa are all called Vipāka Cittas, right?
Pañcadvārāvajjana isn't, but Sampaṭicchana, Santīraṇa and
Tadārammaṇa are all Vipāka.

Now it is said that Vipāka is always fixed. That means

Vipāka cannot vary. If the object is undesirable, it must be
Akusala-vipāka. If the object is desirable, it must be Kusala-
vipāka. There is no variation of this. So the Vipāka is fixed. It
is like when you look at yourself in the mirror. The reflection is
the same as your face. Vipāka since they are the result of
Kamma, there is no change. When the object is undesirable, it
must always be the result of Akusala. If the object is desirable,
it must always be the result of Kusala. Vipākas are fixed. In a
certain thought process you cannot change the Vedanā of
these. If they are undesirable, you have to pick up from
Akusala-vipāka. And if they are desirable, you take from
Kusala-vipāka.

But Javanas can vary. There is no fixed rule for

Javanas. Even though the object is undesirable, Javana can be
Kusala or Akusala. Javana can be Somanassa or Upekkhā.

5 The editor removed Pañcadvārāvajjana in this paragraph where appropriate.

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Now suppose a very desirable object. Although it is a

very desirable object — let's say, the Buddha is a very
desirable object. For those who have no faith in the Buddha,
for those who are not Buddhists they may not have
Somanassa Javanas. They may have Upekkhā Javanas
because those who are not Arahants may have what is called
perversion of views. In Pāḷi it is called Vipallāsa; it is
perversion of perception, Saññā Vipallāsa. Those who are non-
Arahants have this perversion of perception, that is, the wrong
perception of things; even when the object is very desirable,
the Javana can be accompanied by Upekkhā, not by
Somanassa. And for those who are enemies of the Buddha,
taking the Buddha as object, they can have Domanassa
Javanas, Domanassa Cittas. So the quality of Javanas is not
fixed by the quality of the objects. It depends upon one's own
understanding, one's own Yoniso-manasikāra and so on.

Now suppose there is an undesirable object. Those who

have deep nature can look at the undesirable object, look at
the disgusting object and have Upekkhā Javanas. They may
not have Domanassa Javanas, Akusala Javanas. Now when
you practise meditation, let us suppose you practise Asubha
meditation. When you practise Asubha meditation, you look at
a corpse, a very undesirable object. You can have Kusala
Javanas, even Upekkhā Javanas.

Excrement is an undesirable object, but for dogs that is

a desirable object. So they may have Somanassa Javanas
when they see such things.

For those who have not eradicated the perversion of

perception6, Javana can be anything. Javana is not determined
by the quality of the object. But the Vipākas are fixed as to the
object. If the object is undesirable, then the Vipāka must be
Akusala. If the object is desirable, then the Vipāka must be

6 That means those who can have wrong perception of things.

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Kusala. But Javanas may vary. Javanas may be Kusala or

Akusala or they may be Somanassa or Upekkhā. So there is a
saying: “Vipākas are fixed, but Javanas vary.”

Now in the Manual look at page 171 of the CMA,

bottom paragraph.
“In this connection, too, at the end of functional
javanas accompanied by joy, there arise registration mind-
moments also accompanied by joy.” (CMA, IV, §17, p.171)
That means Somanassa Kiriya Javanas are followed by
Somanassa Tadārammaṇas.

“At the end of functional javanas accompanied by

equanimity, the registration mind-moments are also
accompanied by equanimity.” (CMA, IV, §17, p.171)
So Upekkhā Kiriya Javanas are followed by Upekkhā
Tadārammaṇas. That means Somanassa is followed by
Somanassa and Upekkhā is followed by Upekkhā.

Here the Manual does not say what Tadārammaṇas

follow Kāmāvacara Kusala and others. This passage only
shows for Kiriya Javanas. Kāmāvacara Kiriya Javanas
accompanied by Upekkhā — how many are there? There are
four. They can be followed by Kāmāvacara Sahetuka Vipāka
Upekkhā four plus Santīraṇa Upekkhā two. So altogether they
can be followed by six. That is the same as the last line quoted
from the Manual. Kāmāvacara Kiriya Somanassa four and
Hasituppāda are followed by Kāmāvacara Sahetuka Vipāka
Somanassa four plus Santīraṇa Somanassa one. These five are
followed by five Tadārammaṇas. Lobhamūla eight and
Mohamūla two are followed by all eleven Tadārammaṇas —
three Santīraṇas and eight Kāmāvacara Sahetuka Vipākas.
Kāmāvacara Kusala eight, all eight are followed by eleven
Tadārammaṇas.

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Now what about Domanassa, Dosamūla Cittas two?

They are followed by Tadārammaṇas and Bhavaṅga
accompanied by Upekkhā. They cannot be followed by
Somanassa because Somanassa and Domanassa are so
different in nature. Domanassa cannot be followed by
Somanassa. It is followed by Upekkhā Tadārammaṇa and
Upekkhā Bhavaṅga. Domanassa Javanas can be followed by
Upekkhā Tadārammaṇas and Bhavaṅgas must also be
Upekkhā. Please note this because when we come to thought
process with guest Bhavaṅga, we must understand.
Domanassa Javanas can only be followed by Upekkhā —
Upekkhā Tadārammaṇa and Upekkhā Bhavaṅga. You have
Domanassa Javana and if there is Tadārammaṇa, it will be
Upekkhā. If there is no Tadārammaṇa, then the Bhavaṅga as
well will be Upekkhā.

Guest Bhavaṅga
There is one problem here, a dilemma. Suppose you
are born with Somanassa Paṭisandhi. If you are born with
Somanassa Paṭisandhi, your Bhavaṅgas must be Somanassa.
During the whole of your life your Bhavaṅgas must be
Somanassa. They cannot be Upekkhā because Paṭisandhi,
Bhavaṅga and Cuti must be identical. Suppose you are born
with Somanassa Paṭisandhi, then your Bhavaṅgas are always
Somanassa. You are the enemy of the Buddha. You see the
Buddha and you are angry with Him. Therefore, Domanassa
Javanas arise. If there were no Tadārammaṇa, Bhavaṅgas
must follow. What kind of Bhavaṅga must follow? After
Domanassa, Somanassa Bhavaṅga cannot follow. But you have
Somanassa Bhavaṅga. There is a dilemma here. I'll say it
again. After the Domanassa Javanas if the Tadārammaṇa were
to follow, what kind of Tadārammaṇa would that be? After
Domanassa Javana, Upekkhā Tadārammaṇa should follow. But
the object is very desirable. When the object is very desirable,
the Tadārammaṇa must be Somanassa. If the object is Ati-

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iṭṭha, there is Somanassa for Santīraṇa and Tadārammaṇa.

When the object is very desirable, Tadārammaṇa must be
accompanied by Somanassa. Here the object is very desirable.
What kind of Bhavaṅga must be there? Will it be Somanassa or
Upekkhā? After Domanassa Javanas no Somanassa Bhavaṅga
can follow. But you have Somanassa Bhavaṅga all your life. In
this difficulty there is a guest Bhavaṅga. He comes and helps
us here. That guest Bhavaṅga is actually Upekkhā Santīraṇa.
So Santīraṇa Upekkhā takes the place of the Somanassa
Bhavaṅga. It is called Āgantuka Bhavaṅga, guest Bhavaṅga. In
Bhikkhu Bodhi's book it is called adventitious Bhavaṅga (see CMA,
IV, §18, p.174). That Bhavaṅga is called guest Bhavaṅga. It is
Upekkhā. Since it is Upekkhā, it is compatible with
Domanassa. After that the regular Bhavaṅgas can follow. For
that person the thought process runs like this: Atīta (past)
Bhavaṅga, vibrating Bhavaṅga, arrested Bhavaṅga, five-sense-
door-adverting, seeing, accepting, investigating, determining
and then Domanassa Javanas. The Domanassa Javanas are
followed by one Upekkhā Santīraṇa functioning as Āgantuka
(guest) Bhavaṅga, and then the Somanassa Bhavaṅgas follow.
Here in this thought process:
• The Bhavaṅgas at the beginning must be
accompanied by Somanassa because you had
Paṭisandhi accompanied by Somanassa. These
Bhavaṅgas must be accompanied by
Somanassa.
• Pañcadvārāvajjana cannot be accompanied by
Somanassa. It is always Upekkhā.
• Seeing consciousness is always Upekkhā.
• Sampaṭicchana is always Upekkhā.
• Here the object is very desirable, so Santīraṇa
must be accompanied by Somanassa.
• Then Voṭṭhabbana is Manodvārāvajjana, so it is
accompanied by Upekkhā.
• Then Javana moments here are Domanassa.

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• Then guest Bhavaṅga is accompanied by

Upekkhā.
• And the Somanassa Bhavaṅgas arise again.
The difficulty is solved by the Upekkhā Santīraṇa
performing as a guest Bhavaṅga.

Now it is examined in the Sub-commentary what

function this guest Bhavaṅga does. Guest Bhavaṅga is
Santīraṇa accompanied by Upekkhā. It can do how many
functions normally speaking? It does five functions —
Paṭisandhi, Bhavaṅga, Cuti, Santīraṇa and Tadārammaṇa. Can
it be Paṭisandhi? No. Can it be Cuti? No, you are not dying yet.
Can it be Santīraṇa? If it performs Santīraṇa function, it must
investigate. It is not investigating. Is it Tadārammaṇa? No.
Tadārammaṇa follows Javana. Tadārammaṇa must take the
object of Javana. If it is Tadārammaṇa there must be two. Only
one remains and that is Bhavaṅga. It functions as Bhavaṅga.
That is why it is called Āgantuka Bhavaṅga. That is for
Atimahanta object.

For Mahanta, great object, since it is Mahanta the

object can be any kind — very desirable, average desirable, or
undesirable. In this thought process we have two past
Bhavaṅgas and the others are the same. Javanas are again
followed by a guest Bhavaṅga. The only difference is that
Santīraṇa can be either Somanassa or Upekkhā depending on
the object being desirable or undesirable.

Now a person may have attained Jhānas. Then

somehow he has lost these Jhānas. So he is sorry or
depressed about that. When he feels sorry about that, he
takes those Jhānas as object. Those Jhānas are Mahaggata
objects. In that case it is Mano-dvāra thought process. It
cannot be five-sense-door thought process. For that person
who has Somanassa Paṭisandhi the thought process runs:

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vibrating Bhavaṅga, arrested Bhavaṅga, Manodvārāvajjana,

and then Domanassa Javanas, Āgantuka Bhavaṅga (guest
Bhavaṅga) and Somanassa Bhavaṅga again.

If a person takes one of the concepts as object and

then gets Domanassa Javana, the same kind of process will
arise. Here there is no question of Tadārammaṇa because
Tadārammaṇa only arises when it is Kāmāvacara object, the
individual is a Kāmāvacara being and after Kāmāvacara
Javana. That is mentioned at the end of this section. This is
the thought process with guest Bhavaṅga. Otherwise I do not
know what would happen if it did not come in.

On page 175 of the CMA §19 to §20:

“Likewise, they hold that registration occurs (only) at
the end of sense-sphere javanas, …” (CMA, IV, §19, p.175)
So Tadārammaṇa occurs at the end of Kāmāvacara
Javanas.

“… (only) to sense-sphere beings, …” (CMA, IV, §19, p.175)

It arises only in Kāmāvacara beings.

“… only when sense-sphere phenomena become

objects.” (CMA, IV, §19, p.175)
That means Kāmāvacara objects. When the object is
Mahaggata or Paññatti there is no question of Tadārammaṇa
there. With regard to the Mahanta object there is no question
of Tadārammaṇa there. With regard to the Mahanta object
there is no question of Tadārammaṇa because Mahanta objects
do not last until the second Tadārammaṇa. So with regard to
the Atimahanta object there can be the possibility of
Tadārammaṇa. But here in this particular thought process
Tadārammaṇa cannot arise. If Tadārammaṇa cannot arise,

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then Bhavaṅga must arise — there is a difficulty with that

Bhavaṅga because if it is to conform with the object it must be
Somanassa but Somanassa cannot immediately follow
Domanassa. Therefore, there is guest Bhavaṅga.

Now let us look at the fixing of Tadārammaṇa.

Somanassa Tadārammaṇa follows Somanassa Javanas, and
Upekkhā Tadārammaṇa follows Upekkhā and Domanassa
Javanas. There is no fixing as to being accompanied by
knowledge or not (Ñāṇa-sampayutta Javanas and Ñāṇa-
vippayutta Javanas). Sometimes a person has familiarity with
Akusala Javanas. For that person mostly Akusala Javanas
arise. For him even after Kusala Javanas, Ahetuka
Tadārammaṇa can arise because when he has Akusala Javana,
then Tadārammaṇa is Ahetuka. Similarly for one who is
familiar with arising of Kusala Javanas — for him who is
familiar with arising of Kusala, Kusala Javanas will arise
abundantly. Then even after Akusala Javanas, there can be
Tadārammaṇa accompanied by Ñāṇa. In this case there is no
fixing. With regard to Somanassa, Domanassa and Upekkhā
there is fixing. Somanassa Javana must be followed by
Somanassa Tadārammaṇa. Upekkhā and Domanassa Javanas
must be followed by Upekkhā. But with regard to knowledge it
is not fixed.

Sādhu! Sādhu! Sādhu!

Is it confusing? Today first you have to understand the

fixing of Tadārammaṇa — which Tadārammaṇa follows which
Javanas — that is the general rule. After you understand the
general rule, there is this exception with guest Bhava ṅga. First
you understand that Domanassa cannot be followed by
Somanassa. Then there is the problem here if your Paṭisandhi
was accompanied by Somanassa, then after Domanassa
Javana no regular Bhavaṅga can follow. There is adventitious
or guest Bhavaṅga. Do you have any questions?

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Student: [Inaudible].
Sayādaw: That is to be determined by the object. Since the
object is very desirable, it must be Somanassa.
Guest Bhavaṅga is accompanied by Upekkhā. Since
it is very desirable, it is Kusala-vipāka.

Student: [Inaudible].
Sayādaw: When we say Sakadāgāmī-magga does not destroy
any Kilesas, that means it does not destroy all of
the respective Kilesas, all aspects of the Kilesas.
But there are layers or degrees of gravity in
Kilesas. There are Kilesas that can cause you to be
reborn in the four woeful states and Kilesas that
cannot lead you to four woeful states. When we
say that Sotāpatti-magga destroys wrong view and
doubt, we mean it eradicates wrong view and
doubt altogether. It eradicates Lobha, Dosa and
Moha, that is, Lobha, Dosa and Moha that can lead
to the four woeful states. During the second stage
he eradicates some more degrees of Lobha, Dosa
and Moha. Although no more of the Kilesas are
destroyed altogether, they are weakened. Certain
levels or degrees of these Kilesas are destroyed by
second Magga. Now first Magga destroys two
Kilesas altogether and others that can lead you to
four woeful states. Second Magga eradicates some
layers of the remaining mental defilements or
according to the books sensual desire and ill will.
So that layer of the Kilesas it destroys once and for
all, but the subtle layer still remains. That is
eradicated by the third and fourth Maggas.

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Javana-niyama

Today we come to the section called the “Procedure of

Javana” or “Javana-niyama”. Before we study this section, I'll
go back to the third chapter and review that chapter. Now the
third chapter deals with Citta. Cittas are classified according to
feelings, according to roots, according to Kicca or functions,
according to doors, according to objects and according to
bases. The third chapter explains which Cittas are
accompanied by which feelings and which Cittas have which
roots. In order to understand the third chapter you need to be
familiar with the first and second chapters also. So please
have in mind the 89 or 121 types of consciousness and then
some of the mental factors. Among them we apply functions,
doors, objects and bases to the thought processes or to the
types of consciousness contained in a thought process. In each
thought process we must use our knowledge from the first,
second and third chapters to determine which Citta is
represented there, which feeling accompanies that Citta, which
function it is doing, through which door it arises, what object it
takes and on what base it depends.

In a given thought process, let's say in the first

Atimahanta, a very great object, there are 17 thought
moments. With each thought moment we ought to be able to
say this thought moment represents which of the 89 or 121
Cittas and it is accompanied by Somanassa or Domanassa or
Upekkhā; this Citta has one root or two roots if you want to
apply that also, but that is not necessary here. But we have to
understand what functions these different types of Cittas
perform. There are how many functions? There are 14
functions. Among them there are functions such as seeing
function, hearing function and so on. Then there are 19 kinds
of Cittas that perform relinking, life-continuum and death —
Paṭisandhi, Bhavaṅga and Cuti functions. Then there are those
that have the function of Javana. What are the Javanas in

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brief? Kusala, Akusala, Magga, Phala and Kiriya — Kiriya

except two Āvajjanas, two Cittas that are five-sense-door-
adverting and mind-door-adverting. And there is the function
of Tadārammaṇa. Tadārammaṇa function is performed by how
many Cittas? It is performed by 11 Cittas — three
investigation-consciousness and eight Kāmāvacara Vipāka or
Mahāvipāka consciousness. If it is a seeing thought process,
then the whole thought process arises through eye-door. If it
is a hearing thought process, then it arises through ear-door.
If it is a mind-door thought process, then it arises through
mind-door. You also have to understand what base individual
Cittas depend on. For example, Bhavaṅga Cittas in
Kāmāvacara and Rūpāvacara realms, what base do they
depend on? They depend on heart-base. And
Pañcadvārāvajjana depends on what base? It depends on
heart-base. Seeing consciousness depends on what? It
depends on eye-base. What is next? Receiving and so on
depend on what? They depend on heart-base. If you are not
quite familiar with the third chapter, please go back and study
it again.

Today we come to the procedure of Javana. It is fixing

the Javanas or Javana-niyama. Please look at the Manual on
page 176 of the CMA.
“Among the javanas, in a limited javana process, the
sense-sphere javanas run only for seven or six times.” (CMA, IV,
§21, p.176)

That means in Kāmāvacara thought process

Kāmāvacara Javanas run for seven times or six times. We are
familiar with Javanas running for seven times, but not for six
times. It is said that if the object is very weak even under
normal conditions, there may be only six Javanas running and
not seven. On page 154 of the CMA about the bottom of the
page:
“Following this, any one of the 29 sense-sphere javanas
which has gained the right conditions runs its course,
generally for seven mind-moments.” (CMA, IV, §6, p.154)

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There it says, “generally”. ‘Generally’ means just this,

sometimes seven, sometimes six Javanas will arise. It is not
explained there … why ‘generally’ was said there. There
‘generally’ means sometimes seven Javanas and sometimes in
rare cases six Javanas may run. In the Kāmāvacara thought
process, Kāmāvacara Javanas may run seven times normally
or six times. Please note because at the end of this section we
will try to find out how many Javanas only run for one time,
how many Javanas run for two times and so on. So
Kāmāvacara Javanas run for seven times or six times.

But in the case of a feeble person, such as at the time

of dying, etc., they run only five times. In the death thought
process there are only five Javanas because Citta has to
depend on different bases. At the time of death the whole
physical body is very weak. Since the base is weak, the Citta
also becomes weak. It has no power to run six or seven times.
At that time the Javana only runs five times. That time is the
time of dying, etc. Time of dying means just before dying. ‘Et
cetera’ is said to refer to when you become faint or sometimes
when a person becomes drunk or sleepy. These are included in
the term ‘et cetera’. Not only at the time of dying, but also at
other times when the mind is weak, Javanas may run for only
five times. So Javana runs five times at time of dying, fainting,
etc. How many kinds of Javanas do we have so far? Three
kinds of Javanas — those that run seven times, those that run
six times and those that run five times.

Now we will come to Javanas that run four or five

times.
“To the Exalted one (or to the Buddha), at the time of
the twin miracle and the like, when the procedure is rapid,
only four or five occasions of reviewing consciousness occur,
they also say.” (CMA, IV, §21, p.176)
“They also say” means the Commentators or teachers,
teachers before the author of this Manual. Now the twin

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miracle — the Buddha showed the twin miracle a few times

during His life. The first time was almost immediately after His
enlightenment, seven days after His enlightenment. Buddha
was sitting under the tree for seven days without moving.
Some gods thought He might have not become the Buddha
because He was sitting still. They thought He might have some
more to do. They had doubt. So the Buddha knew that doubt
and showed the twin miracle to them. The Buddha also
showed the twin miracle when He went back to his native city
at the assembly of His relations. He also showed twin miracle
just before He went to Tāvatiṃsa heaven to preach
Abhidhamma.

What is the twin miracle? It is Yamakapāṭihāriya.

‘Pāṭihāriya’ means miracle and ‘Yamaka’ means twin. Twin
miracle means making fire and water come out of His body;
showing fire and water coming out of His body is called twin
miracle. That twin miracle was done by entering into Jhānas
because the twin miracle can be performed only through
Abhiññā. ‘Abhiññā’ is translated as direct knowledge. Abhiññā
is actually the fifth Jhāna, specially developed, not ordinary
fifth Jhāna. After the yogi get fifth Jhāna, it is specially
developed so it becomes Abhiññā. When fifth Jhāna becomes
developed, Abhiññā miracles can be performed. It is the
development of the psychic powers such as remembering past
lives, seeing beings dying in one existence and being born in
another existence, or seeing the future, or performing miracles
like going through the air and so on.

Now there is a sequence of thought processes that

occur when these miracles are performed or when the
Abhiññās are obtained. A person who wants to perform the
miracles must have all nine Jhānas. He must have attained all
nine Jhānas. First he must enter into fifth Jhāna. Then he
emerges from the fifth Jhāna and he reviews or reflects on the
contents of that fifth Jhāna. How many Jhāna factors are there
in the fifth Jhāna? There are two Jhāna factors. What are

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they? They are Upekkhā and Ekaggatā. He contemplates or

reviews these Jhāna factors. After that there is another
thought process by which he makes a resolution in his mind.
For example, for the Buddha here — the Buddha entered into
the fifth Jhāna as a base Jhāna and emerged from that Jhāna
and reflected upon the contents of that Jhāna. Next Buddha
made a resolution with one thought process — “May fire come
out of my upper body” or “May fire come out of my lower
body” and so on. He made that resolution by one thought
process. Then again He entered into fifth Jhāna as a base for
Abhiññā. Then He emerged again from the fifth Jhāna and
reflected upon the contents of that Jhāna. Only after that
comes the Abhiññā thought process. Immediately after that
thought process fire comes out of His upper body and water
out of His lower body.

People thought that fire and water came out of His

body simultaneously. In order to perform this miracle Buddha
had to go through these thought processes very rapidly.
Otherwise fire at one time and water at another would not be
much of a miracle. Buddha showed this miracle to impress
people. Buddha could show fire from upper part of body, water
from lower part of body; fire from the right side, water from
the left side; fire from the right eye, water from the left eye;
fire from one pore of the skin, water from another pore of the
skin and so on. In such cases these thought processes must
go very very quickly especially the reflecting or reviewing
thought processes.

Normally in the reviewing thought processes there are

how many Javanas? Normally there are seven Javanas. Here in
this case they cannot run seven thought moments. It's too
long. In this Manual it is said the reviewing thought process
takes four or five moments. The Commentators on this Manual
say four or five can be understood as four for those of keen
intellect and five for those of not so keen intellect. So there
are four Javanas for the Buddha and five Javanas for the

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disciples. So in this case when the Buddha was performing the

twin miracles, then the reviewing Javanas cannot run for
seven moments. They only run for four moments.

In order to reach Abhiññā thought process how many

thought processes must the Buddha or anybody who wants to
perform miracles go through? First there is the basic Jhāna.
Then there is the reviewing thought process. Then there is the
resolution thought process. And then there is the fifth Jhāna
again. Then there is another reviewing thought process. The
meditator must go through five thought processes before he
reaches the Abhiññā thought process. Only after this set of six
thought processes will fire come out of the Buddha's upper
body, for example. Then He makes resolution that water come
out of His lower body. Again He must go through this set of six
thought processes. In these cases Kāmāvacara Javanas cannot
run for seven moments as usual. They run for only four
moments for the Buddha and they run for five moments for
the disciples.

Now among those thought processes basic Jhāna

process is Jhāna thought process. Reviewing thought process
is Kāmāvacara thought process. Resolution thought process is
also Kāmāvacara thought process. Abhiññā is actually fifth
Jhāna thought process. In this series Kāmāvacara and
Rūpāvacara alternate. For Buddhas there are only four Kiriya
thought moments and it is said for disciples there are five.
Now the disciples like Sāriputta had occasion where they had
to enter into Jhāna quickly and make the reflection quickly. For
them also the reviewing process cannot be leisurely, for seven
moments that is; it is five moments for them. So now we have
those that run for four times and those that run for five times.

When a person enters the attainment of Jhāna, Magga

or Phala, Kāmāvacara Javanas may arise three or four times
before the Appanā Javanas arise. For those of keen intellect

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three Javanas (Upacāra, Anuloma and Gotrabhū or Vodāna)

will arise. For those of average intellect four Javanas
(Parikamma, Upacāra, Anuloma and Gotrabhū or Vodāna) will
arise. So Javanas may arise three or four times.

The Sublime Javanas for the beginner during the first

cognitive process of absorption and the direct knowledge
Javanas always run only once. Now we come to Javanas that
only run for one time. At the first attainment of Jhāna there is
only one Jhāna moment. At the first attainment of Jhāna for
either Rūpāvacara or Arūpāvacara, Jhāna consciousness only
arises once and then Bhavaṅga follows. Why is there only one
moment of Jhāna? The reason is given on page 177 of the
CMA.
“… a sublime javana occurs for only a single occasion
owing to its weakness due to lack of repetition.” (CMA, IV, Guide to
§22, p.177)

Actually that means this Jhāna arises once for the first
time. It is like a child just born. When a child is just born, he is
very helpless; he is not strong, he is weak. That first Jhāna
only arises once and it is weak. It is so weak that it cannot be
the condition for another Jhāna Citta to arise. If it could be the
condition for another Jhāna Citta to arise, there would be the
repetition condition. It is one of the 24 causal relations taught
in the Paṭṭhāna. When a consciousness repeats itself, for
example, seven times as in Javanas for ordinary mind-door
thought process, we say there is repetition condition
(Āsevana). That means one thought moment intensifies
another thought moment. But here the Jhāna consciousness
arises for the first time and it is weak so it cannot be the
condition for another Jhāna consciousness to arise. Therefore,
there is only one moment of Jhāna Javana in the thought
process of first attainment.

The word ‘beginner’ is used here. That means the first

attainment. Now a person gets first Jhāna. The first time he
gets that Jhāna he is a beginner in first Jhāna. Then later on if

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he is familiar with first Jhāna, he can enter into first Jhāna as

much as he likes. He ceases to be a beginner. He is adept at
that time. Then he practises meditation again and he reaches
second Jhāna. The first time he reaches second Jhāna he is
again a beginner of second Jhāna. Later he practises Jhāna
more so he is able to get into or out of the second Jhāna as
much as he likes. So he becomes adept at the second Jhāna.
He practises again and reaches third Jhāna for the first time.
Then he is a beginner for the third Jhāna and so on. Beginner
here does not mean beginner of Jhānas in general, but a
beginner at each level of Jhāna. That means at the first
attainment of each Jhāna. Jhāna thought process runs the
same, but there is only one Rūpāvacara Javana or
Arūpāvacara Javana. Later during sustained Jhāna thought
process Jhāna can arise millions and millions of times. We will
come to that later at the end of this section.

And then the direct knowledge Javana always arises

once — Abhiññā Javanas arise only once. Abhiññā Javanas
must have very great power because with the Abhiññā a
person is performing miracles. And Abhiññā Javanas only arise
once. Just by arising once it is sufficient to accomplish its task.
So it need not arise two times or three times or millions of
times. Just by arising one time it can help a person to perform
miracles. Since it is sufficient to accomplish the task by just
arising once, it arises only once. So there are two kinds of
Javanas that only arise once — Rūpāvacara and Arūpāvacara
Jhāna at the first attainment and Abhiññā Javana always at
any time whether first attainment or later attainment.

Now the arising of the four Paths only endures for one
mind moment. Magga also only arises once. Can the same
Magga arise for a second or third time? No. So Sotāpatti-
magga arises once. Next time when Magga arises, it is
Sakadāgāmī-magga and so on. Magga Cittas or Magga
Javanas only arise one time. Because Magga only arises once
there is no Kiriya in Lokuttara Cittas. If Magga were to arise

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again and again, there would be Kiriya in Lokuttara Cittas.

Since Magga arises only once, there can be no Kiriya Cittas in
Lokuttara.

“Thereafter, two or three occasions of fruition

consciousness arise according to the case.” (CMA, IV, §22, p.177)
Immediately after Magga there are Fruition, Phala
moments. How many Phala moments are there? There are two
or three Phala moments. Magga moment is followed by two
Phala moments or three Phala moments. “According to the
case” — that means if the person is of keen intellect, three
Phala moments will arise. If the person is of not so keen
intellect, two Phala moments will arise. Why? It is because of
the presence or absence of Parikamma. In one thought
process there can be a maximum of seven Javana moments. If
there are four Kāmāvacara Javanas — Parikamma
(preliminary), Upacāra (neighborhood), Anuloma (conformity),
Gotrabhū (change of lineage) — so when four moments are
taken by Kāmāvacara Javanas and one moment is taken by
Magga, there are already five. So there can only be two more
Javanas. That is why there are two Phala moments. But when
there are only three Kāmāvacara moments, excluding the first
one, Parikamma, so Upacāra, Anuloma and Gotrabhū (three
moments of Kāmāvacara Javanas) and then one moment of
Magga, there are four moments. In order to become seven we
need three more moments. That is why the person being of
keen intellect or not so keen intellect accounts for the
difference in the number of Phala moments that will arise.
Then comes subsidence into the life-continuum. After that
there is Bhavaṅga. So now in this paragraph we get Javanas
that arise only once, that arise two times, that arise three
times, and that arise four times.

Now the next is Nirodha-samāpatti, cessation

attainment. Cessation means the cessation of Citta, Cetasikas
and Rūpa born of Citta.

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“At the time of the attainment of cessation, the fourth

immaterial javana (the fourth Arūpāvacara Javana) runs twice
and then contacts cessation.” (CMA, IV, §22, p.177)
Bhikkhu Bodhi is too literal here. The Pāḷi word is
‘Phusati’. He translates it literally as contact. But in Burma we
translate it as reach. So he reaches cessation, he experiences
cessation.

The description of Nirodha-samāpatti is very brief here

(see CMA, IV, §22, p.177).
If you can wait, I want to ask you to wait
until the ninth chapter. At the end of the ninth chapter there is
a more detailed explanation of Nirodha-samāpatti. Can you
wait or can you not? If you cannot wait, please turn to page
363 of the CMA, “Attainment of Cessation” (see CMA, IX, §43, p.363).
“In this case, one enters successively upon the sublime
attainments beginning with the first jhāna, and then after
emerging from them, one contemplates with insight …” (CMA, IX,
§43, p.363)

That means one practises Vipassanā.

“… the conditioned states within each of those

attainments.” (CMA, IX, §43, p.363)
Now in order to get the attainment of cessation one
must have all nine Jhānas. One must also be an Anāgāmī or
an Arahant, not an ordinary worldling, not a Sotāpanna, not a
Sakadāgāmī, and not Anāgāmīs and Arahants who do not have
Jhānas. They must be either Arahants or Anāgāmīs who have
Jhānas, not just one or two Jhānas but all nine Jhānas.

Then if these Enlightened Persons want to enter into

this attainment of cessation, they must enter successively …
that means beginning with first Jhāna. So they enter into first
Jhāna and then get out of that first Jhāna. Then they practise
Vipassanā on the contents of that Jhāna. Here it is said
“conditioned states”. “Conditioned states” means the Jhānas

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are composed of Jhāna factors, so these Jhāna factors are all

conditioned phenomena, Saṅkhāra, so they must practise
Vipassanā on the Jhāna factors.

Then the meditator must enter into second Jhāna and

get out of that second Jhāna. Once again he must practise
Vipassanā on the contents of that Jhāna. Then he enters into
the third Jhāna, emerges from the third Jhāna, practises
Vipassanā on that third Jhāna and so on until he reaches the
third Arūpāvacara Jhāna.

“Having proceeded thus up to the base of nothingness,

…” (CMA, IX, §43, p.363)

That means the meditator must go through these

Jhānas until he reaches the third Arūpāvacara Jhāna.

“… one then attends to the preliminary duties such as

the resolution, etc., …” (CMA, IX, §43, p.363)
That means after getting out of third Arūpāvacara
Jhāna he does not practise Vipassanā. Instead he does what
are called preliminary duties. There are four preliminary
duties. You will understand when you read the ninth chapter.
So he must do these preliminary duties.

After doing these preliminary duties,

“… (he) enters (into) the base of neither-perception-
nor-non-perception.” (CMA, IX, §43, p.363)
That means he enters into the fourth Arūpāvacara
Jhāna.

“After two occasions of javana in absorption, …” (CMA, IX,

§43, p.363-364)

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That means there are two moments of fourth

Arūpāvacara Jhāna.

“… the continuum of consciousness is suspended.” (CMA,

IX, §43, p.364)

So consciousness disappears. When consciousness

disappears, there are no mental factors and there are no
material properties caused by mind. That is what is called the
attainment of cessation. When one is in the attainment of
cessation, one is devoid of all mental activities. At that
moment the meditator has no Citta, no Cetasikas and no Rūpa
born of Citta. A person in Nirodha-samāpatti is like a statue.
The difference between a statue and him is that he is still
living, although he stops breathing, although he has no mental
activities, but his body is still living; his body still has
Jīvitindriya and there is also heat in the body.

This is how a person gets into the attainment of

cessation. In order to reach the attainment of cessation the
meditator must go through all of the Jhānas up to fourth
Arūpāvacara Jhāna. After two moments of fourth Arūpāvacara
Jhāna there is the suspension of mental activities.

It is said that if he does not practise Vipassanā on the

contents of Jhāna, if he does only Samatha meditation, then
he will not be able to pass over to the fourth Arūpāvacara
Jhāna. He will always go back to the third Arūpāvacara Jhāna.
There will be no cessation of Citta. If he practises Vipassanā
meditation only, not Jhāna, not Samatha, he will end up with
Phala-samāpatti, Phala attainment thought process instead of
Nirodha-samāpatti. That is why he has to practise both
Samatha and Vipassanā.

So first he enters into first Jhāna. That is Samatha.

Then he emerges from that Jhāna and he practises Vipassanā

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on the contents of that Jhāna, seeing the mental factors as

impermanent, as suffering and as no soul. So Vipassanā and
Samatha go as pairs.

In this attainment of cessation the last thoughts in the

process are the two moments of fourth Arūpāvacara Jhāna.
The fourth Arūpāvacara Jhānas arise two times at the occasion
of the attainment of cessation.
“At the time of the attainment of cessation, the fourth
immaterial javana runs twice and then contacts cessation.
When emerging (from cessation), either the fruition
consciousness of non-returning or the fruition consciousness of
Arahantship arises accordingly for a single occasion.” (CMA, IV,
§22, p.177)

So when he emerges from this attainment of cessation,

the first thought that arises is Anāgāmī-phala or Arahatta-
phala depending on the person. If he is an Anāgāmī, Anāgāmī-
phala will arise. If he is an Arahant, then Arahatta-phala will
arise. How many times will Phala arise? It will arise only one
time. Then Bhavaṅga will arise. There is subsidence into life-
continuum. In Nirodha-samāpatti we get Javanas that arise for
two moments and then we get one Javana that arises for only
one moment, that is, the Javana that emerges from Nirodha-
samāpatti.

Then there are what are called Phala-samāpatti and

Jhāna-samāpatti. In those sustained attainments of Jhāna and
Phala —
“In the cognitive process of attainments, as in the
stream of the life-continuum, there is no fixed procedure
regarding the processes.” (CMA, IV, §22, p.177)
That means there is no saying that Jhāna
consciousness must arise how many times, or Phala
consciousness must arise a hundred times or a thousand
times. There is no limit, there is no saying.

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“It should be understood that even many (sublime and

supramundane) javanas take place (in immediate
succession).” (CMA, IV, §22, p.177)
So this paragraph is for Samāpatti thought processes,
Samāpatti Vīthi. There are two kinds of Samāpatti Vīthi — one
is Jhāna-samāpatti and the other is Phala-samāpatti, sustained
attainment of Jhāna and sustained attainment of Phala.

If a person gets the first Jhāna for the first time, there
is only one moment of Jhāna and then subsidence into
Bhavaṅga. Later the meditator practises again to get into that
Jhāna. He must practise so that he becomes thoroughly
familiar with that Jhāna. That means he must be able to enter
into that Jhāna whenever he likes; he must be able to enter
quickly; he must be able to get out of the Jhāna at the time he
wants. In order to achieve that mastery he must enter into the
Jhānas again, again and again. Later on when he wants to get
into the Jhāna, he practises meditation again and this time
Jhāna thoughts arise an immeasurable number of times. He
can be in that Jhāna as long as he wants to. That means
within the limit of the body of human beings. It is said human
body can only survive for seven days without food. So he may
be in that Samāpatti for seven days or six days, four days or
one hour or two hours — as long as he likes. During that time
when he is in the Jhāna-samāpatti, only Jhāna thought
moments arise one after the other. Since there can be billions
of thought moments in one snap of the fingers, you can
imagine how many Jhāna moments arise during a Samāpatti
thought process.

Also there is Phala-samāpatti. A person cannot get into

Magga. When a person wants to enjoy the bliss of
emancipation, he wants to have the Phala thought moments
arise again. He wants to have the Phala thought moments
arise again because when Phala Cittas arise in his mind he is

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very peaceful. Phala Cittas take Nibbāna as object. Nibbāna is

peace. When Citta takes Nibbāna as object, Citta is also
peaceful. They enjoy this like they would enjoy a vacation.
When you are tired of daily activities or work, then you want
to take a vacation. These people, the Enlightened Persons, are
always wearied with the conditioned phenomena, the five
aggregates. To them these five aggregates appear as
something loathsome, something to be wearied of. And so as
an escape from the suffering of five aggregates, they enter
into Phala-samāpatti. When they want to enter into Phala-
samāpatti, they practise Vipassanā again. Then instead of
Magga there arises Phala for many many moments. Here also
one can be in Phala-samāpatti for as long as one wishes. If he
is a human being, it can be for a maximum of seven days.

In the Samāpatti thought processes — that means the

later sustained Jhāna thought processes and later sustained
Phala thought processes — there is no fixed number of Jhāna
and Phala Cittas arising. There can be billions and billions of
Jhāna moments and Phala moments arising. This paragraph
shows that there are some Cittas that arise many many times
(see CMA, IV, §22, p.177-178).

Now let us find out the Javanas that arise only once,
then two times, three times, four times, five times, six times,
seven times and many times.

Javanas that arise only once — what are they? They

are Rūpāvacara and Arūpāvacara Jhānas on first attainment.
Abhiññā also arises once only. Magga arises only once. And
then what else arises only once? There is one more. Look at
the attainment of cessation. On emerging from the attainment
of cessation Anāgāmī or Arahatta-phala appears for only one
time. All these Javanas appear for one time only.

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What arises two times? Look at attainment of

cessation. Fourth Arūpāvacara Jhānas arise twice in the
attainment of cessation process. Is there only that? There can
be two or three Phala moments, so Phala Javanas after Magga.
For what kind of person do they arise twice? For the person of
not so keen intellect they arise twice. For those who have keen
intellect Phala will arise three times.

When do Javanas arise three times? Phala will arise

three times after Magga moment for those of keen intellect.
There are three moments of Kāmāvacara Kusala Javana
preceding Magga moment for those of keen intellect. Also
three moments of Kāmāvacara Kusala precede Phala-
samāpatti and Jhāna-samāpatti for those of great intelligence.
Three moments of Kāmāvacara Kiriya precede Appanā
attainment of Arahants of great intellect.

When do Javanas arise four times? During twin miracle

the reviewing Javanas (they are Kāmāvacara Javanas) will
arise four times. There are four moments of Kāmāvacara
Kusala Javana preceding Magga for those of average
intelligence. Four moments of Kāmāvacara Javana precede
the arising of Phala-samāpatti and Jhāna-samāpatti for those
of average intelligence. Four moments of Kāmāvacara Kiriya
precede Appanā attainment of Arahants of average intellect.

When do Javanas arise five times? Reviewing Javanas

for similar occasions arise five times. Twin miracles are for
Buddhas only. There are some occasions where Arahants also
have to reflect very quickly. So disciples have reviewing
Javanas that last for five moments. And also Kāmāvacara
Javanas at the time of death, fainting, etc., arise five times.

When do Javanas arise six times? They may arise six

times as regular Kāmāvacara Javanas.

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When do they arise seven times? They normally arise

seven times as regular Kāmāvacara Javanas.

When do they arise many times? They arise many

times as Jhāna and Phala Javanas in later sustained
attainment or Samāpatti Vīthi.

Let's go through it again.

When do the Javanas arise one time? They arise one

time as Rūpāvacara and Arūpāvacara Jhānas on first
attainment, Magga Javanas, and Anāgāmī and Arahatta-phala
on emerging from Nirodha-samāpatti.

When do they arise twice? They arise twice as fourth

Arūpāvacara Jhāna in Nirodha-samāpatti process and Phala
Javanas after Magga for person of not so keen intellect or
average intellect.

When do the Javanas arise three times? They arise

three times as Phala Javanas after Magga for those of keen
intellect. There are three moments of Kāmāvacara Kusala
Javana preceding Magga moment for those of keen intellect.
Also three moments of Kāmāvacara Kusala precede Phala-
samāpatti and Jhāna-samāpatti for those of great intelligence.
Three moments of Kāmāvacara Kiriya precede Appanā
attainment of Arahants of great intellect.

When do they arise four times? They arise four times

as reviewing Javanas for the Buddhas at twin miracles and
others. There are four moments of Kāmāvacara Kusala Javana
preceding Magga for those of average intelligence. Four

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moments of Kāmāvacara Javana precede the arising of

Phala-samāpatti and Jhāna-samāpatti for those of average
intelligence. Four moments of Kāmāvacara Kiriya precede
Appanā attainment of Arahants of average intellect.

When do the Javanas arise five times? They arise five

times in reviewing for the disciples and also they arise five
times as Kāmāvacara Javanas at death, fainting, etc.

When do the Javanas arise six or seven times? They

arise six or seven times normally as regular Kāmāvacara
Javanas.

When do they arise many times? They arise many

times as Rūpāvacara, Arūpāvacara and Phala Javanas at
sustained attainment or Samāpatti Vīthi.

Javanas can arise just once, two times, three times and
so on. Whether they arise just once or two times they always
experience or they always enjoy the taste of the object fully.
Even though they only arise once, they can do their task
properly. This is the procedure of Javana.

Now the summary —

“It should be known that limited javanas arise seven
times, …” (CMA, IV, §23, p.178)
‘Limited Javanas’ means Kāmāvacara Javanas.

“… the path and direct knowledge only once, the rest

(sublime and supramundane) many times.” (CMA, IV, §23, p.178)
It is a real summary. It is too short. It is not complete.
We have to understand one time, two times, three times and

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so on. I think it is not so difficult. Since we are doing Javanas,

we only have to have in mind the Javana function.

Do you want to refresh your memory? Please think of

the 121 types of consciousness and find out the Javanas. How
many Javanas are there if we take Lokuttara as eight? There
are 55. Those 55 are what? They are the 12 Akusala Cittas,
Hasituppāda which is Kiriya. There are three Ahetuka Kiriya
Cittas but the first two do not function as Javana. Then there
are Kāmāvacara Kusala eight, Kāmāvacara Sahetuka Kiriya
eight, Rūpāvacara Kusala five, Rūpāvacara Kiriya five,
Arūpāvacara Kusala four, Arūpāvacara Kiriya four, Lokuttara
eight. So all together there are 55 Javanas.

Let us consider Akusala Javanas; how many times can

they arise? Can they arise one time? No. Two times — no.
Three times — no. Four times — no. Akusala Javanas can arise
five times, that is, if they happen to be in the death thought
process. So the answer is yes. They can arise for six times.
They can also arise for seven times.

What about Hasituppāda? It can arise only seven times.

What about Kāmāvacara Kusala? Can they arise one

time? No. Two times? no. Three times? Yes. Four times? Yes.
Five times? Yes. Six times? Yes. Seven times? Yes.

What about Kāmāvacara Mahākiriya? They may arise

three times, four times, five times, or six or seven times
ordinarily.

Rūpāvacara Javanas, can they arise one time? Yes. Can

they arise two times? No. Can they arise seven times? No. Can

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they arise many times? Yes.

Rūpāvacara Kiriya is the same. They may arise one

time or many times.

First Arūpāvacara arise one time at first attainment.

Can they two times? No. Can they arise three times? No. Can
they arise four times? No. Can they arise five times? No. What
about six or seven times? No. Can they arise many times? Yes.

Second Arūpāvacara Jhāna can arise one time or many

times.

Third Arūpāvacara Jhāna can arise one time or many

times.

Fourth Arūpāvacara Jhāna, can it arise one time? Yes.

Can it arise two times? Yes. In cessation thought process it
can arise two times. Can it arise three times? No. Can it arise
four times? No. Can it arise five times? No. Can it arise six
times? No. Can it arise seven times? No. Can fourth
Arūpāvacara Jhāna arise many times? Yes.

Arūpāvacara Kiriya Jhānas are the same.

Now let us examine Lokuttara Cittas. We will look upon

them as only eight. First Magga Citta arises once only. Second
Magga Citta arises once only. Third Magga Citta arises once
only. Fourth Magga Citta arises once only. First Phala Citta
arises two times, three times or many times only. Second
Phala Citta arises two times, three times or many times. Third
Phala Citta arises one time emerging from Nirodha-samāpatti,

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two times, three times or many times. Fourth Phala Citta

arises one time emerging from Nirodha-samāpatti, two times,
three times or many times in Phala-samāpatti.

Now you understand Javanas and how many times they

arise, and also you can say in what kind of thought process
they arise, and on what occasion they arise, and how many
times. Now I think we understand almost all about Javanas.
That is to say we understand the Javanas in different kinds of
thought processes and how many times they arise and on
what occasion.

Puggala-bheda
The next section is “Analysis by Way of Individuals” —
“Puggala-bheda”. The Pāḷi word means division by individuals.
There are twelve kinds of individuals. First I think we should
be familiar with these twelve. Then we will find out what Cittas
belong to which individuals.

First there is the division of individuals into Ahetuka,

Dvihetuka and Tihetuka. Ahetuka individuals are those whose
Paṭisandhi Citta belongs to Ahetuka Cittas. How many Cittas
do the function of Paṭisandhi? 19 Cittas do the function of
Paṭisandhi. Among them how many are Ahetuka? Two
Santīraṇas accompanied by Upekkhā are Ahetuka. If a being is
reborn in hell or reborn as an animal, his Paṭisandhi must be
Akusala-vipāka. He is said to be an Ahetuka person or
individual. And also a person may be reborn as a human
being, but he may be born blind, deaf or so on. In that case
his Paṭisandhi Citta is Ahetuka Kusala-vipāka. Since he is
reborn a human being, he belongs to happy destination, happy
existence, in Pāḷi called Sugati. The other person, who is
reborn in hell or as an animal or as a ghost, is called a Duggati
person. First there are these two kinds of persons born with
Ahetuka Paṭisandhi Cittas.

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Then there are persons born with two-root Kāmāvacara

Vipāka Cittas. They are called Dvihetuka. And there are beings
who are reborn with three-root Kāmāvacara Vipāka Cittas, or
Rūpāvacara Vipāka Cittas, or Arūpāvacara Vipāka Cittas. They
are called three-root persons. Basically there are rootless
persons, two-root persons and three-root persons.

Rootless person is of two kinds — one born in Duggati,

four woeful states and one born as human being but born
blind and so on. The first one is called Duggati Ahetuka
person. The second one is called Sugati Ahetuka person. So
we get two kinds of Ahetuka persons — Duggati Ahetuka and
Sugati Ahetuka. Then what about Dvihetuka person — can
there be Duggati and Sugati? No. If he is Dvihetuka he
belongs to Sugati only. There is no Dvihetuka Paṭisandhi in
four woeful states. Therefore, Dvihetuka only belongs to
Sugati, happy destinations or happy existences.

What about Tihetuka or three-root beings? They belong

only to Sugati. Three-root persons can be subdivided into how
many? Let us see. There are three-root persons as Puthujjana,
three-root persons as Magga persons, and three-root persons
as Phala persons. Since there are four Maggas and four
Phalas, we get eight of them. We add Puthujjana so we get
nine persons. There are nine Tihetuka persons, one Dvihetuka
person and two Ahetuka persons. Altogether there are twelve
Puggalas, twelve individuals, twelve persons. Again twelve
individuals are Duggati Ahetuka, Sugati Ahetuka, Dvihetuka —
we don't have to say Sugati here because if it is Dvihetuka it is
Sugati — and then there are Tihetuka Puthujjana, then
Sotāpatti-magga person, Sotāpatti-phala person and so on.
When we refer to them, we need not use the word ‘Tihetuka’.
That is understood because anyone who gets Magga and Phala
is a Tihetuka person. With regard to eight Noble Persons we
don't need to say Tihetuka, but they are Tihetuka persons. So
there are nine Tihetuka persons, one Puthujjana and eight

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Noble Ones. There are nine Tihetuka persons, one Dvihetuka

person and two Ahetuka persons. So altogether there are
twelve Puggalas or individuals.

“Herein, to those with double-rooted and rootless

(rebirth consciousness), …” (CMA, IV, §24, p.179)
That means to those who are Dvihetuka and Ahetuka.

“… functional javanas and absorption javanas do not

arise.” (CMA, IV, §24, p.179)

Functional Javanas mean Kiriya Javanas. Absorption

Javanas mean Appanā Javanas. Do you remember Appanā
Javanas? They are Rūpāvacara Jhānas, Arūpāvacara Jhānas
and Lokuttara Cittas; these are called Appanā Javanas. How
many of them are there? There are 26 Appanā Javanas. So to
those who are Dvihetuka and Ahetuka — that means two kinds
of Ahetuka and Dvihetuka — there are no functional Javanas
and no Magga and Phala.

“Likewise, in a blissful plane, …” (CMA, IV, §24, p.179)

Blissful plane means Sugati.

“Likewise, in a blissful plane, resultants accompanied

by knowledge also do not arise.” (CMA, IV, §24, p.179)
“Resultants accompanied by knowledge” — four come
from Kāmāvacara resultants, five from Rūpāvacara resultants
and four from Arūpāvacara resultants and four Phala Cittas. In
addition to those mentioned earlier these do not arise “in a
blissful plane” — that means Sugati Ahetuka.

“But in a woeful plane great resultants disassociated

from knowledge are not found.” (CMA, IV, §24, p.179)

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That means for a Duggati Ahetuka person no great

resultants unassociated with knowledge occur. Actually for a
person that is Duggati Ahetuka there are no Kāmāvacara
Sahetuka Vipākas and also no Rūpāvacara, Arūpāvacara and
Lokuttara. Again for those of two-root and Ahetuka Pa ṭisandhi
what Cittas can they not experience? They cannot experience
Kiriya Javanas and Appanā Javanas. “In a blissful plane” —
that means Sugati Ñāṇa-sampayutta Vipāka, four from
Kāmāvacara Vipāka and then Rūpāvacara, Arūpāvacara Vipāka
and Lokuttara, these do not arise. And to a Duggati Ahetuka
even the four Ñāṇa-vippayutta Vipāka do not arise.

I think I will stop here. Please read on and try and find
out for yourself.

Twelve Individuals (5)

Today we will begin the study of the individuals. There

are twelve kinds of individuals. First we will make ourselves
familiar with twelve types of individuals or twelve types of
Puggalas. Puggala is a Pāḷi word which means individual. There
are twelve types of individuals and the first is Duggati
Ahetuka. ‘Duggati’ means unhappy destination; that means
the four woeful states. ‘Ahetuka’ here means those whose
Paṭisandhi Citta, whose relinking Citta is Ahetuka. How many
Ahetuka Cittas are there which function as Paṭisandhi,
Bhavaṅga and Cuti? The two Upekkhā Santīraṇas have these
functions. One is the resultant of Akusala and the other is the
resultant of Kusala. So Duggati Ahetuka persons have
Santīraṇa which is the resultant of Akusala as Paṭisandhi Citta.
These beings are those born in hell, animal kingdom, in the
realm of hungry ghosts, and in the realm of Asura ghosts.
They are always Puthujjanas. ‘Puthujjana’ means ordinary
persons or unenlightened beings. Usually we don't use the
word ‘Puthujjana’ when we want to describe Duggati Ahetuka

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persons. Duggati Ahetuka person is always a Puthujjana.

When we talk about what kind of person experiences what
kind of Cittas we do not say, “Duggati Ahetuka Puthujjana”.
We say, “Duggati Ahetuka” and “Puthujjana” is understood.

The next person is Sugati Ahetuka. ‘Sugati’ means

happy destiny. So ‘Sugati’ means human realm, Deva realms
and Brahma realms. They are called Sugati, happy
destinations. The Paṭisandhi Citta or relinking consciousness of
Sugati Ahetuka person is also from the Ahetuka Cittas. It is
the Ahetuka Citta or Upekkhā Santīraṇa which is the resultant
of Kusala. Here also we just say, “Sugati Ahetuka” because if a
person is Ahetuka, he is always a Puthujjana.

Then the third one is Dvihetuka. ‘Dvi’ means two. So

‘Dvihetuka’ means one whose Paṭisandhi Citta is accompanied
by two roots. Those roots are Alobha and Adosa. Now there
are six roots, three Akusala roots and three Kusala roots. ‘Dvi’
here means two from good roots, so Alobha and Adosa. Those
whose Paṭisandhi is accompanied by Alobha and Adosa only
are called Dvihetuka persons. If he is Dvihetuka person, he is
definitely of Sugati and also he is definitely a Puthujjana. So
when we just say, “Dvihetuka person”, we mean he belongs to
Sugati and he is a Puthujjana.

The next one is Tihetuka Puthujjana. Here we need to

say, “Tihetuka Puthujjana”, not just Tihetuka because there
are Tihetuka Puthujjanas and Tihetuka Noble Persons, Ariyas.
So we need to say, “Tihetuka Puthujjana”. If he is a Tihetuka
Puthujjana, he is already in Sugati. There is no need to say,
“Sugati Tihetuka Puthujjana”. ‘Tihetuka’ means those whose
Paṭisandhi are accompanied by three roots. Those three roots
are Alobha, Adosa and Amoha.

Then the next person is Sotāpanna. When we say,

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“Sotāpanna”, we don't need to say, “Sugati Tihetuka” because

only Tihetuka persons can become Sotāpannas. ‘Sotāpanna’
means a person from the moment of Sotāpatti-phala
immediately after a moment of Sotāpatti-magga. At the
moment of Sotāpatti-magga he is called Maggaṭṭha. He is
called a Maggaṭṭha person. But from the moment of Phala until
he reaches the next Magga, he is called a Phalaṭṭha person.
Also he is called Sotāpanna. At later stages of enlightenment
the Phalaṭṭha person is called Sakadāgāmī, Anāgāmī and
Arahant. ‘Sotāpanna’ means a person from the moment of
Phala following Sotāpatti-magga until he reaches the next
higher stage.

The next person is Sakadāgāmī. You already know who

Sakadāgāmī is. We don't say, “Sugati Tihetuka” because they
always are Sugati Tihetuka.

And the next person is Anāgāmī. It is the same. He is

an Anāgāmī from first Anāgāmī-phala until he reaches the next
higher stage.

Then the last one is Arahant. Arahant always belongs to

Sugati and he always has three roots accompanying his
Paṭisandhi Citta. Arahant is a person from the first moment of
Arahatta-phala until his death.

Now we will try to find out how many Cittas will arise in
these individuals, these types of individuals. Now Duggati
Ahetuka, those born in hell and so on, they cannot have Kiriya
Javanas. First, let us say, they cannot have Appanā Javanas.
Do you know the Appanā Javanas? They are Rūpāvacara
Kusala and Kiriya, Arūpāvacara Kusala and Kiriya and
Lokuttara. We will take Lokuttara Cittas as eight. They are
called Appanā Javanas. These persons cannot have Appanā
Javanas because they are born as Ahetuka; they are born with

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Paṭisandhi Citta which is not accompanied by any of the Hetus.

So those that are born as Duggati Ahetuka and actually also
those born as Sugati Ahetuka cannot have Appanā Javanas in
that life. That means they cannot get Jhānas; they cannot get
enlightenment in that life because the resultant consciousness
which functions as the relinking consciousness for them is
actually an obstacle to reaching Appanā Javanas, an obstacle
to reaching Jhānas and enlightenment. Since they do not have
Appanā Javanas, they do not have Kiriya Javanas. Kiriya
Javanas are only experienced by Arahants. Since they cannot
have Appanā Javanas, they cannot become Sotāpannas,
Sakadāgāmīs, Anāgāmīs and Arahants. So they cannot have
Kiriya Javanas. They also cannot have Ñāṇa-sampayutta
Vipāka. Now Ñāṇa-sampayutta Vipāka include four from
Kāmāvacara Vipāka, five from Rūpāvacara Vipāka, four from
Arūpāvacara Vipāka and also Phalas, but Phalas are already
taken by Kiriya Javanas and Appanā Javanas — so Duggati
Ahetuka individuals cannot have Ñāṇa-sampayutta Vipāka.
Also they cannot have Ñāṇa-vippayutta Mahāvipāka. You know
Mahāvipāka. Which are the Mahāvipāka? They are the eight
Sahetuka Kāmāvacara Vipāka. The Kusalas are called
Mahākusala; the Vipākas are called Mahāvipāka and the
Kiriyas are called Mahākiriya. So they cannot have Ñāṇa-
vippayutta Vipāka also. That means they cannot have any of
the Mahāvipākas. In Duggati Ahetuka how many Cittas can
arise in them? How many Cittas can be experienced by them?
What Kiriya Javanas will not arise for Duggati Ahetuka
individuals? The following Cittas will not arise for them:
Hasituppāda, Kāmāvacara Mahākiriya eight, Rūpāvacara Kiriya
five, Arūpāvacara Kiriya four. For Duggati individuals the
Appanā Javanas — Rūpāvacara Kusala five, Arūpāvacara
Kusala four and Magga and Phala eight — do not arise.
Ñāṇasampayutta Vipākas four and then Ñāṇavippayutta Vipāka
four also do not arise. How many Cittas remain? 37 Cittas
remain — Twelve Akusalas, 17 Ahetukas and eight
Kāmāvacara Kusalas. So they experience only 37 types of
consciousness or only 37 types of consciousness can arise in
their minds. This is for Duggati Ahetuka person, those reborn
in hell, hungry ghosts, animals and Asura ghosts.

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Next Sugati Ahetuka again cannot have Kiriya Javanas

simply because they are not Arahants. They cannot get
Appanā Javanas because their Paṭisandhi Citta is such that
they cannot get Appanā Javanas in that life. They cannot have
Ñāṇa-sampayutta Vipākas also because they are born as
Ahetukas. What Cittas does a Sugati Ahetuka not experience?
The Sugati Ahetuka individual does not experience
Hasituppāda, Kiriya Javanas — Kāmāvacara Mahākiriya eight,
Rūpāvacara Kiriya five, Arūpāvacara Kiriya four, Appanā
Javanas — Rūpāvacara Kusala five, Arūpāvacara Kusala four
and all Lokuttara. A Sugati Ahetuka individual also does not
experience Ñāṇa-sampayutta Vipāka, so four from Sahetuka
Kāmāvacara Vipāka. So how many are left? 37 plus 4 (four
Ñāṇa-vippayutta Sahetuka Vipāka Cittas) equals 41. Only 41
types of consciousness arise in the minds of Sugati Ahetuka
individuals. Sugati Ahetuka individuals are those human
beings who are born blind, deaf and so on. Some kinds of
Petas or ghosts are also Sugati Ahetuka. We will study about
them in the fifth chapter. So for Sugati Ahetuka individuals
there are only 41 types of consciousness.

The the next one is Dvihetuka, those who are born with
two roots as a human being or as a Deva. They are Sugati.
They cannot have Kiriya Javanas. They cannot have Appanā
Javanas. They cannot have Ñāṇa-sampayutta Vipākas. They
also have how many types of consciousness? They have 41
types of consciousness. So Sugati Ahetuka and Dvihetuka
persons have the same number of or types of consciousness,
41.

Next is the Tihetuka Puthujjana. Tihetuka Puthujjana

cannot have Mahākiriya Javanas — Kāmāvacara Mahākiriya
eight, Rūpāvacara Kiriya five, Arūpāvacara Kiriya four and then
all Lokuttara Cittas and Hasituppāda. So how many Cittas can
they have? They can have Akusala twelve, Ahetuka 17,
Kāmāvacara Kusala eight, Kāmāvacara Sahetuka Vipāka eight,

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Rūpāvacara Kusala five, Arūpāvacara Kusala four, Rūpāvacara

Vipāka five, Arūpāvacara Vipāka four. How many are there?
There are 63. Altogether there are 63. We will come to that
later. In the Manual it may be different. You get 63 because
here ‘Tihetuka Puthujjana’ means Tihetuka Puthujjana in
Kāmāvacara, Rūpāvacara and Arūpāvacara realms. If we mean
only for those who are born in Kāmāvacara realm, there will
be only 54. Here we are taking all Tihetuka Puthujjanas. 54 is
only for Kāmāvacara Tihetuka individuals. There are no Kiriya
Javanas. They are already taken out. We have to take out
Vipāka. Similarly if they are born in Rūpāvacara or
Arūpāvacara, we take out Kāmāvacara Sahetuka Vipāka. So if
we say, “Tihetuka Puthujjana”, we mean all. For Kāmāvacara
Tihetuka we take out the five Rūpāvacara Vipāka and the four
Arūpāvacara Vipāka and we get 54. If we take all Tihetuka
Puthujjanas, we get 63.

Then Sotāpannas — here again we will take

Sotāpannas as all, that is, all kinds of Sotāpannas —
Kāmāvacara, Rūpāvacara and Arūpāvacara. For Sotāpannas
Diṭṭhigata-sampayutta Javanas are eliminated. Sotāpannas
have eradicated Diṭṭhi and Vicikicchā. So four kinds of
consciousness accompanied by wrong view and Vicikicchā —
five from Akusala Cittas they do not have. Since they are not
Arahants, they do not have the Kiriya Javanas — so
Hasituppāda, Kāmāvacara Mahākiriya, Rūpāvacara Kiriya and
Arūpāvacara Kiriya. And then since they are Phala persons,
they do not have Magga Cittas, no Magga Cittas at all. And
then the three upper Phala Cittas — Sotāpannas do not have
Sakadāgāmī-phala, Anāgāmī-phala and Arahatta-phala simply
because they have not attained them yet. So we get seven
from Akusala, 17 from Ahetuka, then Kāmāvacara Kusala
eight, Kāmāvacara Sahetuka Vipāka eight, Rūpāvacara Kusala
five, Rūpāvacara Vipāka five, Arūpāvacara Kusala four,
Arūpāvacara Vipāka four and then Sotāpatti-phala — let's take
that as one. So altogether there are 59. Please be reminded
that we take Lokuttara as eight. That is for Sotāpatti-
phalaṭṭha.

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If you know consciousness for Sotāpatti-phalaṭṭha, you

know consciousness for Sakadāgāmī-phalaṭṭha because
Sakadāgāmī-magga person does not eradicate any more
Akusalas or any more Kilesas. So they have the same number
and the same types of consciousness as Sotāpatti-phalaṭṭha
individuals have. So for them also there are 59 Cittas — seven
from Akusala, 17 from Ahetuka, Kāmāvacara Kusala and
Sahetuka Vipāka, Rūpāvacara Kusala and Vipāka, Arūpāvacara
Kusala and Vipāka, and here for them Sakadāgāmī-phala.
They do not have Maggas. There is no Sotāpatti-phala, no
Anāgāmī-phala and no Arahatta-phala. When a person reaches
a higher stage, the lower stages of consciousness
automatically vanish for them; therefore, Sakadāgāmīs do not
have Sotāpatti-phala. Since they have not attained higher
stages, they do not have Anāgāmī and Arahatta-phalas. They
can only have Sakadāgāmī-phala.

Then Anāgāmī — What does an Anāgāmī eradicate? An

Anāgāmī eradicates Dosa; the two Dosamūla Cittas are
eradicated totally. Also what is called Kāmarāga, desire for
sense-objects is eliminated. Although they have eradicated
desire for sense-objects, they still have desire for Rūpāvacara
and Arūpāvacara realms. So they still have Lobha; they have
not eradicated Lobha altogether, but they have eradicated
Dosa altogether. So we subtract two more from the Akusala.
So four Diṭṭhigata-vippayutta Cittas and the last one that
accompanied by Uddhacca remain, only five remain. They still
have 17 from Ahetuka, Kāmāvacara Kusala and Sahetuka
Vipāka, Rūpāvacara Kusala and Vipāka and Arūpāvacara
Kusala and Vipāka and then Anāgāmī-phala. There is no
Sotāpatti-phala, no Sakadāgāmī-phala because they have
passed those attainments and no Arahatta-phala because they
have not attained it yet. So how many Cittas may they
experience? 59 minus 2 equals 57. 57 Cittas may be
experienced by Anāgāmī-phala person.

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The last one is Arahants. Arahants do not have Kusala

Javanas and they do not have Akusala Javanas. How many
from Ahetuka? They may experience all 18 Ahetuka Cittas.
And then Kāmāvacara Kusala eight do not arise, so we have
Kāmāvacara Sahetuka Vipāka eight and Kāmāvacara
Mahākiriya eight. Then Rūpāvacara Kusala five do not arise. So
we have Rūpāvacara Vipāka five and Rūpāvacara Kiriya five.
Similarly we have Arūpāvacara Vipāka four and Arūpāvacara
Kiriya four and then the last one Arahatta-phala. So there are
no Sotāpatti-phala, no Sakadāgāmī-phala and no Anāgāmī-
phala and no Magga. So how many Cittas are there? There are
53 because they can have Hasituppāda, but they do not have
any of the Akusala. So we get 18 Ahetuka Cittas, eight
Kāmāvacara Mahāvipāka, eight Kāmāvacara Mahākiriya, five
Rūpāvacara Vipāka, five Rūpāvacara Kiriya, four Arūpāvacara
Vipāka, four Arūpāvacara Kiriya and then last Arahatta-phala
one. So we get 53 types of consciousness experienced by
Arahants.

Now we must understand that not all these types of

consciousness are experienced by a particular Arahant or a
particular person. If the Arahant does not have Jhāna, he will
not experience Rūpāvacara Kiriya and Arūpāvacara Kiriya.
Arahants may or may not have Jhānas. This is very simple. If
you want to go on, there are more complicated ones.

All Maggaṭṭha individuals have only one Citta. That is

very easy. Maggaṭṭha person means the person at the moment
of Magga Citta. There is only one Citta for such a person. For
Sotāpatti-maggaṭṭha there is only one Citta which is Sotāpatti-
magga Citta. Sakadāgāmī-maggaṭṭha person has Sakadāgāmī-
magga Citta. For Anāgāmī-magga person there is Anāgāmī-
magga Citta. For Arahatta-magga person there is Arahatta-
magga Citta. We have only one Citta for each Noble Person.

Now once again, the first one, Duggati Ahetuka, how

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many Cittas can arise for that individual? 37 Cittas can arise
for Duggati Ahetuka. Sugati Ahetuka individual has how many
Cittas? 41 Cittas may arise in Sugati Ahetuka. How many
Cittas may arise in Dvihetuka individual? 41 Cittas may arise
in Dvihetuka individual. How many Cittas may arise in
Tihetuka Puthujjana? 63 Cittas may arise in Tihetuka
Puthujjana. How many Cittas may arise in a Sotāpanna? 59
Cittas may arise in a Sotāpanna. How many arise for a
Sakadāgāmī? 59 Cittas may arise for a Sakadāgāmī. How
many arise in an Anāgāmī? 57 may arise in an Anāgāmī. How
many arise in an Arahant? 53 Cittas may arise in an Arahant.

Please open the CMA on page 179 — “Guide to §24”:

“Those beings for whom the functions of rebirth,
bhavaṅga and death are performed by either of the two types
of investigating consciousness accompanied by equanimity
have a rootless (ahetuka) rebirth consciousness. Those for
whom these functions are performed by one of the great
resultants disassociated from knowledge (Ñāṇavippayutta)
have a double-rooted (Dvihetuka) rebirth consciousness, the
root of non-delusion or wisdom being absent.” (CMA, IV, Guide to
§24, p.179)

That means only Alobha and Adosa are present; there

is no Amoha.

“In such beings the functional javanas (Kiriya Javanas),

which are exclusive to Arahants, cannot arise, nor can such
beings attain absorption either by way of jhānas or the path.”
(CMA, IV, Guide to §24, p.179)

These persons cannot get Jhānas or enlightenment.

“Moreover, the only cittas that can perform the role of

registration (Tadārammaṇa) for these beings are the three
types of rootless investigating consciousness.”7 (CMA, IV, Guide to

7 CMA, Second Edition, 1999: “Moreover, for beings in the woeful plane, the only Cittas

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§24, p.179)

Now I want you to consider whether that is correct or

not. “The only Cittas that can perform the role of registration
for these beings are the three types of rootless investigating
consciousness.” That means three Santīraṇas. Is that correct?
First we must understand what is meant by “for these beings”.
Is it both Ahetuka and Dvihetuka or only Ahetuka? This
paragraph deals with both Ahetuka and Dvihetuka persons. So
when he says, “for these beings”, we must take it as both
Ahetuka and Dvihetuka. If it is so, it is not correct. Dvihetuka
persons may have four Sahetuka Kāmāvacara Vipākas
unassociated with knowledge.

In the next paragraph the last three lines —

“In a woeful plane, where the rebirth consciousness is
invariably rootless, even two-rooted great resultants do not
perform the role of registration; …” (CMA, IV, Guide to §24, p.179)
That is correct.

“… only the rootless resultants can arise in this role.”

(CMA, IV, Guide to §24, p.179)

There is a contradiction here. I think the first one

beginning with “Moreover, the only Cittas …” is not correct.

So for Duggati Ahetuka person only Santīraṇa can

perform the function of Tadārammaṇa. For Sugati Ahetuka
persons Sahetuka Kāmāvacara Vipāka unassociated with
knowledge can perform Tadārammaṇa function as well as the
Santīraṇas. For Dvihetuka persons it is the same as for Sugati
Ahetuka persons.

Then Supramundane Javanas —

that can perform the role of registration are the three types of rootless investigating
consciousness.”

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“But the supramundane javanas are experienced only

by noble ones according to their respective capacities.” (CMA, IV,
§25, p.180)

“Respectively” (or respective) means Sotāpatti-phala is

experienced by Sotāpanna only; Sakadāgāmī-phala is
experienced by Sakadāgāmī only and so on. So Sotāpanna
cannot experience Sakadāgāmī-phala, Anāgāmī-phala and
Arahatta-phala.

Now in this section there are two terms you have to be

familiar with — Sekkha and Asekkha. In section §25, page 180
of the CMA —
“Amongst those with triple-rooted (rebirth
consciousness), to Arahants, no wholesome or unwholesome
javanas arise. Similarly, to trainees and worldlings, …” (CMA, IV,
§25, p.180)

Now Trainees — the Pāḷi word for Trainees is Sekkha.

You have the word on page 179 of the CMA “Tathā
sekkhaputhujjanānaṃ”. Sekkha is spelled S E K K H A.
Sometimes it is spelled with only one K. So it can be Sekha or
Sekkha. ‘Sekkha’ means those who are still training, those
whose training has not yet reached completion. Such persons
are called Sekha or Sekkha. ‘Training’ means training as
Magga and Phala. So Puthujjana has nothing to do with it.
Sekkhas are those who have reached enlightenment but have
not yet become Arahants. If we take Noble Persons or
Enlightened Persons to be eight in number, then seven are
Sekkhas — Sotāpatti-maggaṭṭha, Sotāpatti-phalaṭṭha and so on
through Arahatta-maggaṭṭha. These seven persons are called
Sekha or Sekkha because their training has not yet come to
completion. They are still training. If they are called Trainees,
what do we call Puthujjanas? It is a technical term.

An Arahant is called Asekha. On page 180 of the CMA,

in the Pāḷi verse there is the word “Asekkhānaṃ” (see CMA, IV, §26,
p.180). ‘Asekha’ means Non-sekha here. Also sometimes one K

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can be dropped, so it may be either Asekha or Asekkha. They

are called those beyond training, those who have completed
training. That means their training has come to completion,
they are those who do not have any more training to undergo.
That means those who have reached the highest stage of
enlightenment — Arahants. So Arahants are called Asekha or
Asekkha.

Please note these two because when you read

translations of the discourses you will find these two terms.
You should understand what is meant by Trainees and what is
meant by Non-trainees. If you do not know Abhidhamma, you
do not know these terms and if you do not understand clearly,
then sometimes you may have wrong understanding of the
discourse. ‘Sekha’ means those who are still training and they
are the lower seven Noble Persons. ‘Asekha’ means those who
are not in training — that means those who have completed
the training and they are the Arahatta-phalaṭṭha or Arahants.

Then section §26 of the CMA —

“According to circumstances, it is said, those beyond
training experience 44 classes of consciousness, …” (CMA, IV, §26,
p.180)

Now in our reckoning how many were there? 53. So in

this verse 44 means for those who are in Kāmāvacara sphere.
For all Arahants in general we still have 53. ‘44’ means 53
minus nine. Which are the nine? They are Rūpāvacara Vipāka
five and Arūpāvacara Vipāka four.

And Trainees may experience 56 Cittas. Those you have

to add up. You have to take out nine and add one, one, one,
so altogether you have 56 for Trainees. Now Trainees are
taken altogether — Sotāpannas, Sakadāgāmīs and Anāgāmīs.

And the rest may experience 54 Cittas. ‘The rest’

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means what? It means Puthujjanas. So they have 54. The

details are given in the explanation in the “Guide to §26”. On
page 181 of the CMA just above the heading “Analysis by way
of Planes” there is a paragraph beginning with “These figures
are for those in the sense-sphere plane”. These are for sense-
sphere plane only. If we take for those of all planes, we have
to add in Rūpāvacara Vipāka and Arūpāvacara Vipāka. And
then there is a table on page 182 of the CMA (see CMA, IV, Table 4.5,
p.182).

Now this is just plain understanding of what we find in

the Manual, but we have to understand Puthujjanas,
Sotāpannas and so on who are born in Kāmāvacara plane, who
are born in Rūpāvacara plane and who are born in
Arūpāvacara plane. Tihetuka Puthujjana can be Kāmāvacara
Tihetuka Puthujjana, Rūpāvacara Tihetuka Puthujjana,
Arūpāvacara Tihetuka Puthujjana. Also there are Kāmāvacara
Sotāpanna, Rūpāvacara Sotāpanna and Arūpāvacara
Sotāpanna. The same is true for Sakadāgāmīs, Anāgāmīs and
Arahants.

As though it were not enough, we have to answer

more. That means a Puthujjana may get Jhānas or he may not
get Jhānas. There are Puthujjanas with Jhānas and without
Jhānas, Sotāpannas with Jhānas and without Jhānas,
Sakadāgāmīs, Anāgāmīs and Arahants with Jhānas and
without Jhānas. So we have Kāmāvacara Tihetuka with Jhāna.
First we should say Kāmāvacara Tihetuka Puthujjana without
Jhāna and then Kāmāvacara Tihetuka Puthujjana with Jhāna,
Rūpāvacara Tihetuka Puthujjana with Jhāna only, Arūpāvacara
Tihetuka person with Jhāna only. Then there is Kāmāvacara
Sotāpanna with or without Jhāna, Rūpāvacara Sotāpanna with
Jhāna only. And then there are Kāmāvacara Sakadāgāmīs,
Anāgāmīs and Arahants with or without Jhānas. There are
many ways to study the different individuals in detail. The
ones we have already done are for individuals in general, for
Tihetuka Puthujjanas of all realms, for Sotāpannas of all

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realms and so on.

Suppose we try to find out Tihetuka Kāmāvacara

Puthujjana with Jhāna and without Jhāna. If he is without
Jhāna, then we will have to take out the Jhāna consciousness.
So there are how many here? There are 63. So you take out
Jhāna consciousness and since they are from Kāmāvacara, we
also take out Rūpāvacara Vipāka and Arūpāvacara Vipāka
Cittas. So the number goes down.

Now the chart on page 182 of the CMA does not

differentiate between those with Jhāna and those without
Jhāna (see CMA, IV, Table 4.5, p.182). So we can assume that they are
for those with Jhāna or just for those in general. So if you look
at the chart (see CMA, IV, Table 4.5, p.182) — first for woeful rootless
rebirth-consciousness, that means Duggati Ahetuka, and then
sense-sphere plane — we get 12 unwholesome, 17 rootless, 8
wholesome. There are altogether 37 Cittas.

Then there is blissful rootless rebirth-consciousness,

Sugati Ahetuka. In this individual 41 Cittas may arise. And for
the two-root rebirth-consciousness, Dvihetuka, we get the
same number of Cittas, which is the same as above, 41.

For three-root worldling 54 Cittas may arise, that is for

those who have Jhānas. If for those who are without Jhānas,
we must subtract nine so then it is 45 Cittas that may arise.

Then for the Stream-enterer, Sotāpanna, 50 Cittas may

arise. If he doesn't get Jhāna, then we subtract nine, so 41
Cittas may arise. And Sakadāgāmī is the same. For the
Anāgāmī with Jhāna 48 Cittas may arise. In the Anāgāmī
without Jhāna 39 Cittas may arise, that is, 48 minus nine. 44
Cittas may arise in Arahants. If they don't get Jhānas, we

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subtract nine from 44, so 35 Cittas may arise for them. You
must understand this. So Tihetuka, three-root worldling,
Tihetuka with Jhāna and without Jhāna must be understood.
The same is true for Sotāpanna, Sakadāgāmī, Anāgāmī and
Arahant — must be understood as with Jhānas and without
Jhānas. The numbers given in the chart (see CMA, IV, Table 4.5, p.182)
are for those with Jhānas. So if you want to know for those
without Jhānas, you subtract nine Cittas — Rūpāvacara Kusala
and Arūpāvacara Kusala, and for Arahants Rūpāvacara Kiriya
and Arūpāvacara Kiriya. So we get 45, 41, 41, 39, and 35.

With regard to fine-material plane and immaterial plane

there is only one, those with Jhānas. None are without Jhānas
there.

If you have time, I think you should become familiar

with those different individuals, for example, Kāmāvacara
Tihetuka without Jhāna, Kāmāvacara Tihetuka with Jhāna,
Kāmāvacara Sotāpanna with Jhāna and without Jhāna and so
on.

Next we go to the last section. It is called “Bhūmi-

bheda”, “Analysis by Way of Planes” (see CMA, IV, §27, p.181). It is
strange that we have not yet studied the 31 planes of
existence. The author is giving us which types of
consciousness arise in which plane.

“In the sense-sphere plane all these foregoing cognitive

processes occur according to circumstances.” (CMA, IV, §27, p.181)
That means for Kāmāvacara realms all Vīthi Cittas
arise. So for Kāmāvacara realm how many Cittas are there?
Now here we must understand the Manual is saying ‘Vīthi
Cittas’. That means there are no Vīthimutta Cittas. So if we
find out how many Vīthi Cittas can arise in Kāmāvacara realm
we say 80. If we say how many Cittas in general can arise in

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Kāmāvacara realm, Vīthimutta Cittas are included. We will still

get the same answer, 80 Cittas. Vīthimutta means those Cittas
that function as Paṭisandhi, Bhavaṅga and Cuti. In the
Kāmāvacara realm the Vīthimutta Cittas perform other
functions such as Tadārammaṇa. Therefore, they have already
been accounted for. Do you understand? There are 80 types of
consciousness in general that may arise in Kāmāvacara and
there are also 80 types of consciousness that may arise as
Vīthi Cittas in Kāmāvacara.

In the Rūpāvacara and Arūpāvacara there will be

difference between the number of Cittas in general that may
arise and the number of Vīthi Cittas that may arise. That is
because the Cittas in those realms that perform the functions
of Paṭisandhi, Bhavaṅga and Cuti perform only those functions
and they are always process-freed. They always function as
Vīthimutta Cittas. In Rūpāvacara the five Rūpāvacara Vipāka
Cittas perform these functions and in the Arūpāvacara the four
Arūpāvacara Vipāka Cittas perform these functions.

Cittas that function as Paṭisandhi, Bhavaṅga and Cuti do

not arise through any door. They are door-freed. So they are
called ‘Vīthimutta’, free from Vīthi, out of Vīthi. When we say
Vīthi Citta, it means one thing. When we say Vīthimutta Citta,
we mean another thing, a different thing. Only Vīthi Cittas are
mentioned in this section of the Manual (see CMA, IV, §27-§29, p.181-
183). According to this Manual, in the sense-sphere plane
(Kāmāvacara plane) “all these foregoing cognitive processes
occur according to circumstances.” Later on he will say 80
(Cittas may arise). In section §29 of the CMA,
“In the sense-sphere plane, according to
circumstances, 80 kinds of process consciousness are found,
…” (CMA, IV, §29, p.183)
‘Process consciousness’ means the Vīthi Cittas. There
are 80 types of process consciousness which may arise in
Kāmāvacara.

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“In the fine-material sphere plane …” (CMA, IV, §27, p.181)

That means Rūpāvacara.

“… (all occur) with the exception of javanas connected

with aversion and registration moments.” (CMA, IV, §27, p.181)
Now Dosa is the direct opposite of Jhānas. When there
is Dosa, Jhānas cannot arise. The Brahmas are those who gain
Jhāna and then are reborn as Brahmas. So for them although
they have not eradicated Dosa altogether, as happens when
Magga arises, but by way of the planes where they exist these
two Cittas are suppressed. These two Cittas do not arise in
Brahmas. If you go back to the third chapter, you will find that
in the section on Vatthu, in the section on bases. So in the
fine-material or Rūpāvacara planes the Javanas connected
with aversion do not arise, that is, the two Dosamūla Cittas,
and the registration moments do not arise.

The Tadārammaṇa arise only in what? They arise after

Kāmāvacara Javanas, to Kāmāvacara beings and then? They
only arise when taking Kāmāvacara objects. There are three
conditions. Do you remember? Go back in the Manual,
“Tadārammaṇa-niyama” (see CMA, IV, §20, p.175),
“Registration occurs, they say, in connection with clear
and very great objects when there is certainty as regards
sense-sphere javanas, beings, and objects.” (CMA, IV, §20, p.175)
Registration, Tadārammaṇa arises only after
Kāmāvacara Cittas. And then Tadārammaṇa arise only for
“sense-sphere beings” — only to Kāmāvacara beings, and they
arise taking “sense-sphere object” only, that is, taking
Kāmāvacara objects. So only when these three conditions are
met can Tadārammaṇa Cittas arise. But here we are dealing
with Rūpāvacara realm, so Tadārammaṇa cannot arise. So for
Kāmāvacara realm there are 80 Vīthi Cittas; but how many
Cittas in all? There are still 80 Cittas because those Cittas

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performing the functions of Paṭisandhi, Bhavaṅga and Cuti

(door-freed processes) have already been counted as they
also may perform other functions such as Tadārammaṇa.

“In the immaterial-sphere plane (all occur) with the

(further) exception of the first path, …” (CMA, IV, §27, p.182)
Now if you remember the last section in the third
chapter, Sotāpatti-magga cannot arise in the Arūpāvacara
realm, because Sotāpatti-magga can be attained only through
voice from others, only through getting instructions from
others. Arūpāvacara Brahmas have no ears to hear the
instructions. So there can be no Sotāpatti-magga Citta in the
Arūpāvacara realm.

And then,
“… fine-material-sphere consciousness, …” (CMA, IV, §27,
p.182)

Rūpāvacara consciousness you cannot get in

Arūpāvacara realm. They are lower Cittas, so they disappear.
And,
“… smiling consciousness, …” (CMA, IV, §27, p.182)

It cannot arise because they do not have bodies.

Therefore, they cannot smile.

“… and the lower immaterial classes of consciousness.”

(CMA, IV, §27, p.182)

That means when you get to the second Arūpāvacara

realm, you do not have first Arūpāvacara Citta; and when you
get to the third, you do not experience the first and second. In
the fourth you do not experience the first, second and third
Arūpāvacara Cittas because they are lower Cittas and they just
disappear. When you reach the higher position, then the
former position is not for you. In the immaterial sphere there

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is no first Path, Sotāpatti-magga, no Rūpāvacara Cittas, no

Hasituppāda and for each Arūpāvacara realm there are no
Cittas from a lower Arūpāvacara realm.

“In all planes, to those who are devoid of particular

sense organs, cognitive processes …” (CMA, IV, §28, p.183)
That means consciousness pertaining to cognitive
processes.

“… connected with the corresponding doors do not

arise.” (CMA, IV, §28, p.183)

That means if a person is devoid of eyes, there can be

no corresponding consciousness, so no seeing consciousness
and so on. In the Rūpāvacara realm what bases are missing?
The bases of nose, tongue and body are missing. For
Rūpāvacara realm nose-consciousness, tongue-consciousness,
and body-consciousness do not arise. Also in Kāmāvacara
realm if a person is born blind, then he cannot have seeing
consciousness and so on.

“To the non-percipient beings …” (CMA, IV, §28, p.183)

That means the mindless beings.

“… there is absolutely no cognitive process

whatsoever.” (CMA, IV, §28, p.183)
For mindless beings there is no mind at all, no Cittas,
no Cetasikas.

The summary is that for sense-sphere plane there are

80, and for Rūpāvacara plane there are 64, and for
Arūpāvacara plane there are 42 (see CMA, IV, §29, p.183).

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Now can you find out the 64 for Rūpāvacara? Finding

80 in Kāmāvacara now is easy. What are the 64? How many
come from Akusala? Ten come from Akusala. How many come
from Ahetuka? You take out six, so there are twelve from
Ahetuka. How many are from Kāmāvacara Sobhana?
Kāmāvacara Kusala eight and Kāmāvacara Kiriya eight are
from Kāmāvacara Sobhana. And then from Mahaggata and
Lokuttara there are Rūpāvacara Kusala and Kiriya and
Arūpāvacara Kusala and Kiriya and eight Lokuttara Cittas. We
get 64 Cittas that may arise as Vīthi Cittas. But if we say how
Cittas in general may arise, we must add Rūpāvacara Vipāka
five, the five Vīthimutta Cittas. So 64 plus five is 69.

For the Arūpāvacara realm there are 42. What are the
42? There are ten from Akusala, and then one from Ahetuka.
Which one? Manodvārāvajjana is the only one from Ahetuka.
Then there are Kāmāvacara Mahākusala eight, Kāmāvacara
Mahākiriya eight and no Rūpāvacara. There are Arūpāvacara
Kusala four and Arūpāvacara Kiriya four and Lokuttara seven
without Sotāpatti-magga. So there are 42. These 42 are the
same as the 42 mentioned in chapter three, last section. If we
say just Cittas, we must add four Arūpāvacara Vipākas. In that
case 46 Cittas may arise.

This is something like a trap. Sometimes we ask how

many Cittas can arise and then if you are not careful you say
42 or 64 and you are wrong. If we say how many Vīthi Cittas
arise in Rūpāvacara or Arūpāvacara plane, you mention only
the Vīthi Cittas, no Vīthimutta Cittas. If we say how many
Cittas are there, then we must include Vīthimutta Cittas. How
many Vīthimutta Cittas are there? Actually there are nine,
Rūpāvacara Vipāka five and Arūpāvacara Vipāka four.
Kāmāvacara Mahāvipāka eight when they are functioning as
Bhavaṅga, Paṭisandhi and Cuti are also Vīthi-free. But they
have another function. What is that function? It is the function
of Tadārammaṇa. When they are performing Tadārammaṇa
function, they are not Vīthi-free. Therefore, you do not take

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out eight Kāmāvacara Mahāvipākas. Eight Kāmāvacara

Mahāvipākas can be Vīthi-free sometimes and sometimes they
are within Vīthi. But five Rūpāvacara Vipākas and four
Arūpāvacara Vipākas are always Vīthi-free. They only have
three functions — Paṭisandhi, Bhavaṅga and Cuti. The eight
Sahetuka Kāmāvacara Vipākas have four functions —
Paṭisandhi, Bhavaṅga, Cuti and Tadārammaṇa. Again when
they are functioning as Tadārammaṇa, they are not Vīthi-free,
they are within Vīthi, but when they are functioning as
Paṭisandhi, Bhavaṅga and Cuti, they are Vīthi-free. Since
generally they are within Vīthi, also we do not take them out
when we say Vīthimutta.

The same is true for the two Ahetuka Upekkhā

Santīraṇa Cittas. They function both in the Vīthimutta process
and the Vīthi process. In the Vīthi process they function as
either Santīraṇa or as Tadārammaṇa. In Vīthimutta process
they function as Paṭisandhi, Bhavaṅga or Cuti.

So again for Kāmāvacara realm how many Cittas do we

have? There are 80. How many Vīthi Cittas are there? There
are 80. For Rūpāvacara realm how many Cittas are there?
There are 64 plus five, so 69 Cittas. How many Vīthi Cittas are
there? There are 64 Vīthi Cittas. For Arūpāvacara realm how
many Cittas are there? There are 46 — 42 plus four. How
many Vīthi Cittas are there? There are 42.

Now the conclusion —

“Thus the cognitive process connected with the six
doors according to circumstances continues on uninterrupted
as long as life lasts, …” (CMA, IV, §30, p.184)
These thought processes (Vīthis) go on and on as long
as life lasts, that is, for this one life. Actually they continue to
arise and disappear for the next life also.

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“… intercepted by the life-continuum.” (CMA, IV, §30, p.184)

Vīthis do not follow another Vīthi. There must always be

moments of Bhavaṅga between one thought process and
another, between one Vīthi and another. So, for example,
hearing thought process cannot immediately follow seeing
thought process. First there must be seeing thought process.
Then there must be Bhavaṅga moments intervening,
sometimes millions of moments or maybe any number. So
these thought processes go on and on and on during our lives
only interrupted by moments of life-continuum, only
interrupted by Bhavaṅga moments. So these Bhavaṅga
moments are like buffer zones between thought processes.
That is why when we make a diagram of a thought process in
our country, we put zeros both at the beginning and at the end
of Bhavaṅga moments to show that Bhavaṅga moments
precede and follow each thought process.

This is the end of the fourth chapter. We can end it here

or if you want to go into details about different individuals, if
you want to do so, we can continue. At this stage of your
knowledge it is enough if you understand for beings in general
— Tihetuka Puthujjana in general, Sotāpanna in general and
so on. After you become familiar with that much, then you can
go on into the explanation and try and find how many Cittas
go with Tihetuka Puthujjana with Jhāna or without Jhāna and
so on. You may also go to the chart on page 182 of the CMA
and find out about this (see CMA, IV, Table 4.5, p.182) . The charts are
very handy and for easy reference they are very good.

How familiar are you with the different Cittas? Please

try to think of the different types of consciousness. They are
12 Akusala Cittas, 18 Ahetuka Cittas, 24 Kāmāvacara Sobhana
Cittas, 15 Rūpāvacara Cittas, 12 Arūpāvacara Cittas and 40
Lokuttara Cittas.

Which ones are Kāmāvacara types of consciousness?

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How many are there? There are 54. They are twelve Akusala,
18 Ahetukas and 24 Kāmāvacara Sobhanas.

Which ones are the Mahaggata? There are 27 — fifteen

Rūpāvacara and twelve Arūpāvacara.

What do you call 54 Kāmāvacara and 27 Mahaggata?

They are called Lokiya Cittas or mundane consciousness, so
mundane consciousness 81.

How many Lokuttara Cittas are there in brief? There

are eight. And in detail how many are there? There are 40.

Mahaggata and Lokuttara Cittas

In Mahaggata and Lokuttara how many first Jhāna
Cittas are there? There are 11.

How many second Jhāna Cittas are there? There are

11.

How many third Jhāna Cittas are there? There are 11.

How many fourth Jhāna Cittas are there? There are 11.

And how many fifth Jhāna Cittas are there? There are
23, three Rūpāvacara Cittas, all twelve Arūpāvacara Cittas,
and fifth Jhāna Cittas from Magga and Phala, altogether eight.

Akusala Cittas

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What do we need to know? There are twelve Akusala

Cittas — how many are accompanied by Somanassa? Four are
accompanied by Somanassa.

How many are accompanied by Upekkhā? Six are

accompanied by Upekkhā.

How many are accompanied by Domanassa? Two are

accompanied by Domanassa.

Ahetuka Cittas
Now Ahetuka Cittas — how many are accompanied by
Somanassa? Two are accompanied by Somanassa,
Hasituppāda and one Santīraṇa.

How many are accompanied by Upekkhā? 14 are

accompanied by Upekkhā.

How many are accompanied by Dukkha? One is

accompanied by Dukkha.

How many are accompanied by Sukha? One is

accompanied by Sukha.

Kāmāvacara Sobhana Citta

Then Kāmāvacara Sobhana 24 — how many are
accompanied by Somanassa? Twelve are accompanied by
Somanassa.

How many are accompanied by Upekkhā? Twelve are

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accompanied by Upekkhā.

Rūpāvacara Citta
Rūpāvacara 15 — how many are accompanied by
Somanassa? Twelve are accompanied by Somanassa.

How many are Upekkhā? Three are accompanied by

Upekkhā.

Arūpāvacara Citta
Arūpāvacara twelve — how many are accompanied by
Somanassa? None are accompanied by Somanassa.

How many are accompanied by Upekkhā? Twelve are

accompanied by Upekkhā.

Magga Cittas
Twenty Magga Cittas — how many are accompanied by
Somanassa? 16 are accompanied by Somanassa.

How many are accompanied by Upekkhā? Four are

accompanied by Upekkhā.

Phala Cittas
Twenty Phala Cittas — how many are accompanied by
Somanassa? 16 are accompanied by Somanassa.

How many are accompanied by Upekkhā? Four are

accompanied by Upekkhā.

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121 types of consciousness

In 121 types of consciousness how many Cittas are
accompanied by Somanassa? 62 Cittas are accompanied by
Somanassa.

And how many are accompanied by Upekkhā? 55 are

accompanied by Upekkhā.

Domanassa arises with how many Cittas? It arises with

just two Cittas.

Dukkha arises with how many Cittas? It arises with just

one Citta.

Sukha arises with how many Cittas? It arises with just

one Citta.

Hetus
Let's find out Hetus. Among twelve Akusala Cittas how
many are accompanied by two Hetus? Ten are accompanied by
two Hetus.

How many are accompanied by one Hetu? Two are

accompanied by one Hetu. ‘Two Hetus’ here means Lobha and
Moha or Dosa and Moha. One Hetu means Moha.

We will skip Ahetukas because they have no roots.

Then 24 Kāmāvacara Sobhana Cittas — how many are

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accompanied by two Hetus? Twelve are accompanied by two

Hetus.

How many are accompanied by three Hetus? Twelve

are accompanied by three Hetus. ‘Two Hetus’ here means
Alobha and Adosa. ‘Three Hetus’ means Alobha, Adosa and
Amoha.

Mahaggata and Lokuttara Cittas always have three

Hetus. These Cittas are accompanied by Alobha, Adosa and
Amoha.

Functions
Do you want to go to functions? Akusala Cittas have
what function? They have Javana function.

Then seeing consciousness? It has one function, seeing.

Hearing consciousness has one function, hearing.

Smelling consciousness has smelling function.

Tasting consciousness has tasting function.

Body-consciousness has one function, tactile function.

Then two receiving consciousness have one function.

What function? They have the function of receiving.

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Somanassa Santīraṇa has how many functions? It has

two functions. What are they? They are the functions of
Santīraṇa and Tadārammaṇa.

And then two Upekkhā Santīraṇas have how many

functions? They have five functions — Paṭisandhi, Bhavaṅga,
Cuti, Santīraṇa and Tadārammaṇa.

Pañcadvārāvajjana has one function. What function is

that? It has Āvajjana function, adverting.

Manodvārāvajjana has how many functions? It has two

functions. What are they? They are adverting and determining.

Hasituppāda has one function, Javana.

And then Kāmāvacara Kusalas have one function,

Javana.

What about Sahetuka Kāmāvacara Vipākas? They have

four functions — Paṭisandhi, Bhavaṅga, Cuti and
Tadārammaṇa.

Then Kāmāvacara Mahākiriyas have how many

functions? They have just one function, Javana.

Rūpāvacara Kusala Cittas have how many functions?

They have one function, Javana.

Rūpāvacara Vipākas have how many functions? They

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have three functions — Paṭisandhi, Bhavaṅga and Cuti.

Rūpāvacara Kiriya Cittas have how many functions?

They have one function, the function of Javana.

And Arūpāvacara Kusala Cittas have how many

functions? They have one function, Javana.

Arūpāvacara Vipāka Cittas have how many functions?

They have three functions — Paṭisandhi, Bhavaṅga and Cuti.

Arūpāvacara Kiriya Cittas have how many functions?

They have one function, Javana.

All Magga Cittas have how many functions? They have

one function, Javana.

Phala Cittas have how many functions? They have just

one function, Javana.

We will stop here.

[End of Chapter Four]

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Chapter Five

The Planes of Existence

So today we come to the fifth chapter. The fifth chapter

is called “Vīthimuttasaṅgaha”. It primarily deals with what are
called process-free or consciousness that are out of Vīthi. But
actually it will deal with the others also.
This chapter is divided into four sections:
• the first section concerns the four planes of
existence;
• the second is about the four modes of
Paṭisandhi, rebirth-linking;
• the third concerns the four kinds of Kamma;
• the fourth is the fourfold advent of death or the
four kinds of death, so Paṭisandhi in the next
life.

The first section deals with the planes of existence.

There are four or in detail there are 31 planes of existence.
There are said to be 31 planes of existence. They are actually
connected with types of consciousness. You already know that
some types of consciousness can arise in Kāmāvacara realm,
some in Rūpāvacara and some in Arūpāvacara. So the 31
planes of existence are according to Abhidhamma really
existing or they have objective experience. They are like
houses. Beings are reborn in those planes and when they are
reborn in those planes, they are reborn with a certain type of
resultant consciousness which is called Paṭisandhi Citta. Not all
Paṭisandhi Cittas can arise in each and every plane of
existence. In some planes there can be only one type of

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resultant consciousness, but in others there may be more than

one.

First, the 31 planes of existence may be divided into

four Apāyas, Kāma-sugati, Rūpāvacara and Arūpāvacara.

The Four Apāyas

The first four are called Apāya. We usually translate
Apāya as woeful states because there is no happiness in those
realms. So they are called Apāya. There are different
meanings given to the word Apāya, but I think we will follow
just what is given in the Manual. ‘Apāya’ means devoid of
happiness. In these realms there can be very little happiness,
very little comfort. Mostly there is suffering, so they are called
Apāya. It comes from ‘Apa’ and ‘Aya’. ‘Apa’ means no or devoid
of. ‘Aya’ here means happiness. These are the states or realms
where suffering predominates.

There are altogether four Apāyas. The first one is

Niraya. Niraya is translated as hell. Niraya and Apāya are
pretty much the same. ‘Ni’ and ‘Aya’ — ‘Ni’ here also is in the
negative sense, so no happiness. This is the lowest of the
planes of existence.

Those who do evil deeds are reborn in Niraya. It is

translated as hell. For Buddhists hell is not eternal. Hell is like
a prison. You commit some crime and then you pay for that
crime for some time in prison. Then you can come out of the
prison after the end of the sentence. In the same way, a
person who does Akusala is reborn in hell or other Apāya
states. He will serve a term or a number of years. After that
he can escape or he can be reborn as a human being or even
as a Deva. Beings have a store of Kusala and Akusala Kamma.
Later when we study Kamma, you will understand that there is

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Kamma that gives results in this life, Kamma that gives results
in the next life, Kamma that gives results in lives beginning
with second next life and so on. One of these accumulated
Kamma can help those born in Apāya realms. They will be
reborn again as human beings or even as Devas. Hell in
Buddhism is not eternal. It is also temporary, but that
‘temporary’ may mean millions and millions of years.

Niraya is said to be situated in the earth. The earth is

said to be 24,000 Yojanas. The first 12,000 Yojanas are said to
be iron. Above that is earth; so there is iron earth and ‘earth’
earth. Niraya is said to be situated on the iron base of the
earth. Niraya is in the earth. There are people who are
swallowed up by the earth, like Devadatta. It is said that
Devadatta was swallowed by the earth and went to hell, the
lowest of the Nirayas. So Niraya has its own specific location.

Now the other three are Tiracchāna-yoni, Pettivisaya

and Asurakāya. You can get the English translation from the
chart in the book (see CMA, V, Table 5.1, p.187) . ‘Tiracchāna-yoni’
means animal kingdom. ‘Pettivisaya’ means Petas. The word
‘Peta’ is translated as hungry ghost. ‘Asurakāya’ means the
host of Asuras. Asura is also a kind of Peta. They are
differentiated here from the Petas. Petas always suffer hunger
and thirst. It is said that they cannot get enough. They are
always hungry and they are always thirsty. Even though
somebody may give them something to eat and something to
drink, as a result of their Kamma in the past, they do not
remain food for them. They may change into fire or something
like that. Those are called Petas.

Now Asurakāya — there are two kinds of Asuras. There

are god Asuras and demon Asuras. Here the demon Asuras are
meant. They are like Petas, but the difference is that
sometimes they enjoy some kind of happiness, but at other
times they suffer; they have different kinds of suffering. So

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those beings who are born in Asurakāya may not be so bad as

those born as Petas and those born in Niraya. Sometimes they
enjoy good things and other times they suffer.

There is another kind of Asura. They are called Deva

Asuras. They are enemies of the Devas. In some discourses
you may find fighting between Devas and Asuras. I think you
are familiar with the Dhajagga Sutta. In the Dhajagga Sutta,
Banner Sutta, it is mentioned that Devas and Asuras fight with
each other. The king of gods said to his followers, “If you are
afraid just look up at my banner. Look at my banner, if you are
afraid and fear will go away.” It is said between the fighting of
Devas and Asuras there is no conqueror, no winner.
Sometimes Devas win. Sometimes Asuras win. There is no
killing. They just run away. That's a long story. I cannot tell
you here.

These three belong to the four Apāya realms.

Tiracchāna-yoni — you already know the animal realm.
Animals have no special location or special place. They live
with us human beings. The hungry ghosts also live on the
same plane, same level as human beings. Asurakāyas also live
on same plane as human beings. These three do not have any
special location assigned for them. They live with human
beings. They live in the forests or in the villages or towns.
These four are called the Apāya realms. These four are always
full of suffering.

Human Realm
Along with these Petas, Asuras and animals there are
Manussa. ‘Manussa’ means human beings. Human beings are
called Manussa because they have strong, sharp minds. The
word ‘Manussa’ literally means those who have sharp,
developed minds. They have sharp or developed minds. So
human beings can, if they are good, reach the stage of

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Buddhahood, and if they are bad, they can do any of the

heinous crimes, and so they can go down to the lowest Avīci
Hell. Human beings are those which are capable of the best
and the worst. It is said that only a human being can become
a Buddha, not Devas, nor Brahmas. Human beings live on the
earth.

Six Deva Realms

Above the human beings there are six realms of Devas.
The first one is called Cātummahārājikā. It comes from ‘Catu’
which means four and ‘Mahārāja’ which means great king. The
four great kings are celestial kings of the four directions.

Now according to the Commentaries, a world consists

of great islands or four great continents. In the middle of
these four great continents there is what is called Mount Meru.
These four great kings guard each direction. For the eastern
direction there is one of these great kings. For the southern
direction there is another king, for the western direction
another king, for the north another king. For the eastern
direction Dhataraṭṭha is the ruler. Virūḷhaka rules the south.
The western celestial king is Virūpakkha. The north is ruled by
Vessavaṇa. It is said they are king of Gandhabbas,
Kumbhaṇḍas, Nāgas and Yakkhas respectively. Gandhabbas
are said to be heavenly musicians or something similar.
Kumbhaṇḍas are another kind of spirit. Nāgas are snakes or
dragons. Yakkhas are also demons or spirits. The place where
these four great kings and their people, their followers or
spirits live is called Cātummahārājikā. They live from the base
of Mount Meru up to half of Mount Meru.

Above them is Tāvatiṃsa. You are familiar with

Tāvatiṃsa because it is the place where Buddha went and
preached Abhidhamma to the Devas. Tāvatiṃsa is explained to
come from the word ‘Ti-tiṃsa’. That means 33. 33 people

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when they were human beings did service to the community.

They made or repaired roads. They built rest houses. They
helped people. As a result, they were reborn in the celestial
world. The place where they were reborn is called Tāvati ṃsa.
So the word ‘Ti-tiṃsa’ changed to the word ‘Tāvatiṃsa’. But
the Commentaries say it is just a name, because there are
Tāvatiṃsas in all the world cycles not just this world cycle.
Tāvatiṃsa is just the name of that place. Tāvatiṃsa is the
place where Sakka king of the gods lives. Tāvatiṃsa is situated
on the top of Mount Meru. So the celestial mansions in
Tāvatiṃsa are located on the mountain itself and also in space.
They may be called both earthbound and spacebound.
Cātummahārājikā gods are earthbound. Manussa (human
beings) are also earthbound.

Above Tāvatiṃsa there is Yāmā. Yāmā is said to mean

of great happiness. The divine king there is called Suyāma.

Above Yāmā there is Tusitā. Tusitā is also familiar to

you. Buddha's mother is there. Seven days after the Buddha's
birth she died. She was reborn as a male deity in Tusitā. Tusitā
is said to be the best of the six celestial realms because
Bodhisattas are always reborn in Tusitā heaven before they
come down to the human world. Tusitā heaven is like a
Dhamma place for Devas. Many people aspire or wish to be
reborn in Tusitā heaven, so they can listen to the Dhamma
preached by the Bodhisattas there. Do you remember the
story of a man called Dhammika when he was about to die?
The deities came to him and asked him to go to their
respective realms. Then he asked which was good. The people
who were with him said, “Tusitā is good”. So he said, “May this
garland be attached to the chariot from Tusitā heaven.” And so
the garland was hanging from the chariot from Tusitā heaven.
Tusitā is a good place to go to.

Next is Nimmānaratī. ‘Nimmāna’ means creation. ‘Rati’

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means delight. So Nimmānaratī means delighting in one's own

creations. That means those beings, when they want to enjoy,
create enjoyment for themselves. They enjoy these creations.
If you want to enjoy something, you don't have to go to other
people. You just create that enjoyment. Such beings are called
Nimmānaratī. They have the power to create objects of
sensual enjoyment just by thought.

Then the sixth, the uppermost of the Deva realms, is

Paranimmitavasavattī. ‘Para’ means others. ‘Nimmita’ means
created. ‘Para-nimmita’ means created by others. ‘Vasavattī’
means making others follow their wish. That means they have
control over what is created by others.

Now here in the CMA, it says:

“The gods of the Paranimmitavasavattī realm do not
create such objects themselves, …” (CMA, V, Guide to §5, p.191)
Actually it means that they themselves do not create
things to enjoy, they let others, their followers, or
subordinates, create such things for them. I think it is not that
they cannot create for themselves, but that they don't bother
to create or they don't make effort to create themselves. They
let other beings create for them.

These Devas in the fifth and sixth Deva realms are

different. In the fifth celestial Deva world, Devas create things
for themselves. In the sixth celestial Deva world, Devas are
lazier. They don't create for themselves. They let other gods,
lesser gods create for them. It is said that the lesser gods
always know what is in their minds, what is in the minds of
these Devas, and so accordingly create what they enjoy. If you
are a cook and you have been serving a person for some time,
you know that this person likes this kind of food or that kind of
food. Even though that person does not say anything, you
cook the food that person likes. In the same way, these

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subordinate Devas have been with the ruling Devas for a long
time, so they know what they like. They create sensual things
for them. The Paranimmitavasavattī Devas enjoy the sensual
delights created by the lesser Devas. These six celestial realms
are called Deva Loka or six Deva realms.

Asuras, Petas and animals live on the same plane as

human beings. Niraya hell is said to be in the earth.
Cātummahārājikā Devas and human beings are ‘earthbound’
in the sense that they are connected to Mount Meru, the
material base of the Buddhist universe. The Tāvatiṃsa Devas
are said to live at the top of Mount Meru. So they are bound to
both earth and to space. The higher celestial beings, from
Yāmā realm and above, exist in space only.

Kāma-sugati begins with what? It begins with Manussa,

human beings. Human beings and the six Deva realms
altogether are called Kāma-sugati; they are called happy
destinations. ‘Sugati’ means happy destination. ‘Gati’ means
something to go to, a place or realm to go to. That's called
Gati. There are seven Kāma-sugati realms. Manussa is called
Sugati, happy realm, because there can be a lot of happiness
especially when compared to the four Apāyas. Manussa is
much better. And compared with Manussa, Cātummahārājikā
is much better and so on.

Four Apāya realms plus Kāma-sugati seven, altogether

eleven are called Kāmāvacara realm. Of the eleven
Kāmāvacara realms four are woeful states and seven are
happy destinations, Kāma-sugati.

Beginning with Yāmā, Tusitā, Nimmānaratī,

Paranimmitavasavattī, the realms are situated in space or in
air. So the mansions there may be floating here and there.

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Brahma Realms

16 Rūpāvacara Realms
Above them there are Brahma realms. First there are
Rūpāvacara Brahma realms. Rūpāvacara realms are from
number twelve (Brahmapārisajja) through number twenty-
seven (Akaniṭṭha). The first three are:
• Brahmapārisajja,
• Brahmapurohita, and
• Mahābrahmā.
These three realms are all situated on the same plane.
Brahmapārisajja — ‘Pārisajja’ means retinue, so Brahma's
retinue. Pārisajja comes from ‘Parisā’ which means audience.
Brahmapurohita — ‘Purohita’ means a minister, so Brahma's
minister. And ‘Mahābrahmā’ means a great Brahma. These
three are located on one plane. They are situated in space.

Then above them there are another three:

• Parittābhā,
• Appamāṇābhā, and
• Ābhassara.
Parittābhā — ‘Ābhā’ means radiant, luster; ‘Paritta’
means little, so minor luster. ‘Appamāṇa’ means infinite,
measureless, limitless, so infinite luster. ‘Ābhassara’ means
radiant, so radiant luster. These Brahmas are always bright
beings. These three are also on one plane.

On the next plane there are three realms:

• Parittasubha,
• Appamāṇasubha, and
• Subhakiṇha.

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Parittasubha is minor aura; here also it is radiant.

Appamāṇasubha is infinite aura. Subhakiṇha is steady aura.
‘Subha’ means good and ‘Kiṇha’ means undoubted. So
Subhakiṇha is translated as steady aura. Here also there are
three realms. Now we have nine Brahma realms.

Above them are two realms:

• One is Vehapphala, and
• the other is Asañña-satta.
Vehapphala is translated as great reward. ‘Veha’ means
great and ‘Phala’ means result or reward. The eleventh
Brahma realm is Asañña-satta, the realm of mindless beings.
Here ‘Saññā’ means mind, not just perception. Those without
mind are called Asañña-satta. The realm or abode of them is
also called Asañña-satta.

Above them are five realms called Suddhāvāsa.

‘Suddha’ means pure. ‘Āvāsa’ means house or an abode.
‘Suddhāvāsa’ means the abode of pure beings. This is the
realm of pure beings. They are pure because they are all
Anāgāmīs. Only Anāgāmīs are born in these five Pure Abodes.
Their names are the following:
• The first one is Aviha — beautiful abode. ‘Vihā’
means to forsake, so Aviha is not forsaking, so
durable.
• The second one is Atappā, serene. ‘Atappā’
really means cannot be satisfied.
• ‘Sudassā’ means good looks.
• ‘Sudassī’ means having clear sight.
• ‘Akaniṭṭha’ means highest pure abode. ‘Akaniṭṭha’
means not young, not little. So it means great
or highest.
These are the five realms where only Anāgāmīs are

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reborn.

Now we have 16 Rūpāvacara realms:

• The first three are called first Jhāna realms.
• The second three are called second Jhāna
realms.
• The third three are called third Jhāna realm.
• Vehapphala, Asañña-satta and the five
Suddhāvāsa are called the fourth Jhāna realm.
The 16 Rūpāvacara realms are divided into four Jhāna
realms. Here we follow the fourfold method, not the fivefold
method in enumerating Jhānas.

Later on in the next section we will study who is born in

those realms and with what Paṭisandhi Cittas.

4 Arūpāvacara Realms
Now we come to the last four which are Arūpāvacara
realms — beings devoid of matter, beings without matter, mind
only beings:
• The first one is Ākāsānañcāyatana realm.
• The second one is Viññāṇañcāyatana realm.
• The third one is Ākiñcaññāyatana realm.
• The fourth one is Nevasaññānāsaññāyatana
realm.
There is no matter, no physical body, only mind, only
Citta and Cetasikas arising and disappearing in those four
realms. Although they are only Cittas and Cetasikas, they
need some kind of location. That's why they are situated high
above the Suddhāvāsa realm.

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This way we get 31 Bhūmis or 31 planes of existence.

How many are Apāya realms? There are four Apāya

realms.

How many are Kāma-sugati? Seven realms are found in

Kāma-sugati.

Apāya four and Sugati seven, altogether eleven make

up the Kāmāvacara realm. When we say Kāmāvacara realm,
we mean four Apāyas, one human realm and six Deva realms.
The others are Brahma realms. They are divided into two,
Rūpa Brahmas and Arūpa Brahmas. Rūpa Brahmas are divided
into four — first Jhāna, second Jhāna, third Jhāna and fourth
Jhāna realms. In fourth Jhāna realm there are Vehapphala,
Asañña-satta and Suddhāvāsa. Vehapphala and Asañña-satta
are on the same plane. Suddhāvāsa is above them and
beginning with Aviha, each Pure Abode is located one above
the other. After the Suddhāvāsa come the four Arūpāvacara.
So altogether we get 31 planes of existence.

These planes are always connected with some kind of

Citta or consciousness. We have learned how many Cittas can
arise in these realms. We have studied the individuals. There
are twelve individuals.

Individuals and Realms

Now we will study how many individuals can be reborn
in these realms. It is customary in Burma to know how many
individuals can be born in how many realms. When we add
them all up we get 214 individuals. We still have to find out

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these 214.

In Buddhist cosmology we find the following

individuals:
• Duggati Ahetuka,
• Sugati Ahetuka,
• Dvihetuka,
• Tihetuka Puthujjana,
• Sotāpatti-maggaṭṭha,
• Sotāpatti-phalaṭṭha,
• Sakadāgāmī-maggaṭṭha,
• Sakadāgāmī-phalaṭṭha,
• Anāgāmī-maggaṭṭha,
• Anāgāmī-phalaṭṭha,
• Arahatta-maggaṭṭha, and
• Arahatta-phalaṭṭha.
So there are twelve individuals.

Now where can these individuals be reborn? In Niraya

only one kind of individual can be reborn there and that is the
Duggati Ahetuka. In the next section we will learn with which
Citta they take Paṭisandhi in Niraya.

Then in the next one, Tiracchāna-yoni only Duggati

Ahetuka can arise. In Petti-visaya and Asurakāya only Duggati
Ahetuka may arise. Only one individual may arise in each of
the four woeful states. So in the Apāya realms altogether we
get four individuals.

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Then the human realm — in human realm how many

individuals can be there? Eleven individuals can be there. The
only exception is Duggati Ahetuka. Since they are Duggati,
they don't belong to human realm. So in the human realm
there are eleven individuals all except the first, Duggati
Ahetuka.

In Cātummahārājikā, the first Deva realm, there are

eleven individuals beginning with Sugati Ahetuka and so on.

Then in Tāvatiṃsa there are ten individuals. There can

be no Ahetuka beings in these higher Deva realms. There are
Dvihetuka, Tihetuka and eight Noble Persons.

There are also ten individuals in Yāmā, Tusitā,

Nimmānaratī and Paranimmitavasavattī. In the five higher
Deva realms in each of them only ten individuals can be there.
There are no Duggati Ahetuka and Sugati Ahetuka. In
Cātummahārājikā and human realms Sugati Ahetuka can be
born. We will find them later in the second section.

Now first Jhāna three — Brahmapārisajja,

Brahmapurohita and Mahābrahmā — in those realms how may
individuals can be there? There are no Dvihetuka and Ahetuka
individuals. Only Tihetuka individuals are born there. So there
are nine individuals and nine multiplied by three is 27.

In second Jhāna three — there are nine individuals. In

third Jhāna three — there are also nine individuals. Then in
Vehapphala there are nine individuals, the same. First, second,
third Jhāna planes and Vehapphala have the same number of
individuals.

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But Asañña-satta has only one and that is Sugati

Ahetuka. We are finding Ahetuka persons among Brahmas
because it is just Rūpa. There are no Hetus. Not only Hetus
are absent but all Cittas and Cetasikas, so they fall under
Sugati Ahetuka because they are Sugati and there are no
Hetus. Therefore, they are called Sugati Ahetuka. One kind of
Brahma is called Ahetuka person.

Then Suddhāvāsa five only three individuals can be

found there. They are Anāgāmī-phalaṭṭha, Arahatta-maggaṭṭha,
and Arahatta-phalaṭṭha. There is no Anāgāmī-maggaṭṭha
because one must first become an Anāgāmī to be reborn
there. So one has already become an Anāgāmī and will
become an Arahant when one is reborn in Suddhāvāsa. We
must understand that Arahants cannot be reborn there.
Although we say there are three individuals in Suddhāvāsa, we
mean they can be there. So an Anāgāmī dying from
Kāmāvacara realm is reborn in Suddhāvāsa realm and is an
Anāgāmī-phalaṭṭha there. Then after more meditation he
becomes an Arahant. At the moment of Arahant Magga he is
an Arahatta-maggaṭṭha person. And from the moment of his
first Arahant Phala he is an Arahatta-phalaṭṭha person. He is an
Arahant. So when we say, there can be three individuals in
Suddhāvāsa, we do not mean they can be reborn because an
Arahant is not reborn anywhere.

There are four Arūpāvacara realms. There are no

Duggati Ahetukas, no Sugati Ahetukas, no Dvihetukas, only
Tihetukas are born here. But one is missing — Sotāpatti-
magga. There can be no Sotāpatti-maggaṭṭha person in
Arūpāvacara realm. I think you remember that. He has no
ears. He must hear some instruction from a Buddha or from a
teacher so that he can practise meditation and become
enlightened. After becoming a Sotāpanna he can be born there
and attain the higher stages of enlightenment. There is no
Sotāpatti-magga; so there are seven Noble Persons and one
Tihetuka Puthujjana — there are altogether eight persons.

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Eight multiplied by four is 32. If you add up all the numbers,

you get 214 individuals. In Burma we have to be able to say
there are 214 individuals. Actually you multiply the individuals
that can be in some realms by the number of realms. Then
you add up altogether and get 214 individuals. Not all twelve
individuals can be in any one of these states, any one of these
realms. The most is eleven in the human realm and the
Cātummahārājikā realm. In those realms there can be eleven
individuals but in others there are ten, or nine, or one, some
three, some eight.

Life Span
Now let's go to the life span. Later we will go back to
the rebirth-linking Cittas. We will study the life span of each
realm. In Niraya there is no age limit, no fixed life span. If a
person is reborn in Niraya, he will suffer according to his own
Kamma. If his Kamma is bad, he may suffer there for a very
long time. If he is not so bad, he will suffer there not so long.
There is no fixed life span for Niraya and also for animal
kingdom, for Petas, for Asuras and also for human beings.

It is said that human beings can live thousands and

thousands of years or they may live for only ten years. The
lowest life span of humans is ten years and the longest is
incalculable. That means human beings may live for thousands
of years. The present human life span is believed to be one
hundred years more or less. For four woeful states and human
beings there is no age limit. You cannot say the life span of a
human being is just this or that. It varies with time.

But from Cātummahārājikā onwards there is a fixed life

span. It is said that the life span of Cātummahārājikā Devas is
how many years? It is nine million years. That means nine
million human years. The life span can also be measured in
celestial years. First let's look at human years. For

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Cātummahārājikā there are nine million human years, so there

life span is nine million years. For Tāvatiṃsa you multiply by
four, so you get 36 million human years. For Yāmā there are
144 million human years. For Tusitā there are 576 million
years. For Nimmānaratī gods there are 2 billion 304 million
human years. And for Paranimmitavasavattī there are nine
billion 216 million years. That is human years.

What about celestial years? You can see those numbers

on page 197 of the CMA (see Table 5.2). For Cātummahārājikā it is
500 celestial years, for Tāvatiṃsa it is one thousand celestial
years, for Yāmā it is two thousand celestial years, for Tusitā it
is four thousand celestial years, for Nimmānaratī it is eight
thousand celestial years and for Paranimmitavasavattī it is
sixteen thousand celestial years. So there is a difference. As to
human years, Cātummahārājikā live nine million years.
Although by human reckoning it is nine million years, by their
reckoning it is only 500 years. For Tāvati ṃsa it is 36 million
years by human reckoning, but by the reckoning of those
beings it is only one thousand years.

So now you see human years all multiplied by four and

celestial years are only multiplied by two. Why? Now it's a
little tricky. The life span of Cātummahārājikā Devas is five
hundred. For Tāvatiṃsa the life span is one thousand. One
thousand is by Tāvatiṃsa reckoning, not by Cātummahārājikā
reckoning. By Cātummahārājikā reckoning it may be two
thousand years. Two thousand Cātummahārājikā years equals
one thousand Tāvatiṃsa years. That is why they are multiplied
by two and not by four.

The duration of a day or a year is different. It is said

that one day in Cātummahārājikā is for human beings fifty
years. It is taken that there are thirty days in a month and
360 days in a year. If you multiply those you get nine million
years.

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When we multiply in the upper Deva realms, if we are

using human years, we multiply by four. If we use celestial
years, we multiply by two. That means one day in Tāvatiṃsa
heaven is twice as long as one day in Cātummahārājikā realm
and so on. So one day in Cātummahārājikā is fifty years in
human realm. So thirty days in Cātummahārājikā is 1500
human years. 360 days or one year for Cātummahārājikā is
eighteen thousand human years. And five hundred years for
Cātummahārājikā is nine million human years. These are the
measurements of time for six celestial realms.

Then the Brahmapārisajja the life span is 1/3 Kappa.

Kappa is a Pāḷi word meaning world. ‘World’ means duration.
That is 1/3 Kappa or 1/3 world cycle. For Brahmapurohita the
life span is 1/2 Kappa. For Mahābrahmā it is one Kappa, one
world cycle.

Then for Parittābhā it is two Kappas, for Appamāṇābhā

it is four Kappas, and for Ābhassara it is eight Kappas. So it is
twice as much for the higher realm as it is for the lower one.

For Parittasubha it is sixteen Kappas, for

Appamāṇasubha it is 32 Kappas and for Subhakiṇha it is 64
Kappas. But for Vehapphala and also for Asañña-satta there
are 500 Kappas.

Then for Aviha the first of the Suddhāvāsa there are

one thousand Kappas, Atappā — 2000 Kappas, Sudassā —
4000 Kappas, Sudassī — 8000 Kappas, Akaniṭṭha — 16,000
Kappas, 16,000 world cycles.

And for Ākāsānañcāyatana there are 20,000 Kappas,

for Viññāṇañcāyatana 40,000 Kappas, for Ākiñcaññāyatana

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60,000 Kappas and for Nevasaññānāsaññāyatana 84,000

Kappas. Once you are reborn there, you will not get out of
Saṃsāra for a long, long time. That's why I said when you
become a Sakadāgāmī and you are reborn as a Deva, then
you come back as a human being and you get out of Sa ṃsāra.
If you are reborn in Suddhāvāsa heaven, you will be there one
thousand world cycles. And if you do not become an Arahant
there, you will go up to Atappā, Sudassā, Sudassī and
Akaniṭṭha, so you will be in Saṃsāra for a long, long time,
much longer than a Sakadāgāmī would be.

Although the word ‘Kappa’ is used with regard to all of

the time periods, it does not always mean the same amount of
time. Actually there are three kinds of Kappa – Mahā Kappa,
Asaṅkheyya Kappa and Antara Kappa. In order to understand
this we must understand how the world is destroyed, how the
world comes to destruction. Now the world comes to
destruction by three causes:
• fire,
• water, and
• wind.
When the world is destroyed by fire, it destroys
everything up to and including the first three first Jhāna
realms.

When the world is destroyed by water, an additional

three realms are destroyed.

When the world is destroyed by wind or air, another

three realms are destroyed.

When does the world come to destruction? There are

four periods in the life of one world:

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1. disintegrating period,
2. destroyed period,
3. evolving period, and
4. static period.
There are four periods of time in one world cycle. Let's
say, the world comes to destruction. For a long time the world
is being destroyed. It does not become destroyed in just one
day or one month. Then after that it stays in that condition of
destruction for another period of time. Then after that a new
world comes to be formed. That formation period is also one
period of many, many years. The last period is where beings
arise. So there are these four periods in one world cycle.

It is said that when the world is destroyed by fire up

through the first three Brahma realms are destroyed. That
means these three Brahma realms do not last for one whole
Kappa. There are four segments in one whole Kappa. After the
end of one segment the world is destroyed. So the first three
Brahma realms do not last for the whole Kappa, for the whole
segment. Kappas for Brahmapārisajja and so on cannot be the
same as the Mahā Kappa. They are smaller or shorter Kappas.
The short Kappas are called Asaṅkheyya Kappa, incalculable
Kappas, incalculable world cycles.

Beginning with Parittābhā we measure the life span of

those beings by Mahā Kappas. We must understand that there
are actually three kinds of Kappas. Now you know two — Mahā
Kappa and Asaṅkheyya Kappa. There is another Kappa you
have to understand. That one is called Antara Kappa. ‘Antara
Kappa’ means interim Kappa. Interim Kappa means — let's
say, human beings live for ten years. From ten years the life
span will increase until it reaches Asaṅkheyya — incalculable
years. Then from there it comes down again to ten years. That
period from ten years to an almost infinite amount of years
and then the regression back to ten years for human life span

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is called an Antara Kappa. That may be a very long time.

Human beings now live for about one hundred years. They
may live for eighty years, fifty years, or ten years. Then again
the life span will increase. One up and down period is called
Antara Kappa. 64 of these Antara Kappas make one
Asaṅkheyya Kappa, one incalculable Kappa. And four
incalculable Kappas make one Mahā Kappa. There are three
Kappas — Antara Kappa, Asaṅkheyya Kappa and Mahā Kappa.

I follow the general opinion of teachers. There are

some teachers who say twenty Antara Kappas make an
Asaṅkheyya Kappa, not 64. I think 64 is the common opinion
of teachers. 64 Antara Kappas make an Asaṅkheyya Kappa.
Four Asaṅkheyya Kappas make one Mahā Kappa.

Now the world is destroyed and formed again during

the period of an Asaṅkheyya Kappa. So the first three Brahma
realms do not last, cannot last for the whole Mahā Kappa. That
is why the Kappa for the first three realms cannot be a Mahā
Kappa. It is taken to mean Asaṅkheyya Kappa. The life span of
Brahmapārisajja is 1/3 Asaṅkheyya Kappa, 1/3 incalculable
Kappa. The life span of Brahmapurohita is 1/2 of an
incalculable Kappa. The life span of Mahābrahmā is one
incalculable Kappa. With Parittābhā they can exist for the
whole Mahā Kappa. From the fourth Brahma realm and above,
the lives of beings are measured in Mahā Kappas. This is the
interpretation given in the Sub-commentaries. Even the
Commentaries did not say anything about that. The life span
of these realms can be found in the Vibhaṅga also, the second
book of Abhidhamma, the last chapter of the second book of
Abhidhamma. There is just 1/3 Kappa, 1/2 Kappa, one Kappa,
two Kappas and so on. But since we understand that when the
world is destroyed by fire, it includes these three Brahma
realms, we know they cannot last for the whole duration of a
Mahā Kappa. So the teachers make this compromise or
something like that. For the first three Brahma realms ‘Kappa’
means Asaṅkheyya Kappa. For the Parittābhā Brahma realm

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up through Nevasaññānāsaññāyatana ‘Kappa’ means Mahā

Kappa.

When the world is destroyed, it can be destroyed by

three causes — fire, water and air. There is a sequence for the
world being destroyed by these three causes.
• It is destroyed by fire for seven times.
• The eighth time it is destroyed by water.
• Then again it is destroyed another seven times
by fire.
• Then for the 16th time the world is destroyed by
water.
• Another seven times it is destroyed by fire.
• Then for the 24th time it is destroyed by water.
• Then the world is destroyed seven more times
by fire, and
• then on the 32nd by water the world is
destroyed.
• Another seven times the world is destroyed by
fire, and
• the world is destroyed on the 40th by water.
• Another seven times by fire, and
• 48th by water the world is destroyed.
• Another seven times by fire, and
• the 56th by water —
• another seven times by fire, and
• when it comes to the 64 th time it is destroyed by
air or wind.
So there are 64 Kappas. Seven times by fire and every

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eighth time by water the world is destroyed until the 64 th time.

Then the world is destroyed by air or wind. This is how the
world is destroyed. There are many other things to know.

Yojana
There are distances. Although they are not mentioned
or they are not explained in the Texts or even some of the
Commentaries, the Sub-commentaries and some others
mention the distances between realms. It is just for your
information. You may or may not take it. The distances are in
Yojanas. We always have this uncertainty with regard to
Yojana. How long is one Yojana? According to one book, one
Yojana is about twelve or thirteen miles. Nowadays people
take one Yojana to be eight miles. There are cities in India.
There is a city called Rājagaha. There is also a city called
Nalanda. In the Commentaries it says Rājagaha and Nalanda
are one Yojana apart. Now they say it is about eight miles; a
Yojana is taken to be about eight miles.

The distances will be in Yojanas. As I said before, the

earth has two layers, the ‘earth Paṭhavī’ (Paṭhavī means
earth.) and ‘iron Paṭhavī’. The lower one is iron Paṭhavī and the
upper one is earth Paṭhavī. In the iron Paṭhavī are situated the
eight great hells. There is not one hell, but eight great hells.
There are many other smaller hells around them. You may find
that there are 168 hells or even more. The hells are called
Sañjīva, Kāḷasutta, Sanghāta, Roruva, Mahā Roruva, Tāpana,
Mahā Tāpana and Avīci. You are familiar with Avīci. Who went
down to Avīci? Devadatta went down to Avīci. If we want to
say something very bad about a person, we say that he is
going to Avīci. And so they are 15,000 Yojanas apart. We
begin with Avīci and go up.

Then there is human realm. The distance between

human realm and Cātummahārājikā is 42,000 Yojanas. Then

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from human realm to Tāvatiṃsa is 84,000, to Yāmā is 126,000

and so on. There is no way of proving or disproving these
distances. They are all mentioned especially in Burmese
books. They are based on the Commentaries and also some
minor works in Pāḷi.

I want to give you one problem. We learned that for

Cātummahārājikā beings their life span is five hundred
celestial years. For Tāvatiṃsa the life span is one thousand
celestial years. One thousand celestial years is by Tāvatiṃsa
reckoning. By Cātummahārājikā reckoning how many would it
be? I want you to find that out. You know what you have to
do. Five hundred celestial years is for Cātummahārājikā and
one thousand celestial years is for Tāvatiṃsa. If we reckon one
thousand celestial years for Tāvatiṃsa by Cātummahārājikā
life span, how many years of Cātummahārājikā will be equal to
one thousand Tāvatiṃsa years? One thousand celestial years
for Tāvatiṃsa means two thousand celestial years for
Cātummahārājikā. Two thousand celestial years for Yāmā is
four thousand for Tāvatiṃsa and eight thousand for
Cātummahārājikā and so on. This has never been done. I just
got the idea today. I want to check with you also. Please make
a chart and then we will check your chart with my chart
because mathematics is not my subject. You know what to do.
The life span of Cātummahārājikā is nine million by human
reckoning. I want to know the life span of Tāvatiṃsa by
Cātummahārājikā reckoning, Yāmā reckoning, Tusitā
reckoning, Nimmānaratī reckoning and Paranimmitavasavattī
reckoning.

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The Four Kinds of Paṭisandhi

Last week we studied the 31 planes of existence and

also the life span of these planes. Now the life span of these
planes is given in the section we are studying today, but in the
charts (see CMA, V, Table 5.2, p.197), the years are given as I taught
the life span last week.

Today we come to the second section in the fifth

chapter, that is, the “Four Kinds of Paṭisandhi”. Now you all
know that Paṭisandhi means rebirth or relinking. Paṭisandhi is
actually the first moment in one life. Before we study different
kinds of Paṭisandhi, we must refresh our memory of the 19
Cittas that function as Paṭisandhi, Bhavaṅga and Cuti. Do you
remember the 19 Cittas? There are:
• two from Ahetuka Upekkhā Santīraṇas — one
from resultant of Akusala and one from
resultant of Kusala — and
• then eight Kāmāvacara Sahetuka Vipākas,
• five Rūpāvacara Vipākas, and
• four Arūpāvacara Vipākas.
These 19 Cittas function as Paṭisandhi, Bhavaṅga and
Cuti.

Please look at page 194 of the CMA. Rebirth-linking is

fourfold. The first is rebirth in the woeful plane. It is called
Apāya Paṭisandhi, Paṭisandhi in Apāya plane. The second is
rebirth in the sensuous blissful plane. What are the sensuous
blissful planes? There are seven — human beings and six
celestial realms. They are called sensuous blissful planes, in
Pāḷi Kāma-sugati. There are eleven Kāmāvacara planes; four
are Apāya or woeful planes and seven are blissful planes. The

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third is rebirth in the fine-material sphere, that is, Rūpāvacara

Paṭisandhi. Then there is rebirth in the immaterial sphere,
Arūpāvacara Paṭisandhi.

In the woeful states, when a being is born in hell, or as

an animal, or as a Peta, or as an Asura, or when a person is
born in one of these four woeful states, his Paṭisandhi is
Akusala-vipāka Upekkhā-sahagata Santīraṇa. That means the
Santīraṇa consciousness, investigating consciousness
accompanied by Upekkhā, neutral feeling and that belongs to
Akusala-vipāka. With that Citta the person takes Paṭisandhi in
the four woeful states. That same Paṭisandhi Citta functions as
Bhavaṅga during the lifetime. That means this Citta repeats
again and again, millions of times during life. At the end of one
life it functions as death-consciousness. At the end of this
class we will have learned that Paṭisandhi, Bhavaṅga and Cuti
in one life are one and the same type of consciousness. They
have the same object also. One Paṭisandhi arises in the woeful
planes.

Then there is Paṭisandhi in Kāma-sugati. In Kāma-

sugati when someone is born as a human being or as some
lesser Deva, then his Paṭisandhi Citta is Santīraṇa accompanied
by Upekkhā, and it is the result of Kusala. This Upekkhā
Santīraṇa Citta is not for every human being. This is for those
who are born blind, who are born deaf and so on. These
beings are those who are handicapped human beings and
some other kinds of Devas.

Now on page 195 of the CMA you will see the

explanation,
“Such as those born blind, etc.: The ‘etc.’ (ādi) is
intended to include those born deaf, mute, mentally retarded,
mentally deranged, and also those born as eunuchs,
hermaphrodites, and sexually indeterminate.” (CMA, V, Guide to
§§10-11, p.195)

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It is said that these persons, these human beings, are

born with Upekkhā Santīraṇa as Paṭisandhi that is the result of
Kusala. When we say, born blind, we must understand that a
person born blind is a person who is born with Pa ṭisandhi Citta
that cannot help eye-sensitivity arise when it is due to arise.
Now in human beings eye-sensitivity does not arise until about
eleven weeks. If that Paṭisandhi Citta does not have the power
to give rise to eye-sensitivity when it is due, he is called a
person born blind. So a person born blind does not mean when
he comes out of the mother's womb, but it is a moment as a
fetus when the eye-sensitivity does not arise. These people
are born as a result of Kusala Kamma, but their Kusala Kamma
is so weak, so deficient that it is incapable of generating eye-
sensitivity. So sometimes a person takes Paṭisandhi with
another type of consciousness, but through some accident or
illness he may become blind in the womb of the mother and
may be born blind. Such persons are not included here. The
persons included here are those, whose Kamma is so weak
that it is incapable of generating eye-sensitivity when it is due
to arise.

But for those who are born spontaneously they may be

different. When a being is born spontaneously, it may be
deficient of eye-sensitivity, or ear-sensitivity, etc., at the
moment of Paṭisandhi. But generally human beings are not
born spontaneously except at the beginning of one world
cycle. So they are those whose merit is so weak that it is
incapable of generating eyes when they are due, ears when
they are due. They are called born blind, born deaf and so on.
There are those who are born so dull of mind that they cannot
differentiate east from west or are unable to differentiate
morning from evening. Those people are also said to be
included in this statement.

Then some earth-born deities — here there is some

textual problem. In the Burmese edition of
Abhidhammatthasaṅgaha and also P.T.S. edition, it is different.

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I think this CMA follows the Sinhalese edition. According to

Sinhalese edition, according to the text given in Venerable
Nārada's book, we have one meaning. According to Burmese
edition and P.T.S. edition, we get another meaning. According
to this edition (the CMA), according to this explanation, there
are two kinds of beings, two kinds of lower celestial beings;
one is earthbound deities and the other is fallen Asuras. They
are said to be different kinds of beings. We will go according to
this first. So earthbound deities are those who do not dwell in
the higher heavenly realms, but who dwell close to the human
beings on trees, on mountains, on rivers. They are called
Bhummadevas. The word ‘Bhumma’ comes from the word
‘Bhūmi’ which means the earth. They are called Bhummadeva
because they live close to us human beings.

“While the more powerful deities in this class may

possess double- or triple-rooted types of rebirth
consciousness, they are often accompanied by retinues which
may include deities of defective merit who manage to maintain
their lives with difficulty.” (CMA, V, Guide to §§10-11, p.195)
So these earthbound deities may have some lesser
deities as their servants, as their followers, as their retinue.
Those have defective merit in their past lives. So although
they are born as celestial beings, they may be not so happy or
not so good as those that are born in higher celestial realms.
Those whose merit is defective and who have difficulty
maintaining themselves are here called earthbound deities.
Those deities are reborn with Kusala-vipāka Upekkhā-sahagata
Santīraṇa as relinking consciousness.

Then there are some Asuras that are called fallen

Asuras, fallen from bliss, fallen from comfort. These beings are
said to dwell in villages or in the vicinity of villages living off
the remains of food discarded by the residents. They are
something like ghosts, but they don't belong to Apāya.
Actually they belong to Cātummahārājikā, the lowest celestial
realm. They also haunt or oppress human beings when they

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fail to obtain food. When they do not obtain food, they will
haunt you or possess you and ask you for food. They are
called fallen Asuras. According to this reading, earthbound
deities and fallen Asuras are different kinds of beings.

In the Burmese edition and the P.T.S. edition the text is

a little different. According to those editions, earthbound
deities and fallen Asuras are the same kind of deity.
‘Earthbound deities’ really mean Bhummassita in Pāḷi (You see
the Pāḷi word in the book.). ‘Bhumma’ means earth and ‘Sita’
means to depend on. Here ‘Bhummassita’ means those deities
who are reborn in the vicinity of the earth — tree deities, river
deities, mountain deities and so on. Those who live depending
on those earthbound deities are called Bhummassita. So here
Bhummassita means those who live depending on gods who
dwell in the vicinity of the earth. That means those lesser
deities who dwell depending on tree deities and so on. They
are actually fallen Asuras because they do not have enough to
eat, they do not have enough to wear and so on. They are
called fallen Asuras because they have fallen from happiness.
In this reading Bhummassita and Vinipātikāsura are just one
kind of celestial being. Although they are celestial beings, they
may not be as happy or as comfortable as some human
beings. These deities are born with Kusala-vipāka Upekkhā-
sahagata Santīraṇa as relinking Citta.

Now we come to Mahāvipāka, eight Kāmāvacara

Vipāka. They serve as Paṭisandhi Cittas for those who are born
in Kāma-sugati, who are born as human beings without
defects and who are born as deities in Cātummahārājikā and
so on. For them the Paṭisandhi Citta is one of the eight
Kāmāvacara Mahāvipāka. A human being without defects may
be born with the first Kāmāvacara Mahāvipāka Citta as
relinking consciousness or second or third or fourth and so on
depending upon what kind of Kamma gives results. So human
beings are born with one of these Kāmāvacara Mahāvipāka
Cittas. Also the beings in the six celestial realms beginning

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with Cātummahārājikā and so on, they are born with one of

these eight Kāmāvacara Mahāvipāka kinds of consciousness.
These types of Vipāka consciousness also serve as Bhavaṅga
and Cuti for those beings. When a Citta serves as Paṭisandhi, it
also serves as Bhavaṅga and Cuti. There are altogether nine
Kāma-sugati Paṭisandhi, one for those who are born with
defects and for some lower celestial beings, and eight for full-
fledged human beings and Devas. So there are nine Kāma-
sugati Paṭisandhi. Nine plus one, Apāya Paṭisandhi, altogether
we get ten Kāmāvacara Paṭisandhi. There are ten Kāmāvacara
Paṭisandhi because we take eight Kāmāvacara Mahāvipāka
individually. Actually there are ten kinds of consciousness that
serve as Paṭisandhi, Bhavaṅga and Cuti in Kāmāvacara realm,
four Apāya realms and seven Kāma-sugati realms.

Then in the CMA the life span of these beings is given

(see CMA, V, Table 5.2, p.197) .
We have already studied the life span.
Life span of Devas is actually taken from the second book of
Abhidhamma, the Vibhaṅga. In Vibhaṅga it is stated that one
day in Cātummahārājikā is equal to fifty years for human
beings. Then thirty days in Cātummahārājikā is equal to 1500
human years. 360 Days for Cātummahārājikā is 18,000 years
for human beings. Five hundred such years amount to nine
million human years. Last week we calculated the life span of
Devas both by human years and celestial years.

Recently I thought it would be good to calculate the life

in Cātummahārājikā realm using the measure of time in other
realms. These figures are not given in any books.
Cātummahārājikā life span by Cātummahārājikā reckoning is
five hundred years. But by Tāvatiṃsa reckoning they are only
250 years. By Yāmā standard they are only 125 years. By
Tusitā standard they are only 62.5 years. By Nimmānaratī
standard they are 31.25 years and Paranimmitavasavattī they
are just 15.625 years. I want you to check it, whether it is
correct or not. If it is too difficult, you can just leave it out.

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Now we come to the “Rebirth-linking in the Fine-

material Sphere” (see CMA, V, §13, p.197) . Rebirth-linking in the fine-
material sphere is easy. For fine-material sphere we only have
five types of relinking Cittas, five types of resultant
consciousness — first Jhāna, second Jhāna, third Jhāna, fourth
Jhāna and fifth Jhāna. How many planes are there in
Rūpāvacara realm? There are first Jhāna, second Jhāna, third
Jhāna and fourth Jhāna planes. That's all. The planes go
according to the fourfold method. We will have to adjust for
that fourfold method.

First Jhāna Vipāka Citta serves as Paṭisandhi, Bhavaṅga

and Cuti for those who are reborn in the first Jhāna realm.
Then for those who are reborn in second Jhāna realm the
Paṭisandhi Citta is second Jhāna Vipāka or third Jhāna Vipāka.
For those who are reborn in third Jhāna realm their Pa ṭisandhi
is fourth Jhāna Vipāka. For those who are reborn in fourth
Jhāna realm, that is, Vehapphala and Suddhāvāsa, Paṭisandhi
Citta is fifth Jhāna Vipāka. These types of Jhāna Vipāka
consciousness act as Paṭisandhi Bhavaṅga and Cuti for those
who are reborn in these Brahma realms.

There are sixteen Brahma realms. For mindless beings

there is no Paṭisandhi Citta. If there is no mind, there can be
no Citta, no consciousness, no mental factors. For them Rūpa,
material properties serve as Paṭisandhi. They are called those
having Rūpa as Paṭisandhi; the others are those who have
mind as Paṭisandhi. For the Asañña-satta beings that Rūpa
continues to exist for five hundred world cycles. When they
die, these material properties disappear. Since there is no
Paṭisandhi Citta for them, there is no Bhavaṅga Citta or Cuti
Citta for them. So for them the whole life is just Rūpa,
material property. What the material properties are we will
learn in the sixth chapter. So there are altogether six
Rūpāvacara Paṭisandhis. That means five Rūpāvacara Vipākas
make five Rūpāvacara Paṭisandhis and Paṭisandhi of mindless
beings makes one Paṭisandhi. So altogether there are six

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modes of Paṭisandhi in the Rūpāvacara spheres.

After that the life span is given in the Manual (see CMA, V,
§14, p.198).We talked about the life span last week.

In connection with life span of Brahmas sometimes we

need to understand a little about the world cycles — how the
world is formed and how it is destroyed. I cannot tell you here
about that. It is a long story. It is explained in the
Commentaries that one world cycle consists of four
Asaṅkheyya Kappas, four incalculable Kappas. One world cycle
consists of four Asaṅkheyya Kappas. One Asaṅkheyya Kappa is
equal to 64 Antara Kappas. I talked about that last week. In
the CMA it says twenty (see CMA, V, Guide to §14, p.198).

Four Asaṅkheyya Kappas are the periods in one Mahā

Kappa. One world cycle is divided into four periods. When we
talk about Asaṅkheyya Kappas we begin with destruction —
the period when destruction takes place, when destruction of
the world takes place. It may take a long time for the world to
be destroyed. The world is destroyed by fire or sometimes by
water and sometimes by air. It will take many years for the
world to be completely destroyed. That one period is called in
Pāḷi ‘Saṃvaṭṭa Kappa’ — the period of destruction.

Then another period follows where the world remains

as destroyed. Nothing more happens. First there is a period of
destruction of the world. Then there is a period where the
world just stays destroyed.

The third period follows when the new world is created

or begins to form. That also takes a long, long time, time for
the mountains and rivers to appear and also for the realms to
form. It is actually a long time again.

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Then comes the fourth period when the world exists as

formed. It is the only period when beings can be in this world.
During the period of destruction all beings die and are reborn
in some other Brahma realms which are not affected by the
destruction. During that time there are no beings. When the
world is destroyed, there are no beings. When the world is
forming, there are no beings. So for only one quarter of one
Mahā Kappa, it is a time for beings to arise or exist.

It is said that the world is destroyed by fire for seven

times. Then the world is destroyed by water. Then it is
destroyed by fire for another seven times and the 16 th time by
water and so on. When it reaches the 64 th time, it is destroyed
by air.

Now you may want to know how destruction takes

place and so on. I will refer you to the Visuddhimagga. In the
13th chapter of the Visuddhimagga you may find the
description of the world being destroyed and formed. It is
interesting how first human beings appear in the world and
then how the world was formed. So check Visuddhimagga
chapter 13 in connection with remembering past lives. Chapter
13 deals with what are called Abhiññās.

Let us go to “Rebirth-linking in the Immaterial Sphere,

Arūpāvacara Paṭisandhi” (see CMA, V, §15, p.199). Arūpāvacara
Paṭisandhi is very easy. You know the four Arūpāvacara Vipāka
Cittas:
1. Ākāsānañcāyatana Vipāka Citta,
2. Viññāṇañcāyatana Vipāka Citta,
3. Ākiñcaññāyatana Vipāka Citta, and
4. Nevasaññānāsaññāyatana Vipāka Citta.

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For those who are reborn in Ākāsānañcāyatana realm

which is Arūpāvacara realm, Ākāsānañcāyatana Vipāka serves
as Paṭisandhi Citta and then Bhavaṅga and also Cuti. For those
who are reborn in second Arūpāvacara realm, second
Arūpāvacara Vipāka Citta serves as Paṭisandhi, Bhavaṅga and
Cuti. For those who are reborn in the third Arūpāvacara realm,
third Arūpāvacara Vipāka Citta serves as Paṭisandhi, Bhavaṅga
and Cuti. That means a person who gets Arūpāvacara Jhāna as
a human being or as a Deva, so when he is reborn, he is
reborn in one of the four Arūpāvacara realms. When he is
reborn there, the Arūpāvacara Vipāka arises due to the Jhāna
he attained in the previous life. The same is true when a
person gets first, second, third, fourth or fifth Jhāna as a
human being, as a Deva or as a Brahma — he will be born in
the world of Brahmas according to the Jhāna, according to the
highest Jhāna he attained. If a person gets first Arūpāvacara
Jhāna here, for example, then after his death he will be reborn
in the first Arūpāvacara realm. Then their life spans nobody
knows — 20,000 world cycles, 40,000 world cycles, 60,000
and 84,000.

In a given life Paṭisandhi, Bhavaṅga and Cuti are the

same. They have the same or identical object. Paṭisandhi
Cittas take Kamma or Kamma-nimitta (sign of Kamma), or
Gati-nimitta (sign of destiny) as object. If the object of
Paṭisandhi Citta is Kamma all through the life, the object of
Bhavaṅga Citta will be Kamma and the object of Cuti Citta will
be Kamma. The same is true if the Paṭisandhi takes Kamma-
nimitta or Gati-nimitta as object. Similarly the Bhavaṅga and
Cuti Cittas will take Kamma-nimitta or Gati-nimitta.

There are altogether how many types of rebirth? The

types of rebirth are ten for Kāmāvacara, six for Rūpāvacara
and four for Arūpāvacara. There are altogether twenty. You
already know what Cittas act as Paṭisandhi in what realms.

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Let's go back to the beginning.

For those born in the four woeful states what is the

relinking consciousness? Akusala-vipāka Upekkhā-sahagata
Santīraṇa is the relinking consciousness for the four woeful
states.

For those who are born as deficient human beings and

also for some lesser deities what is the relinking
consciousness? Kusala-vipāka Upekkhā-sahagata Santīraṇa is
the relinking consciousness for deficient human beings and
lesser deities.

For full-fledged human beings and for the six celestial

realms what is the Paṭisandhi Citta? How many Paṭisandhi
Cittas are there? There are eight Paṭisandhi Cittas, the eight
Kāmāvacara Sahetuka Vipāka Cittas. We are all human beings,
so our Paṭisandhi Citta may be one of those. Buddha's
Paṭisandhi Citta was also one of those.

Then for those who are born in Rūpāvacara realms

what are the Paṭisandhi Cittas? There are five Rūpāvacara
Vipāka Cittas and also one matter for mindless beings.

Then for those who are born in the four Arūpāvacara

realms what are the Paṭisandhi Cittas? They are the four
Arūpāvacara Vipākas.

In the next section we will study what Kusalas give

what results to what Vipākas. Next section is very interesting
section because it is about Kamma. When it comes to Kamma,
we can relate it to ourselves to some extent. The others are
very theoretical.

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Fourfold Kamma
The next section is called “Kamma-catukka”, or “Four
Types of Kamma”. There are altogether sixteen types of
Kamma. There are four fourfold divisions, four groups of four.
There are sixteen types of Kamma treated in this section. The
first group consists of:
1. Productive Kamma (Janaka),
2. Supportive Kamma (Upatthambhaka),
3. Obstructive Kamma (Upapīḷaka),
4. Destructive Kamma (Upaghātaka).
There are four kinds of Kamma here. What is Kamma?
If you have been with me, you know what Kamma is. Kamma
is volition, Cetanā. Technically speaking, Kamma means
Cetanā, volition which accompanies actions, which
accompanies actions by body, by speech and by mind.
Popularly we will say Kamma means actions or deeds.
Technically or to be exact, we say Kamma is the mental
volition that accompanies those actions or deeds. All volitional
action except that of the Buddha and Arahants is Kamma. All
volitional action or Cetanā becomes Kamma except that of the
Buddhas and Arahants. Buddhas and Arahants do not acquire
Kamma.

“The Buddhas and the Arahants do not accumulate

kamma, since they have eradicated ignorance and craving, the
roots of kamma.” (CMA, V, Guide to §18, p.200)
So long as there is craving and ignorance, we will
always be doing something that will give results in the future.
Since Buddhas and Arahants have no ignorance and craving,
their actions are just actions; their deeds, their Cetanās or
volitions do not amount to Kamma which give results.

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“Nevertheless, even the Buddhas and Arahants are

bound to experience the ripening of their past kamma as long
as their psycho-physical personality persists, that is, until they
pass away.” (CMA, V, Guide to §18, p.200)
So Buddhas and Arahants do not get new Kamma. They
may do good deeds, but their doing of good deeds is not
Kusala. They do not acquire new or fresh Kamma after they
become Buddhas or Arahants. But they are still subject to the
results of their past Kamma. Even Buddhas and Arahants
sometimes will suffer from the results of their Akusala Kamma.

Buddha, for example, often had a back ache or a

headache. He also had pain when a piece of rock hit His foot.
Also Arahants suffer pain. So even though they have become
Buddhas and Arahants, although they have eradicated all the
mental defilements and so they do not accumulate new
Kamma, still they suffer, they still enjoy the results of their
past Kamma.

“The law of kamma (kammaniyāma) is self-subsistent

in its operation, ensuring that willed deeds produce their
effects in accordance with their ethical quality just as surely as
seeds bear fruit in accordance with their species.” (CMA, V, Guide to
§18, p.200)

The law of Kamma is actually not created by the

Buddha. It is discovered by the Buddha. Actually it is the law
of nature. Buddha discovered the law of Kamma, saw the
mechanism of Kamma when He attained during the second
watch of night the supernormal knowledge by which he could
see beings dying from one existence and being reborn in
another. He could see, for example, this being is reborn in hell
because he did some Akusala in a previous life. This being is
reborn in blissful state because he did some Kusala in a
previous life. So the law of Kamma taught by the Buddha is
the law discovered by the Buddha, seen by Him. It is not
based on logic or just thinking, but it is based on intuitive
knowledge, based on actual seeing.

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The direct products of Kamma are the resultant states

of consciousness and mental factors. Now the word ‘Vipāka’ —
you have met the word ‘Vipāka’ many times. We met it in the
first chapter. Vipāka is the name for those results that are
identical in nature with Kamma. ‘Vipāka’ means a result which
must be identical with the Kamma or the cause.

The results of Kamma are not only Cittas and

Cetasikas. There are results of Kamma among the material
properties. When we come to the sixth chapter, we will study
which material properties are caused by Kamma and so on.
The name ‘Vipāka’ is only given to those that are identical in
nature with the cause. That means only Cittas and Cetasikas
are called Vipāka. Material properties are not Vipāka, although
some material properties are the result of Kamma. In the
Manual, they are called Kammasamuṭṭhāna Rūpa or Kammaja-
rūpa.

For example, at the moment of rebirth as a human

being there arises one of the eight Kāmāvacara Sahetuka
Vipāka Cittas and along with that Citta, Cetasikas arise. That
Citta and those Cetasikas are called Vipāka of Kusala Kamma
of the past. Along with the Citta and Cetasikas there arise
thirty particles of matter for human beings. They are the
results of past Kamma, but they are not called Vipāka. They
are called Kammasamuṭṭhāna Rūpa. When we say Kamma
gives results, we must understand that it gives results not only
as Cittas and Cetasikas but also as Rūpa.

Productive Kamma
These four, productive Kamma and so on, are grouped
with respect to their function, by what they do. The first one is
called productive Kamma. ‘Productive Kamma’ means a

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Kamma that gives results at the moment of Paṭisandhi and

during life time. A Kamma that gives results at Paṭisandhi and
also during the course of existence is called productive Kamma
or Janaka Kamma. This Janaka Kamma may be either Kusala
or Akusala Kamma. And as I said, when it produces results, it
produces consciousness and mental states as well as
materiality which is born of Kamma.

“During the course of existence it produces other

resultant cittas and the continuities of kamma-born
materiality, …” (CMA, V, Guide to §18, p.201)
When we study the results of Kamma, we must study
these results at relinking and the results during life time. They
are different. At Paṭisandhi, at rebirth, they produce Paṭisandhi
Citta, Cetasikas and Kammaja-rūpa. During life time they
produce Vipāka consciousness and Kamma-born materiality.

“Only a kamma that has attained the status of a full

course of action …” (CMA, V, Guide to §18, p.201)
That means only a Kamma which is full-fledged can
have the function of producing rebirth-linking consciousness.

“… but all wholesome and unwholesome kammas

without exception can produce results during the course of
existence.” (CMA, V, Guide to §18, p.201)
The productive Kamma is that which produces the
result itself. It doesn't have to get help from others. It
produces the results itself.

Supportive Kamma
The next one is supportive Kamma (Upatthambhaka).
It is said that,

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“(Supportive Kamma) does not gain an opportunity to

produce its own results, …” (CMA, V, Guide to §18, p.201)
It doesn't give results of its own.

“… but (the supportive Kamma) supports (the

productive Kamma) either by enabling it to produce its
pleasant or painful results over an extended time without
obstruction or by reinforcing the continuum of aggregates
produced by another kamma.” (CMA, V, Guide to §18, p.201)
It just supports the results of some productive Kamma.

The example is given here as,

“when through the productive function of wholesome
kamma one is reborn as a human being, …” (CMA, V, Guide to §18,
p.201)

So a person is reborn as a human being as a result of

productive Kamma.

“… supportive kamma may contribute to the extension

of one's life span and ensure that one is healthy and well
provided with the necessities of life.” (CMA, V, Guide to §18, p.201)
These results we get being supported by this Kamma,
supportive Kamma. Supportive Kamma cannot give results by
itself. It helps the results of other Kamma.

“When an unwholesome kamma has exercised its

productive function by causing a painful disease, other
unwholesome kamma may support it by preventing medicines
from working effectively, thereby prolonging the disease.” (CMA,
V, Guide to §18, p.201)

The supportive Kamma just prolongs the result of some

other Kamma.

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“When a being has been reborn as an animal through

the productive force of unwholesome kamma, …” (CMA, V, Guide to
§18, p.202)

So as a result of Akusala Kamma a being is reborn as

an animal.

“… supportive kamma may facilitate the ripening of

more unwholesome kamma productive of painful results, and
may also lead to an extension of the life span so that the
continuity of unwholesome resultants will endure long.” (CMA, V,
Guide to §18, p.202)

A supportive Kamma is just that which supports, that

which extends, the result of some other productive Kamma.

Obstructive Kamma
The third one is obstructive Kamma, Upapīḷaka Kamma.
“Obstructive Kamma is kamma which cannot produce
its own result but nevertheless obstructs and frustrates some
other kamma, countering its efficacy or shortening the
duration of its pleasant or painful results.” (CMA, V, Guide to §18,
p.202)

This Kamma also does not give its own result but
actually interferes with the result of other Kamma.

“Even though a productive kamma may be strong at

the time it is accumulated, an obstructive kamma directly
opposed to it may counteract it so that it becomes impaired
when producing its results. For example, a wholesome kamma
tending to produce rebirth in a superior plane of existence
may be impeded by an obstructive kamma so that it generates
rebirth in a lower plane.” (CMA, V, Guide to §18, p.202)
The Kusala Kamma is strong enough to give result in a

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superior plane of existence, but an obstructive Kamma may

interfere with it so that there is rebirth in a lower plane.

“A kamma tending to produce rebirth among high

families may produce rebirth among low families; …” (CMA, V,
Guide to §18, p.202)

That is because it is obstructed by this Kamma.

“… Kamma tending to longevity may tend towards

shortness of life; …” (CMA, V, Guide to §18, p.202)
That is because of the obstruction of this Kamma.

“… Kamma tending to produce beauty may produce a

plain appearance, etc.” (CMA, V, Guide to §18, p.202)
So this Kamma interferes with or obstructs the results
of other Kamma.

“In the opposite way, an unwholesome kamma tending

to produce rebirth in the great hells may be counteracted by
an obstructive wholesome kamma and produce rebirth in the
minor hells or among petas.” (CMA, V, Guide to §18, p.202)
A person has done a lot of Akusala or a powerful
Akusala. Normally it would lead him to rebirth in the great
hell. He may acquire much Kusala after doing that Akusala.
That Kusala Kamma can obstruct or interfere with the Akusala
Kamma, so the result of Akusala Kamma may not be as bad as
it normally would be.

You know Ajātasattu. Ajātasattu killed his own father.

Actually he was to be reborn in Avīci hell. After listening to the
Buddha's discourse, the Sāmaññaphala Sutta (dī. ni. 1.150), he
became the disciple of the Buddha. He had great respect and
devotion for the Buddha. Maybe he acquired much Kusala.

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When he died and he was reborn, he was not reborn in Avīci

hell, but some smaller hell near Avīci. One Kamma can
obstruct another Kamma. Good Kamma can obstruct bad
Kamma. Bad Kamma can obstruct good Kamma.

“During the course of existence many instances may be

found of the operation of obstructive kamma. For example, in
the human realm such kamma will obstruct the continuum of
aggregates produced by kamma, facilitating the maturation of
kamma that results in suffering and causing failures in regard
to property and wealth or family and friends, etc. In the lower
realms obstructive kamma may counteract the rebirth-
producing kamma, contributing to occasions of ease and
happiness.” (CMA, V, Guide to §18, p.202)
For example, although a being may be reborn as an
animal, an obstructive Kusala Kamma can help him to get
even happiness and comfort in that life.

Destructive Kamma
Now the last one is destructive Kamma, (Upaghātaka).
It also can be wholesome or unwholesome.
“(It) supplants other weaker kamma, prevents it from
ripening, and produces instead its own result.” (CMA, V, Guide to
§18, p.202)

It is called destructive Kamma. It prevents the result of

other Kamma and gives its own result according to this
explanation.

“For example, somebody born as a human being may,

through his productive kamma, have been originally destined
for a long life span, but a destructive kamma may arise and
bring about a premature death.” (CMA, V, Guide to §18, p.202)
An example of this would be Devadatta who was

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swallowed up by the earth and went to Avīci hell. First he had

supernormal powers. They disappeared when he began to plot
against the Buddha. Then when he died, he was swallowed by
the earth and he was reborn in Avīci hell. There his heinous
crime of causing blood to be congealed in the Buddha and
causing the schism in the Saṃgha, that destructive Kamma
was so powerful that it cut the result of the Kusala Kamma and
immediately took him to hell.

“At the time of death, at first a sign of a bad

destination may appear by the power of evil kamma, …” (CMA, V,
Guide to §18, p.202)

By the power of Akusala Kamma the sign of a bad

destination may appear to the person who is dying. That
means he is going to have a bad rebirth.

“… then a good kamma may emerge, …” (CMA, V, Guide to

§18, p.202)

Good Kamma may emerge by itself or it may emerge

influenced by those who are near the dying person.

“(That Kamma) expels the bad kamma, and having

caused the sign of a good destination to appear, produces
rebirth in a heavenly world.” (CMA, V, Guide to §18, p.202)
That is also destructive Kamma.

You know the story of a hunter who in his old age

became a monk. When he was about to die, he had bad signs
of destiny. His son who was an Arahant brought him to the
Pagoda and had flowers brought to him. Then he let the old
monk offer flowers to the Buddha. Then the sign of good
destiny appeared to him. His offering of flowers, that Kamma,
was a destructive Kamma. It prevented the ripening of bad
Kamma and instead gave good results. That ripening of bad

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Kamma was impeded and instead the destructive Kamma gave

good results. After his death the old monk was reborn in the
celestial world.

“On the other hand, a bad kamma may suddenly arise,

cut off the productive potential of a good kamma, and
generate rebirth in a woeful realm.” (CMA, V, Guide to §18, p.202)
This is the opposite case. Somebody may have a good
sign of destiny first, but later a bad Kamma may arise and
then give him a sign of bad destination, so it will take him to a
woeful realm.

Destructive Kamma can be both Kusala and Akusala. It

cuts the result of the other Kamma and it gives results itself.

Sometimes destructive Kamma does not give results.

Sometimes it just cuts off the results of another Kamma. You
all know the story of Cakkhupāla. Cakkhupāla became blind.
Destructive Kamma made him blind. That destructive Kamma
did not cause him to be reborn in hell. Actually Cakkhupāla
was an Arahant so it cannot give results. Sometimes it
supplants the weaker Kamma and gives results itself.
Sometimes it just supplants the weaker Kamma. It does not
give results. Both ways it goes.

“The Vibhāvinī-Ṭīkā distinguishes between productive

kamma and destructive kamma on the ground that productive
kamma produces its result without cutting off the result of
some other kamma while destructive kamma does so after
first cutting off another kamma's result.” (CMA, V, Guide to §18, p.203)
This is the difference explained by a Ṭīkā, a
Commentary on the Manual.

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“But other teachers cited by the Vibhāvinī hold that

destructive kamma does not produce its own result at all; it
completely cuts off the result of other kamma, giving still a
third kamma the opportunity to ripen.” (CMA, V, Guide to §18, p.203)

So what's happening here? We expect the teachings of

Abhidhamma to be very exact, but here teachers have
different opinions and we are not sure who is correct. The
explanation here is that among these four sets of Kamma the
first three sets are given here according to Suttanta method,
not through Abhidhamma method. Only the last set, ‘by place
of ripening’, is in accordance with Abhidhamma. That's why
there can be difference of opinion.

These four are the first group in the fourfold four

groups of four Kammas treated in this section (see CMA, V, Table 5.3,
p.201). After giving the names of the Kamma, the section will
teach us what results are produced by what Kamma.

We will continue next week with the others. Do you

have any questions? I know you may have many questions.

Student: [Inaudible].

Sayādaw: I think it can be both obstructive and destructive

Kamma because a person has done Akusala. Then
he does much Kusala. There may be one that can
supplant the Akusala Kamma. It could be
destructive Kamma as well as obstructive Kamma.

Student: [Inaudible].
Sayādaw: To some extent yes. If we have much obstructive
Kamma, let us say, much Kusala Kamma, it can
obstruct Akusala Kamma, the result of Akusala

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Kamma will be obstructed. So either Kusala or

Akusala Kamma may obstruct either Kusala or
Akusala Kamma. That is why we are encouraged to
do much Kusala. We can at least obstruct the
results of Akusala Kamma.

Student: [Inaudible].

Sayādaw: They belong to the same Kappa. You know there

will be five Buddhas in this Kappa. The previous
Buddha, Kassapa, belonged to this Kappa. An
Anāgāmī came down (from Suddhāvāsa) and asked
Buddha to preach. He was an Anāgāmī. There can
be Anāgāmīs not only from the time of the
immediate previous Buddha but Anāgāmīs from the
time of other Buddhas as well.

Student: [Inaudible].

Sayādaw: One Mahā Kappa — I think I explained to you that

there are four periods in one Mahā Kappa. Buddha
said it cannot be stated in terms of one year, ten
years or in terms of centuries. So it is very, very
long. The example He gave is to suppose there is a
rock about one league high and one league wide
and one league deep. A man comes once every one
or two hundred years and rubs it with a soft cloth.
The rock will wear away but one Kappa has not
ended. So it's very long.

Student: How long is one league?

Sayādaw: It is about eight miles.

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Kamma — Part One

Last time we finished the first four kinds of Kamma:

1. productive Kamma,
2. supportive Kamma,
3. obstructive Kamma, and
4. destructive Kamma.
This time we go to the next group — by order of
ripening, by order of giving results. That means when there
are these four, then number one will give results first. If there
are only three and number one is not present, then number
two will give results and so on. These four are:
1. The first one is called weighty Kamma (Garuka).
2. The second is called death proximate Kamma
(Āsanna).
3. The third is habitual Kamma (Āciṇṇa).
4. And the fourth is reserve Kamma (Kaṭattā).

Weighty Kamma
Weighty Kamma is the Kamma which is powerful, which
is very bad or wicked or which is very good or excellent. In the
explanation of weighty Kamma it is said here in the CMA that,
“… it cannot be replaced by any other kamma as the
determinate of rebirth.” (CMA, V, Guide to §19, p.203)
These Kammas give results as rebirth. Weighty Kamma
is so powerful that it cannot be replaced by any other Kamma
as the determinate of rebirth. That means if there is a weighty
Kamma, then it will certainly give results in the next life.

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Now in one Commentary, the Commentary to

Abhidhammatthasaṅgaha, it is said that this Kamma cannot be
replaced by or prevented by another Kamma. But there are
some teachers in Burma who think this is not really true. They
think one weighty Kamma can replace another weighty
Kamma. In that case one weighty Kamma can be replaced by
another weighty Kamma — not by proximate Kamma or
habitual Kamma or reserve Kamma. It can be replaced by
another weighty Kamma.

Weighty Kamma means with regard to Akusala the five

heinous crimes or sins like killing one's own father, killing one's
mother, killing an Arahant, causing blood to congeal in the
body of the Buddha, and causing a schism, a division in the
Saṃgha. If a person has done all these five (Actually it is
impossible to do all five.), but if a person has done all these
five, then the last one has the priority. If the last one has the
priority, the others will not give results. It is the same way
with regard to wholesome Kamma. Weighty Kammas are those
that are Jhānas. So if you get Jhānas, the higher Jhānas will
have priority over the lower Jhānas in causing results. With
regard to weighty Kamma, one weighty Kamma can replace
another weighty Kamma in determining the rebirth. But they
cannot be replaced by any other Kamma such as death
proximate Kamma and so on.

“On the unwholesome side, it is the five heinous crimes

together with a fixed wrong view that denies the basis for
morality.” (CMA, V, Guide to §19, p.204)
That means the wrong view that takes it that there is
no Kamma, there are no results of Kamma and so on.

“If someone were to develop the jhānas and later were

to commit one of the heinous crimes, his good kamma would
be obliterated by the evil deed, …” (CMA, V, Guide to §19, p.204)

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You all know about Devadatta. Devadatta was the

Buddha's cousin. He gained not only Jhānas, but supernormal
powers as well. They disappeared. Although he once had the
supernormal powers, since he committed two of these heinous
offenses, his attainment of Jhānas with psychic powers could
not save him from being reborn in hell. The supernormal
powers cannot make him take rebirth in the world of Brahmas.

“But if someone were first to commit one of the

heinous crimes, he could not later reach a sublime or
supramundane attainment, …” (CMA, V, Guide to §19, p.204)
If someone has done one of these crimes, he will not
get Jhāna in that life; he will not get enlightenment in that life.

Also you know King Ajātasattu. He killed his own father.

About eight years before the death of the Buddha he went to
the Buddha and asked the Buddha to teach him the benefits of
being a recluse. Buddha spoke to him what is called
Sāmaññaphala Sutta. Although he had all other conditions for
reaching Stream-enterer or becoming a Sotāpanna, because
he had killed his own father, he could not attain Sotāpanna.
When he left, the Buddha said: “If this king had not killed his
own father, he would have become a Sotāpanna on this seat.”
If a person has done these crimes, he cannot expect to get
Jhānas in that life nor can he expect to get enlightenment in
that life. They are so powerful that no other Kamma can
interfere with them.
• On the wholesome side there are
Supramundane attainments, Jhānas and
Abhiññās.
• On the unwholesome side there are the five
heinous crimes.

Among the five there is causing the blood to congeal in

the Buddha. Now here in the CMA the expression used is “the

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wounding of a Buddha” (CMA, V, Guide to §19, p.204). It can lead to

misunderstanding. It is explained in the Commentaries that
the Buddha's physical body is invulnerable to cuts or wounds
or whatever. That means nobody can wound the Buddha.
Nobody can cut the skin of the Buddha against His will. The
Commentary explained that by the effort of another person
Buddha's body cannot be cut nor can blood be drawn from it.
But the blood may collect in one place inside the body. That is
what is meant by wounding the Buddha here.

Devadatta tried to kill the Buddha. Buddha was walking

on Gijjhakūta Hill. Devadatta pushed down a big rock toward
the Buddha. The rock hit another rock. A splinter from the
rock hit the Buddha's foot. In Burma we say it hit the big toe,
but in the Commentary the word ‘big toe’ is not used, just the
edge of the foot is mentioned. That means it could be the big
toe or somewhere else. When it happened, the skin was not
cut, but the blood congealed in the foot and Buddha had pain.
When Buddha had pain, the physician Jīvaka cut open that
place to let the blood out. That is said to be meritorious
Kamma. I just said Buddha cannot be cut. But here Jīvaka cut
that wound and let the blood out. The Commentary said “by
cutting the skin with a knife at the Buddha's wish,” that means
with His permission. If the Buddha gives permission, His body
can be cut. It was to allow the congealed blood out.
Devadatta's act was a very grave offense or crime. The
physician Jīvaka's act was meritorious Kamma.

The last one is schism in the Saṃgha, causing the

Saṃgha to be divided. That can be done only by a monk. So
you lay people don't have to worry about causing a schism in
the Saṃgha because it is not just dividing monks or setting
one group of monks against another. Although that may be a
very grave offense, it is not this offense. This offense can be
done only by monks because schism of the Saṃgha happens
only when two groups of Saṃgha in one Sima 1 perform acts of

1 Sima is a place where monks do some acts of Saṃgha.

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Saṃgha. When monks perform their acts of Saṃgha, all monks

must assemble in one place. There should not be two groups
apart from each other doing Saṃgha's Kamma. Here this
monk wanted to divide the Saṃgha. And so in this case there
are two groups away from each other doing Sa ṃgha Kamma.
They perform acts of Saṃgha at the same time. They do
Uposatha at same time. That action is what constitutes schism
of the Saṃgha, causing schism of the Saṃgha. Only a monk
can do that and not lay people. That is also said to be the
most heinous of these five offenses. Devadatta did two of
them — causing blood to congeal in the Buddha's foot and
causing schism in the Saṃgha.

Death Proximate Kamma

The next Kamma is death proximate Kamma, in Pāḷi
Āsanna Kamma. ‘Āsanna’ means near or close. Here ‘near’
means near death, close to death. This Kamma is a Kamma
remembered or done shortly before death. A person may have
done a good Kamma in the past, maybe years ago. If he
remembers that Kamma just before death, that Kamma
becomes a result-giving Kamma. Sometimes that Kamma may
be done just before death. Such a Kamma is called death
proximate Kamma. It is done immediately prior to the last
Javana process — that means immediately before the death
thought process. Before that process there are thought
processes going on and on and on. During those moments a
Kamma may be remembered and that Kamma may give
results in the next life. A Kamma may be done also and give
results in the next life.

Now I've told you about a hunter, who when he became

old, his son made him a monk. When he was about to die, the
signs of hell appeared to him. So he was brought to the
terrace of the shrine (Cetiya). Flowers were brought to him.
And he was made to offer the flowers to the Buddha, to the
shrine. The proximate Kamma changed his sign of destiny.

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Instead he saw the signs of good rebirth.

Death proximate Kamma is very important in that it

can determine the next rebirth either good or bad. So even
though a person may be good all his life, if he remembers
something bad just before his death, then that bad Kamma
will get chance to give results. In the same way, if a person is
bad all the time, but if he remembers some good Kamma in
the past or does some good Kamma before death, then that
Kamma becomes Āsanna Kamma, death proximate Kamma,
and it will get chance to give results.

“For this reason in Buddhist countries it is customary to

remind a dying person of his good deeds or to urge him to
arouse good thoughts during the last moments of his life.”
(CMA, V, Guide to §19, p.204)

A person needs good friends to create favorable

conditions or circumstances so that he gets good moods and
remembers his good deeds, so he can die with these thoughts.

There are many stories. One is about a king in Sri

Lanka. When he was about to die, he was expecting his
general to come to him. His general had become a monk, but
he had not shown up yet. So he said, “The general was with
me when I was winning and fighting battles. Now he knows I
am going to lose the battle with death, so he doesn't show
up.” The general went to the king and talked to him about the
meritorious things he had done in the past. The king then
remembered all his meritorious deeds and was in a good
mood. Then before he died he said, “The general was a good
companion on the battlefield as well as in the battle with
death.” And so he died peacefully. This is death proximate
Kamma.

Please do not misunderstand this. It does not mean

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that you can be wicked all your life and then you do just one
good thing before you die. It does not mean that all your bad
deeds will not have a chance to give results. They will not
have a chance to give results in the immediate next life, but in
lives following they will have chance to give results either good
or bad. Sometimes a person may be good all his life, but by
some chance he had a bad thought just before death and then
he may be reborn in some woeful state. But he will not be
there for a long time. He will get out of it soon. The next life is
bad, however, because of that death proximate Kamma.

Habitual Kamma
The next in order of ripening is habitual Kamma, Āciṇṇa
Kamma. Habitual Kamma is that which we do habitually, that
which we do every day — like meditating, studying, teaching,
paying respect to the Buddha, offering to monks and so on.
When one habitually performs a Kamma either good or bad, it
becomes powerful. In the absence of weighty Kamma or death
proximate Kamma, this type of Kamma assumes the rebirth-
generating function. When there is no weighty Kamma and
when there is no death proximate Kamma, this habitual
Kamma will give results or will generate the rebirth in the next
life. This habitual Kamma is also very important because
sometimes habitual Kamma itself may become a death
proximate Kamma. If a person has been doing Kusala Kamma
constantly, it follows that this habitual Kamma will present
itself to the dying man. Habitual Kamma is actually as
important as death proximate Kamma.

In the Visuddhimagga and in other Commentaries by

the Venerable Buddhaghosa the order given is weighty
Kamma, habitual Kamma and death proximate Kamma. In this
Manual the order is different. Here it is weighty Kamma, death
proximate Kamma and habitual Kamma. So there is a
difference in the order of these two. The Commentaries of the
Abhidhammatthasaṅgaha explained that habitual Kamma or

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Āciṇṇa Kamma is very powerful Kamma because it is done

again and again or because it is habitual Kamma.

Let's say, there are cattle. When cattle are put in a

corral in the evening, an old ox may be the one to enter last.
So he will be close to the gate. But when in the morning the
cattle are let out, he may be the first to get out of that place,
simply because he was close to the gate. In the same way,
death proximate Kamma is not as powerful as habitual
Kamma, but since it was done just before death, it gets
chance to give results. That is why death proximate Kamma is
given priority over habitual Kamma in the
Abhidhammatthasaṅgaha.

Reserve Kamma
The last one is reserve Kamma. The Pāḷi word is
Kaṭattā. ‘Kaṭattā’ means because it is done it is called Kamma.
The Kamma that is not included in the three mentioned before
is called a reserve Kamma. A reserve Kamma is not weighty,
not death proximate, not habitual, but it is some kind of
Kamma that is potent enough to generate rebirth.
“This type of kamma becomes operative when there is
no kamma of the other three types to exercise this function.”
(CMA, V, Guide to §19, p.204)

When the other three Kammas do not arise, this

Kamma will give results. This Kamma can be the Kamma done
in this life or the Kamma done in past lives. So it can be
Kamma done not only in this life, but in past lives also.
Sometimes we do some meritorious deeds not seriously.
Sometimes we do it lightly. Such Kamma may be called
reserve Kamma. It is not weighty, not death proximate, not
habitual, but just done with not much seriousness. That kind
of Kamma gets the chance to give results when the three
other Kammas are absent.

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This group is arranged according to the ripening of the

Kamma or according to Kamma giving results — so weighty
Kamma, death proximate Kamma, habitual Kamma and
reserve Kamma.

The next group is with respect to the time of taking

effect, with respect to the time of giving results. Again there
are four kinds of Kamma. You are all familiar with these four
kinds. They are:
1. immediately effective Kamma
(Diṭṭhadhammavedanīya),
2. subsequently effective Kamma
(Upapajjavedanīya),
3. indefinitely effective Kamma
(Aparāpariyavedanīya), and
4. defunct Kamma (Ahosi).

Immediately Effective Kamma

The Pāḷi word for the first is Diṭṭhadhammavedanīya
Kamma. That means Kamma whose results are to be
experienced in this life. ‘Diṭṭhadhamma’ means in this life;
‘Vedanīya’ means to be experienced. So a Kamma whose
result is to be experienced in this life is called
Diṭṭhadhammavedanīya Kamma. It is translated as
immediately effective Kamma. ‘Immediately effective’ means
effective in this life, in the next moment, tomorrow or day
after tomorrow. It may be immediate after some minutes,
tomorrow, day after tomorrow, but it must give results in this
life. This ‘immediately effective Kamma’ means Kamma that
gives results in the same existence in which it is performed. If
it does not give results in this life because of the absence of
the necessary conditions, it becomes defunct.

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“According to the Abhidhamma, of the seven Javanas in

a Javana process, the first Javana moment, being the weakest
of all, generates immediately effective Kamma.” (CMA, V, Guide to
§20, p.205)

You have already studied the thought processes.

Normally in a thought process there are how many moments
of Javana? There are seven thought moments of Javana. The
first Javana moment or rather Kamma at the first Javana
moment is immediately effective Kamma. This immediately
effective Kamma is said to be the weakest of all.

There are stories about immediately effective Kamma

especially in the Dhammapada. Somebody offered food to
Mahā Kassapa, for example. Then he became a rich man
immediately. Isn't that a great result? In the books it is said
that this result is not great. This result is rootless result. As a
result of this Kamma when you see riches, when you have
riches, you will have Kusala-vipāka. When you enjoy it, you
will have Kusala-vipāka. Also the riches are the results of this
Kamma, but not direct results. The immediately effective
Kamma gives results that are only Ahetuka. Rūpa is also called
Ahetuka. So it's not so great. Compare it with another result in
the realm of Devas. To be rich as a human being or to become
a Deva which would you choose? You would choose to become
a Deva. So rebirth as a Deva is much greater result than
becoming rich as a human being. Although in our eyes the
result of immediately effective Kamma is great, but if we
compare with result of subsequently effective Kamma, it is not
so great. It is called the weakest of all. It can only give results
in this life.

Why is it called weakest? It is weakest because it does

not have Āsevana condition. ‘Āsevana’ means repetition. One
Javana is repeated seven times. The first one has not received
any Āsevana condition from the preceding thought moment.
Immediately before Javana is Voṭṭhabbana. Voṭṭhabbana and
Javana are different. Voṭṭhabbana belongs to Kiriya. Javana

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belongs to either Kusala or Akusala. So the first Javana does

not get Āsevana condition from Voṭṭhabbana. That's why it is
called the weakest. With the second, third, fourth and so on
they gain momentum because one is supported by another
and another. Kamma or Cetanā of the first Javana is said to be
the weakest of all.

Sometimes we would like to get results in this very life,

right? If we want to get results in this very life, our Kusala
must be done very systematically and also it must meet the
necessary conditions. In the Dhammapada we will find these
conditions — like one must have a good Cetanā, a very strong
volition, the offerings one makes must be got by fair and just
means, the person who accepts it must have just emerged
from Nirodha-samāpatti or Phala-samāpatti and so on. Even
when all these conditions are met, the results it gives are just
Ahetuka.

Subsequently Effective Kamma

The next one is subsequently effective Kamma. That
means the Kamma whose result is experienced in the next life.
“If it is to ripen, (it) must yield its results in the
existence immediately following that in which it is
performed; ...” (CMA, V, Guide to §20, p.205)
If the Kamma is done in this life, it will give results in
the next life.

“... otherwise it becomes defunct.” (CMA, V, Guide to §20,

p.205)

If it does not give result in the next life, it is defunct. It

will not give results at all.

“This type of kamma is generated by the last javana

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moment (i.e. the seventh Javana moment) in a javana

process, which is the second weakest in the series.” (CMA, V, Guide
to §20, p.205)

Taking the seventh Javana as the second weakest is the

opinion of Leḍī Sayādaw. But there are other teachers which
do not agree with him. There are teachers who say Javanas
gain momentum from first to seventh, so the seventh Javana
is strongest. But Leḍī Sayādaw takes it that the first is not
strong, the second is a little stronger, the third is stronger still,
the fourth is strongest, then the fifth is weaker down to sixth
and seventh. Leḍī Sayādaw takes it that the seventh Javana is
the second weakest. In his opinion the five Javanas in between
are the strongest.

This Kamma gives results in the next life. If it is a good

Kamma, it will give rebirth as a human being or as a Deva; if it
is an Akusala Kamma, it will give results in the woeful states.

Indefinitely Effective Kamma

The third one is indefinitely effective Kamma,
Aparāpariyavedanīya. It means Kamma whose results are to
be experienced in other lives.
“(This) kamma is kamma which can ripen at any time
from the second future existence onwards, whenever it gains
opportunity to produce results.” (CMA, V, Guide to §20, p.205)
It is important to know that here it is from the second
future existence onwards. In other books you will find just in
other lives or other rebirths. But actually the correct meaning
to understand here is from the second future existence
onwards. Let us call ‘this life’ the first life and ‘the next life’ the
second life. Then after the next life is ‘the third life’. So in
Burma we say indefinitely effective Kamma is Kamma that
gives results from the third life to the end of Sa ṃsāra. In the
Commentary called Vibhāvinī, Abhidhammatthavibhāvinīṭīkā,
which is the Commentary of the Abhidhammatthasaṅgaha, the

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word used is from this life onwards. That is not the case. In
the Ṭīkās to Aṅguttara Nikāya and also the Ṭīkā to
Visuddhimagga it is expressly said that from the existence
which is next to this life. That means this life, next life and the
other life. So it comes to the same thing. Therefore, it is the
second future existence or as we say in Burma beginning with
the third life until the end of Saṃsāra.

“… whenever it gains an opportunity to produce

results.” (CMA, V, Guide to §20, p.205)
So during this time from the third life until the end of
Saṃsāra, it will give results. Here also we must understand
that it will not give results again and again all through this
period. It will give results just one time. If it has given results,
it is finished, no more results. So when we say, it will give
results from second future existence onwards, that means
when it gets an opportunity, it will give results in this period of
time. Then after giving results, it is finished. It will not give
results again.

“This kamma, generated by the five intermediate

javana moments of a cognitive process, never becomes
defunct so long as the round of rebirths continues.” (CMA, V, Guide
to §20, p.205)

So it is generated by the five intermediate Javana

moments. That means the second, third, fourth, fifth and sixth
Javana moments.

“No one, not even a Buddha or an Arahant, is exempt

from experiencing the results of indefinitely effective kamma.”
(CMA, V, Guide to §20, p.205)

Buddha and Arahants have eradicated the two roots of

existence — craving and ignorance. Since craving and
ignorance are destroyed, they do not acquire fresh Kamma.
But they are not exempt from or they are not freed from

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experiencing the results of their good or bad Kamma in the

past. That is why the Buddha and the Arahants sometimes
suffer from pain and so on. They experience the results of
their good or bad Kamma in the past. Indefinitely effective
Kamma is always with beings. Beings have this Kamma in
store for them. We beings do good Kamma sometimes and
bad Kamma sometimes. The store of this good or bad Kamma
is the one that gives results whenever it has an opportunity,
whenever the necessary conditions arise. That is why a being,
who is reborn in four woeful states, can come up to human
realm. As an animal or a hell-being it is very difficult to get
Kusala. Although they may get very little Kusala there, they
can still be reborn as human beings or even as Devas because
of this store of Kamma, this indefinitely effective Kamma. This
store of Kamma is our hope.

The first Kamma will become defunct if it cannot give

results in the present life. The second Kamma will become
defunct if it cannot give results in the next or second life. But
this indefinitely effective Kamma will become defunct only
when it has given result or the person has become an Arahant
and gets out of this Saṃsāra.

Now you know Aṅgulimāla. Aṅgulimāla the robber killed

thousands of people. So he had a great store of Akusala
Kamma. But he was fortunate to meet the Buddha. He became
the Buddha's disciple and then later on he became an Arahant.
When he died as an Arahant, he got out of this Sa ṃsāra. So
the Akusala Kamma, the murder of many human beings,
cannot give results to him. They all became defunct Kamma
when he died as an Arahant.

Defunct Kamma
The last one is called defunct Kamma. The Pāḷi word is
‘Ahosi’. ‘Ahosi’ means it happened, it arose. It just arose; it

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doesn't give results.

“This term does not designate a special class of
kamma, but applies to kamma that was due to ripen in either
the present existence or the next existence but did not meet
conditions conducive to its maturation.” (CMA, V, Guide to §20, p.205)
So this is not a special class of Kamma. When the other
three do not give results in their respective periods, then they
are called defunct Kamma.

“In the case of Arahants, all their accumulated kamma

from the past which was due to ripen in future lives becomes
defunct with their final passing away.” (CMA, V, Guide to §20, p.205)
Sometimes when something is wasted in Burma, we
say it has become Ahosi Kamma. There was Kamma, but not
result of it.

This group of four is arranged according to the time of

taking effect, the time of giving result:
1. The first Kamma gives results in this life.
2. The second Kamma gives results in the next life.
3. The third Kamma gives results from the third life
until the end of Saṃsāra.
4. The fourth does not give results. The fourth is
just the three when they become inoperative or
when they become defunct.

The first three sets are given according to the Suttanta

method. Actually it is not Abhidhamma. The last set is
according to Abhidhamma. By way of function, by way of
ripening, by time of ripening, they are taught according to
Suttanta method. That is why there is difference of opinions
amongst teachers. We have now covered twelve types of
Kamma. They may overlap each other because destructive

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Kamma and weighty Kamma may be the same, for example.

Now we come to the last group, that is, by place of

ripening. In which realms do they give results? According to
the realms in which they give results, they are divided into
four again. They are:
1. unwholesome Kamma,
2. wholesome Kamma pertaining to the sense-
sphere (Kāmāvacara Kusala Kamma),
3. wholesome Kamma pertaining to the fine-
material sphere (Rūpāvacara Kusala Kamma),
4. wholesome Kamma pertaining to the immaterial
sphere (Arūpāvacara Kusala Kamma).
The first one is Akusala. The second one is Kāmāvacara
Kusala. The third one is Rūpāvacara Kusala. The fourth one is
Arūpāvacara Kusala. They are arranged with respect to the
place in which the effect takes place.

Unwholesome Kamma
You all know that Akusala Kamma gives results where?
Akusala Kamma mostly gives results in the four woeful states
as Paṭisandhi. As results during life, they may give results in
human world and Deva world also. By place of ripening there
are four kinds of Kamma.

There are three kinds of unwholesome Kamma — bodily

Kamma that is unwholesome, verbal Kamma that is
unwholesome and mental Kamma that is unwholesome
(Akusala Kāya Kamma, Akusala Vacī Kamma and Akusala
Mano Kamma). They are divided according to the doors of
action. We will come to what the doors are. Here the doors are
not eye, ear and so on. Here door means a different thing.

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First let us understand that there are three kinds of Akusala

Kamma:
• Kāya Kamma or bodily action,
• Vacī Kamma or verbal action,
• Mano Kamma or mental action.
So Kamma is done through body, Kamma is done
through speech, and Kamma is done in mind only. There are
three kinds of Kamma.

“How? Killing, stealing, and sexual misconduct are

bodily actions generally occurring through the door of the
body, known as bodily intimation.” (CMA, V, §22, p.206)
Before the sixth chapter you may not quite understand
bodily intimation. Among the 28 material properties there are
two that are called the intimations — bodily intimation and
verbal intimation. ‘Bodily intimation’ means, just to be simple,
let us say, movements of the body, actions of the body. ‘Verbal
intimation’ means speech or talk.

These three Kammas — killing, stealing and sexual

misconduct — are done through the door of the body, that
means done through the action of the body. Here Dvāra or
door does not mean eye-door, ear-door, nose-door and so on.
The door means just the bodily intimation. So here bodily
intimation means just movements of the body. Killing is done
by body. Stealing is done by body. And sexual misconduct is
done by body.

With regard to these Kammas there are two levels of

Kamma we should understand, the one that is just Kamma
and the one that becomes a full course of Kamma, full-fledged
or rebirth-giving Kamma. You know what Kamma is. Kamma
means volition, Cetanā. Since whatever we do, we do with
Cetanā, we say Kamma means deeds or actions. Actually

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Kamma means Cetanā.

“Such volition is an unwholesome kamma regardless of
whether or not it completes the action, but if it does reach
completion of the action and achieves its aim (e.g. the death
of the intended victim, the appropriation of another's property,
etc.) then it becomes a full course of action.” (CMA, V, Guide to §22,
p.207)

When it completes the action, for example, killing —

you kill a being. It is killed and it dies. When the being dies,
that Kamma becomes a full course of action, a full-fledged
Kamma. But you may want to kill it. You may try to kill it, but
you don't kill it. Then it is Kamma, but not a full course of
Kamma.

That is the difference. Again you try to steal something,

but you cannot steal it. When you have stolen it and you get
another person's property, then it will become a full course of
Kamma. That is the difference between Kamma and a full
course of Kamma, you try to steal and do not get it, then it is
not a full course of stealing.

“The characteristic of a full course of action is being a

kamma with the potency to take on the rebirth-generating
role.” (CMA, V, Guide to §22, p.207)
If it becomes a full course of Kamma, it can give results
as rebirth. Otherwise it will give results in and during life, not
at relinking.

When we talk about results, we have to understand two

kinds of results — results at relinking and results during life.
Results at relinking are given by the Kamma that has become
a full course of action.

“In relation to action, the doors (dvāra) are the media

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through which kamma is performed. The door of the body is

bodily intimation (kāyaviññatti), a type of mind-produced
material phenomenon by which a person expresses, through
the medium of the body, a volition arisen in the mind (see VI,
§4).” (CMA, V, Guide to §22, p.207)
To simplify it, it means a movement of the body.

“The expression ‘generally occurring’ (bāhullavuttito) is

used because such actions as killing and stealing can be done
by speech, …” (CMA, V, Guide to §22, p.207)
The expression “generally occurring” or “generally
occurring through the door of the body” is used because these
actions such as killing or stealing can also be done by speech,
by command or by writing.

“… yet even in such cases these actions are still

considered bodily kamma.” (CMA, V, Guide to §22, p.207)
Killing can be done by speech. You can give command
to another person to kill or you can write a letter to another
person commanding them to kill. You can use speech to cause
another person to kill or to steal, but still it is called bodily
Kamma. Mostly these Kammas are done through bodily action.

Then the next is false speech — that means lying,

slandering, harsh speech and frivolous talk. They are verbal
actions generally occurring through the door of speech. Here
also door of speech means speech known as vocal intimation.
Through our speech other people know our intentions. That is
why it is called vocal intimation. Here also lying, slandering or
back-biting, harsh speech and frivolous talk are usually done
by speech, but you can write something down and lie to other
people. So they can be done by bodily actions also.

“Though such actions as false speech, etc., may also be

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done bodily, i.e. by writing or by hand signals, because their

main medium of execution is the door of speech, they are still
considered verbal kamma.” (CMA, V, Guide to §22, p.207)

You want to scare the crows away. So you pretend to

throw a rock at them. That is Musāvāda. You don't throw the
rock. You pretend to throw a rock, so they will fly away. That is
Musāvāda. False speech and others can be done by bodily
action also. Their main medium of execution is speech, so they
are called speech Kamma, Vacī Kamma.

The third group — covetousness, ill will and wrong view

— are mental actions generally occurring only in the mind
without bodily or vocal intimation. What is covetousness?
“(It) is the mental factor of greed (or Lobha), arisen as
the wish to acquire another person's property.” (CMA, V, Guide to
§22, p.207)

When we see someone driving a Mercedes, we want

that to be our own. It is something like that. That is called
Abhijjhā, covetousness.

“Even though greed arises for another's property, it

does not become a full course of action unless one gives rise
to the wish to take possession of that property.” (CMA, V, Guide to
§22, p.207)

You have a strong wish, a strong desire to possess that

property. Then it becomes covetousness. But if it is not that
strong, it does not become a full course of Kamma. It is not
just ordinary Lobha. It is called Visama Lobha, unfair Lobha.

The next one is Vyāpāda, ill will.

“(It) is the mental factor of hatred (Dosa), which
becomes a full course of action when it arises with the wish
that another being meets with harm and affliction.” (CMA, V, Guide

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to §22, p.207)

Thinking, “May he meet with death” or “May danger

befall him” is Vyāpāda. It is something like that. When you
think something like this, it is the opposite of Mettā (loving-
kindness). In this way, ill will becomes a full course of action.

“Wrong view (micchādiṭṭhi) becomes a full course of

action when it assumes the form of one of the morally nihilistic
views which deny the validity of ethics and the retributive
consequences of action.” (CMA, V, Guide to §22, p.207)
There are three kinds of Micchā-diṭṭhi mentioned here.
“Three such views are mentioned often in the Sutta
Piṭaka:
(i) nihilism (natthika-diṭṭhi), which denies the survival
of the personality in any form after death, thus negating the
moral significance of deeds;” (CMA, V, Guide to §22, p.207-208)
Beings with this wrong view believe that there are no
results in the future. When we deny the future results, we also
deny the present Kamma. Actually they deny both Kamma and
results. It is said that Natthika-diṭṭhi denies results.

“(ii) the inefficacy of action view (akiriya-diṭṭhi), which

claims that deeds have no efficacy in producing results and
thus invalidates moral distinctions; and” (CMA, V, Guide to §22, p.208)
Akiriya-diṭṭhi is the wrong view that denies causes, that
denies Kamma. There is no Kamma as such that gives results.

“(iii) the acausality view (ahetuka-diṭṭhi), which states

that there is no cause or condition for the defilement and
purification of beings, that beings are defiled and purified by
chance, fate or necessity.” (CMA, V, Guide to §22, p.208)
This view is said to deny both cause and effect. When a
person takes one of these views and it reaches seventh

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Javana, it becomes a real Micchā-diṭṭhi. These three —

Abhijjhā, Vyāpāda and Micchā-diṭṭhi, are occurring in the mind
only, without bodily or vocal intimation. They are Mano
Kamma.

So there are Kāya Kamma, Vacī Kamma and Mano

Kamma.

How many Kāya Kammas are there? There are three —

killing, stealing and sexual misconduct.

How many Vacī Kammas are there? There are four —

false speech, slandering, harsh speech and frivolous talk.

And how many Mano Kammas are there? There are

three — covetousness, ill will and wrong view.

With regard to the first one Pāṇātipāta, killing, when a

person or a being is really killed, then it becomes a full course
of action. Stealing, when a person steals and gets the property
of another person, then it becomes a full course of action. And
Kāmesu Micchācāra, when a person actually commits illicit
sex, it becomes a full course of action.

Musāvāda, false speech — can you be free from false

speech? It is very difficult especially in this modern society to
be 100% honest. They are called white lies. We often say,
“Have nice day” or something like that. We may not mean it.
Or we may say, “Good to see you”, right? But it becomes a full
course of action only when it causes injury or loss to another
person. So a white lie may not become a full course of action,
a full course of Kamma. Although it is lying, it will not give
relinking result. But if it causes injury to others or if it causes

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loss to others, it becomes a full course of action.

Then slandering — I don't know what slandering

means. Here ‘slandering’ or in Pāḷi ‘Pisuṇa Vācā’ means
dividing two people. I say something to you that is bad about
him. Then I say something to him bad about you, so that you
two become divided. That is what is called Pisuṇa Vācā.
‘Pisuṇa’ means crushing. Pisuṇa Vācā is crushing the friendship
between two people. That is what is called Pisuṇa Vācā.
Slandering may not be Pisuṇa Vācā. You may say something
bad about a person behind his back, but that is not slandering.
Pisuṇa Vācā is done with the intention of destroying friendship
between two persons or two groups. They become really
divided if it becomes a full course of action. If they do not
become divided, it is just Pisuṇa Vācā, but not a full course of
action.

Pharusa Vācā is harsh speech, abusive language. Only

when the intention is evil does it become Pharusa Vācā. That
means sometimes mothers may curse their children. They may
say, “May something bad happen to you” or something like
that because they are angry. But in their hearts they don't
want anything bad to happen to their children. They don't
mean it. They just say it. That is not called Pharusa Vācā. That
does not amount to harsh speech because the intention is
pure, the intention is good. Conversely even though you may
be smiling, if you have a bad intention, even though the words
are soft, it is harsh speech. For example, the king sentencing a
criminal to death, sometimes he may be laughing and say,
“Put him to sleep” or something like that. That is Pharusa
Vācā.

There is a story given in the Commentary that one day

a mother could not control her son. So she said, “May a
buffalo attack you!” Then the son went out in the forest and a
real buffalo followed him. So he said, “If my mother had real

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intention, may the buffalo attack me and if not, may it go

away.” Then the buffalo went away. If the intention is harsh,
then it becomes harsh speech. If the intention is not harsh,
then it does not amount to harsh speech.

Then Samphappalāpa — in writing about

Samphappalāpa, frivolous speech, we Buddhists may not be
just. There are stories of Rāmayāna and Mahābharata. For
Hindus these are epic stories, real stories, but Buddhist
authors say they are not true. They say they are gossip or
something like that. So whenever the Commentaries
commented on Samphappalāpa, they say talking like in
Rāmayāna or Mahābharata. If the Hindus knew this, they
would be very angry with us. This ‘frivolous talk’ means
nonsense talk. Here also it is said only when the other person
really believes in it, does it become a real Samphappalāpa.
Sometimes you may say something to somebody, but he does
not believe it. Then it is not Samphappalāpa.

Then there is the Mano Kamma, Abhijjhā. When you

have the real desire to possess another person's property, to
make another person's property your own property, that
strong desire is Abhijjhā.

If you have the strong desire that another person be

killed or come into danger, then that is Vyāpāda. And Micchā-
diṭṭhi is wrong view.

These ten are called ten unwholesome or Akusala

Kammas. There can be just Kamma or there can be a full
course of Kamma.

I think we will stop here.

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Student: [Inaudible].

Sayādaw: According to Hindus, Buddhists are Natthika-diṭṭhi

because Buddhists do not believe in the existence
of Atta. For them ‘Natthi’ means no Atta. So Hindus
call us Natthika-diṭṭhi. According to Buddhists,
‘Natthika-diṭṭhi’ means those who do not believe in
the results of Kamma, that there are no results of
Kamma.

Student: What is the difference between false speech and

frivolous talk?
Sayādaw: False speech is talk with the intention of deceiving
and also that causes injury or loss to others.
Frivolous talk is just talking nonsense, talk that is
not true, talk that does not lead to any purpose,
talk that does not lead to fewness of wants. It is
talk that does not lead to the practice of Dhamma.
Such talk is Samphappalāpa or frivolous talk. In
the Texts as well as the Commentaries, it is said
there is such talk as animal talk. That is talk about
kings, talk about robbers or thieves, talk about
politics or something like that. All of them are
classified as animal talk. The Commentaries are
very understanding in this matter. Although you
may be talking about the king if you conclude your
talk with an observation such as “all of these have
passed away now and are impermanent”, they
don't amount to animal talk. You may talk about
politics, but at the end you say all of this is
impermanent.

Student: [Inaudible].
Sayādaw: When you do a Kamma, there are seven Javana
moments. First Javana moment gives results; it
gives results here in this life. Last Javana moment

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gives results in the next life. Then the intermediate

Javana moments may give results we don't know
when. For example, a person is reborn in hell and
then escapes from hell and is reborn as a human
being. His rebirth as a human being is a result of
his indefinitely effective Kamma, not the Kamma
he did in hell, but the Kamma he did before going
to hell. The same thing can happen in the Deva
world. A person who is reborn as a Deva may go to
hell as the result of the indefinitely effective
Kamma.

Student: [Inaudible].

Sayādaw: When we say rebirth with regard to human beings,

we mean conception. At the moment of conception
there takes place a combination of Citta
(consciousness), mental factors and material
properties. When we say rebirth, we mean those
three things. These things are the result of Kamma
in the past.

Student: [Inaudible].
Sayādaw: To a great extent. Kamma is so powerful that when
it produces the relinking Citta, the relinking Citta
arises again and again all through the life. Also the
material properties produced by Kamma arise at
every moment in this life. But when a relinking
consciousness repeats itself, we no longer call it
relinking consciousness but Bhavaṅga. But actually
as you know, they are identical. We will have an
occasion to talk about death and rebirth when we
get to the last section of this chapter.

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Kamma — Part Two

Last week we finished the ten unwholesome Kammas.

First there is the threefold unwholesome Kamma — bodily
actions, verbal actions and mental actions. Then there are ten
unwholesome Kammas — killing, stealing and so on, — three
of bodily actions, four of verbal actions and three of mental
actions.

Today we come to “By way of Roots and

Consciousness” (CMA, V, §23, p.208).
“Of them (these ten unwholesome Kammas), killing,
harsh speech and ill will spring from the root of hatred; …”
(CMA, V, §23, p.208)

That means when a person kills, or speaks harshly, or

is angry, that Akusala is accompanied by the root of hatred, it
is accompanied by Dosa.

“… sexual misconduct, covetousness, and wrong view

from the root of greed; …” (CMA, V, §23, p.208)
Through Lobha people commit sexual misconduct, have
covetousness and wrong view. Whenever we have wrong view,
we have some kind of attachment. Wrong view is always
accompanied by Lobha or greed.

“… the remaining four arise from two roots.” (CMA, V, §23,

p.208)

The remaining ones may arise from either Lobha or

Dosa.

The first one killing — killing can be caused by Dosa.

“(Sometimes) greed may be the underlying motivation

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for killing and hatred may be the underlying motivation for

sexual misconduct, …” (CMA, V, Guide to §23, p.208)
Sometimes people may steal as revenge or people may
commit sexual misconduct as revenge.

But “the Abhidhamma holds that the volition that drives

the act of cutting off the life faculty of another being is always
rooted in hatred, …” (CMA, V, Guide to §23, p.208)
So killing is defined as cutting off the life faculty. The
act of cutting the life faculty is always accompanied by Dosa or
aversion to the continued existence of the being.

“… while the volition that drives the act of sexual

transgression is always rooted in greed, i.e. desire to enjoy
sexual pleasure with the illicit partner. The volition driving the
other four acts — stealing, lying, slandering, and frivolous talk
— may be accompanied by either greed or hatred. All
unwholesome (Akusala) courses of action are invariably
accompanied by the root delusion (Moha).” (CMA, V, Guide to §23,
p.208)

There is always Moha, either Moha and Lobha, or Moha

and Dosa, or just Moha.

The Manual says,

“According to the classes of consciousness this
unwholesome kamma is altogether twelvefold.” (CMA, V, §23, p.208)
We understand Kamma to be Cetanā, volition. The
author is saying that according to the classes of consciousness
this Akusala Kamma is altogether twelvefold. That means
twelve types of Akusala consciousness arise. Here Citta itself
as a composite whole rather than the individual factor of
volition or Cetanā is considered to be Kamma. Sometimes
Akusala Cittas are called Kamma. This is just usage. When we
say Akusala Citta is Kamma, we mean Akusala Citta along with

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its concomitants including Cetanā. But to be exact as you

know only Cetanā is Kamma. Sometimes Cetanā as well as
other mental factors and here even Citta is said to be Kamma.
Akusala Kamma according to classes of consciousness is
twelvefold. That means there are twelve Akusala Cittas.

Wholesome Kamma of Sense-sphere

Next we come to wholesome Kamma of sense-sphere,
Kāmāvacara Kusala. There is only one Akusala. We don't say
Kāmāvacara Akusala because Akusala is always Kāmāvacara.
There is no Rūpāvacara or Arūpāvacara Akusala. With regard
to Kusala there are Kāmāvacara Kusala, Rūpāvacara Kusala,
Arūpāvacara Kusala and Lokuttara Kusala.

Kāmāvacara Kusala is also threefold — that is, there

are bodily action, verbal action and mental action. The author
of the Manual did not mention what these are — what are
bodily actions, what are verbal actions, what are mental
actions. The teachers understand it to mean the opposite of
the ten Akusala Kammas we just met. When the Akusala
Kammas are killing, stealing, sexual misconduct and so on,
here Kusala Kammas are taken as the abstention from killing,
stealing, sexual misconduct and so on. The first three —
abstention from killing, stealing and sexual misconduct — are
part of the Virati. There are three abstinences:
• right speech (Sammā-vācā),
• right action (Sammā-kammanta),
• right livelihood (Sammā-ājīva).
Abstention from killing, stealing and sexual misconduct
is right action (Sammā-kammanta). Abstention from lying,
slandering and so on is right speech (Sammā-vācā). Then the
last three are the opposites of covetousness, ill will and wrong
view. The opposites are non-covetousness, non-ill will and
right view. These last three mental actions are Alobha, Adosa

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and Amoha. Non-ill will is Adosa and non-delusion is Amoha.

In this way, there are ten wholesome Kammas of the sense-
sphere.

Wholesome Kamma of the sense-sphere is said to be of

three kinds. They are:
• Dāna, giving,
• Sīla, virtue or morality, and
• Bhāvanā, mental culture.
It is eightfold according to the classes of consciousness.
According to consciousness they are eight. That means the
eight Kāmāvacara Kusala Cittas. These three — Dāna, Sīla and
Bhāvanā — are expanded into ten kinds of Kusala Kamma.
Giving, virtue, reverence, meditation and so on, these ten are
called the ten bases of wholesome Kamma, ten bases of
meritorious deeds.

The first one is giving. You all know Dāna — giving or

offering. Here the Cetanā with which one practises giving, the
Cetanā with which one practises virtue and so on is called
Dāna, Sīla and so on. Dāna is not only the Cetanā at the
moment of giving. It is the Cetanā that precedes and follows
the act of giving. Before you practise Dāna you try to get
something, you try to do something, so that you can give it to
other people. The searching for the things to give is also called
Dāna. After giving, whenever you remember, whenever you
recollect that Dāna, you have joy. That remembrance is also
called Dāna. Dāna does not just mean the volition at the
moment of giving but the moments that precede and come
after that moment of giving. The same is true of Sīla and so
on.

Giving is explained in the Commentary as giving with

respect, giving reverently. If you throw away something, that

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is not Dāna. When you make an act of Dāna, you make it

seriously, you make it with respect, with adoration like when
you offer something to the Buddha and so on.

The second one is virtue, Sīla. For lay people there are
five precepts, eight precepts and ten precepts. For monks
there are 227 rules and so on. Taking the precepts and
keeping them is called Sīla. What if a person does not take the
precepts but there arises an occasion to kill and he does not
kill. Is that Sīla or not at the moment of refraining? It is Sīla
because it is right action. When you refrain from telling a lie, it
is right speech. Even though a person has not taken the
precepts, if he refrains from killing and so on as the occasion
arises, that is also called Sīla.

The third one is Bhāvanā, meditation, mental culture,

the practice of forty kinds of meditation, practice of Vipassanā
up to the moment of Gotrabhū. Here Bhāvanā does not cover
enlightenment. Enlightenment is enlightenment. Bhāvanā is
the mental culture that leads to enlightenment or it may be
that which leads to and includes the attainment of Jhānas and
Abhiññās.

The next one is reverence, being respectful to others,

being respectful to elders, being respectful to monks. Being
respectful means, for example, when a monk comes you stand
up from your seat, you greet him, you may take whatever
belongings he is carrying, you give him a place to sit. Such a
thing is called reverence to your elders, to your parents, to
your teachers.

The fifth one is service. Service is doing something for

those worthy of our respect. Also service is explained as
attending to the sick. Monks attending to other sick monks;
that is also service. There are many kinds of service in lay life

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also — community service, service for the welfare of the

religious community, service for the welfare of the monastery,
service for the welfare of the Yogis; all these are called
service. So when you do something at a retreat and you offer
yourself to prepare food, to do the dishes, to clean the house,
then that is service.

Number six is transference of merit. You all know this.

It's actually not transference of merit but sharing of merit. The
Pāḷi word is Pattidāna. That means giving what one has
obtained. First you do some kind of Kusala, let us say, giving.
By the practice of giving you get merit. That is called Patti in
Pāḷi. Then you want to share this merit. You want to make this
merit common to other persons. So you share merit with
them, with other persons. That action is what is called
transference of merit here. This translation, transference of
merit, is not so good. ‘Transfer’ means changing place. Here,
as you all know, merit does not change from one person to
another. But it is like lighting a candle from the lighted candle
of another person. Transference of merit means giving chance
for others to get merit for themselves, by having them rejoice
at your merit. So when you practise sharing of merit, you say,
“May you share my merit” or “May all beings share this merit”
and so on.

Then there is rejoicing in others' merit. That is saying,

“Sādhu, Sādhu, Sādhu.” Now it is customary in Buddhist
countries to say, “Sādhu, Sādhu, Sādhu”, when merit is
shared. When a person rejoices at another's merit, he gets
merit. He gets Kusala. Now there is a problem here. Can we
say, “Sādhu” even though the other person does not share
merit with us? For example, we see someone doing charity.
Can we rejoice at his merit and get merit ourselves? Yes. But if
the merit is specifically for those who have departed, for those
who have died, then the person who does the merit needs to
share. Otherwise the person who has died cannot get the
immediate benefit of that merit. When we share merits with

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those who have departed and they rejoice at our merit, they
get merit themselves and they get the results immediately.
When we as human beings rejoice at the merit of other
people, we don't get immediate results. We just get Kusala. If
the merit is done specifically for those who have departed,
then we need to share merit with them. And they also need to
rejoice at our merit. There are three conditions to be fulfilled
for such merit to be immediately effective. The person who
does the merit must share with the other person. The
departed person must rejoice at the merit. There must be a
worthy person to accept the offering, like a Buddha, an
Arahant or a monk. When these three conditions are fulfilled,
then the departed ones get the results immediately. Rejoicing
in merit is rejoicing when merit is shared and even rejoicing
when it is not shared. When we see someone doing good, and
we think it is Kusala, we can just rejoice at their merit. We can
just say to ourselves, “Sādhu, Sādhu, Sādhu.” We will get
merit ourselves.

The next one is hearing the Dhamma, listening to

Dhamma talks. Here hearing the Dhamma or listening to
Dhamma talks must be done with a pure heart — not to show
ourselves off or not to get a good reputation — with sincerity
and seriousness we should hear or listen to the Dhamma.
Listening to or learning with innocent heart may be included
with hearing the Dhamma.

Teaching the Dhamma — a person who teaches the

Dhamma must be without expectation, without any
expectation of personal gain whatever, with the intention of
making known the Dhamma to other people so they can get
benefit from that Dhamma. Here also teaching other innocent
kinds of knowledge is called teaching the Dhamma.

The last one is straightening out of one's view. That

means having the right view. Right view means — there is

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Kamma, there is the result of Kamma. That is called

straightening out one's view.

Altogether there are ten wholesome Kamma of the

sense-sphere. First there are three: Dāna, Sīla, and Bhāvanā.
Now we have ten — Dāna, Sīla, Bhāvanā and so on.

Reverence and service can be included in virtue

because reverence and service are a kind of practice. So they
can be included in Sīla.

Transference of merit and rejoicing in other's merit can

be included in giving. Transference of merit is giving. Rejoicing
in other's merit is not giving. Giving gets rid of covetousness,
Issā and Macchariya. Transference of merit and rejoicing in
other's merit both get rid of Issā and Macchariya. So they can
both be included in giving.

Hearing the Dhamma, teaching the Dhamma and

straightening one's view can all be included in Bhāvanā,
meditation. When you listen to the Dhamma, you are doing
Bhāvanā. When you are teaching the Dhamma, talking about
Dhamma, you are doing Bhāvanā.

Ten can become three or three can be extended into

ten wholesome Kammas.

Straightening one's view is said to be common to all

the others because if you do not have right or straight view,
you will not do giving, you will not practise Sīla and so on.
Straightening one's view is like a rudder in a ship. It is very
important. It can belong to giving, virtue and meditation.

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We are talking about Kāmāvacara Kamma. There are

twelve Akusala Kamma. That means according to
consciousness. And there are eight Kāmāvacara Kusala
according to consciousness. Altogether there are twenty kinds
of Kusala and Akusala. These twenty kinds, wholesome and
unwholesome, are known as Kamma pertaining to the sense-
sphere. There are twenty kinds of Kāmāvacara Kammas —
twelve Akusala Kamma and eight Kusala Kamma.

Wholesome Kamma of the Fine-material Sphere

Next we come to Rūpāvacara Kusala Kamma.
Rūpāvacara and Arūpāvacara are easy. In Rūpāvacara Kusala
Kamma there is only one. That is Mano Kamma. Rūpāvacara
Kusala is the five Jhānas. These Jhānas are neither actions of
the body, nor verbal action, but they are mental action. They
are always Mano Kamma. They are only Mano Kamma. They
are to be achieved through meditation, not like Kāmāvacara
Kusala. You can achieve Kāmāvacara Kusala without
meditation. You must meditate in order to acquire Rūpāvacara
Kusala. It is one that always reaches absorption. Only when
there is absorption can there be Rūpāvacara Kusala.
Rūpāvacara Kusala is divided into five according to the Jhāna
factors. First Jhāna has five Jhāna factors (Vitakka, Vicāra,
Pīti, Sukha and Ekaggatā). Second Jhāna has four Jhāna
factors (Vicāra, Pīti, Sukha and Ekaggatā). Third Jhāna has
three Jhāna factors (Pīti, Sukha and Ekaggatā). Fourth Jhāna
has two Jhāna factors (Sukha and Ekaggatā). Fifth Jhāna has
two Jhāna factors (Upekkhā and Ekaggatā). According to the
distinction of Jhāna factors, there are five kinds of Rūpāvacara
Kusala Kamma.

Wholesome Kamma of the Immaterial Sphere

Arūpāvacara Kusala — there are four. They are also
Mano Kamma, mental only. They are not bodily actions. They

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are not verbal actions. Like Rūpāvacara Kusala they are to be

achieved through Bhāvanā, meditation. They are those that
reach absorption. They are fourfold by the distinction of
objects. Do you know the objects of the four Arūpāvacara
Cittas? The first is infinite space. The second has the first
Arūpāvacara Citta as object. The third takes the absence of
the first Arūpāvacara Citta as object. The fourth takes the
third Arūpāvacara Citta as object. Here the distinction is by
object, not by Jhāna factors. All these have the same number
of Jhāna factors. What are the Jhāna factors? The Jhāna
factors are Upekkhā and Ekaggatā. We come to the end of
enumeration of Kammas, Kāmāvacara Kamma, Rūpāvacara
Kamma and Arūpāvacara Kamma — twenty Kāmāvacara
Kamma, five Rūpāvacara Kamma and four Arūpāvacara
Kamma.

Results of the Kammas

Now we will study the results of these Kammas, which
Kammas give which results. Now please look at the chart (see
CMA, V, Table 5.4, p.212). First the results of Kamma are of two
kinds. There is the result at relinking or at rebirth. The other is
the result during life. There will always be these two kinds of
results — results at rebirth (Paṭisandhi) and results during life
(Pavatti). ‘During life’ means after rebirth until death.

In the chart you will see sense-sphere volitions. They

are Kamma. Then there are the results at rebirth and during
life. Then there are realms of existence. These are the realms
where they give results. Next there are the types of
consciousness which are the results of the respective Kammas.

Eleven unwholesome Kammas — there are twelve

unwholesome Kammas, from them restlessness is omitted.
Eleven unwholesome kinds of Kamma give results in four
woeful states at rebirth. When they give results in the four

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woeful states, the results are in the form of the unwholesome

resultant relinking consciousness — investigation with
equanimity, that is, Akusala-vipāka Santīraṇa associated with
Upekkhā. That Akusala-vipāka Santīraṇa accompanied by
Upekkhā is the result of the eleven unwholesome Cittas or
eleven unwholesome Kammas which cause rebirth in four
woeful states. Kamma accompanied by restlessness or
Uddhacca cannot give results as rebirth because it is too weak.
It is not accompanied by strong Cetasikas. Since it is not
accompanied by strong Cetasikas, it has no power to give
results at rebirth. Another explanation is that it does not give
results at rebirth because it is not eradicated by Sotāpatti-
magga. Sotāpatti-magga eradicates wrong view and doubt. A
Sotāpanna is not born in four woeful states. Still a Sotāpanna
cannot eradicate restlessness or Uddhacca. He still has
Uddhacca and he will not be reborn in four woeful states. So
restlessness cannot give results in the four woeful states as
rebirth. But during life time it will give results.

Twelve unwholesome Kammas give results during life in

Kāmāvacara realms eleven and Rūpāvacara realms fifteen. In
the Kāmāvacara realm the Vipāka is in the form of Cittas.
What are the Cittas there? The Cittas there are the seven
results of unwholesome actions. In Rūpāvacara realm three
will be missing there because the Brahmas do not have nose-
sensitivity, tongue-sensitivity and body-sensitivity. Only the
other four will arise — eye-sensitivity, ear-sensitivity,
Sampaṭicchana and Santīraṇa.

When a person, let us say a human being, sees

something undesirable, then he will have Cakkhu-viññāṇa
Akusala-vipāka. That Akusala Cakkhu-viññāṇa, that seeing is
the result of his past Akusala Kamma. Even Brahmas can have
seeing consciousness which is the result of Akusala. When
they come down to the human world, they may see ugly
things or even if they don't come down to the human world,
they may see ugly things. If they look from Brahma world to

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the human world, they will see undesirable objects. So

Akusala can even give results to Brahmas.

So the eleven Akusala Kammas can give results in the

four woeful states at rebirth with only one type of
consciousness. Do you know why there is only one type of
consciousness? It is because that is the one type of
consciousness that has the function of Paṭisandhi, Bhavaṅga
and Cuti. But during life they don't have to be functioning as
Paṭisandhi, Bhavaṅga and Cuti. So during life all twelve
Akusala Cittas, all twelve unwholesome Kammas give all seven
types of consciousness in Kāmāvacara realm and four types of
consciousness as results in Rūpāvacara realm.

Now the next group is four three-root superior

wholesome consciousness. If you look at the eight
Kāmāvacara Kusala, the first two are accompanied by how
many roots? The first two are accompanied by three roots.
Number three and four are accompanied by how many roots?
They are accompanied by two roots. Number five and six are
accompanied by how many roots? They are accompanied by
three roots. How many roots accompany number seven and
eight? They are accompanied by two roots. There are four
three-root consciousness — one, two, five and six. Each of
these three-root consciousness or Kammas is divided into
superior and inferior.

There are two grades of three-root Kusala — three-root

Kusala which is superior and three-root Kusala which is
inferior. The same is true for two-root Kusala — there is two-
root Kusala which is superior and there is two-root Kusala
which is inferior. What is superior and inferior? First let us look
at three roots and two roots. When you do some meritorious
deed, if you do it without knowledge, without understanding,
without the understanding of Kamma and its results, then it is
said to be done with two roots. Sometimes we may do two-

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root Kusala. If we do our Kusala carelessly, our Kusala may

not be accompanied by three roots. Sometimes we practise
Dāna. We just give it. We don't think much of it. When we
don't think much of our Kusala, it may be two-root. If a
Kāmāvacara Kusala Kamma is accompanied by the
understanding of the law of cause and effect, the
understanding of Kamma and its results, it is called three-root.
If it is not accompanied by such knowledge or understanding,
it is called two-root.

Now let us look at superior and inferior. When Kusala

Kamma is preceded by and followed by Kusala thoughts, it is
called superior. If it is remembered again and again by that
person, it is called superior. Sometimes people do meritorious
deeds, but preceding that deed they may have Akusala. After
doing the meritorious deed, they may have some kind of
regret, “Oh, if I did not give that away, I might have made use
of it for myself or my family.” In such a way one may think.
There may be some regret. If there are regrets, the Kamma is
called inferior. Superior Kusala Kamma is preceded by and
followed by Kusala. There is a saying that three kinds of
volitions or Cetanās are involved in Dāna and other
meritorious deeds. So when you are going to do a Dāna, you
should have Kusala Cittas preceding that formal act of giving.
And then after giving also, you should have joy and not regret.
If you regret after giving, you will get the results in future
lives of giving, but you will not want to make use of those
results. You will be a very stingy person. Although you may be
a millionaire, you don't want to use things which are expensive
things, which are good. Even though you are rich, you want to
use inexpensive things. So it is important when we practise
Kusala, we should see to it that is accompanied by three roots
and that it is superior. Only superior Kamma gives superior
results. If it is inferior, it will give inferior results. If you want
the best results, you want the Kusala that is accompanied by
three roots and that is superior.

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Three-root superior wholesome Kāmāvacara Kamma

can give results in the sensuous blissful plane in the seven
Sugati — six Deva Loka and one human world. Three-root
superior wholesome Kamma (There are four.) can give results
in seven realms of Kāma-sugati as rebirth. The results are in
the form of Cittas. What Cittas are they? They are those that
are accompanied by Ñāṇa. There are only four.

During life they give results in all Kāmāvacara realms in

the form of eight Kusala-vipāka from Ahetukas and eight
Kāmāvacara Sahetuka Vipākas. Altogether there are sixteen.
In the Rūpāvacara realm there are three less from Ahetuka.
From the Ahetuka Kusala-vipāka nose, tongue and body-
sensitivity must be excluded for the Rūpāvacara beings.
Vipākas are the five Vipākas found in Rūpāvacara realms.

Next one — three-root inferior and two-root superior —

they give the same results. Even though it is three-root
because it is inferior, it cannot give three-root results. That's
very important. If we want to get three-root results, we must
make our Kusala three-root superior. If it is three-root inferior
— that means it is not preceded and followed by three-root
Kusala — it will not give three-root results. It will give only
two-root results.

At the moment of rebirth in Kāma-sugati, that is, in

seven realms of Kāma-sugati, such Kamma will give results as
the four Kāmāvacara Sahetuka Vipāka Cittas without Ñāṇa.
But during life this Kamma gives rise to twelve Cittas — four
Kāmāvacara Sahetuka Vipāka Cittas not accompanied by
knowledge and eight Ahetuka Kusala-vipākas. In the
Rūpāvacara realm results will come from five Ahetukas only.

And two-root superior — two-root superior means when

a person performs or does this Kamma, only two roots are

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there. Perhaps he does it carelessly. But his two-root Kusala is

preceded and accompanied by Kusala or he remembers it
again and again with Kusala. In that case it is two-root
superior Kamma. Two-root superior Kamma gives two-root
results, not three-root results.

Then the last is two-root inferior. There are four.

Inferior means not preceded and not followed by Kusala. It is
the lowest form of Kusala. Since it is two-root inferior, it
cannot give two-root results. It can only give rootless results.
At rebirth for human beings and some kinds of gods (those in
Cātummahārājikā) the result is Kusala-vipāka Upekkhā
Santīraṇa. But during life time in Kāmāvacara realm the
results are in the form of Ahetuka Kusala-vipāka. In the
Rūpāvacara realm there are five Ahetuka Kusala-vipāka. Nose,
tongue and body-consciousness are omitted.

This is Kamma and the result of Kāmāvacara Kamma.

In Kāmāvacara there are Akusala and Kusala Kamma. We
divide Akusala into two. The first level is without restlessness.
The next level is all twelve Akusala Cittas. The first one is for
rebirth result. The second one is for results during life time.
Then we divide the Kāmāvacara Kusala into three-root
superior, three-root inferior, two-root superior, and two-root
inferior. Only three-root Kusala superior can give three-root
results. Three-root inferior and two-root superior give two-root
results. Two-root inferior cannot give even two-root results. It
gives rootless results. I think this much is clear.

Later on we will find the opinion of some others (see CMA,

V, Table 5.5, p.216). We will not go there yet. We will read the table
(see CMA, V, Table 5.4, p.213). It is not difficult.

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Rūpāvacara and Arūpāvacara Kusala Kamma

Now we come to Rūpāvacara and Arūpāvacara. First
Jhāna here also has inferior degree, medium degree and
superior degree. These Jhānas can be developed in three
ways. Inferior or limited means a person just got the Jhāna
and he did not use it again. That kind of Jhāna is called of
limited development. Of medium development means he
enters into the Jhāna more often, but he is not fully adept at
entering into Jhāna or getting out of Jhāna. That means he is
not fully familiar with that Jhāna although he has attained the
Jhāna. Superior means he is very adept at using that Jhāna.
He can enter into Jhāna any time he wants to. He can get out
of Jhāna any time he wants to. He can stay in the Jhāna as
long as he likes. Also if he has many Jhānas, he can enter into
any Jhāna he likes, not in the order given in the books, but in
any order.

So the first Jhāna developed in a limited way can give

results in the first Brahma plane, Brahma's retinue. The result
is in the form of first Jhāna resultant. If it is developed in a
medium way, the result is the same Citta, but the realm is
different. That same Citta arises in the second realm,
Brahma's ministers. If the development is superior, the same
Citta will arise in Mahābrahmā realm. First Jhāna developed in
three ways gives results in three Brahma realms, three first
Jhāna Brahma realms. Although the realms are three, the
resultant consciousness is the same, that is, first Jhāna
resultant.

Second Jhāna again may be developed in limited,

medium and superior way and gives results in realm of minor
luster, realm of infinite luster and realm of radiant luster in the
form of second Jhāna Vipāka. Third Jhāna of the fivefold
method of reckoning arises in these realms also.

Fourth Jhāna is also developed in limited, medium and

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superior way. It gives result as minor aura, infinite aura and

radiant aura.

There is confusion here. We are familiar with the

fivefold method of dividing Jhānas, but the realms for Jhānas
are divided according to fourfold method. Both the second and
third Jhāna of the fivefold method give results in second Jhāna
realms.

Fifth Jhāna — there is no variation in fifth Jhāna. It is

just normal. Fifth Jhāna gives result in the place of great
reward, Vehapphala. The resultant consciousness is fifth Jhāna
consciousness.

There are beings who develop fifth Jhāna with

dispassion for perception — that means these persons are
misguided. In the Commentaries they are called Diṭṭhiyas. That
means they have wrong view, something like that. People
think that because we have mind we suffer and if we do not
have mind, we would not suffer. After getting fifth Jhāna, they
develop it with dispassion for mind. Saññā does not just mean
perception here. Perception here stands for all the factors of
mind. So when they practise meditation, they say, “Mind is
disgusting, mind is disgusting” and so on. As a result of their
concentration, their Jhāna, when they die, they are reborn in
the realm of non-percipient beings, the mindless beings. There
is no resultant consciousness here. At the moment of rebirth
there are only material properties, life-nonad. It is said in the
Commentaries that they are reborn there like statues in the
same position as they died in here. If they die here lying
down, there they will be reborn in lying down posture. If they
die sitting here, they will be reborn sitting there for 500
Kappas.

And then there is fifth Jhāna of Non-Returner, Anāgāmī.

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Anāgāmīs are reborn in Pure Abodes only. Their resultant

consciousness is fifth Jhāna resultant consciousness.

Then there is base of infinite space. That is first

Arūpāvacara Jhāna. It gives result in infinite space realm. The
resultant consciousness is first Arūpāvacara consciousness.

Then the second one is infinite consciousness. The third

one is nothingness. The fourth one is neither perception nor
non-perception. They give results in their respective
Arūpāvacara realms. The types of consciousness are the four
Arūpāvacara Vipāka types of consciousness. In brief
Rūpāvacara Jhāna Kusala gives results in Rūpāvacara realms.
Arūpāvacara Jhānas give results in Arūpāvacara realms. There
are five Jhānas and four Jhāna planes. Second and third
Jhānas give results in second Jhāna plane.

Now we come to the view of some teachers with regard

to Kāmāvacara Kusala. We learned that Kāmāvacara Kusala
gives results. How many types of consciousness are the results
of Kāmāvacara Kusala? There are sixteen — eight from
Ahetukas and eight from Kāmāvacara Sahetuka Vipāka. There
are some teachers who say that unprompted do not produce
prompted results. And prompted actions do not produce
unprompted results. The reason they gave was the image in a
mirror must be exactly the same as the person. The person
and the image must be exact. In the same way, this is true for
Kamma and its result; they must be the same. That means
prompted will only give prompted result and unprompted will
give unprompted result. This is their opinion. This opinion was
held by Venerable Mahā Dhammarakkhita Thera, an
Abhidhamma master at the ancient Moravāpi Monastery in Sri
Lanka (see CMA, V, Guide to §30, p.215). In the Aṭṭhasālinī the name of
the holder of this view was given as Mahadatta and not Mahā
Dhammarakkhita. Some teachers say that Vibhāvinī-Ṭīkā was
wrong in giving the name as Mahā Dhammarakkhita because

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the name given in Aṭṭhasālinī was Venerable Mahadatta. If we

want to reconcile these two, we may argue that
Dhammarakkhita is another name for Mahadatta.

This view was not accepted by many teachers because

the relinking consciousness being prompted and unprompted
does not depend on the Kamma being prompted or
unprompted. It depends on how the Kamma, Kamma-nimitta
or Gati-nimitta is presented to the mind of a dying person. If
these three are presented spontaneously without the
intervention of another person, then the relinking
consciousness is unprompted. If one of these three appears to
the dying person with the help of relatives and so on, then the
relinking consciousness becomes prompted. The being
prompted or unprompted of the relinking consciousness does
not depend upon the Kamma being prompted or unprompted.
This view was designated as ‘Kece’ (some). I have told you
about this once. When the authors say, “some”, that means
they don't like it or they think it is not up to the standard.
According to those teachers, the results may be different.
Unprompted can give unprompted results and prompted can
only give prompted results according to some teachers. There
is a chart (see CMA, V, Table 5.5, p.216) . There are first superior and
first inferior, second superior and second inferior, third superior
and third inferior and so on. First superior and first inferior are
unprompted. The second two are prompted and the next two
are unprompted. The following two are prompted and so on.

The first one, three-root superior consciousness, gives

results 1-8 of Kāmāvacara Sobhana Vipāka according to the
general view. But according to some, since it is unprompted, it
can only give unprompted results. Therefore, according to
them, it gives rise to 1, 3, 5, 7 of the Kāmāvacara Sobhana
resultants.

Then the first three-root inferior Kāmāvacara Sobhana

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Citta can only give two-root result. That is 3, 4, 7 & 8. It is

unprompted. But according to some, it just gives 3 & 7 as
results.

Then the second superior three-root Kusala Citta, since

it is superior and three-root, gives all eight Kāmāvacara
Sobhana Vipāka. Here 1-8 means both at rebirth and during
life. They are mixed together. But according to some, since it
is prompted, only those that are prompted are the results, so
they get 2, 4, 6 & 8 as the results.

Then the second inferior three-root Kusala Citta which

is preceded or followed by Cittas without wisdom can only give
two-root resultants. These are 3, 4, 7 & 8. According to some,
since it is prompted, only 4 and 8 could arise.

Then the third Citta — third Citta superior has only two
roots. According to the general view, it will have two-root
results 3, 4, 7 & 8. According to some, it is unprompted, so
the results will be 3 & 7.

Then the third Kāmāvacara Sobhana inferior Citta has

two roots, but it is not preceded or followed by two-root
Cittas. Therefore, that Citta gives rootless rebirth resultants.
There are no Kāmāvacara Sahetuka Vipāka, only rootless
Vipāka arise.

Then the fourth Citta — what is fourth Citta? It has two

roots. So it gives two-root results — 3, 4, 7 & 8. According to
some, since it is prompted, it gives 4 & 8 as results only.

Fourth inferior only gives rootless results. So there are

no Kāmāvacara Sobhana Vipāka Cittas.

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Then the fifth is superior, it has three roots — so the

results are 1-8 or according to some only unprompted — 1, 3,
5 & 7.

And the fifth inferior two-root Kāmāvacara Sobhana

Citta gives results as Sobhana Vipāka Cittas 3, 4, 7 & 8. Since
it is unprompted, it gives Sobhana Vipāka Cittas 3 & 7 as
results according to some.

The sixth superior three-root Kāmāvacara Kusala Citta

gives results as Sobhana Vipāka Cittas 1-8. Since it is
Sasaṅkhārika, prompted, Sobhana Vipāka Cittas 2, 4, 6 & 8
will be the results according to some teachers.

And the sixth Citta inferior gives two-root results as

Sobhana Vipāka Cittas 3, 4, 7 & 8. Since it is prompted, some
say the results are 4 & 8.

The seventh superior two-root Citta's results are 3, 4,

7, 8. It is unprompted, so 3 & 7 are the results according to
some teachers.

Seventh inferior has rootless results. There are no

Kāmāvacara Sobhana results.

Eighth superior gives two-root results, so they are

Sobhana Vipāka Cittas 3, 4, 7, 8. Since it is prompted,
according to some, the results are Sobhana Vipāka Cittas 4 &
8.

Eighth inferior because it is inferior it gives rootless

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results only. There are no Kāmāvacara Sobhana Vipāka Cittas.

Rootless resultants are for all. So it is a little

complicated.

The main thing to keep in mind is that according to

‘some’ only unprompted results arise from unprompted Kusala
and only prompted results arise from prompted Kusala.

Now there is one thing important to note about

Anāgāmīs. Please turn to page 218 of the CMA. Non-Returners
are reborn in the Pure Abodes. You all know that if a person
becomes an Anāgāmī, he will not come back to this
Kāmāvacara realm. He will be reborn in one of the five Pure
Abodes. It is said that the rebirth of Anāgāmīs into these five
realms is determined by each one's predominant spiritual
faculty. There are five spiritual faculties — Saddhā, Vīriya,
Sati, Samādhi and Paññā. If a person's Saddhā is
predominant, he will be reborn in the first Pure Abode. If his
Vīriya is predominant, he will be reborn in the second and so
on. Non-Returners in whom faith is the dominant faculty are
reborn into Aviha realm; those in whom energy is the
dominant faculty are reborn into the Atappā realm and so on.

“Although none but non-returners are reborn into the

Pure Abodes, …” (CMA, V, Guide to §31, p.218)
So only Anāgāmīs are born in Pure Abodes.

“… there is no fixed law holding that all non-returners

are reborn there.” (CMA, V, Guide to §31, p.218)
Only Non-Returners are reborn in Pure Abodes. Non-
Returners may be reborn in the other Brahma realms also, not
just in Pure Abodes. If a Non-Returner gets only first Jhāna,

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then he will be reborn in first Jhāna realm. Only when he gets

the fifth Jhāna will he be reborn in one of the five Pure
Abodes. When we say Non-Returners can be reborn in Pure
Abodes, we mean Non-Returners can be reborn in the Pure
Abodes, but Non-Returners can also be reborn in the other
Brahma realms. Non-Returners cannot be reborn in
Kāmāvacara realm because they have given up attachment or
desire for Kāmāvacara realm.

“It may be that the Pure Abodes are open only to non-
returners who possess the fifth jhāna, while non-returners
with a lower jhāna attainment will be reborn elsewhere in the
fine material plane.” (CMA, V, Guide to §31, p.218)
They will be reborn in first, second, third and fourth
Jhāna planes.

“All non-returners must be reborn in the fine-material

plane because they have eradicated sensual desire
(kāmarāga), the fetter which leads to rebirth in the sensuous
plane.” (CMA, V, Guide to §31, p.219)

There are three kinds of topmost realms. They are

called Vehapphala (great reward), Akaniṭṭha and Nevasaññā-
nāsaññāyatana (neither perception nor non-perception). Those
Noble Ones who are reborn in those three realms will not be
reborn in other realms. They will become Arahants there and
finish their Saṃsāra.

The Noble Ones who are reborn in the Brahma realms

will not be reborn in lower Brahma realms. They may go
higher and higher, but they will not go lower. We come to the
end of “Four Types of Kamma” or “Kamma-catukka”.

Kāmāvacara Kusala gives both identical and non-

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identical result. The identical results of Kāmāvacara Kusala are

the eight Kāmāvacara Sobhana Vipāka. Kāmāvacara Kusala
has both identical and non-identical results. But Rūpāvacara
and Arūpāvacara Kusala give only identical results. There are
no non-identical results for them.

The concluding verse:

“Thus sublime merit, determined according to planes,
produces similar results …” (CMA, V, §33, p.219)
That means identical results.

“… (both) at rebirth-linking and in the course of

existence.” (CMA, V, §33, p.219)
Whether it is at rebirth or during life time, they give
only similar results. But Kāmāvacara Kammas can give both
identical and non-identical results.

Sādhu! Sādhu! Sādhu!

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Process of Death & Rebirth — Part One

Today we will pick up where we left off last year. I think

we came to the end of the section on Kamma last year. So
today we will study the section called the “Process of Death
and Rebirth”.

Four Causes of Death

First the author mentions the four causes of death.
These four causes are:
1. The expiration of the life span;
2. The expiration of the productive Kammic force;
3. The simultaneous expiration of the life span and
the productive Kammic force;
4. The intervention of destructive Kamma.
These are the four causes of death. These four causes
of death are explained with the simile of an oil lamp. Imagine
or visualize an oil lamp burning. It will be burning so long as
there is a wick, there is oil, there is no gust of wind, or there is
no deliberate extinguishing by a person. When the wick is
used up, the flame will go out. If the oil is used up, the flame
will go out. When both are used up, the flame will go out.
Even though there is oil, there is wick, but when there is a
gust of wind or somebody extinguishes it, the flame will go
out. In the same way, the expiration of life span is like the
expiration of the wick. Expiration of the Kammic force is like
the expiration of the oil. The expiration of both the life span
and Kammic force is like the expiration of both. The last one —
the flame going out because of a gust of wind or somebody
extinguishes it — is like a destructive Kamma. So there are
these four kinds of death.

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Death Defined
Death in Buddhism is defined as the interruption of the
life faculties included in the limits of one existence or one
becoming. Jīvitindriya or life faculty is important. When it
expires, a person is said to die. When a person dies, both
mental faculties and physical faculties disappear. With the
cessation of the mental and physical faculties one is said to
die. Death is just the interruption or cutting off of that life
faculty.

Death through Expiration of Life Span

The first kind of death comes through the expiration of
life span. As you know, there are some realms which have
fixed life span — Cātummahārājikā, Tāvatiṃsa and so on. But
for human beings there is no fixed life span. The life span of
human beings is supposed to be about 100 years. If a person
dies when he reaches 100 years, although his Kammic force is
still unexhausted, he is said to die through expiration of life
span. His past Kamma may have potential to give him a longer
life. But since he was born at a time when humans only live for
100 years, and he dies at the age of 100 years, he is said to
die at the expiration of the life span. For celestial beings their
life span is longer than that for human beings. When they die
at the end of their life span, for example, Cātummahārājikā
beings, death is at the end of 500 celestial years. Dying at the
end of 500 celestial years would be dying through expiration of
life span for them.

Then in the CMA, there is a saying,

“If the productive kamma is still not exhausted when
death takes place through reaching the maximum age, the
kammic force can generate another rebirth on the same plane
or on some higher plane as in the case of the devas.” (CMA, V,
Guide to §34, p.220)

I don't know where he took this from. I have no way of

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saying whether it is right or wrong. Maybe he took it from the

Commentary of Leḍī Sayādaw. I don't have that book, so I
cannot say whether it is true or not. But according to my
understanding, a Kamma can only give one Paṭisandhi. One
Kamma can give only one Paṭisandhi. So although it is not
exhausted, I don't think it can give another Paṭisandhi result.

Death through Expiration of Kammic Force

The second one is the expiration of the productive
Kammic force. This is death before the end of a normal given
life span. For example, human beings are supposed to live for
about 100 years now. If a person dies before 100 years, he is
said to die due to the expiration of the productive Kammic
force. His Kamma in the past cannot help him to live up to 100
years. Therefore, he dies before he reaches 100 years. In that
case he is said to die because of the expiration of the
productive Kammic force. When a person dies through the
expiration of the productive Kammic force, his life span may
not be exhausted. And also there are other favorable
conditions for the prolongation of life. Although there are
these conditions and although life span is not exhausted, still
his Kammic force is exhausted. He dies before he reaches the
end of the life span. This is death through the expiration of the
Kammic force.

Death through Both

When both the Kammic productive force and the life
span simultaneously come to an end, there is death due to the
expiration of both. For example, a human being dies at the
age of 100 years, then he is said to die through expiration of
both his life span and Kammic force.

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Death through Destructive Kamma

The fourth kind of death is through a destructive
Kamma. A destructive Kamma can be a past Kamma done in
previous lives or something done in the present life.
Destructive Kamma intervenes when a person is killed by his
own attempt or by attempt of others or if he is killed by some
disease. Also in the case of some persons who commit a very
heinous offense against those who are very virtuous, then
their Kammic force cannot maintain their life, cannot prolong
their life up to the end of their life span or up until they reach
to their normal end. That kind of death is called death through
the intervention of a destructive Kamma. Death through the
intervention of a destructive Kamma can be caused by the
Kamma of the past. I think you still remember destructive
Kamma from when we studied the four kinds of Kamma. When
a person dies through a destructive Kamma, that destructive
Kamma can belong to the past or it can be in this life.

You know there is a story about a king who cut the

hands and feet of a hermit who was a Bodhisatta. The
Bodhisatta in that life was called Khantivādi because he
practised forbearance. He practised patience. The king was
displeased with him. The king wanted to test him — whether
he had real patience. He ordered the hermit's hands to be cut
off and then his legs to be cut off. Although they were cut off,
the hermit did not get angry. But this crime was so grave that
the king was swallowed by the earth. The king's offense of
cutting off the hermit's hands and legs was so bad that it
interfered or destroyed the force of his past Kamma. So that
force could not maintain his life any longer. Thus he was
swallowed by the earth and died. He was reborn in Avīci hell.
That sort of death is called death through destructive Kamma.
There are many kinds of death through destructive Kamma —
dying in an accident, committing suicide, and dying in natural
calamities as well.

So there are these four kinds of death taught in

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Buddhism. Among them the first three are called Kālamaraṇa,

timely death. That means a person dies when it is time for him
to die. But the last one is called Akālamaraṇa, untimely death.
There is still life span and there is still force of productive
Kamma, but it is cut off through a destructive Kamma. So it is
called Akālamaraṇa, an untimely death. His life is like the
flame of an oil lamp going out with a gust of wind. These are
the four kinds of death.

Now the author explains what signs come to the mind

of a person at the time of death.
“In the case of those who are about to die, at the time
of death one of the following presents itself, according to
circumstances, through any of the six (sense) doors by the
power of kamma:” (CMA, V, §35, p.221)
When a person is about to die, one of the three kinds of
objects presents itself to his mind through one of the six
sense-doors — through eye, through ear and so on. That
presentation of the object itself is caused by the force of
Kamma. The object appears to the mind of a dying person by
the force of Kamma he did in the past. That Kamma may be
Kusala Kamma or Akusala Kamma.

Three Kinds of Objects at Death

The three kinds of objects that appear at the time of
death are:
1. Kamma;
2. Sign of Kamma, Kamma-nimitta;
3. Sign of Destiny, Gati-nimitta.
Any one of these three will present itself to the mind of
a dying person. Kamma is the Kamma that is productive of
rebirth.

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Kamma
The Kamma here is productive Kamma that gives
Paṭisandhi result in the next existence.

Sign of Kamma
“a sign of kamma, that is, a form, etc., that had been
apprehended previously at the time of performing the kamma
…” (CMA, V, §35, p.221)
That means the main object at the time of performing
that Kamma and also —

“… or something that was instrumental in performing

the kamma;” (CMA, V, §35, p.221)
There are two kinds of signs of Kamma:
• the main and
• the secondary or instrumental.
Let us say, the sign of Kamma is donating a monastery.
The monastery is the main object and the furniture used at
the monastery, giving alms, the giving of robes and so on,
these are called instrumental in performing the Kamma. There
are two signs of Kamma. If it is erecting a pagoda, the pagoda
is the main object. The flowers and so on are the secondary
objects. It is similar for an Akusala act such as killing an
animal. The animal is the main object and the weapon used in
killing is called instrumental or a secondary object. In every
sign of Kamma there may be these two varieties — the main
object and the secondary.

In the text, “… that had been apprehended previously

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at the time of performing the Kamma …”, refers to the main

object. “… or something that was instrumental in performing
the Kamma;” refers to the secondary object.

Sign of Destiny
“A sign of destiny, that is, (a symbol of the state) to be
obtained and experienced in the immediately following
existence.” (CMA, V, §35, p.221)
A sign of destiny may come to the dying person's
consciousness. Immediately following existence is called
destiny here. The sign of destiny means the sign of that
immediately following existence.
There are again two varieties for sign of destiny:
• one to be obtained, and
• one to be experienced.
That means if a person is going to be reborn as a
human being, the sign of destiny to be obtained is the wall of
his mother's womb. The sign to be experienced is the
experience of his life as a human being. If he is going to be
reborn in a celestial state, then the celestial realm is the state
to be obtained and the celestial mansions, celestial nymphs,
trees and others are those that are experienced. If a person is
going to be reborn in hell, then hell is the state to be obtained
and hell fire and those who do torture to the inhabitants of hell
are called the signs to be experienced in that existence.
Here also the sign of destiny is of two kinds:
• the main, and
• the secondary.
The main sign is the existence or the realm where a
dying person is to be reborn. The secondary ones are those
things that you will experience in that life.

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One of these three kinds of objects will present itself to

the mind of a dying person.
“It should be stressed that this object presents itself to
the javana process of the dying person, not to the death
consciousness itself. The death consciousness (cuticitta), the
final citta in a life term, apprehends the same object grasped
by the rebirth consciousness and bhavaṅga of the existence
that is about to end.” (CMA, V, Guide to §35, p.221)
It is important because if we do not understand this,
we might say that the object of Paṭisandhi, Bhavaṅga and Cuti
is the same in all lives. The Kamma, sign of Kamma or sign of
destiny in one life will be the object of Paṭisandhi, Bhava ṅga
and Cuti in other lives as well — that is not correct. As you
know, in one life the object of Paṭisandhi, Bhavaṅga and Cuti
remains the same. When we look at the diagram (see CMA, V, Table
5.6, p.225), it will be clearer. The object is presented to the
8

Javana process, not the death-consciousness. In other words

these objects are taken as objects by the Javana process not
by Cuti Citta.

To the mind of a person who is dying any one of these

objects presents itself. When they appear to the mind of the
dying person, they may appear through any one of the six
sense-doors. They appear to the dying person through the
force of the Kamma done in the past. ‘In the past’ means
previously in this life or in other past lives.

Next paragraph — “Thereafter, attending to that very

object thus presented, the stream of consciousness — … —
continually flows, inclining mostly towards that state.” (CMA, V,
§36, p.221)

“Thereafter, attending to that very object thus

presented, …” (CMA, V, §36, p.221)
8 The object presented to the Javanas at this time will be a new or different Kamma, or
a new or different sign of Kamma, or a new or different sign of destiny.

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Just before Cuti, the Javanas in the death thought

process take that object as object, that is, Kamma, sign of
Kamma, or sign of destiny as object.

“… the stream of consciousness — … — continually

flows, …” (CMA, V, §36, p.221)
It goes on and on and on.

“… inclining mostly to that state.” (CMA, V, §36, p.221)

That means inclining mostly toward the state in which

he is going to be reborn in. It says “mostly” because when
people die suddenly, they may not have time to incline to the
state. So the word ‘mostly’ is inserted here.

If you kill a fly by hitting it, it may not have time to

incline toward the existence in which it is going to be reborn
in. There can be no pure continuity of consciousness or there
is corrupted continuity of consciousness at that time because it
is killed instantly. For those beings the inclining toward the
state to be reborn in and the mind to be pure or corrupted
cannot happen. So ‘mostly’ is put here.

“(That stream of consciousness is) in accordance with

the kamma that is to be matured, whether pure or corrupted.”
(CMA, V, §36, p.221)

So his stream of consciousness will be pure if the

Kusala Kamma is to give result. His stream of consciousness
will be corrupted if Akusala Kamma is to give result. According
to the Kamma which will give result, his stream of
consciousness is pure or corrupted.

“… and in conformity with the state into which one is to

be reborn …” (CMA, V, §36, p.221)

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When a person is going to be reborn in the human

realm, his mind is going to be inclined toward that realm. If he
is going to be reborn in a celestial realm, his mind will be
inclined toward the celestial realm. It is like your mind
inclining toward a place you are going to. You are preparing,
packing things up to go to some place. Your mind is inclined
toward that place. In the same way, since it is a being about
to die, his mind will incline towards his future destination.

“… attending to that (very) object thus presented, …”

(CMA, V, §36, p.221)

This is a general statement. For most people their mind

will take the object thus presented, that is, their mind will take
the object whether it is Kamma, sign of Kamma or sign of
destiny. But sometimes we can do something to change that
presentation of objects. I have repeatedly told you about a
man who had been a hunter. In his old age he became a
monk; his son who was an Arahant ordained him. When the
old man was lying on his death bed, he saw dogs running after
him or surrounding him. At that time he was frightened. He
said, “Get them away; get them away”, or something like that.
When the son heard this, he knew the signs of Niraya, the
signs of hell had arisen for his father. So he had his novices
bring flowers and put them on the terraces of the pagoda.
Then he had his father taken to the pagoda. He told his father
that these flowers are for you to offer to the Buddha. He told
him to offer the flowers to the Buddha and to get his mind
clear, to get his mind settled. So when the old monk offered
flowers to the Buddha, those signs changed. Instead of seeing
dogs running after him, he saw celestial nymphs. When he
saw celestial nymphs, he said to his son, “Go away, go away.”
The son asked, “Why?” He said, “Your mothers are coming.”
With that mind he died and he was reborn as a celestial being.
First the object presented was the sign of destiny for hell. His
son was an Arahant, so he knew what to do. He tried and
succeeded in changing that sign of destiny from a sign of hell
to a celestial sign. So “attending to that very object
presented” is a general statement. There are cases where one

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may attend to a sign produced by relatives or whoever is near

one at death.

“Or that rebirth-producing kamma presents itself to a

sense door in the way of renewing.” (CMA, V, §36, p.221)
Now there are two kinds of presentation of these
objects:
• The first kind of presentation of object has to do
with some kind of Kamma one did in the past.
• The second kind of presentation is that “rebirth-
productive Kamma presents itself to a sense
door in the way of renewing”.
The Kamma appears to him as though he were doing it
at that time. It becomes new again and he feels as though he
were doing that Kamma at that very moment. That Kamma
may have been done years ago or even lives ago. That Kamma
which is going to give Paṭisandhi results becomes so powerful
that in his mind he feels he is doing that Kamma again.

“… the kamma presenting itself does not appear as a

memory image of something that was previously done, but it
appears to the mind door as if it were being done at that very
moment.” (CMA, V, Guide to §36, p.222)
He feels as if he were doing that Kamma again at that
very moment. In that case it is a Kamma which he
experiences again at that time. Therefore, the presentation of
the object is of two kinds. The first is that he remembers his
Kamma or a sign of Kamma or a sign of destiny appears to
him. The second one is he feels as though he were doing that
Kamma at that moment.

Let us consider death and rebirth-linking process. Up to

this passage the person has not yet died. The person has not
yet reached the last thought process.

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“To one who is on the verge of death, either at the end

of a cognitive process (That means Vīthi Citta.) or at the
dissolution of the life-continuum, the death consciousness, the
consummation of the present life, arises and ceases in the way
of death.” (CMA, V, §37, p.222)
This is how death occurs.

“To one who is on the verge of death, …” (CMA, V, §37,

p.222)

It is one who is near his death.

“… either at the end of a cognitive process …” (CMA, V, §37,

p.222)

That means either at the end of Javana or

Tadārammaṇa, death-consciousness will arise.

“… or at the dissolution of life-continuum, …” (CMA, V, §37,

p.222)

That means after Bhavaṅga, death-consciousness will

arise. You can find out that there can be at least four kinds of
death thought processes. Actually there are many.
From this statement you can get four death thought
processes:
• The first one is at the end of Javana;
• The second is death at the end of
Tadārammaṇa;
• The third is death at the end of Javana and
Bhavaṅga;
• The fourth is death at the end of Tadārammaṇa
and Bhavaṅga.
There can be these four kinds of death thought
processes. There are many more. So death may arise after or

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at the end of the Javanas or after Tadārammaṇa or after

Bhavaṅga. Death-consciousness is the last consciousness in
that present life. It is the consummation of the present life; it
arises and ceases in the way of death — that means by way of
death. According to this teaching, ‘death’ means arising and
disappearance of the last consciousness in one life.

“Immediately after that (death consciousness) has

ceased, a rebirth-linking consciousness arises and is
established in the subsequent existence, …” (CMA, V, §37, p.222)
By these words “immediately after death” the author
wanted to prevent the opinion that there is an interim life
between two lives. It is called Antarābhava in Pāḷi. In
Theravāda Buddhism Antarābhava is not accepted. Here since
the author belongs to Theravāda Buddhism, he wants to
prevent that from being taken to be true. So immediately after
that death-consciousness, rebirth-consciousness arises. There
is no time gap between death in one life and rebirth in the
next life.

There may be practical experiences of a person being in

something like an interim life. According to Theravāda
Buddhism, that is just one life. That is not an interim period
between one life and another. That which is called an interim
period is one life. A person dies and then he may be reborn as
a ghost. He may be living as a ghost for seven days or
whatever. He dies then as a ghost and may be reborn as a
human being. Theravāda Buddhism regards that life as a ghost
as just one existence, one Bhava. It is not an interim period
between one life and another. But according to the other
schools of Buddhism, that period is said to be just an interim
period. They don't call it a life although the word ‘Bhava’ is
used. Antarābhava — ‘Antarā’ means in between so life in
between. By the words “immediately after death” the author
discarded the opinion that there is an interim period between
one life and another. According to the teachings of Theravāda
Abhidhamma, death is immediately followed by rebirth-

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consciousness. As soon as rebirth-consciousness arises, he is

in a new life. So rebirth-linking consciousness arises and is
established in the subsequent existence. As soon as the
rebirth-consciousness arises, he is already in a new life. It is
not that rebirth-consciousness arises before the new life and
then when the new life appears rebirth-consciousness has
reached its static stage or dissolution stage. So rebirth-
consciousness comes into being immediately after the
expiration of death-consciousness.

“(That rebirth consciousness) apprehending the object

thus obtained, …” (CMA, V, §37, p.222)
That means rebirth-consciousness takes the object
which was taken by the Javana thought moments before
death.

“… either supported by the heart-base …” (CMA, V, §37,

p.222)

That means if he is reborn in the Kāmāvacara or

Rūpāvacara, then his consciousness will have the heart-base.
If he is to be reborn in the Arūpāvacara realm, then his
rebirth-consciousness is baseless. It has no base. So the
rebirth-consciousness is supported by heart-base or is without
a base.

“… it is generated by a volitional formation that is

enveloped by latent ignorance and rooted in latent craving (as
is appropriate).” (CMA, V, §37, p.222)
I hope you have the picture of the diagram in your
mind or you can look up the diagram (see CMA, V, Table 5.6, p.225).
There is death-consciousness and there is rebirth-
consciousness. That rebirth-consciousness is generated by a
volitional formation. Volitional formation just means Kamma.
So it is generated by Kamma.

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“(It) is enveloped by latent ignorance and rooted in

latent craving.” (CMA, V, §37, p.222)
In the minds of beings, ignorance (Avijjā or Moha) and
craving (Taṇhā) are always latent. We do not have Taṇhā at
this moment, but it is latent in our minds. So when there is
something desirable, we may have Taṇhā for that thing. So
there are always ignorance and craving latent in our mind.

If the Kamma is a Kusala Kamma, how do you explain

ignorance and craving — “… enveloped by latent ignorance and
rooted in latent craving.”? Actually if it is Kusala Kamma,
although it is not associated with ignorance and craving, since
ignorance and craving are latent, it is said to be “enveloped by
latent ignorance and rooted in latent craving.” Here with
regard to Kusala Kamma their relationship is not association,
not Sampayutta, but decisive support, Upanissaya. By a kind
of condition called decisive support or Upanissaya, Kusala
Kamma is supported by ignorance and craving. That means
they do not arise at the same time, but because there are
ignorance and craving, there is Kusala Kamma.

We do Kusala because we have ignorance and we have

craving. If we do not have ignorance and craving, we do not
acquire Kusala like Arahants. Arahants have eradicated all
mental defilements including ignorance and craving. So
whatever they do just becomes just doing, just Kiriya. So they
don't acquire Kusala. But we have craving and ignorance latent
in our minds — so not really understanding the true nature of
things and being desirous of something, we do Kusala. For
example, we want to be reborn as a human being; we want to
be reborn as a celestial being. Therefore, we do Kusala. When
we do Kusala, that Kusala is supported by ignorance and
craving by way of decisive support. They do not arise together,
but because there are ignorance and craving there is Kusala. If
it is Akusala Kamma, we can get both kinds of support —
decisive support and support as association, association
condition. When you do an Akusala, then ignorance is there

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and craving may be there. That means it is Lobha-sahagata. If

it is Dosa-sahagata, ignorance is association (Sampayutta) as
well as decisive support (Upanissaya). Craving is then only
decisive support (Upanissaya) and not association
(Sampayutta) because Lobha does not arise with Dosamūla
Citta. So we have to take it as is appropriate. That means if it
is a Kusala Kamma, then craving and ignorance support it by
decisive support (Upanissaya). If it is Akusala Kamma, it is
conditioned both by way of decisive support (Upanissaya) and
by way of association (Sampayutta). The Kamma which is
“enveloped by latent ignorance and rooted in latent craving”
generates or produces the Paṭisandhi Citta. The Paṭisandhi
Citta is the product of Kamma of the past.

“That rebirth-linking consciousness, so called because it

links together the two consecutive existences, is conjoined
with its mental adjuncts, …” (CMA, V, §37, p.222)
This is nothing new. Consciousness is always
accompanied by Cetasikas. This consciousness is called
‘relinking consciousness’ because it links together two
consecutive existences, the old existence and the new
existence. It is called linking, Paṭisandhi. It is associated with
mental factors.

“… and acts as the forerunner to the conascent states

as their locus (or foundation).” (CMA, V, §37, p.222)
This is also not new. Mind or consciousness is the
forerunner of other mental states. Forerunner does not mean
that mind goes in front and that Cetasikas follow it. But it is
called a forerunner because it looks like a forerunner, because
it is chief. Cetasikas can only arise when Citta arises.
Consciousness is like a foundation, a place for Cetasikas to
arise.

Now in the notes,

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“The last cognitive process begins when the bhavaṅga

is interrupted, vibrates for one moment, and then is arrested.”
(CMA, V, Guide to §37, p.222)

He is describing the process.

“Thereafter follows either a sense-door process taking

as object some sense object presenting itself at one of the five
sense doors or a bare mind-door process taking as object
either some sense object or a mental object presenting itself
at the mind door. Within this terminal process the javana
phase, by reason of its weakness, runs for only five mind
moments rather than the usual seven.” (CMA, V, Guide to §37, p.222)
We will come to that later also.

“This process lacks original productive kammic potency,

but acts rather as the channel for the past kamma that has
assumed the rebirth-generative function.” (CMA, V, Guide to §37,
p.222)

This is important. You know the death thought process.

There are Javanas in the death thought process. The question
is which produces Paṭisandhi Citta — Cetanā in the death
thought process or Kamma in the past? Is it past Kamma or
Kamma at the moment of the five Javanas in the death
thought process? Here it is said, “This process lacks original
productive kammic potency, …” so actually we do not call the
Cetanā associated with the five Cittas in the death thought
process Kamma. They do not constitute productive Kamma
because they are too weak to be productive of Paṭisandhi.
They “lack the original productive kammic potency, but act
rather as the channel for the past kamma that has assumed
the rebirth-generative function.” So they are supportive
Kamma.

You know there are productive Kamma, supportive

Kamma and obstructive Kamma. The Kamma in the past is

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productive Kamma. The Kamma at the moment of the Javanas

in the death thought process is supportive Kamma. So they
act as a channel for past Kamma to give results as Paṭisandhi.

“Following the javana stage two registration cittas

(tadārammaṇa) may or may not follow. In some cases the
bhavaṅga may follow the last process cittas. Then as the very
last citta, the death consciousness arises performing the
function of passing away from the present life. With the
ceasing of the death consciousness, the life faculty is cut off.”
(CMA, V, Guide to §37, p.223)

With the cessation of death-consciousness, life faculty

is also cut off.

“Then the body remains a mass of inanimate material

phenomena born of temperature (Utu), and continues as such
until the corpse is reduced to dust.” (CMA, V, Guide to §37, p.223)
It is how death occurs.

“Immediately after that (death-consciousness) has

ceased: Following the dissolution moment of the death
consciousness, there arises in a new existence the rebirth-
linking consciousness apprehending the object thus obtained
in the final javana process of the previous life.” (CMA, V, Guide to
§37, p.223)

‘Apprehending’ just means taking, taking the same

object as was taken by the Javanas.

“This citta is supported by the heart-base in realms

which include matter, but is baseless in the immaterial realms.
It is generated by a volitional formation, i.e. the kamma of the
previous javana process (That means Kamma in the past.),
which in turn is grounded in the twin roots of the round of
existence, latent ignorance and latent craving.” (CMA, V, Guide to
§37, p.223)

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So that Kamma is enveloped in latent ignorance and

that Kamma is rooted in craving. We should understand that to
mean that ignorance and craving serve as the decisive support
and also as association support.

“The rebirth consciousness is conjoined with its mental

adjuncts, i.e. the cetasikas, which it serves as a forerunner not
in the sense that it precedes them, but in that it acts as their
locus (or foundation).” (CMA, V, Guide to §37, p.223)
There are two kinds of volitional formations here. Let
us call them:
• Kamma that is done in the past, and
• the other is Kamma done in the moments when
the five Javanas arise in the death thought
process.
The Kamma at the moment of the five Javanas as we
have learned does not give result or does not generate
Paṭisandhi consciousness. But it is said to throw it down on the
object. That means it makes the Paṭisandhi Citta take the
object of the five Javanas in the previous thought process. It
helps the Paṭisandhi Citta; it makes the Paṭisandhi Citta take
the object taken by the Javanas as object. It is not productive,
but it is supportive.

Let us go to the thought process — the next paragraph.

“In the death-proximate cognitive process, only five
feebly occurring javanas should be expected.” (CMA, V, §38, p.223)
There are only five Javanas in the death thought
process. Now here a person is very close to death, almost at
death. At that time his body or his material properties are
weak. His heart-base is weak. His mind is weak. So the
Javanas do not arise seven times as normal, but they arise
only for five times.

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“Therefore, when death takes place while present

objects are occurring …” (CMA, V, §38, p.223)
That means while present objects are existing.

“… and have entered the avenue of sense, then the

rebirth-linking and life-continuum (of the new existence) also
take a present object. In the case of a sense-sphere rebirth-
linking (Kāmāvacara Paṭisandhi), when the object is a sign of
kamma or a sign of destiny perceived at any of the six doors,
that object may be present or it may be past.” (CMA, V, §38, p.223)
So sign of Kamma may be present or may be past.
Sign of destiny may be present or it may be past.

“But kamma (as object) is only past, …” (CMA, V, §38, p.223)

That is because Kamma is past Kamma. It is really

past.

“… and it is perceived only at the mind door.” (CMA, V, §38,

p.223)

Now the sign of Kamma and the sign of destiny may be

of six kinds of objects so they may be presented through the
six doors. Kamma is past only and it is presented through
mind-door only.

“All these objects (of sense-sphere rebirth) are limited

phenomena only.” (CMA, V, §38, p.223)
That means they are Kāmāvacara only. Whether it is
Kamma, or it is sign of Kamma, or it is sign of destiny, it is
Kāmāvacara object only. I hope you remember the objects
divided up as Kāmāvacara objects, Mahaggata objects and
Lokuttara object. So Kāmāvacara Cittas and Cetasikas and
Rūpa are called Kāmāvacara objects. Nibbāna is called
Lokuttara object. The object of the Kāmāvacara Paṭisandhi is

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Kāmāvacara object.

Let us look at the chart (see CMA, V, Table 5.6, p.225) . This
thought process is just one of many death and rebirth-linking
thought processes. Do not take it to be the only death thought
process. It is for a man who dies in a Kāmāvacara realm and
who is reborn in a Kāmāvacara realm. In this example
Kamma-nimitta is taken as object. It could be Kamma or Gati-
nimitta, but here Kamma-nimitta is taken.

When death arises, there is a death thought process. It

begins with Bhavaṅga first because here the object is present
object. So there are past Bhavaṅga, vibrating Bhavaṅga,
arrested Bhavaṅga. After that there is Pañcadvārāvajjana,
which turns the mind toward the object. Next Cakkhuviññāṇa
sees the object. And then Sampaṭicchana, Santīraṇa and
Voṭṭhabbana (determining) arise. Then there are five Javanas.
After the fifth Javana, there is Cuti, death-consciousness.
That's the end of one life. Immediately after death, there
arises relinking or Paṭisandhi consciousness. After Paṭisandhi
consciousness there are sixteen moments of Bhavaṅga. And
after the Bhavaṅgas there is another thought process
beginning with Manodvārāvajjana, and then seven moments of
Javana and then Bhavaṅga again. This is the thought process
of death and rebirth or how death and rebirth occur.

The Paṭisandhi, Bhavaṅga and Cuti of one life are

identical. If the object of Paṭisandhi is Kamma, then the object
of Bhavaṅga throughout the life is Kamma; the object of Cuti
is also Kamma. If it is Kamma-nimitta, it is all Kamma-nimitta.
If it is Gati-nimitta, it is all Gati-nimitta.

Let us suppose in the death thought process beginning

with Pañcadvārāvajjana, the Vīthi Cittas take the present
visible form as object here. So Javanas also take present

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visible object as object. The five Javanas take the present

visible object as object. When the Paṭisandhi consciousness
arises in the new life, it takes the present visible object taken
by the Javanas in the death thought process of the
immediately preceding life. You know a present visible object
must last for 17 thought moments. We begin with Atīta
Bhavaṅga. We go from Atīta Bhavaṅga 17 thought moments
forward. The 17th thought moment falls in the second
Bhavaṅga of the new life. That means the present visible
object exists until the second Bhavaṅga. The person has gone
to the next life, but the object remains, the object still exists.
That Paṭisandhi of the second life takes the present visible
object which was taken by the Javanas. After the second
Bhavaṅga the present visible object disappears. The other
Bhavaṅgas take the object which has disappeared or the past
visible object. The object of the death thought process,
Paṭisandhi and two Bhavaṅgas in the new life is the same —
the present visible object. The object of the third Bhava ṅga
and other Bhavaṅgas in that particular life onward is the past
visible object. Since the visible object is the object of
Paṭisandhi in the second life, the Bhavaṅgas and Cuti in that
life will also take that visible object as object. The difference is
only present and past, but it is visible object.

What is Paṭisandhi, what constitutes Paṭisandhi?

Paṭisandhi means Paṭisandhi consciousness, mental factors and
for a human being thirty particles of matter. You will learn
about them in the sixth chapter. At the moment of Paṭisandhi
thirty particles of matter along with Paṭisandhi Citta and
Cetasikas arise. When we say somebody takes Paṭisandhi or
Paṭisandhi arises, we mean this — Paṭisandhi Citta, the
Cetasikas going along with it and the thirty particles of matter
which are produced by Kamma.

There are four causes of matter — you will learn them

in the sixth chapter — Kamma, consciousness, weather or
climate or temperature, and food. They are the four causes of

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Rūpa or matter.

At the moment of Paṭisandhi the material properties

that arise are the result of Kamma. What we call rebirth for
human beings is constituted of Citta, Cetasikas and Rūpa born
of Kamma.

The first thought process in the new life begins with

Manodvārāvajjana, seven Javanas and Bhavaṅga again. They
take the new life as object. The object of the first thought
process in the new life takes the new life, what we call
Paṭisandhi, as object. Then Bhavaṅga takes Kamma, Kamma-
nimitta or Gati-nimitta as usual.

So Kamma, Kamma-nimitta and Gati-nimitta in one life

are different from those in another life. Although the name of
the object is called Kamma, or Kamma-nimitta or Gati-nimitta,
they are different in their object, in their essence. For
example, the object in life number one, let us say, is Akusala
Kamma, but the object of Paṭisandhi in number two life can be
Kusala Kamma. Although they are Kamma, they are different.
The object of Paṭisandhi in number one life may be sign of
Kamma, but the object of Paṭisandhi in number two life may be
a different sign of Kamma or sign of destiny or Kamma.
Kamma, Kamma-nimitta or Gati-nimitta of one life are
different from Kamma, Kamma-nimitta or Gati-nimitta of
another life. There is always difference in Kamma, Kamma-
nimitta and Gati-nimitta in every life.

What is important to remember in this thought process

is that Paṭisandhi is not the result of Cuti. That we must
understand. Many people fall into this error. They say
Paṭisandhi is produced by Cuti. Actually Paṭisandhi is produced
by Kamma. Which Kamma? It is Kamma in the past, not even
Kamma at the five Javana moments. It is produced by past

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Kamma. Past Kamma means it may be in the long past or it

may be just the close past. That means it may be Kamma
acquired before this death thought process. Before this death
thought process there are other thought processes going on
and on like a stream of consciousness. At those times there is
Kamma. That Kamma is also in the past. Paṭisandhi is
produced by past Kamma; it is not produced by Cuti.

But we can say that Paṭisandhi Citta, Paṭisandhi

consciousness, is conditioned by Cuti. That condition is
proximity. It is called proximity condition — in other words
giving place to. If death-consciousness does not disappear,
Paṭisandhi cannot arise. Death-consciousness is a condition for
Paṭisandhi consciousness to arise. In that sense Cuti is a
condition for Paṭisandhi consciousness. It is not caused by but
just gives place to it as a condition.

In order for you to sit in this place I will vacate this

place. So I am a condition for you to be here. It is like that.
This should be firmly borne in mind because many people
make this error of saying Paṭisandhi is caused by Cuti Citta.
Cuti Citta is a Vipāka Citta. As a Vipāka Citta, it cannot give
result. It is a result of other Kamma and so it does not have
the power to give results. But it can be called a condition
according to Paṭṭhāna because it arises and disappears before
the Paṭisandhi Citta arises. So there can be no identical
Kamma, Kamma-nimitta or Gati-nimitta for all existences, for
all lives. The Kamma, Kamma-nimitta or Gati-nimitta of one
life is different from Kamma, Kamma-nimitta or Gati-nimitta of
all other lives.

I want you to turn to page 224 of the CMA.

“In the case of a sense-sphere rebirth-linking, etc.: If
the object of the rebirth consciousness is a kamma, then it is
necessarily past and must be a mental object apprehended at
the mind door.” (CMA, V, Guide to §38, p.224)

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It is presented through the mind-door.

“If the object is a sign of kamma, then it can be

apprehended at any of the six doors and may be either past or
present.” (CMA, V, Guide to §38, p.224)
Until this it is OK.

“In the case of the sign of destiny as object (Gati-

nimitta), different teachers advance conflicting interpretations.
Some commentators, including the author of the Vibhāvinī-
Ṭīkā, hold that the sign of destiny is necessarily a present
visible form (visible object) apprehended at the mind door.”
(CMA, V, Guide to §38, p.224)

So according to that Ṭīkā, the sign of destiny is a

present visible object. It is taken through mind-door, not
through eye-door. You do not see the sign with your eyes. You
see the sign with your mind.

“They interpret Ācariya Anuruddha's statement in the

text (That is the Manual.), as meaning: ‘When the object is a
sign of kamma, it may be perceived at any of the six doors
and may be present or past; when it is a sign of destiny it is
perceived at the sixth door, i.e. the mind door, and is present.’
” (CMA, V, Guide to §38, p.224)
In the original Pāḷi ‘Chadvāragahitaṃ’ is used. This word
means literally apprehended by or taken by six doors. But it
can be interpreted to mean by the sixth door also. So the
Vibhāvinī-Ṭīkā takes it to mean by the sixth door. According to
the Vibhāvinī-Ṭīkā, the Gati-nimitta is always present visible
object presented through mind-door.

“Other commentators, including Leḍī Sayādaw, reject

this interpretation as forced and too narrow. They argue that
Ācariya Anuruddha must be taken at his word as holding the

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wider view that the sign of destiny can be past or present and
may appear at any of the six doors.” (CMA, V, Guide to §38, p.224)
So according to these teachers, Gati-nimitta is the
same as Kamma-nimitta. It can be six kinds of objects. It can
come through six sense-doors.

“Leḍī Sayādaw asserts that when the Abhidhamma

texts commonly speak of the sign of destiny as a present
visible object appearing at the mind door, this is said by way
of its usual manifestation, but does not mean that it does not
become manifest in other ways, for example, as the groans of
those in hell or as celestial music or fragrance, etc.” (CMA, V, Guide
to §38, p.224)

Gati-nimitta may not be visible object only, but it may

be audible object or smell and so on.

There is a story of Dhammika Upāsaka in the

Dhammapada. When he was about to die, the sign of destiny
appeared to him. That sign of destiny was the chariots from
the six Deva Lokas. They each asked him to get into their
respective chariots saying, “Please step into our chariot so we
may take you to our realm.” He saw those signs. He also heard
because the Devas were asking him to step into their chariots.
There Gati-nimitta is not just visible object, but there it is also
audible object. He may have also smelled celestial flowers. I
don't know about that. So the other Commentators including
Leḍī Sayādaw take it that Gati-nimitta may be presented
through any of the six sense-doors.

In Abhidhamma or in the teachings of the Buddha there

is no transferring of anything from one life to the other life.
Now the Paṭisandhi Citta arises and it arises as a result of
Kamma in the past. It is not something carried over to the
next life. That is what Abhidhamma teaches. So there are
similes to explain this — the simile of an echo, the simile of a
lamp, the simile of a seal. That means Paṭisandhi Citta arises

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not without a cause. Paṭisandhi Citta is not the cause; it is the

result of the cause. When you shout into a cave, then the echo
comes back. The echo is not your voice, but without your voice
there can be no echo. In the same way, Paṭisandhi does not
belong to the past lives, but it comes into being because of
something in the past.

It is like an oil lamp. You light your lamp from another

oil lamp. Your flame is not the same as the other one. That
flame does not come into being, however, without the flame of
the old lamp.

There is also the simile of the seal. When you put the
seal on the paper, the impression of the seal is there. That
impression transfers to the paper. Without that seal there can
be no impression. So in the same way, what arises in the new
life is not totally disconnected from something in the past life.
Not anything of the past lives is carried over to the next life.
That is how we explain this. Whatever arises at the moment of
Paṭisandhi according to this teaching is the result of Kamma in
the past — not something taken over to a new life. But there
is a kind of continuity going on. So in conventional terms we
say a person is reborn. For example, we say a Bodhisatta is
reborn as a king. The Bodhisatta may be reborn as a human
being, as a Deva or as an animal. Nothing in the past life is
taken over to the next life. Something in the past life causes
something to arise in the new life. Since it is the result of the
cause, it may possess some of the qualities of the cause — not
that the qualities are taken over to or transferred to the next
life. They are themselves the results.

It is like when you grow a mango tree, you get mango

fruit. In the same way, the result in the next life is similar to
the causes in the past lives. This is how we should understand
this life and the next life.

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Sādhu! Sādhu! Sādhu!

You may have questions.

Student: [Inaudible].

Sayādaw: As I said before, the qualities of the cause are

produced in the effect. It is not that the qualities
are transferred. Something produced by a mango
seed and something produced by a plum seed are
different. Something produced by mango seed is
mango fruit. Something produced by plum seed is
plum fruit and so on. We say we accumulate
Pāramīs9. The Pāramīs do not move to another life.
The Pāramīs are Kamma actually. As a result of
that Kamma, there arises result in the future. That
result possesses the result of the past Kamma. So
it is like the potential is carried over, but it is not
carried over actually. One cause produces an
effect. Another cause produces another effect and
so on.

Student: During your lecture tonight you were referring to

latent craving and latent ignorance. I can
understand how craving can be latent, but please
explain how ignorance can be latent.
Sayādaw: Ignorance means not just the absence of
knowledge. It means also understanding wrongly.
It has the characteristic of covering up the true
nature. Because this covering up of the true nature
is with us, we fail to see the true nature of things.
And so it is said to be with us always. It is like an
underlying phenomenon.

9 The ten Pāramīs (perfections) are Dāna (generosity), Sīla (morality), Nekkhamma
(renunciation), Paññā (wisdom), Viriya (effort), Khanti (patience), Sacca (truth),
Adiṭṭhāna (determination), Mettā (loving-kindness), Upekkhā (equanimity).

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Process of Death & Rebirth — Part Two

We will go back to page 223, §38 of the CMA. It is

about the death-relinking process. In the death-relinking
process, the Javanas only occur five times because they are
weak at this moment.
“When death takes place while present objects are
occurring and have entered the avenue of sense, then the
rebirth-linking and life-continuum (of the new existence) also
take a present object.” (CMA, V, §38, p.223)
The object taken by the last process, the death thought
process can be present or past: This diagram (see CMA, V, Table 5.6,
p.225) shows the object that is present. This diagram is just one
of the many death-relinking thought processes that is
possible. This diagram is the present visible object as Kamma-
nimitta. Since it is present visible object, it lasts for 17
thought moments. But if we count from its arising, there are
only 14 moments. There are only 14 thought moments in life
number one. We may call it the present life. Then after death
or Cuti in that life, there arises relinking. In this thought
process Pañcadvārāvajjana and Javanas take this object, this
present object as object. But Cuti takes the object taken by
the Paṭisandhi and Bhavaṅgas in this life. That means Cuti
takes the same object as Paṭisandhi and Bhavaṅga take in this
life — Kamma, Kamma-nimitta and Gati-nimitta. But the
Paṭisandhi in the next life immediately takes the present object
because it is still present — the present object as object. Not
only Paṭisandhi but the two Bhavaṅga moments also take the
present object as object because the present visible object
lasts until the second Bhavaṅga. When death takes place, the
present object, which has entered the avenue of the senses, is
still existing. So in this case the present visible object is taken
by Paṭisandhi and the two Bhavaṅgas that follow as present
visible object.

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After the second Bhavaṅga the present object

disappears. The third Bhavaṅga takes this object, but not as
present object. It is a past object, the visible object which is
past. Beginning with Bhavaṅga 3 through Bhavaṅga 16 the
object taken is the visible object which is now past.

Therefore, the object of sense-sphere relinking 10 is a

sign of destiny or a sign of Kamma which may be present or
past and which is taken through one of the six doors.

After the 16th Bhavaṅga, there is a thought process

beginning with Manodvārāvajjana and then Javanas. These
Javanas are called Bhavanikanti — that means attachment to
existence. These Javanas are Lobhamūla Cittas. There are
seven moments of Javana and then Bhavaṅga again. In this
next life the Paṭisandhi takes the present visible object as
object. The Bhavaṅgas, after the present visible object
disappears, take the past visible object as object. And Cuti
also takes past visible object as object. We can say that the
object of Paṭisandhi, Bhavaṅga and Cuti is the same. The only
difference is that for three moments the object is present and
for the others it is past.

While Kamma-nimitta and Gati-nimitta can be

presented through any of the six doors and they can be
present or past, Kamma is always past and it is presented only
through the mind-door. That is the difference. Kamma is past
and it is presented through mind-door. Kamma-nimitta and
Gati-nimitta are of the six kinds of objects taken through six
sense-doors, and they can be present or past.

So the Paṭisandhi, Bhavaṅga and Cuti of life number

one take the same Kamma, Kamma-nimitta or Gati-nimitta as
10 That means the object of Kāmāvacara Paṭisandhi.

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object. Paṭisandhi in the next life, in the example, takes the

present visible object as object. The two Bhavaṅga also take
present visible object. Beginning with the third Bhavaṅga and
all Bhavaṅga thereafter in life number two, and including Cuti
as well, all these Cittas take the past visible object as object.
Therefore, the object of Cuti in one life is not the same as the
object of Paṭisandhi in next life.

Then Manodvārāvajjana and the seven Javanas take

the Paṭisandhi as object. Paṭisandhi here means not only
Paṭisandhi Citta but also Cetasikas that accompany it and Rūpa
born of Kamma. In the sixth chapter you will study material
properties. There are some material properties that are born
of, or that are produced by Kamma and those that are born of
Citta, and others that are born of temperature, and those that
are born of Āhāra or food. At the moment of conception as a
human being, let us say, there arise the Paṭisandhi Citta which
is a Vipāka Citta (Kāmāvacara Sahetuka Vipāka or Upekkhā
Santīraṇa), and then Cetasikas going along with it, and then
thirty particles of matter. There are thirty kinds of material
properties arising. So here by Paṭisandhi we mean Paṭisandhi
Citta, Cetasikas accompanying it, and Rūpa born of Kamma.
There are thirty kinds of material properties for human beings
and for others born out of the womb of a mother. So in the
new life the first Javana process takes the Paṭisandhi as object.
These Javanas are always Lobhamūla Cittas.

On the next page (I read it last time also.) with regard

to the sign of destiny there is a difference of opinion amongst
teachers. It is said in the CMA:
“In the case of the sign of destiny as object, different
teachers advance conflicting interpretations. Some
commentators, including the author of the Vibhāvinī-Ṭīkā11,
hold that the sign of destiny is necessarily a present visible
form apprehended at the mind door.” (CMA, V, Guide to §38, p.224)

11 That is the usual Ṭīkā on the Abhidhammatthasaṅgaha.

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That Vibhāvinī-Ṭīkā takes the sign of destiny to be only

Rūpa, only visible object. It is presented or it is taken, only
through mind-door.

“They interpret Ācariya Anuruddha's statement in the

text as meaning: ‘When the object is a sign of kamma it may
be perceived at any of the six doors and may be present or
past; when it is a sign of destiny it is perceived at the sixth
door, i.e. the mind door, and is present.’ ” (CMA, V, Guide to §38,
p.224)

The reading as we find it can mean anything, not

necessarily as interpretted by the Vibhāvinī-Ṭīkā. So we can
have another interpretation of it. The other teachers do not
accept that interpretation.

“Other commentators, including Leḍī Sayādaw, reject

this interpretation as forced and too narrow. They argue that
Ācariya Anuruddha must be taken at his word as holding the
wider view that the sign of destiny can be past or present and
may appear at any of the six doors.” (CMA, V, Guide to §38, p.224)
This is the view taken by Leḍī Sayādaw and other
ancient Commentators as well.

“Leḍī Sayādaw asserts that when the Abhidhamma

texts commonly speak of the sign of destiny as a present
visible object appearing at the mind door, this is said by way
of its usual manifestation …” (CMA, V, Guide to §38, p.224)
What Sayādaw meant is that it must be taken as a
general statement.

“… but does not mean that it does not become manifest

in other ways, …” (CMA, V, Guide to §38, p.224)
That means not only Rūpa (visible object).

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“… for example, as the groans of those in hell …” (CMA, V,

Guide to §38, p.224)

That means sound.

“… or as celestial music or fragrance, etc.” (CMA, V, Guide to

§38, p.224)

They can also be signs of destiny according to Leḍī

Sayādaw.

In the story of the father of Sona which I told you last

time, first he saw the flowers. That is Kamma-nimitta. Then
later on he saw the celestial nymphs. And he may have
experienced the fragrance of the celestial flowers. And also in
the story of Dhammika Upāsaka the sign of destiny appeared
to him in the form of celestial beings coming to him in celestial
chariots. And then they asked him to step into their respective
chariots. So according to Leḍī Sayādaw, the sign of destiny can
be of any kind and taken through any of the six sense-doors.

This is the Kāmāvacara death and the Kāmāvacara

Paṭisandhi. Next is Rūpāvacara Paṭisandhi or Rūpāvacara
rebirth-consciousness.
“In the case of rebirth-linking in the fine-material
sphere, the object is a concept and is always a sign of
kamma.” (CMA, V, §39, p.224)
When a person practises meditation to get Jhāna, he
takes the Kasiṇa object, the corpses, or beings and so on as
an object of meditation. When he takes any one of these
objects as object, it later becomes what is called counterpart
sign. Counterpart sign means the exact replica of what the
meditator is contemplating on. In the case of the earth Kasiṇa,
for example, at first it is the real earth Kasiṇa. He
contemplates on it as “earth, earth, earth” again, again and

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again. Then after some time he is able to memorize the

image. So he could see the image in his mind's eye without
looking at the disk. Then he dwells upon that sign again, again
and again until that sign becomes free from blemishes, shining
like the disk of the moon and so on. At that time it becomes a
Paññatti. First it is an earth Kasiṇa; so when he says, “earth,
earth” it is a Paramattha (ultimate reality). Later on it
becomes an image. Then it is Paññatti. Dwelling on that
Paññatti, taking that Paññatti as object, Jhāna arises. His
Jhāna takes that Paññatti, that concept as object. At the time
of death, that Paññatti is taken as the object of that death-
relinking process. In the case of rebirth-linking in the fine-
material sphere, the object is a concept. As a result of Jhāna
attained in this life, the object of that Jhāna appears to him at
death. Immediately after death, as a result of that Jhāna, he is
reborn in the Rūpāvacara realm. His relinking consciousness is
Rūpāvacara Vipāka. Since Rūpāvacara Kusala and Rūpāvacara
Vipāka take the same object, the object of Rūpāvacara Vipāka
which is Paṭisandhi there is also the concept. So in the case of
rebirth-linking in fine-material sphere (Rūpāvacara), the object
is a concept. It is always a sign of Kamma. That object is
called a sign of Kamma, not sign of destiny and not Kamma
itself.

“So too, in the case of rebirth-linking in the immaterial

sphere, the object — which may be a sublime state or a
concept, which ever is appropriate — is always a sign of
kamma.” (CMA, V, §39, p.224)
The object of Arūpāvacara Paṭisandhi is also a sign of
Kamma. But here the sign of Kamma may be ultimate reality
or a concept. You know that the object of first Arūpāvacara
Kusala is the concept of infinite space. The third Arūpāvacara
Kusala object is the nothingness of the first Arūpāvacara
Kusala. When Arūpāvacara Vipāka arises as a result of
Arūpāvacara Kusala, it takes the same object. The object of
the first Arūpāvacara Paṭisandhi is the concept of infinite
space. The object of the third Arūpāvacara Paṭisandhi is the
concept of the nothingness of the first Arūpāvacara Citta. In

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the case of the first and the third Arūpāvacara Paṭisandhis the
object is concept.

But the object of the second Arūpāvacara Kusala is the

first Arūpāvacara Citta. The object of the fourth Arūpāvacara
Kusala is the third Arūpāvacara Kusala Citta. In that case the
object of Arūpāvacara is Mahaggata because Rūpāvacara and
Arūpāvacara Cittas are called Mahaggata Cittas. So in the case
of second and fourth Arūpāvacara Paṭisandhi the object is
Paramattha, the object is ultimate reality which is called here
Mahaggata. The object of Arūpāvacara Paṭisandhi in general is
a Sublime state (Mahaggata) whether it is ultimate reality or
a concept, as the case may be. It is always a sign of Kamma
or Kamma-nimitta. The object of Rūpāvacara and Arūpāvacara
Paṭisandhi is always Kamma-nimitta, sign of Kamma. The
object of Arūpāvacara Paṭisandhi is some concept or some
Paramattha (some ultimate reality) or here some Mahaggata
object.

Now mindless beings — “In the case of non-percipient

beings (in the case of mindless beings), only the vital nonad
becomes established in the way of rebirth-linking.” (CMA, V, §39,
p.226)

That means only that group of Rūpa becomes

Paṭisandhi. For them, Paṭisandhi has no Citta. For mindless
beings Paṭisandhi means just the nine material properties.
They are called ‘materially reborn’ or ‘beings that have matter
as Paṭisandhi’. No Cittas or Cetasikas arise for these beings.
They are reborn there like statues. The difference between a
statue and these beings is that they have this Jīvita-rūpa
(material life faculty) while the ordinary statues have no life
faculty.

“Those in the immaterial planes are called mentally

reborn.” (CMA, V, §39, p.226)
That is those in Arūpāvacara who have Arūpa as

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Paṭisandhi or who have non-matter as Paṭisandhi.

“The rest are called materially and mentally reborn.”

(CMA, V, §39, p.226)

The rest, such as human beings and Devas, are called

mentally and materially reborn. They are those who have
Rūpa as well as Arūpa at Paṭisandhi. There are beings whose
Paṭisandhis just consist of Nāma. There are beings whose
Paṭisandhis just consist of Rūpa. There are others who have
Paṭisandhis which consists of both Nāma and Rūpa.

We come to what rebirth follows what Cuti — where

beings can be reborn after death from certain realms or
existences. The information given in the Manual itself (I mean
the original Pāḷi manuscript.) is general information. It is not
detailed.

We have made a detailed chart (see CMA, V, Table 5.7, p.230).

First let us understand this general statement. The translation
of the first verse is not quite good, but I think it is all right.

“When one passes away from an immaterial realm, one

may be reborn in superior immaterial realms but not in lower
immaterial realms, …” (CMA, V, §40, p.226)
So here what I want to ask is: What about the same
realm? It doesn't say anything about the same realm. But in
the guide (see CMA, V, Guide to §40, p.227) , in the explanation on the
next page it is correct. And also here one word is
misunderstood. The Pāḷi word ‘Paraṃ’ does not mean
‘superior’. It means after — so after the Arūpāvacara Cuti, it is
like that. After the Arūpāvacara Cuti there are Arūpāvacara
Paṭisandhis, except for the lower Arūpāvacara Paṭisandhis. That
means those born in Arūpāvacara realms are not reborn in
lower Brahma worlds. They may be reborn in same realm or
also in a higher realm. That is for those who die from

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Arūpāvacara realms. Why? Because when they get

Arūpāvacara Jhānas, the lower Jhānas disappear. Since the
lower Jhānas disappear, they don't get the lower Jhānas once
they get to the Arūpāvacara realm. They cannot practise lower
Jhānas there. Since they do not get lower Jhānas there, they
are not reborn in lower Brahma worlds. If they are reborn,
they are born in the same realm or in the upper realms.

And also not only that, they can be reborn in the

Kāmāvacara plane with Tihetuka Paṭisandhi. After death in
Arūpāvacara what Paṭisandhi can follow? We will come to that
later when we read the chart (see CMA, V, Table 5.7, p.230). So there
are four Arūpāvacara Paṭisandhis and then four Kāmāvacara
Paṭisandhis accompanied by three roots.

Why are they not reborn in Rūpāvacara? It may be

difficult to understand. It means that they lost Jhānas there.
As a result of the Jhāna they got as human beings or as
Devas, they are reborn in Arūpāvacara realm. In the
Arūpāvacara realm they lost their Jhānas. Since they lost their
Jhānas, they could not be reborn in the Brahma realms. They
cannot be reborn in any Brahma realm as they have lost
Jhāna. So they come back to Kāmāvacara realm. When they
come back to Kāmāvacara realm, their rebirth is one of the
three-root Kāmāvacara rebirths, one of the Tihetuka Cittas.
Why are they not reborn as Dvihetuka, one who has two
roots? In the explanation it is said if they fall away from their
Jhāna attainment — that means if they lose Jhāna there —
they are reborn in the sensuous plane by the power of their
access concentration. This access concentration is not in the
Arūpāvacara realm. Access concentration here does not mean
in the Arūpāvacara realm because if there is access
concentration there, then there is always Jhāna. But they lose
Jhāna there. They fall away from Jhāna there. The access
concentration mentioned here belongs to a previous life. So
when they get Jhāna, as a human being, let us say, in the
process of Jhāna they have Parikamma, Upacāra, Anuloma and

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Gotrabhū. They are called access concentration. Before that

also what they get is also called access concentration. As a
result of those moments of access concentration or as a result
of Kamma, they are reborn in the Kāmāvacara realm with
three roots as Paṭisandhi, not two roots. This is because the
access concentration which they achieved in previous lives was
strong. Access concentration is very strong. Before they were
reborn as Arūpāvacara beings, they practised meditation and
got access concentration. After they die as Arūpāvacara
beings, by the power of access concentration achieved in the
lives that preceded their rebirth in Arūpāvacara realm, they
are reborn with three roots, not two roots, nor without roots.
One from the Arūpāvacara realm may be also reborn in the
sensuous plane with three-root rebirth-consciousness.

“When one passes away from the fine-material sphere

(from the Rūpāvacara realm), one is not reborn without roots.”
(CMA, V, §40, p.226)

A Brahma cannot be reborn as a human being or as a

Deva with two roots. Also a Brahma cannot be reborn with no
roots. So a Brahma cannot be directly reborn as an animal.

There is a story in the Dhammapada where when the

Buddha saw a pig He smiled. Ānanda asked why He smiled.
The Buddha said, “That was once a Brahma.” That does not
mean she was reborn directly as a pig from Brahma world, but
indirectly she had come from that world. That means maybe
first she was reborn as a human being and then later reborn
as a pig. So a Brahma may not be reborn directly from
Arūpāvacara or Rūpāvacara realms into human world as a two-
root or rootless being. And a Brahma cannot be directly reborn
in the four woeful states.

“When one passes away from the fine-material sphere,

one is not reborn without roots. After passing away from a
three-rooted existence in the sensuous plane, …” (CMA, V, §40,

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p.226)

That is Kāmāvacara.

So, that means after Kāmāvacara Cuti with three roots,

“… one may be reborn anywhere.” (CMA, V, §40, p.226)

That is the power of human beings. A human being can

be reborn in the fourth Arūpāvacara plane, the highest plane
or in the lowest hell, that is, Avīci. A human being with three-
root rebirth-consciousness can be reborn anywhere in the 31
planes of existence. He can go up to the top of the planes or
he can go down to the bottom of the planes.

“After passing away from a three-rooted existence in

the sensuous plane, one may be reborn anywhere.” (CMA, V, §40,
p.226)

“The rest (i.e. those who pass away with two roots and
no roots) are reborn only in the sense-sphere realms.” (CMA, V,
§40, p.226)

Who are those who pass away with two roots? They are
some human beings and some Devas. Who are those that pass
away with no roots? Those who pass away from the four
woeful states have no roots. They are reborn only in sense-
sphere realms. They are reborn only in Kāmāvacara worlds.
They can be reborn with Paṭisandhi of either two or three roots
in Kāmāvacara realms only.

So this is a brief statement. It doesn't mention the

difference of Paṭisandhis for those who are Puthujjanas and for
those who are Ariyas or who are enlightened. We have to find
out the potential rebirths for Puthujjanas and for those who
have gained enlightenment.

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“In the case of noble disciples there can be no

regression from a superior type of death consciousness to an
inferior type of rebirth consciousness.” (CMA, V, Guide §40, p.227)
For Noble Disciples there can be no going down.

“… there can be no regression from a superior type of

death consciousness to an inferior type of rebirth
consciousness.” (CMA, V, Guide to §40, p.227)
So when they are reborn, their rebirth-consciousness
will be three-root Paṭisandhi.

“All noble disciples pass away with a three-rooted

death consciousness, since without three roots it is impossible
to have attained the path and fruit.” (CMA, V, Guide to §40, p.227)
All those Noble Persons or all those who have gained
enlightenment die with three-root death-consciousness.

“Noble disciples still in training …” (CMA, V, Guide to §40, p.227)

That means Sotāpannas, Sakadāgāmīs and Anāgāmīs.

“… re-arise either in the same plane or in a superior

plane;” (CMA, V, Guide to §40, p.227)
What do you think of that? Can you agree with that?
Yes? What about Sakadāgāmīs? A Sakadāgāmī dies here and
then is reborn as a Deva and then he comes back to Manussa
Loka, I mean he comes back as a human being. That is why
he is called a Sakadāgāmī, a Once-returner. But if you take
rebirth as a human being and rebirth as a Deva as the same, it
may be OK. Actually this sentence applies to Brahmas only.
Enlightened Brahmas are not reborn in a lower plane.

We must be careful. When it says plane, it is one thing.

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When it says rebirth-consciousness, it is another. They acquire

the same kind of rebirth-consciousness or a superior one. This
is for Noble Disciples. They acquire either the same type of
rebirth-consciousness or a superior one.

“Of course, those who have reached the path and fruit
of Arahantship do not take rebirth in any plane after death.”
(CMA, V, Guide to §40, p.227)

There is a saying in the Commentaries and in other

treatises that in the scheme of 31 planes of existence there
are three planes that are called Seṭṭha Bhāva — excellent
planes. There are three excellent planes among the 31 planes
of existence. They are Vehapphala, Akaniṭṭha and Nevasaññā-
nāsaññāyatana. These three are called excellent realms or
excellent planes. It is said that a Noble Person born there will
not be reborn in another plane. For example, a Noble Person
who is reborn in Vehapphala will not be reborn in another
plane. If he is going to be reborn, he will be reborn in that
same plane. He will definitely become an Arahant and attain
Parinibbāna. Also a Noble Disciple, who is reborn in the
topmost realm, will not be reborn. So they are called three
excellent planes or three excellent existences.

In the five abodes of pure beings, the Suddhāvāsa,

Anāgāmīs will not be reborn again in their respective realms.
They will be reborn in higher planes.

There is one thing mentioned in the Sammohavinodanī

and that is that Sotāpannas and Sakadāgāmīs, when they are
reborn in Rūpāvacara plane, will not come back here to the
Kāmāvacara plane. They will attain Parinibbāna there in the
Rūpāvacara plane. So although Sotāpannas have seven
rebirths and Sakadāgāmīs, let us say, have one or two
rebirths, if they are reborn in the Rūpāvacara plane, they will
not come back here. A Sotāpanna, who is reborn in
Rūpāvacara, maybe he will go up, up, and up. He will not

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come down to Kāmāvacara plane. They are termed Jhāna

Anāgāmīs. They do not come back here by the power of
Jhāna. They are not real, true Anāgāmīs, but they are called
Jhāna Anāgāmīs.

Now let us go to the chart (see CMA, V, Table 5.7, p.230). It is

very detailed. The charts show Cutis and which Paṭisandhis
may follow them. The first few pages are for Puthujjanas,
worldlings. A Puthujjana who dies from the fourth Arūpāvacara
may be reborn in the fourth Arūpāvacara plane itself and also
he may be reborn in human world and six Deva worlds. So a
person who dies from fourth Arūpāvacara plane cannot be
reborn as a Rūpāvacara Brahma. He will be reborn in fourth
Arūpāvacara plane or if he loses Jhāna, then he will be reborn
in the Kāmāvacara plane, Kāma-sugati, human beings through
Paranimmitavasavattī, number 5-11 (human and Deva
realms). The chart shows ‘present Bhūmi’ — that means in this
life, and Paṭisandhi Citta is in the new life or next life.

Now third Arūpāvacara — a person who dies from third

Arūpāvacara plane dies with a third Arūpāvacara Cuti Citta. He
can be reborn in third and fourth Arūpāvacara realms. Also if
he loses Jhāna, he can be reborn in the Kāma-sugati, 5-11
(human and Deva realms). The Paṭisandhi Citta will be third
Arūpāvacara Vipāka, fourth Arūpāvacara Vipāka or
Kāmāvacara Vipāka accompanied by three roots.

A person dying from second Arūpāvacara realm dies

with second Arūpāvacara Vipāka as Cuti Citta. He can be
reborn with the second, third and fourth Arūpāvacara Vipāka
as Paṭisandhi Citta or he may be reborn in Kāmāvacara Sugati
with three-root Kāmāvacara Vipāka as Paṭisandhi.

Now first Arūpāvacara — a person dying from first

Arūpāvacara plane dies with first Arūpāvacara Vipāka. He may

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be reborn with any one of all four Arūpāvacara Vipākas

because he can be reborn in the same realm or in the upper
realms. He can be reborn in all four Arūpāvacara realms or he
may be reborn in the Kāma-sugati. The Paṭisandhi Cittas are
first through fourth Arūpāvacara Vipākas and Kāmāvacara
Vipāka four accompanied by three roots.

Realms 23-27 (Suddhāvāsa or Pure Abodes) do not

apply. In the books they are omitted. I wanted to put in all 31
planes, but these planes do not apply here. Only Anāgāmīs are
reborn in these realms. There are no Puthujjanas. Now we are
talking about Puthujjanas, so they do not apply here.

Number 22 Asañña-satta, mindless beings — they have

no Cuti Citta. Their Cuti is matter only. They can be reborn in
Kāma-sugati. Their Paṭisandhi Cittas may be either two-root or
three-root Kāmāvacara Vipāka. They will not be reborn with
rootless Kāmāvacara Vipāka because of the power of their
Jhāna. They are not reborn in the four woeful states and they
are not reborn as human beings with rootless Paṭisandhi.

Now Vehapphala — when Brahmas die from Vehapphala

they die with fifth Rūpāvacara Vipāka as Cuti Citta. They can
be reborn in all realms except the four woeful states. If they
remain Puthujjanas, they cannot be reborn in five Pure
Abodes, as they must be Anāgāmīs to realize rebirth in those
realms. They may as Puthujjanas develop Jhānas and attain
rebirth as Arūpāvacara Brahmas or develop fifth Jhāna in a
special way and attain rebirth as Asañña-satta.

The beings of Subhakiṇha die with fourth Rūpāvacara

Vipāka. The same holds true here. They cannot be reborn in
23-27 (Suddhāvāsa). They can be reborn in planes 5-22
(human, Deva and Brahma realms), and planes 28-31
(Vehapphala, Akaniṭṭha, Nevasaññānāsaññāyatana).

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Appamāṇasubha is the same. All these beginning with

Brahmapārisajja are the same. These beings can be born in
planes 5-22 (human, Deva and Brahma realms), or planes 28-
31 (Vehapphala, Akaniṭṭha, Nevasaññānāsaññāyatana). The
difference is only the Cuti consciousness. Number 20
(Subhakiṇha), 19 (Appamāṇasubha), and 18 (Parittasubha),
have fourth Rūpāvacara Vipāka as Cuti consciousness. Beings
in number 17 (Ābhassara), 16 (Appamāṇābhā) and 15
(Parittābhā) have second and third Rūpāvacara Vipāka Cittas
as Cuti consciousness. Number 12 (Brahma-pārisajja), 13
(Brahma-purohita), & 14 (Mahābrahmā) have first Rūpāvacara
Vipāka as Cuti consciousness. The new Bhūmi should be 5-22
(human, Deva and Brahma realms), and 28-31 (Vehapphala,
Akaniṭṭha, Nevasaññānāsaññāyatana).

Now Paranimmitavasavattī — this is the highest of the

six Deva realms. Those who die with two-root Kāmāvacara
Vipāka, those having Cuti not accompanied by wisdom, may
be reborn in realms 1-11 (four woeful states, human realm
and Deva realms), all Kāmāvacara realms. The Paṭisandhi
Cittas may be Upekkhā Santīraṇas two, or Kāmāvacara Vipāka
eight with either two or three roots. After three-root
Kāmāvacara Vipāka four they can be reborn in all realms
except Suddhāvāsa because they have three-root Kāmāvacara
Cuti. After three-root Kāmāvacara Cutis there are all
possibilities.

The rest down to Cātummahārājikā are the same. After

two-root Kāmāvacara Vipāka the new Bhūmi is all Kāmāvacara
Bhūmis. And the Paṭisandhi is Upekkhā Santīraṇa two, or two-
root Kāmāvacara Vipāka four, or three-root Kāmāvacara
Vipāka four. For Puthujjanas after Kāmāvacara Vipāka four
with three roots there are all possibilities except rebirth in
Suddhāvāsa realms.

With regard to Cātummahārājikā and human beings

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dying with Kusala-vipāka Santīraṇa, that is rootless Cuti, they

may be reborn in 1-11 (all Kāmāvacara realms). They may be
reborn with Paṭisandhis that are two Upekkhā Santīraṇas and
eight Kāmāvacara Mahāvipākas. After two-root Kāmāvacara
Vipāka there are same possibilities as rootless Cuti. For
Puthujjanas dying with three-root Kāmāvacara Vipāka Cittas,
Paṭisandhi in all realms except Suddhāvāsa is possible.

The above statements are true generally. The chart

that is being described is for Puthujjanas only, so planes 23-27
(Suddhāvāsa) should be excluded in cases where it is stated
that all possibilities may arise.

Now the Asurakāya is one of the four woeful states.

The Cuti Citta of these beings is Akusala-vipāka Santīraṇa
accompanied by Upekkhā. They can be reborn in 1-11 (all
Kāmāvacara realms). Their Paṭisandhi Citta may be the two
Upekkhā Santīraṇas and the eight Kāmāvacara Mahāvipākas.
The same is true for the other three — Petti-visaya,
Tiracchāna-yoni and Niraya.

By consulting this chart we can understand which

Paṭisandhi can follow which Cuti. We can also understand
where beings can be reborn. A person who is born in hell can
be reborn in hell again or in other woeful states, or in human
realm or in one of the six Deva realms. A person who is reborn
in hell can even go up to Deva realm. This chart is for
Puthujjanas.

Now let us look at the chart for Ariyas (see CMA, V, Table 5.7,
p.232).
An Enlightened Person who dies from the fourth
Arūpāvacara realm may be reborn again in the fourth
Arūpāvacara realm or he will become an Arahant and not be
reborn in any plane. He can be reborn only in fourth
Arūpāvacara realm so his Paṭisandhi Citta will be fourth

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Arūpāvacara Vipāka only.

An Ariya who dies from third Arūpāvacara plane dies

with third Arūpāvacara Vipāka Cuti Citta. He can be reborn in
plane 30 (third Arūpāvacara realm) or 31 (fourth Arūpāvacara
realm). The Paṭisandhis there are respectively third and fourth
Arūpāvacara Vipāka Citta.

An Ariya who dies from second Arūpāvacara realm with

Cuti Citta that is second Arūpāvacara Vipāka can be reborn in
realms 29-31 (second, third and fourth Arūpāvacara realms).
The Paṭisandhi Cittas are second, third and fourth Arūpāvacara
Vipāka respectively.

An Ariya dying from first Arūpāvacara plane has first

Arūpāvacara Vipāka Citta as Cuti. He can be reborn in realms
28-31 (first, second, third and fourth Arūpāvacara realms).
And so the Paṭisandhi Cittas are first through fourth
Arūpāvacara Vipākas.

From Akaniṭṭha there is no rebirth. A person who dies

from Akaniṭṭha dies with fifth Rūpāvacara Vipāka as Cuti. There
is no rebirth for him. He becomes an Arahant in that realm.

For a person from Sudassī, his Cuti Citta is fifth

Rūpāvacara Citta. He may be reborn in a higher plane, so #27
(Akaniṭṭha). The Paṭisandhi Citta is fifth Rūpāvacara Vipāka.

A person from Sudassā, his Cuti Citta is fifth

Rūpāvacara Citta and he can be reborn in two higher planes,
26 or 27 (Sudassī or Akaniṭṭha). The Paṭisandhi Citta is fifth
Rūpāvacara Vipāka.

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And Atappā — a person dying from Atappā can be

reborn in planes 25, 26 & 27 (Sudassā, Sudassī & Akaniṭṭha).
The Cuti Citta and Paṭisandhi Citta will be fifth Rūpāvacara
Vipāka.

The person dying from Aviha can be reborn in 24-27

(Atappā, Sudassā, Sudassī, Akaniṭṭha). His Paṭisandhi Citta is
fifth Rūpāvacara Vipāka.

Asañña-satta does not apply because there are no

Enlightened Persons in that realm.

An Ariya dying from Vehapphala can be reborn in

Vehapphala only because it is one of the excellent planes. It is
said that an Ariya who is reborn in Vehapphala, Akaniṭṭha and
fourth Arūpāvacara realm is not reborn anywhere. He may be
reborn in Vehapphala itself only.

An Ariya dying from Subhakiṇha has a Cuti Citta which

is fourth Arūpāvacara Vipāka. He may be reborn in realms 20
(Subhakiṇha), 21 (Vehapphala), 23-31 (Pure Abodes and all
Arūpāvacara realms). The Paṭisandhi Citta will be either fourth
or fifth Rūpāvacara Vipāka, or it will be one of the four
Arūpāvacara Vipāka.

Appamāṇasubha — an Ariya dying from

Appamāṇasubha can be reborn in Appamāṇasubha again and
also higher planes, so 19-21 (Appamāṇasubha, Subhakiṇha,
Vehapphala), 23-31 (Suddhāvāsa realms and Arūpāvacara
realms). There is no rebirth for Enlightened Beings in Asañña-
satta, 22. His Paṭisandhi will be either fourth or fifth
Rūpāvacara Vipāka Citta, or it will be one of the four
Arūpāvacara Vipāka Cittas.

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A person dying from Parittasubha has fourth

Rūpāvacara Vipāka as Cuti. He may be reborn in Parittasubha
itself, and also 19-21 (Appamāṇasubha, Subhakiṇha,
Vehapphala), and then 23-31 (Suddhāvāsa realms and
Arūpāvacara realms).

An Ariya dying from Ābhassara may have Cuti Citta

that is either second or third Rūpāvacara Vipāka. He can be
reborn in realms 17-21 (Ābhassara, Parittasubha,
Appamāṇasubha, Subhakiṇha, Vehapphala), 23-31
(Suddhāvāsa realms and Arūpāvacara realms). The Paṭisandhi
Cittas are second through fifth Rūpāvacara Vipāka, or they
may be four Arūpāvacara Vipāka Cittas.

Appamāṇābhā — an Ariya dying from Appamāṇābhā

dies with the second or third Rūpāvacara Vipāka. He may be
reborn in 16-21 (Appamāṇābhā, Ābhassara, Parittasubha,
Appamāṇasubha, Subhakiṇha, Vehapphala), and 23-31
(Suddhāvāsa realms and Arūpāvacara realms). The Paṭisandhi
Cittas are second through fifth Rūpāvacara Vipāka and four
Arūpāvacara Vipāka Cittas.

An Ariya who dies in Parittābhā may have second or

third Rūpāvacara Vipāka as Cuti Citta. He can be reborn in
Parittābhā again or in the upper realms with the exception of
Asañña-satta.

And Mahābrahmā — an Ariya dying from Mahābrahmā

will die with first Rūpāvacara Vipāka as Cuti consciousness. He
can be reborn in #14 (Mahābrahmā realm) itself and then
upper realms except Asañña-satta. His Paṭisandhi
consciousness is first through fifth Rūpāvacara Vipāka, or
Arūpāvacara Vipāka four.

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Brahmapurohita — those dying from Brahmapurohita

can be reborn in the same realm again, #13 (Brahma-purohita
realm), or in the upper ones except Asañña-satta.

Those dying from Brahmapārisajja again can be reborn

again in the same realm, #12 (Brahma-pārisajja), or in the
upper planes, except Asañña-satta. Paṭisandhi Citta is first
through fifth Rūpāvacara Vipāka, or Arūpāvacara Vipāka four.

Now Paranimmitavasavattī, the highest of the Deva

realms — since they are Ariyas, they die only with three-root
Kāmāvacara Vipāka; they will not have two roots. They may
be reborn in the human world, #5 (human realm), and then in
#6 through #21 (Deva realms and Rūpāvacara realms), and
also 23-31 (Suddhāvāsa realms and Arūpāvacara realms).
Their Paṭisandhi may be three-root Kāmāvacara Vipāka four,
Rūpāvacara Vipāka five, or Arūpāvacara Vipāka four.

The same is true for the lower Deva worlds down

through the Cātummahārājikā.

And then human beings, human beings as Enlightened

Persons, so three-root Kāmāvacara Vipāka four is their Cuti
Citta. They can be reborn as human beings or other beings in
realms 5-21 (human realm, Deva realms and Rūpāvacara
realms), and 23-31 (Suddhāvāsa realms and Arūpāvacara
realms). Their Paṭisandhi consciousness is Kāmāvacara
Sahetuka Vipāka four, Rūpāvacara Vipāka five and
Arūpāvacara Vipāka four. The four woeful states do not apply
here because these are Enlightened Persons only.

These are the Cutis and what Paṭisandhis may follow.

From this chart we may know where a person can be reborn.

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Let us go to page 228, §41 of the CMA, the “Continuity

of Consciousness”. This paragraph shows that the flow of
consciousness goes on, and on, and on, like the wheel of a
cart.
“So, for those who have thus taken rebirth, from the
moment immediately following the cessation of the rebirth-
linking (consciousness), that same type of consciousness
apprehending that same object flows on uninterruptedly …”
(CMA, V, §41, p.228)

That means if the Paṭisandhi Citta is the first

Kāmāvacara Mahāvipāka, then that first Kāmāvacara
Mahāvipāka Citta is repeated taking the same object as the
Paṭisandhi.

“… (it) flows on uninterruptedly like the stream of a

river, …” (CMA, V, §41, p.228)
Like the stream of a river this flows on and on.

“… and it does so until the arising of the death

consciousness, …” (CMA, V, §41, p.228)
So until death the Bhavaṅga flows.

“… so long as there is no occurrence of a cognitive

process.” (CMA, V, §41, p.228)
Actually Bhavaṅga does not flow uninterruptedly. When
Bhavaṅga flows, it flows uninterruptedly, but there are active
thought processes arising in between the flows of Bhava ṅga.
Although it says, “it flows uninterruptedly, like the stream of a
river”, actually there is interruption. Whenever the cognitive
process arises, that is, whenever there are Vīthi Cittas, flow of
Bhavaṅga stops. After the Vīthi Cittas have expired, the
Bhavaṅga takes up again. In one life we have Bhavaṅgas and
we have Vīthi Cittas belonging to thought processes — then
Bhavaṅga Cittas, Vīthi Cittas, Bhavaṅga Cittas and so on.

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“Being an essential factor of existence (or life), this

consciousness is called the life-continuum.” (CMA, V, §41, p.228)
The Citta, which, let us say, arises uninterruptedly all
through life — that means when there are no cognitive
processes — that process is called life-continuum because it is
an essential factor of existence. That means if it does not
arise, existence would have to come to an end. That is why it
is called a constituent of life. The Pāḷi word is Bhava ṅga.
‘Bhava’ means life and ‘Aṅga’ means a path, constituent path.
So it is a constituent of life. That means if it did not arise life
would have ended immediately after Paṭisandhi or something
like that. So this is called Bhavaṅga.

“At the end of life, having become the death

consciousness on the occasion of passing away, …” (CMA, V, §41,
p.228)

That means functioning as dying, performing the

function of dying as death-consciousness. Although it says,
“having become the death consciousness”, actually Paṭisandhi
Citta does not become death-consciousness. Death-
consciousness is another consciousness but of the same type.
It is said here “having become the death consciousness.” That
does not mean the Paṭisandhi Citta becomes the death-
consciousness. Paṭisandhi Citta arises and disappears. Then
the same type of consciousness arises as Bhavaṅga all through
life. Then at the end when death comes, it arises again. At
that time it is not called Paṭisandhi or Bhavaṅga, but it is called
Cuti or death. So it is not that Paṭisandhi has become the
death Citta, but this same type of consciousness arises which
now performs the function of dying.

“… having become the death consciousness on the

occasion of passing away, it then ceases.” (CMA, V, §41, p.228)
It arises as death-consciousness and then it ceases.

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“Thereafter, the rebirth-linking consciousness and the

others continue to occur, …” (CMA, V, §41, p.228)
Then again following death there is rebirth.

“… revolving in due sequence like the wheel of a cart.”

(CMA, V, §41, p.228)

It goes on and on, and on. In one life there are

Paṭisandhi Citta, then Bhavaṅgas, Vīthi Cittas and Cuti.
Immediately following Cuti there are Paṭisandhi in another life,
Bhavaṅgas and Cuti, and then another life and Paṭisandhi,
Bhavaṅgas and Cuti. In this way, the wheel of life goes on and
on until one becomes a Buddha or an Arahant.

“This cognitive process, the first in the new life, takes

as object the rebirth-linking consciousness; the javanas
consist in sense-sphere cittas rooted in greed, …” (CMA, V, Guide to
§41, p.228)

Immediately following the Paṭisandhi Citta there are

Bhavaṅgas. Immediately following the 16 Bhavaṅga moments
there is one thought process. In that thought process seven
Javanas arise. These seven Javanas are always rooted in
greed, Lobha.

“… (they are) disassociated from wrong view and

unprompted.” (CMA, V, Guide to §41, p.228)
So they are Diṭṭhigata-vippayutta Asaṅkhārika. It is not
mentioned in the original Pāḷi treatise, in the original Manual.
But it must be so.

“When this process ends, the Bhavaṅga again arises

and perishes, and continues thus whenever there is no
intervention of a cognitive process. In this way the stream of

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consciousness flows on from conception until death, and from

death to new birth ‘revolving like the wheel of a cart.’ ” (CMA, V,
Guide to §41, p.228)

It goes on and on. This is Saṃsāra.

“Just as here, so again in the next existence, there

arise rebirth-linking consciousness, life-continuum, cognitive
processes, and death consciousness. Again, with rebirth and
life-continuum, this stream of consciousness turns round.”
(CMA, V, §42, p.229)

That means it goes on and on. This is the same as the

paragraph given above.

The next one is the breaking of Saṃsāra.

“The wise, disciplining themselves long, understand the
impermanence (of life), …” (CMA, V, §42, p.229)
The wise understand the impermanence of life so they
discipline themselves long, which means they practise
meditation for a long time.

“… (they) realize the deathless state, …” (CMA, V, §42, p.229)

They realize Nibbāna.

“… and completely cutting off the fetters of attachment,

…” (CMA, V, §42, p.229)

When they realize the Deathless State, they completely

cut off the fetters of attachment. That means they completely
destroy mental defilements.

And,
“… attain peace.” (CMA, V, §42, p.229)

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Actually in the Pāḷi it says “Samamessanti”. It says will

attain peace, that is, understanding this round of rebirths or
understanding the Nāma and Rūpa involved in rebirth as
impermanent, people will make effort and discipline
themselves for a long time and then as a result of their
practice of meditation they will realize the Deathless State or
they will realize Nibbāna.

“… and completely cutting off the fetters of attachment,

…” (CMA, V, §42, p.229)

At the moment of enlightenment the fetters of

attachment, or not only fetters of attachment actually, but all
mental defilements are completely cut off or eradicated.

So the fourth and the fifth chapters deal with thought

processes, both in life and at death. The fifth chapter also
gives us the description of Kammas and the results of Kammas
and also the cosmic system taught in Buddhism. It ends with
the description of Saṃsāra or the round of rebirth and then
ultimately breaking that round of rebirth and realizing the
Deathless State which is Nibbāna.

At the end of the next chapter we will know something

about Nibbāna.

[End of Chapter Five]

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Chapter Six

Enumeration of Matter

Today we will begin the sixth chapter. Up until now the

author, Ācariya Anuruddha, has treated the first two ultimate
realities, Citta and Cetasikas in different ways. The first
chapter deals with Cittas; the second deals with Cetasikas and
with combinations of Cittas and Cetasikas. The third chapter
deals with different classifications of Cittas. The fourth deals
with different thought processes during life time. The fifth
chapter deals with 31 planes of existence, Kamma and then
thought processes in detail. This chapter deals with the two
remaining ultimate realities, Rūpa and Nibbāna.

This chapter is called “Rūpa-saṅgahavibhāga”. That

means the “Chapter on Matter”. Nibbāna is also treated in this
chapter, but it is treated very briefly. So this chapter deals
with Rūpa or matter and Nibbāna.

The first section deals with the enumeration of Rūpa or

how many Rūpas there are. The second section deals with
their classification. The third is about the causes of Rūpas. The
fourth is about their organization of occurrence. That means
when they first arise, when they last arise, how they arise,
and so on. Then as a conclusion to the chapter the author
dealt with the fourth ultimate reality which is Nibbāna.

Rūpa Defined
The Pāḷi word for matter as you know is Rūpa. Rūpa is

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defined as something which becomes deformed, disturbed,

knocked about, oppressed or broken when coming into
connection with adverse physical conditions such as cold,
hunger, thirst, bites of insects, etc. The simple meaning of
Rūpa is something that changes, changes with heat, cold and
so on.

Buddha himself explained this term in one of his

discourses. There he said, “Why do you say material form or
why do you say it is Rūpa? It is called Rūpa because it is
deformed, therefore, it is called material form and so on.
Deformed by what?” That means changed by what. (It is
changed) “By cold, by hunger, by heat, by thirst, by
mosquitoes, wind, sun, creeping things.” So something that
changes is called Rūpa.

Here you may ask why don't we call Citta and Cetasika
‘Rūpa’ because they change more quickly than Rūpa changes.
But here change means the evident change, change that is
discernible. The change of mental properties, the change of
Citta and Cetasikas is not so easily discernible. But the change
of Rūpa is evident, the change of Rūpa is easy to see. Only
matter is called Rūpa and not Citta and Cetasikas.

Change here really means the arising of a different

continuity of material properties than the previous one.
Change here does not mean one Rūpa changes into another
Rūpa. Actually change here means there is a series of material
properties at one moment and then in the next moment there
is another set of material properties, another continuity of
material properties. The arising of the continuity of different
material properties is what is meant by change here. Change
does not mean that something changes into some other thing.
If we take it that way, we may be supporting the idea that
something lasts some time or that something lasts forever.
Change here just means the arising of a different set of

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material properties.

The material properties or Rūpa are said to be 28

Rūpas, 28 material properties. They are in the CMA (see CMA, VI,
Table 6.1, p.236).

There are 28 material properties. These 28 material

properties are divided into different categories or different
classes.

Mahābhūtas
First the material properties are divided into two groups
or classes. The first is Mahābhūta and the second is Upādā-
rūpa. Please check in the CMA, page 235, about the middle of
the page. The Pāḷi passage is there: “Cattāri mahābhūtāni,
catunnañca mahābhūtānaṃ upādāyarūpanti …”. Depending on
that, we call it Upādā-rūpa. There are 24 Upādā-rūpas. There
are four Mahābhūtas and 24 Upādā-rūpas. Mahābhūta is
translated as great essential. This is not a literal translation,
but I think it is a good translation. Mahābhūta means
something that becomes great. They are the basis of all
material properties. All other material properties depend upon
them to arise and to exist. So they are called Mahābhūtas, the
great essentials. They are:
1. Pathavī-dhātu, earth-element,
2. Āpo-dhātu, water-element,
3. Tejo-dhātu, fire-element,
4. Vāyo-dhātu, air-element.
These are the four elements or four great essentials.

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Pathavī-dhātu
Pathavī-dhātu, earth-element — here earth-element
does not mean the physical earth, but some quality that is
inherent in the earth. What quality do you find in the earth?
When you touch the earth, you feel hardness or softness. That
hardness or softness is what we call Pathavī-dhātu or earth-
element. This is called Pathavī because it is like the earth. The
earth is the basis for trees, mountains and so on to exist. In
the same way, Pathavī-dhātu is the basis for other dependent
material properties. That is why it is called Pathavī-dhātu. It
serves as a support or foundation for the coexisting material
phenomena. That means other material properties especially
the Upādā-rūpas depend upon it to arise. If there were no
Mahābhūtas, then Upādā-rūpas would not arise. The earth is
extended. Therefore, some take extension to be the
characteristic of Pathavī-dhātu. Although extension is taken as
a translation of Pathavī, its characteristic is actually hardness.
When we get hardness, we also get softness because hardness
and softness are relative. In comparison to one thing you call
it hard. If you compare it to another thing, it becomes not so
hard. It becomes soft. So hardness or softness is the
characteristic of the earth-element.

Abhidhamma teaches that this earth-element can be

found anywhere. In the water there is earth-element. In fire
there is also earth-element. In the wind there is also earth. In
everything, in every material thing we see there is this earth-
element.

Āpo-dhātu
The second one is Āpo-dhātu, water-element. Here also
Āpo-dhātu does not mean water, but the inherent quality of
water and that is fluidity or cohesion. Its characteristic is said
to be trickling or oozing. That means dripping or something
like that. It is because of Āpo-dhātu that things are kept

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together. If there were no Āpo-dhātu, we could not have these

things. We could not have this book or this pen or whatever
because the material properties would not stick to each other
if there were no water-element. Water-element is something
that keeps the material properties together.

With regard to Āpo-dhātu according to Abhidhamma, it

cannot be touched. In the book you find,
“The Abhidhamma holds that unlike the other three
great essentials, the water element cannot be physically
sensed12 but must be known inferentially from the cohesion of
observed matter.” (CMA, VI, Guide to §3, p.238)
You see something and the material particles are
attached to each other. And so we infer that there must be
some kind of cohesion, some kind of Āpo-dhātu so that the
thing exists as a particular object. Āpo-dhātu or water-element
cannot be touched. When we come to Phoṭṭhabba-rūpa later,
we will see that Āpo is excluded there.

We must understand Āpo-dhātu or water-element as

distinct from water. You can touch water. Although we can
touch water, we do not touch water-element. We touch water
and say, “It is cold; it is hot.” Cold or heat is the third one,
Tejo-dhātu. You may feel the hardness or softness of water
and that is the earth-element. What you feel is not the water-
element but earth-element or fire-element. You feel coldness
or warmth, or hardness or softness. So Āpo-dhātu is
untouchable.

Tejo-dhātu
The next one is Tejo-dhātu, heat-element or fire-
element. Here also heat or cold is relative. Tejo-dhātu does
not mean fire, but the quality that is in fire. That means heat
12 That means it cannot be touched.

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or temperature. Actually temperature is what we call Tejo-

dhātu or fire-element. Just as hardness and softness are both
called Pathavī-dhātu, so also heat and cold are both called
Tejo-dhātu.

Yesterday I talked to a woman in Arizona because I am

going to Arizona on Thursday. I told her that I had heard that
they had a temperature of 120 degrees. So I asked her how it
was now. She said, “Oh, it has cooled down.” I asked what it
was now and she said, “106 degrees.” So for us 106 degrees is
very hot here in San Francisco. For them it has cooled down.
Tejo-dhātu is relative. Heat or cold is called Tejo-dhātu.

Vāyo-dhātu
The last one is Vāyo-dhātu, air-element. Air-element
does not mean air, but something that inheres in air; that is
said to be the principle of motion and pressure. Its
characteristic is distension. When you put some air into a
balloon, the balloon becomes extended. That extension or
distension is what we call Vāyo-dhātu. It has the nature of
movement or motion. So when we move something, we can
say that there is an abundance of Vāyo-dhātu. Because of that
abundance of Vāyo-dhātu we say there is movement. Actually
there is no movement at all. Nothing moves. What we call
movement is material properties arising at different moments.
One set of material properties disappears and another set of
material properties arises. But they may arise at a very small
distance from the ones that have disappeared. So we are not
able to see the arising of material properties. But when we see
the material properties arising and disappearing at different
places very close to each other, we say that there is motion,
there is movement.

You can take the movie film as an example. On the

frames there are pictures. They are not moving. The picture is

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not moving. The picture on one frame is just a little bit

different from the picture on another frame. If you make a
step, then it may take thirty frames to record one step. There
will be thirty frames or thirty images on the film. Each frame is
just little bit different. When the film is put into the machine
and shown on the screen, we think that the picture is moving.
Actually the picture does not move.

Vāyo-dhātu or air-element has the nature of

movement. Its characteristic is said to be distension,
expanding.

These four great essentials are founded on the earth-

element, held together by the water-element, maintained by
the fire-element and distended by the air-element. So these
four elements we find everywhere — extension, cohesion, heat
and distension.

Tejo-dhātu is explained as to mature or to ripen. When

there is heat, things become cooked or things become mature.
It is said to ripen other material properties.

Dependent Matter
These four are the basis of all other material properties
that follow; all other material properties that depend on these
four for their arising are called Upādā-rūpa. Upādā-rūpa is
translated as derived materials, derived matter. I don't like
that translation. They are not derived from the four great
essentials. They depend on the four great essentials.

For example, this is a house. People live in it. The

existence of people living here is supported by this house. The
people depend upon this house to live. But people are not the

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result of this house. People are not derived from this house.
But this house is their base, their support. Here also the
following material properties are not derived from the four
great essentials, but they depend on these four great
essentials to arise. If there were no four great essentials, they
could not arise. So they are called Upādā-rūpa, and I call them
dependent matter.

There are 24 of them. They are organized into groups.

Pasāda-rūpa
The first group of them is called Pasāda-rūpa. They are
translated as sensitive phenomena. Pasāda really means clear.
The material properties that are clear are called Pasāda. Clear
here means sensitive to sight, sound, smell, taste, and touch.
They are called sensitive phenomena or sensitive matter or
sensitivity. They are five. You know these five.

Eye-sensitivity
Cakkhu-pasāda, eye-sensitivity — the eye itself, the
eyeball itself is not Cakkhu-pasāda. Cakkhu-pasāda is some
material properties that exist in the eyeball, that exist on the
retina. Those small particles of matter are what are called eye-
sensitivity. The eyeball is called composite eye. So there are
two kinds of eye, composite eye and sensitive eye. When
visible object comes into the avenue of the eye, you know it
strikes at the eye. It strikes at the eye means that it strikes on
the eye-sensitivity, on the matter that is called eye-sensitivity.
Then the seeing consciousness is produced. When we say eye-
sensitivity, we mean the sensitive particles in the eye or
sensitivity in the composite eye. The same is true for other
sensitivities. It is called eye-sensitivity or Cakkhu-pasāda.

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Ear-sensitivity
The second one is called Sota-pasāda, ear-sensitivity.
Here also the whole ear is not called ear-sensitivity. But the
sensitive particles that are in the inner ear actually. In the
Commentaries it is explained as,
“… to be found inside the ear hole, ‘in the place shaped
like a finger stall and surrounded by fine brown hairs;’ …” (CMA,
VI, Guide to §3, p.238)

That's pretty accurate. In the ear there is something

like a ring. What is a finger stall? I looked it up in the
dictionary and it said it was something like a cover on the
finger when you have a wound or a cut on the finger. But
actually the word here is said to mean just a ring. It says
finger ornament, so like a ring. In the inner ear you see
something like that in medical books. That is what is called
Sota-pasāda. I would say finger ring rather than finger stall.
Finger stall is a difficult word. I had to look in three
dictionaries and I only found it in one of them. That is ear-
sensitivity.

Nose-sensitivity
The third one is Ghāna-pasāda, nose-sensitivity.
“Nose-sensitivity is to be found in the nasal orifice, (in
the nose itself) as the substance that registers smell.” (CMA, VI,
Guide to §3, p.238)

Bhikkhu Bodhi does not give what it looks like. In the

Commentary it is given. It says it looks like the hoof of a goat,
the foot of a goat. There are two orifices and maybe at the
end it is something like this. It is where smell is picked up. The
material properties in that place are called Ghāna-pasāda,
nose-sensitivity.

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Tongue-sensitivity
The fourth one is Jivhā-pasāda, tongue-sensitivity.
“Tongue-sensitivity is to be found diffused over the
tongue, serving to register taste.” (CMA, VI, Guide to §3, p.238)
When you know taste, that means the material
property of taste has come into contact with the tongue-
sensitivity. Here also the Commentary gives an example as the
tip of the petal of the lotus. There are petals or flower leaves
of lotus, so the tip may be a little pointed. Places on the
tongue here and there where these sensitive material
properties exist is called tongue-sensitivity or Jivhā-pasāda.
Modern medical science says there are different places for
experiencing different tastes. Sweet is experienced in one
place and sour is experienced in another place. They
differentiate many things. Those are called tongue-sensitivity.

Body-sensitivity
The last one is Kāya-pasāda, body-sensitivity.
“Body-sensitivity extends all over the organic body …”
(CMA, VI, Guide to §3, p.238)

Body-sensitivity exists all over the body, on the whole

of the body.

“… like a liquid that soaks a layer of cotton.” (CMA, VI,

Guide to §3, p.238)

Suppose there is cotton and you put some water on it.

Then the cotton is soaked with water. That means it covers, it
suffuses all the cotton.

“… (it) serves to register tactile sensations.” (CMA, VI, Guide

to §3, p.239)

Whenever we know touch, whenever we experience

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touch, that means the tangible object has come into contact
with the body-sensitivity in our bodies.

Body-sensitivity extends all over the body except for

the tip of the nails, the tip of the hair and dry skin. When the
skin becomes dry, you do not feel anything there. When the
skin becomes dry, you can cut it without getting any pain.
Except for those places the body-sensitivity extends all over
the body.

These five are called sensitive phenomena or Pasāda-

rūpa. They correspond to the five kinds of sense-
consciousness — eye-consciousness, ear-consciousness, nose-
consciousness, tongue-consciousness and body-consciousness.
These sensitivities serve as the base for eye-consciousness
and so on. In the third chapter, the last section deals with
Vatthus. There you have Cakkhu-vatthu, Sota-vatthu, Ghāna-
vatthu, Jivhā-vatthu, Kāya-vatthu and Hadaya-vatthu.
Cakkhu-vatthu and Cakkhu-pasāda are the same. Sota-vatthu
and Sota-pasāda are the same and so on. We will come to
Hadaya-vatthu later. These five are called Pasāda-rūpa,
sensitive material properties or sensitive phenomena.

Gocara-rūpa
The next group is called Gocara-rūpa or Visaya-rūpa.
Gocara means domain, a place where one roams about. In
brief it means an object. Gocara-rūpa means objective
phenomena, material properties that are objects, that are
objects of eye-sensitivity and so on. Corresponding to the five
sensitive phenomena there are five objective phenomena or
there are five Gocara-rūpas.

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Rūpa, Sadda, Gandha, Rasa, Phoṭṭhabba

The first one is called Rūpa, visible object. What is
visible is called Rūpa. What we see is only Rūpa. When I say,
“I see a man,” I don't really see a man. What I see is the
visible object in what is called a man. But my mind deceives
me into believing that I see a man. Actually what I see is just
a visible object, the particles of a visible object all over the
body.

Now the word ‘Rūpa’ please note has at least two

meanings even in Abhidhamma. Generally Rūpa means
material properties in contrast to Nāma. But here when it
means visible object, it is different although the word is the
same. It is very important when you read books on
Abhidhamma to understand whether Rūpa means material
properties in general or visible object. Here Rūpa means
visible object, what you see.

The second one is Sadda, sound. You know what sound

is. It is sound or noise. The third one is Gandha, smell. The
fourth one is Rasa, taste — something we always experience
taste.

The fifth one — a number is not assigned to that one

because Phoṭṭhabba, tangibility, is the combination of three
great essentials. The combination of Pathavī, Tejo and Vāyo,
the combination of earth, fire and air-element is called
Phoṭṭhabba. There is no separate Phoṭṭhabba, there is no
separate tangible matter. When we say tangible matter, we
mean the combination of the three great essentials which are
Pathavī, Tejo and Vāyo. Āpo cannot be touched. It is not
tangible, so it is left out here.

This may cause some confusion when we enumerate

the material properties or when we find out how many

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material properties there are. We have to be very careful. If

there are four great essentials and there is also Pho ṭṭhabba,
we are not to double the number. We must take only the four
or only the three. These five material properties are called
Gocara-rūpa, object phenomena, those that are object of the
five sensitivities. Rūpa is the object of the eye and so on.
Tangibility or Phoṭṭhabba is the object of body-sensitivity.
Actually they are the object of consciousness; they are not the
object of the sensitivity but of consciousness.

You now know the five Pasādas and the five objects.
Corresponding to these five Pasādas and five objects there are
Pañca-viññāṇa, five kinds of sense-consciousness. Sense-
consciousness, let us say, Cakkhu-viññāṇa arises, when these
two meet together, when these two come together i.e. eye-
sensitivity and visible object, when they come together, or
when the visible object comes into the avenue of eye-
sensitivity. When something to be seen comes into the avenue
of our eyes, then there is seeing. So seeing consciousness
depends on at least these two, eye-sensitivity and the visible
object. It depends on these two, but there are more
conditions. What are the other conditions? The other
conditions are light and attention.

The others are similar. Body-consciousness arises

through the conjunction of or the coming together of
tangibility and body-sensitivity.

Femininity
The next group is called Bhāva-rūpa, sexual
phenomena or we may call it gender. The first one is called
Itthi-bhāva or Itthatta. There are two words. They mean the
same thing — femininity or being a female, the state of being
a female.

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Masculinity
The next one is Pumbhāva or Purisatta, the state of
being a male, masculinity. These are also called faculties.
When we study the 22 faculties in the seventh chapter, we will
find that these two are included there.
“These faculties have, respectively, the characteristic of
the female sex and of the male sex. Their function is to show
femininity and masculinity.” (CMA, VI, Guide to §3, p.239)
Actually masculinity and femininity cannot be seen.
What we see is not masculinity and femininity, but something
that shows us it is a male or it is a female. They are
something like their mark, the signs, the ways of male and
female. That means the sexual structure of the body of a man
and a woman is different. You know that a person is a man or
a woman by looking at the structure of the body, by looking at
its masculine or feminine features.

You look at a face and you know that it is the face of a

man or a woman. Men have a mustache and women have no
mustache. And then for the typical occupation — men do a
certain kind of work and women do another kind of work. In
our books it is said we can know by how they play when they
are children. Girls play with pots and pans, cooking and so on.
Boys will play with bows and arrows and some other things.
Boys never play with pots and pans in our country. But in this
country everything can happen. Men have to cook in this
country.

Also there is masculine and feminine deportment —

that means how they walk, how they do things. By looking at
how they do things, you know this is a man or this is a
woman. Even in a dim light, even if you cannot see clearly,
you know this is a man or this is a woman. So there is this

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difference between men and women. This difference is known

by their masculinity and their femininity. That is called
masculinity or femininity. That is actually not visible. What is
visible is their structure, their features, their occupations, their
manner of playing and also their deportment.

It is said that the Bhāva-rūpa extends all over the

body. It is not just in one place. It is like body-sensitivity; it is
all over the body. So if you look at a finger, you know if it is a
man or a woman.

Heart-base
Now we come to the next one, Hadaya-vatthu, heart
phenomenon or heart-base. We met heart-base in the third
chapter, in the section on bases.
“The heart-base has the characteristic of being the
material support for the mind element and mind-
consciousness element.” (CMA, VI, Guide to §3, p.239)
Do you remember mind-element and mind-
consciousness-element? Mind-element means Mano-dhātu.
How many Cittas are there? There are three —
Pañcadvārāvajjana and two Sampaṭicchanas. They are called
mind-element. Mind-consciousness-element means the other
Cittas excepting the ten kinds of sense-consciousness and the
Mano-dhātu. These are known in Pāḷi as Mano-viññāṇa-dhātu.
The heart-base serves as support for Mano-dhātu and Mano-
viññāṇa-dhātu, mind-element and mind-consciousness-
element. Its function is to uphold them or act as a receptacle,
as a basis for them. It is found in dependence on the blood
inside the heart. It is dependent on the blood. The physical
heart is not called Hadaya-vatthu here.
“It is to be found in dependence on the blood inside the
heart, and is assisted by the four great essentials and
maintained by the life faculty.” (CMA, VI, Guide to §3, p.239)

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With regard to this Hadaya-vatthu there is a lot to say

or a lot to argue. Hadaya-vatthu does not mean the heart
itself but something, some material property that exists
depending on the blood in the heart. This Hadaya-vatthu is not
mentioned in the Dhammasaṅgaṇī. Dhammasaṅgaṇī is a book
where all Cittas, Cetasikas and Rūpas are mentioned. It is the
first book of Abhidhamma. As the first book of Abhidhamma, it
must describe all Cittas, all Cetasikas and all Rūpas. But in
that book Hadaya-vatthu is not mentioned. There are only 27
material properties given there.

The argument for the existence of Hadaya-vatthu in the

Commentary is as follows: “Mano-dhātu and Mano-viññāṇa-
dhātu when they arise in Kāma sphere and Rūpa sphere (They
arise in Kāmāvacara and Rūpāvacara realms.) must depend on
Rūpa (Rūpa here means matter). That Rūpa cannot be the
four Mahābhūtas because they are depended upon by Upādā-
rūpas. Therefore, that Rūpa must be an Upādā-rūpa.” The
teachers are giving you reasons for accepting the existence of
Hadaya-vatthu. There are Mano-dhātu and Mano-viññāṇa-
dhātu. If they arise in Kāmāvacara and Rūpāvacara sphere,
they must depend on some Rūpa. If there is no Rūpa for them
to depend on, they will not arise. For example, Cakkhu-
viññāṇa depends on the visible object and Cakkhu-vatthu. But
that Rūpa which they depend on cannot be the four great
essentials because they are depended upon by Upādā-rūpa.
They are already depended upon by Upādā-rūpa. They have to
serve as a basis or the support for Upādā-rūpa. The Mano-
dhātu and the Mano-viññāṇa-dhātu cannot depend on the four
essentials. It is something like a law of elimination. We
eliminate one after another. So we come to the last one and
we just pick it up. When it is said that Mano-dhātu and Mano-
viññāṇa-dhātu must depend on some matter, then we will ask,
“Do they depend on the four great essentials?” The answer is
no. Why? They are depended upon by the 24 Upādā-rūpas and
so they cannot serve as a basis or support for Mano-dhātu and
Mano-viññāṇa-dhātu.

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Among the 24 Upādā-rūpas can they depend on eye-

sensitivity and so on? No. Because eye-sensitivity is support
for seeing consciousness and so on. They cannot depend on
the five sensitive properties.

Can they depend on visible object? Neither can they

depend on Rūpa, Sadda and so on because they, that is, Rūpa,
Sadda and so on, can be found externally too. Rūpa is found
internally and externally. The pen I see here is external Rūpa.
The hand I see here is internal Rūpa. So they can be found
externally. Mano-dhātu and Mano-viññāṇa-dhātu cannot
depend on Rūpa, Sadda (sound), smell, taste, or tangibility.

What about Bhāva? Do Mano-dhātu and Mano-viññāṇa-

dhātu depend on Bhāva-rūpa? The answer is no. They cannot
depend on the two qualities of sex because these Dhātus arise
in those who have no sexual qualities. That means those who
are neither men nor women. There are some people who are
sexless persons. Mano-dhātu and Mano-viññāṇa-dhātu arise in
those persons also. So Mano-dhātu and Mano-viññāṇa-dhātu
do not depend on the two sex qualities.

What else? Do they depend on Āhāra? They do not

depend on Āhāra for the same reason that Āhāra is found
externally also.

“It should be understood that there must be some

other Rūpa (matter) on which these Dhātus must depend and
that Rūpa must be a dependent one itself and not a
Mahābhūta.” There must be some Rūpa on which Mano-dhātu
and Mano-viññāṇa-dhātu depend. That material property must
be an Upādā-rūpa and not a Mahābhūta.

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“That dependent one which is the seat of these Dhātus

is none other than the Hadaya-vatthu.” This is arbitrary. The
first argument is good, but the last one, the conclusion is
arbitrary. It must be Hadaya-vatthu, so there is Hadaya-
vatthu.

The reason why it was not mentioned in the

Dhammasaṅgaṇī, — now there is a question. If there is really
Hadaya-vatthu or if Hadaya-vatthu really exists, why is it not
mentioned in the Dhammasaṅgaṇī where all material
properties are mentioned? The answer is: “If it were
mentioned there, the uniformity of presentation of the Vatthu-
duka and Ārammaṇa-duka, so important for the understanding
of the doctrine and the realization of Reality by listeners,
would be broken and thus defeat the very purpose of the
doctrine — the realization of Reality by listeners.”

You have to go to the Dhammasaṅgaṇī to understand

this. In the Dhammasaṅgaṇī especially in that section, Vatthus
are mentioned in two ways. It says, “There is Rūpa which is
the basis of eye-consciousness; there is Rūpa which is not the
basis of eye-consciousness.” This is one dyad. The next one
is : “There is Rūpa which is the basis of ear-consciousness;
there is Rūpa which is not the basis of ear-consciousness.” In
this way, Rūpa is treated in that section of the
Dhammasaṅgaṇī. So the dyads 1-5 are OK. “There is Rūpa
which is the base of body-consciousness; there is Rūpa which
is not the base of body-consciousness” — because you can
point out the Rūpa which is the base of body-consciousness
and which is not the base of body-consciousness, that is, all
other Rūpas. So you can find the Rūpas mentioned in these
sentences.

Then we go to Ārammaṇa-dyad — that means object.

“There is Rūpa which is the object of eye-consciousness.” Can
you point that out? What? It is number 10, Rūpa (Visual

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object). “There is Rūpa (matter) which is not the object of

eye-consciousness.” Yes, all others. The second through the
fifth are the same. Let us go to the fifth. “There is Rūpa which
is the object of body-consciousness.” Which is that?
Phoṭṭhabba is the object of body-consciousness. “There is Rūpa
which is not the object of body-consciousness.” All others are
not the object of body-consciousness.

Suppose the sixth dyad were to be made. There is

Rūpa which is the base for mind-consciousness, Mano-viññāṇa.
There is Rūpa which is not the base for mind-consciousness.
Can you point them out? There is Rūpa which is the base for
mind-consciousness, we can say it is Hadaya. What Rūpa is
not the base for mind-consciousness? That would be the other
bases.

Now we come to Ārammaṇa dyad. There is Rūpa which

is the object of mind-consciousness. Yes, there are many.
There is Rūpa which is not the object of mind-consciousness.
No, there is nothing there. The dyad is broken here.

These two are not actually in the Dhammasaṅgaṇī.

That's why the heading is given as laudable Vatthu dyad. If we
are to make the sixth dyad, it would look like this. Vatthu dyad
is all right because you can point out the Rūpas mentioned in
the sentences. But when we come to Ārammaṇa-duka, it is
broken. There is answer only to the first one. There is Rūpa
which is the object of mind-consciousness — all Cittas,
Cetasikas, Rūpas and so on. There is Rūpa which is not the
object of mind-consciousness — no. There is no answer to that
question. We cannot find out anything as an answer to that
question. The dyad would be broken. If the dyad were broken,
the listeners would be agitated. They may not follow the
teachings of the Buddha and they may not gain the realization
of reality. In order not to make them agitated, the Buddha left
Hadaya-vatthu out of the list of material properties in the

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Dhammasaṅgaṇī. That is why it is not mentioned in the

Dhammasaṅgaṇī.

Even if we say the Abhidhamma teaching is a very

exact teaching and it does not take into account whether
people like it or not, but still the purpose of Buddha's teaching
is not to show off his wisdom but to have people realize
reality, to have people reach enlightenment. So if Buddha were
to mention Hadaya-vatthu in the Dhammasaṅgaṇī, he would
have to say these probable dyads also. The dyads are not
complete and one is broken. The flow of the teaching is
broken. The understanding of the listener may be effected. In
order to save them from getting confused or whatever
Hadaya-vatthu is not mentioned in the Dhammasaṅgaṇī. It is
not mentioned not because it does not exist. If it were
mentioned in the Dhammasaṅgaṇī, it would not help listeners
get the realization of reality. That is why it is not mentioned in
Dhammasaṅgaṇī. That is one question.

If it is not mentioned in the Dhammasaṅgaṇī, where is

it mentioned? The answer is that it is mentioned in the
Paṭṭhāna, the seventh book of Abhidhamma. We are not out of
trouble yet. Although it is said that Hadaya-vatthu is
mentioned in the Paṭṭhāna, when we go to Paṭṭhāna and
actually read it, we do not find Hadaya there. There the
Buddha uses a very general term for Hadaya-vatthu.
“Depending on a certain material property Mano-dhātu and
Mano-viññāṇa-dhātu arise.” Just that. “Depending on a certain
material property” — Buddha did not say depending on
Hadaya-vatthu. The teachers, the Commentators, take that to
mean Hadaya-vatthu. Their argument is that Mano-dhātu and
Mano-viññāṇa-dhātu must depend on some material property
and so on. However much we explain, we are not altogether
out of trouble.

Why is it not mentioned in Dhammasaṅgaṇī? It is not

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mentioned because Buddha wanted to keep his flow of

teaching smooth. Where is it mentioned? It is mentioned in
the Paṭṭhāna. But we don't find it in Paṭṭhāna, we just find a
general statement there. However that may be, the author
says that means Hadaya-vatthu. It is arbitrary.

Why did the Commentators interpret like that although

Hadaya-vatthu is not mentioned by name either in
Dhammasaṅgaṇī or in the Paṭṭhāna? I think it is because when
you are happy or when you are sad, you feel something in the
heart, in the chest. When you are afraid, you have the
pounding of your heart. So people take it that consciousness
depends on heart-base. The word ‘Hadaya’, like the word
‘heart’ in English, is a synonym for Citta also. Hadaya is a
synonym for Citta. In English you also use the word ‘heart’ for
mind. You say, “He has a good heart” or something like that. I
think in the olden days it was universally accepted that the
mind depended on the heart. Only recently, a hundred years
ago maybe, did they say that mind depends on the brain, that
the brain is the seat of consciousness. We cannot say which is
more reasonable. Even now they are not sure that
consciousness really depends on the brain. They are still in the
experimental stage. We cannot take sides or we may take
sides with our ancient teachers. So we take the heart or the
material properties on the blood in the heart to be the seat of
Mano-dhātu.

There is a passage in the Visuddhimagga concerning

the heart-base, but there is a mistake in the English
translation.
“The heart-basis has the characteristic of being the
(material) support for the mind-element and for the mind-
consciousness-element. Its function is to observe them.”
(Visuddhimagga, XIV, §60, p.447)

I think it is not correct. Its function is to be their base

or to be their receptacle. The Pāḷi word is ‘Ādhāra’. It cannot
mean ‘observe’. Bhikkhu Bodhi does not say, “observe” in the

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guide. It says there, “Its function is to uphold them.” (see CMA,

VI, Guide to §3, p.239) I think that is a correct translation.

Life Faculty
What is next? Jīvita-rūpa, life phenomenon. You have
met Jīvitindriya as a Cetasika. It is the counterpart of that
Cetasika. The Cetasika is called mental life faculty and this is
called physical life faculty. It maintains the conascent material
properties. It arises with other material properties and
maintains them. It helps them to exist as long as they exist.
“The life faculty has the characteristic of maintaining
the coexistent kinds of matter at the moment of their
presence. Its function is to make them occur. It is manifested
as the establishment of their presence. Its proximate cause is
the four great essentials that are to be maintained.” (CMA, VI,
Guide to §3, p.239)

There is a question. If Jīvitindriya maintains other

material properties, what maintains it? Jīvitindriya maintains
others, so what maintains it? The answer is that it maintains
itself as well as the others. The analogy of a boatman is given
in the Commentaries. When a boatman takes other people to
the other shore or rows a boat to the other shore, he also
takes himself to the other shore because he is connected with
the boat. In the same way, life faculty is connected with the
other faculties it maintains. So along with them it maintains
itself.

Āhāra
Then Āhāra-rūpa, nutritional phenomenon — that
means some nutriment in what we eat. Actually it is
everywhere. This nutriment is found externally as well as
internally.

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Nipphanna-rūpa
These are 18 which are called concretely produced
matter or in Pāḷi Nipphanna-rūpa. There are 18 Nipphanna-
rūpas or concretely produced matter. ‘Concretely produced
matter’ means produced by the four causes of matter. In the
third section the four causes of matter will be treated. Those
that are the direct product of these four causes for matter are
called Nipphanna-rūpa. That means they are real Rūpas. They
are substantial Rūpa or something like that.

Sabhāva-rūpa
They are also called Sabhāva-rūpa, matter possessing
intrinsic nature. They have their own characteristics. ‘Intrinsic
nature’ means they have their own characteristics.
“… each type has a distinct objective nature such as
hardness in the case of the earth element, etc.” (CMA, VI, Guide to
§3, p.240)

Salakkhaṇa-rūpa
They are also called Salakkhaṇa-rūpa. ‘Lakkhaṇa’
means mark and ‘Sa’ means together. That means that are
together with characteristics. Here ‘characteristic’ means the
three general characteristics of impermanence, suffering and
non-self. Also we can say they have the three characteristics
of arising, presence and disappearing or death. The others
beginning with limiting phenomenon are not like that. So only
these 18 are called Salakkhaṇa-rūpa, those which have
characteristics of their own. That means impermanence and so
on and arising and so on.

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They are also called Nipphanna-rūpa, concretely

produced matter because they are directly produced by
conditions such as Kamma, Citta, Utu and Āhāra.

Rūpa-rūpa
They are called Rūpa-rūpa. That means real Rūpa.
When you repeat something, you emphasize it. Rūpa-rūpa
means the Rūpa which is real Rūpa. They are the real Rūpa.
The other ten are unreal Rūpas. They are real Rūpas, Rūpa-
rūpa,
“because they possess matter's essential characteristic
of undergoing deformation.” (CMA, VI, Guide to §3, p.240)

Sammasana-rūpa
Also they are called Sammasana-rūpa,
“because they are to be made the objects of insight
contemplation by way of the three characteristics.” (CMA, VI, Guide
to §3, p.240)

Do you understand that? You are meditators, so you

must understand that. That means you can practise Vipassanā
on these 18 only and not on the other ten. That is because
these 18 have the characteristic of impermanence and so on.
When you practise Vipassanā, you try to see these three
characteristics. In order to see these three characteristics you
must watch, you must note these 18 and not the other ten.
The other ten are not the object of Vipassanā meditation. They
are called Sammasana-rūpa. ‘Sammasana’ means
contemplation. So these lend themselves to contemplation.
Contemplation here means Vipassanā practice. Out of the 28
these 18 Rūpas only are the object of Vipassanā practice. You
can practise Vipassanā on these 18 only and not on the ten
Anipphanna-rūpa.

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Look at the chart again (also see CMA, VI, Table 6.1, p.236) .
There are 28 Rūpas. They are divided into the four great
essentials and 24 dependent ones — in Pāḷi four Mahābhūtas
and 24 Upādā-rūpa. Then Upādā-rūpas are divided into
Pasāda-rūpa — sensitive phenomena, Gocara-rūpa — objective
phenomena, Bhāva-rūpa — sexual phenomena, Hadaya-rūpa
— heart phenomenon, Jīvita-rūpa — life phenomenon, and
Āhāra-rūpa — nutritional phenomenon. We are not finished
yet. There are other groups. These 18 beginning with
Mahābhūtas are called Nipphanna-rūpa, concretely produced
matter. That means matter which is produced by the four
causes — Kamma, Citta, Utu and Āhāra. The remaining we will
talk about next week.

Sādhu! Sādhu! Sādhu!

Anipphanna-rūpa & Rūpa-vibhāga

Last week we finished the 18 Nipphanna-rūpas,

concretely produced matter. Today we will study the other
ones, Anipphanna-rūpa, non-concrete matter. The first 18 are
the real Rūpa, the real matter. The other ones beginning with
the space-element are not real Rūpas. They are called in Pā ḷi
Anipphanna-rūpa. It is translated as ‘non-concretely produced
matter’. Actually ‘non’ should be connected with produced, not
concretely produced or not produced concretely. That means
these ten Rūpas do not arise from the four causes of matter.
Now we will study the four causes of matter in the third
section. These ten beginning with the space-element exist as
attributes or modes of the concretely produced matter. That
means they are not concrete matter, but they are some
qualities, they are some attributes of the concrete matter.
They are actually not included in the Paramattha Dhammas.
They are not included in those that are objects of Vipassanā
meditation. If you look at the beginning of the seventh

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chapter, page 264, you will find “Guide to §1”,

“The 72 kinds of entities: The four ultimate realities
that have been described in the first six chapters can be
analyzed into 72 distinct entities, …” (CMA, VII, Guide to §1, p.264)
So there are 72 and they are called Vatthu-dhamma,
that is, phenomena which exist with intrinsic nature. So they
have their own existence, their own intrinsic nature, their own
Sabhāva-rūpa. They are consciousness taken as one, 52
Cetasikas taken as 52 and then 18 concretely produced
material phenomena (That means the 18 Nipphanna-rūpas.)
and the last one is Nibbāna. When we add them up we get 72
kinds of phenomena.

Ākāsa-dhātu
There are altogether ten Anipphanna-rūpas. The first
one is called a limiting phenomenon. That means this material
property or this Rūpa delimits the groups of Rūpa. Rūpa will be
treated as groups in the fourth section of this chapter. This
space-element delimits or separates one group from another.
Actually when the groups of matter meet together, although
they touch, there is a kind of space between them, a
separation between them. That separation between groups of
matter is called Ākāsa-dhātu, space-element. This is not just
space. It is not caused by anything. It has no actual existence.
The void between two or more groups of material properties is
called Ākāsa-dhātu, space-element.

Actually there are four kinds of Ākāsa or space:

1. unentangled space, Ajjhattākāsa;
2. delimited space, Paricchinnākāsa;
3. concept of infinite space, Ākāsānañcāyatana;
4. delimiting space, Ākāsa-dhātu.

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The first one is open space. The Pāḷi for this is

Ajjhattākāsa, unentangled space. That just means open space
— like we see now the space between the earth and sky.
These open spaces are called Ajjhattākāsa.

Then the next one is called delimited space. That is the

space in the windows and the doors or in the pots and vessels
and so on. That space is called delimited space,
Paricchinnākāsa in Pāḷi.

The third kind of space is the concept of space which is

the object of the first Arūpāvacara consciousness, in Pāḷi it is
called Ākāsānañcāyatana. The object of first Arūpāvacara
consciousness is the concept of infinite space. That is called
space obtained by removing the Kasiṇa object or Kasiṇa sign.

The last one is this delimiting space, Ākāsa-dhātu. The

second and the fourth are different. The second is delimited
space, space which is limited by other things — by a door, by a
window, by a vessel, by a pot, by a hole. The space in a hole is
called delimited. The fourth one is delimiting space. That
means it delimits or separates different groups of material
phenomena. This is called space-element here, the last one.

Viññatti-rūpas
The next two Rūpas are called Viññatti-rūpas. ‘Viññatti’
means making known. It is translated as intimating material
phenomena. By Kāya-viññatti and Vacī-viññatti we make our
intentions, our desires known to other people. Those are called
intimations or intimating material phenomena. We
communicate by these intimating material phenomena. It is a
particular mode or modification in the material properties.

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Kāya-viññatti
The first one is Kāya-viññatti, bodily intimation. That
means intimation by the body. When I make this gesture,
especially in this country, (Not in our countries, we make
another gesture.) you know that I want you to come here. The
movement of my fingers, the movement of my hand — there
is some kind of particular mode in this movement. Not all
movement is called Viññatti. The movement of the trees, for
example, does not make us know anything. It is just
movement. When I move my hand like this, you know that I
want you to come here. Some mode in this movement is what
is called Kāya-viññatti, bodily intimation. This movement
arises because I have first the intention to move the hand.
Before moving my hand, I have the desire or intention to
move. That intention or the moments of consciousness of
intention arise and disappear billions of times. That intention,
or consciousness accompanied by intention, produces material
properties, Rūpas especially Vāyo (air-element). So it
produces a great amount of Vāyo (air-element). What we
perceive as movement is actually the increase of Vāyo. Old
material particles disappear and new material properties take
their place. When old material particles disappear and new
material particles take their place, they take place in a very
small distance from where the old particles have disappeared.
Arising of new material particles in a new place makes us think
that there is movement of the hand. So in the books it is
stated that the ultimate reality does not move. There is no
movement in ultimate realities. It is difficult to understand.
Why do we think there is movement? It is because of the
increase of Vāyo-dhātu in the hand. When Vāyo-dhātu
increases, the other material properties, especially the other
three great essentials, also increase. By their increase we
think there is movement in the hand. Actually nothing moves
from one place to another. Material properties arise here and
disappear here, then new material properties arise and
disappear, and then another one, like that.

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It is like a movie film. On the frames of the movie film

there is the image. One image is just a little bit different from
another image. It is actually imperceptible, but there is a
difference between one image and another. But when those
pictures are projected on the screen and made to move, let us
say, thirty frames per second and so on, then you think the
picture is moving. Actually we do not see pictures moving. We
see different pictures at different places. Then our mind
combines these pictures into one moving picture. What we see
is not a moving picture, but many pictures in different places.
When I make a gesture like this with my hand, there is
movement in my hand. That movement which I make with the
intention of calling you is called Kāya-viññatti. There is Kāya-
viññatti in movement when I intend to call someone or when I
try to let you know my idea or intention through movement.
But not every movement is Kāya-viññatti. When we are
asleep, our bodies move. No one, nobody knows what we
mean. So there is no Kāya-viññatti in those movements.
Movement with the intention of communicating something is
called Kāya-viññatti, bodily intimation.

Vacī-viññatti
The second one is Vacī-viññatti, vocal intimation. That
means speech. I make my desire, my intention known to you
by speech, by talking to you. I will say, “Come”. You know that
I want you to come here. By these words, by these sounds
(Sadda), I make you to understand that I want you to come to
me. My saying “come” is what is called Vacī-viññatti. Here also
the sound “come” is not the Vacī-viññatti, but it is something
inherent in that sound. I make the sound and it makes you
know that I have the intention for you to come. That particular
mode of sound in my mouth, which issues from my mouth, is
what is called Vacī-viññatti. It is very close to sound. If I want
to say something, again I have the intention to make that
sound. That produces here what is called earth-element,

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Pathavī-dhātu. It produces Pathavī-dhātu in my throat. That

friction makes the sound come out. In this case what is in
excess, what is prominent is Pathavī-dhātu, the earth-
element. In the case of Kāya-viññatti what is in excess, that
which is prominent, is air-element, Vāyo-dhātu. In Kāya-
viññatti there is an excess of Vāyo-dhātu. In Vacī-viññatti
there is an excess of Pathavī-dhātu. Sound is just the outcome
of the friction between the one element and the other
elements. When we say something, we are letting other
people know what we want, or what we desire, or what we
intend, or what we mean. That sound, that speech is what is
called Vacī-viññatti, vocal intimation.

These are also not separate material properties.

Actually they are some mode, some modification which we
detect in the hand or in the sound. That particular mode is
what we call Viññatti. Viññatti is said to be not visible. What
you see is not Viññatti but visible matter of my hand. But from
this you infer that he wants me to come. Actually Viññatti
cannot be seen. You know, when we classify the different
classes of matter, you will see that among the 28 material
properties only one can be seen. The others can be seen only
through mind. Viññatti are those that are not visible to the
physical eye. The two are called Viññatti-rūpa.

Vikāra-rūpas
The next group is called Vikāra-rūpa, mutable
phenomena. That means change, or here a special quality, or
a special mode of the phenomena. There are three of them.

Rūpassa-lahutā, Mudutā, Kammaññatā

They are Rūpassa-lahutā, Rūpassa-mudutā and
Rūpassa-kammaññatā. You have met these three words

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Lahutā, Mudutā and Kammaññatā in the 52 Cetasikas. They

are the same.
• ‘Lahutā’ means lightness.
• ‘Mudutā’ means softness or malleability.
• ‘Kammaññatā’ means wieldiness.
These words are difficult to understand in English. They
are also difficult to understand in Pāḷi. Lahutā is not difficult to
understand. Lahutā is lightness, lightness of Rūpa. When the
climate is good, when the weather is fine, we feel our bodies
to be light. When we have good food or when we are healthy,
we feel that lightness in our body. That is Rūpassa-lahutā.

Rūpassa-mudutā is compared to the leather which is

well pressed. I think they have to press or to smash the
leather so that it becomes soft and you can make it into
things. That also we feel when the weather is good, when we
are healthy.

Rūpassa-kammaññatā is compared to gold which is

refined. When gold is really refined, you can make it into any
ornament you like. Kammaññatā is like that.

These three are always together. When there is Lahutā,

there is also Mudutā and Kammaññatā. These three are found
only in living beings and not in outside things. The two Viññatti
phenomena and the three mutable phenomena are called
Vikāra-rūpa. So there are five Vikāra-rūpa — two Viññattis and
three mutables. They are called Vikāra-rūpa. They are some
modes, they are some attributes of the concretely produced
matter.

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Lakkhaṇa-rūpas
We come to the last group. They are called Lakkhaṇa-
rūpa, characteristics of matter or signs of matter. We are
familiar with three signs. What are the three signs? The three
signs are impermanence, suffering and no soul. Here the signs
are different. The beginning, the middle and the end are called
the characteristics of matter.

Rūpassa-upacaya, Santati, Jaratā, Aniccatā

The first one is called Rūpassa-upacaya. It is translated
as production. The second is Rūpassa-santati, continuity,
actually production of matter, continuity of matter. Rūpassa-
jaratā is decay of matter, and Rūpassa-aniccatā is
impermanence of matter. Impermanence here means end or
death or dissolution of matter.

The first two, Upacaya and Santati, are both terms for
the arising, the genesis or the birth of matter. The arising of
matter is called by two names here — Upacaya and Santati.
The Commentators try to explain the difference between
Upacaya and Santati. In the word ‘Upacaya’ the word ‘Upa’ has
two meanings. One is first. So Upacaya means first arising.
The other, the literal meaning is above. That means later. So
arising first and arising later, that is called Upacaya. One
arising has two modes here, first arising and later arising.
After that there is the continuity of material properties arising
which is Santati.

At relinking for human beings, let us say, thirty

material properties arise. At relinking there is arising of thirty
material properties and that arising is called Upacaya. They
will arise from that moment on because they are born of
Kamma and so they will arise every moment. So they will arise
again, again and again. When they arise again and again, they

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are still Upacaya until the time comes when all materials in
one life arise fully. That means the fetus in the mother's womb
gets eyes, ears and so on at about eleven weeks after
conception according to the Commentaries. Until that time,
until the eleventh week, let us say, these material properties
arise. The first arising of material properties at the moment of
relinking, Paṭisandhi, are Upacaya and their arising until the
eleventh week is called Upacaya. From the eleventh week on
their arising is called Santati, for the whole life until 17
moments before death-consciousness. In one life Upacaya can
be understood to have taken place at the moment of relinking
until about eleven weeks if it is a human being. But if it is a
Deva, they have all the necessary material properties right at
the moment of relinking. The arising of material properties at
relinking is called Upacaya. The others are Santati, continuity.
So just one arising here is called by two names Upacaya and
Santati.

Jaratā — you know Jaratā, decay, getting old. What is

the life span of Rūpa, of material properties? How many
thought moments? Rūpa has a life span of 17 thought
moments or 51 sub-moments.
• The first one is called Upacaya and Santati.
• Then the 49 in between are called Jaratā, decay.
• The 51st is called Aniccatā, death.
The first moment is Upacaya and Santati. 49 moments
are Jaratā, decay. And the 51st moment is Aniccatā, death.

They are not concrete matter. They are the marks of

concrete matter. This is when concrete matter arises. This is
when it gets old. This is when it dies. Since they are the marks
of concrete matter, they are called Lakkhaṇa-rūpa or
characteristics of matter. There are four of these
characteristics — production, continuity, decay and
impermanence.

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Now we come to the end to the 28 material properties.

28 material properties are grouped into eleven groups:
1. The first group is the four essential phenomena,
Mahābhūta or Bhūta-rūpa.
2. The second is Pasāda-rūpa, sensitive
phenomena.
3. The third is Gocara-rūpa, objective phenomena.
4. The fourth is Bhāva-rūpa, sexual phenomena.
5. The fifth is Hadaya-rūpa, heart-base.
6. The sixth is Jīvita-rūpa, life faculty.
7. The seventh is Āhāra, nutriment.
8. The eighth is Pariccheda-rūpa, limiting
phenomenon.
9. The ninth is Viññatti-rūpa, communicating
phenomena.
10. The tenth is Vikāra-rūpa, mutable phenomena.
11. The eleventh is Lakkhaṇa-rūpa, characteristics
of matter.

By groups there are eleven and counting separately

there are 28 material properties. Among them:
• The first 18 are called Nipphanna-rūpa,
concretely produced matter.
• The other ten are called Anipphanna-rūpa, non-
concrete matter.
These 28 properties may be compared to the periodic
table in chemistry. There also scientists have arranged the
elements into some order. Just as the elements in the periodic
table are the components of what we call matter, these 28
material properties according to Abhidhamma are the building

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blocks of what we call material things including living beings.

Again 28 material things can be divided into two. What

are the two?
• They are four great essentials, and
• the 24 dependent kinds of matter.
Dependent matter means those that depend on the
four essentials for their arising. Only when there are four
essentials can they arise. If there are not four essentials, they
cannot arise. So they are called dependent phenomena. It is
mostly translated as derived phenomena. That is not so good.
We will use dependent phenomena. In Pāḷi they are called
Bhūta-rūpa and Upādā-rūpa. You must be familiar with these
terms. When you study Paṭṭhāna, you will find these many
times. So there are four Bhūta-rūpas and 24 Upādā-rūpas.

Among the 24 Upādā-rūpas there are eye-sensitivity

and so on, Gocara-rūpa and so on, and then femininity,
masculinity, heart, life principle and nutriment. Then among
non-concrete matter there are limiting phenomena,
communicating phenomena, mutable phenomena and the
characteristics of matter.

Let's go back to the beginning. How many Bhūta-rūpas

are there? There are four.

How many Pasāda-rūpas (sensitivities)? There are five.

How many objective Rūpas are there? There are seven

because Phoṭṭhabba is Pathavī, Tejo and Vāyo.

Then Bhāva-rūpa, sexual phenomena are how many?

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They are two.

What about heart? There is only one.

Life principle is how many? It is only one.

Nutriment is how many? There is only one.

Limiting is how many? There is only one.

Intimating or communicating are how many? They are

two.

Mutables are how many? They are three or five —

actually five including the intimations.

Characteristics are how many? There are four.

So we get 28 material properties. These will be like the

89 types of consciousness. You may draw a diagram showing
the 28 if you want to.

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Rūpa-vibhāga
The next section is called “Rūpa-vibhāga”,
“Classification of Matter”. Matter will be classified into different
things. First of all matter is just one. It is just one by its
characteristic. What is the characteristic of matter? Change is
the characteristic of matter. By that characteristic there is only
one kind of Rūpa.

Ahetuka, Sappaccaya, Sāsava, Saṅkhata, Lokiya,

Kāmāvacara, Anārammaṇa, Appahātabba
That Rūpa is said to be Ahetuka, rootless. It is
Sappaccaya, with conditions. With conditions means it is
caused by conditions. Sāsava — Sāsava means with Āsavas.
‘Āsava’ means taints or cankers. You will study the Āsavas in
the seventh chapter. There are four Āsavas (Kāmāsava,
Bhavāsava, Diṭṭhāsava, Avijjāsava). Sāsava means literally
with Āsavas. Then Saṅkhata means conditioned by conditions
— conditioned by the four causes. Lokiya means belonging to
the mundane world or to the five aggregates of clinging. And
Kāmāvacara — they are the object of sense-desire. And then
Anārammaṇa — no object — they don't take any object; they
have no ability to take an object. Taking an object is the ability
of mind and not of matter. Appahātabba — they cannot be
abandoned. Abandoned means like abandoning mental
defilements. We cannot abandon any of the Rūpas. They
cannot be abandoned. We must understand that Rūpa has
these qualities.

Ahetuka
The first quality is Ahetuka. Rūpa is without roots.
“… it does not associate with either the wholesome,
unwholesome, or (neutral or) indeterminate roots, …” (CMA, VI,

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Guide to §6, p.243)

Because it is Rūpa there is no Lobha, Dosa or Moha

with it. So it is called Ahetuka.

“… association with roots being restricted to mental

phenomena.” (CMA, VI, Guide to §6, p.243)
Only Cittas and Cetasikas can be said to be associated
with roots. We may say, “This Citta is with root; this Citta is
without root; this Cetasika is with root; this Cetasika is
without root.” But this is not true for Rūpa; Rūpa is always
Ahetuka.

Sappaccaya
Then Sappaccaya, with conditions — that means they
are dependent upon conditions, they are dependent upon
causes, the four causes of matter. They are Kamma, Citta, Utu
and Āhāra. The next section deals with them.

Sāsava
Sāsava — they are with Āsavas. That means they are
object of Āsavas. Lobha, Diṭṭhi and Moha are Āsavas. There are
four Āsavas, but in reality there are three — Lobha, Diṭṭhi and
Moha. Matter is the object of Lobha, Diṭṭhi and Moha. So they
are called Sāsava.

Saṅkhata
Saṅkhata — they are all conditioned. It means the
same as Sappaccaya. They have causes. They are conditioned.
Rūpa is never Asaṅkhata. Rūpa is always Saṅkhata. It always
arises depending upon conditions.

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Lokiya
Lokiya — it belongs to the world of five aggregates.
Rūpa is never Lokuttara but some Cittas are Lokiya and some
Cittas are Lokuttara. Rūpa is always mundane, Lokiya.

Kāmāvacara
Kāmāvacara — Rūpa is the object of sensual craving or
of sense-desire. Now whether Rūpa arises in Brahma world or
not, it is called Kāmāvacara because it is the object of sense-
desire. You may remember the classification of objects —
Kāmāvacara object, Mahaggata object and Lokuttara object.
There Kāmāvacara object means Cittas, Cetasikas and Rūpa.
So Rūpa belongs to Kāmāvacara objects because it is the
object of sense-desire. Whether Rūpa arises in the human
world or the Deva world or the Brahma world, it is called
Kāmāvacara.

Anārammaṇa
Anārammaṇa — it does not take object, so it is without
an object. It does not know the object. It does not cognize the
object. It is the object. Since it is the object, it has no power
of cognition, it is called Anārammaṇa. That is also the
difference between Rūpa and Nāma. Nāma can be both an
object and let us say subject. Nāma can take another Nāma as
object. So Nāma can be sometimes subject and sometimes
object. But Rūpa is always an object. It is never a subject
because it never takes an object. It never knows an object.
Rūpa never cognizes an object.

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Appahātabba
And then Appahātabba — it cannot be abandoned; it
cannot to be abandoned, like the defilements. When a person
attains enlightenment, when a person attains the first stage of
enlightenment, he abandons some mental defilements —
doubt and wrong view. He does not abandon any material
property, any Rūpa because Rūpa cannot be abandoned. Even
though one becomes an Arahant, Rūpas are still there. No
Rūpa is abandoned. So Rūpa is called Appahātabba; it can
never be abandoned.

There is one Rūpa according to characteristic and one

Rūpa according to qualities such as Ahetuka, Sappaccaya, etc.
Rūpa can be of many kinds when conceived of as internal and
external and so on. From now on Rūpa will be classified as
consisting of two kinds, three kinds and so on.

Ajjhattika and Bāhira-rūpas

Pasāda-rūpa — they are eye-sensitivity, ear-sensitivity,
nose-sensitivity, tongue-sensitivity and body-sensitivity. They
are called internal, in Pāḷi Ajjhattika. These five are called
Ajjhattika, internal. Now it may be a little confusing. Every
material property that we possess is internal. It is in us. But
here only these five are called Ajjhattika. That is because they
are very beneficial to us. If we do not have eyes, ears and so
on, we cannot function as human beings. We would be like a
piece of log. They are so beneficial to us that only those we
call internal. If someone is so beneficial to you, then you may
call him an internal person. He is among us. Since these five
are so beneficial to our lives, we call them internal Rūpas or
inner Rūpas. The rest are called external. External does not
mean outside the body. They are still inside the body, but they
are not as beneficial as the five sensitivities so they are called
external Rūpas.

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Vatthu and Avatthu-rūpas

Next is the five sensitive organs and the heart — five
Pasādas and Hadaya, these six are called Vatthu-rūpa, bases.
You are familiar with bases. How many bases are there? There
are six bases. You studied bases in the third chapter. These
are called base-Rūpa because they are the seat of
consciousness. Eye-sensitivity is the seat of eye-consciousness
and so on. They are called Vatthu-rūpa. When these six are
called Vatthu-rūpa, the other 22 are called Avatthu-rūpa, non-
base matter.

Dvāra and Advāra-rūpas

And then there are seven kinds comprised of sensitive
organs and the two media of information. That means the five
sensitivities, bodily intimation and verbal intimation. These
seven are called Dvāra-rūpa, door-Rūpas, door-material-
properties. The rest are called non-door-Rūpas. You know the
five senses are called doors. Through them the mind, seeing
consciousness, and the others arise. The two, bodily and
verbal intimation, are called Dvāra because they are the doors
for Kamma to arise. Through bodily intimation and verbal
intimation we acquire Kamma. So they are called Dvāra even
though they are not the seat of consciousness. When we do
something with our body, we have Viññatti there. When we tell
a lie, there is some sort of Vacī-viññatti there. So they are the
doors of Kamma; here they are called Dvāra-rūpa, door-
matter.

Indriya and Anindriya-rūpas

And then there are eight kinds comprising the sensitive
organs (They are always there.), masculinity, femininity and
life (Jīvita). These eight are called Indriya, faculty Rūpas.
Indriya means what? Indriya means having authority because
they exert a controlling power in their respective spheres. That

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means if you do not have eyes, you do not see. So the eyes
have the controlling power over seeing. If the eyes are weak,
seeing consciousness is weak. If your eyes are not good,
seeing consciousness is not good. If your eyes are good,
seeing consciousness is good. So eyes control the seeing
consciousness. They have the controlling power, the authority
over seeing. The same is true for hearing and so on.

The two Bhāva-rūpas, sexual phenomena, control the

masculine or feminine features and traits. That means when a
person is a man, his movement, his way of playing, his way of
speaking and so on are different from those of women. These
faculties control the features and traits of male and female.

The life faculty controls the coexisting types of matter

as a pilot controls a ship. Life faculty is compared to what? It
is compared to water in the lotus stock. When there is water in
the lotus stock, it keeps the lotus fresh. This life principle,
Jīvita, controls the coexistent types of matter. Matter does not
arise singly. Matter arises together with Jīvita. Jīvita arises
together with other material properties. When Jīvita and other
material properties arise, Jīvita maintains them. It controls
them and keeps them existing until they die. It does not keep
them eternally, but it keeps them until they die. You know
material properties have 51 sub-moments of existence. So
Jīvita keeps them fresh or alive through the 50 th moment. It is
compared to a pilot who controls a ship. But I think it is not
quite what is meant in the Commentaries. I think I told you
about this last time. If life principle controls other material
properties, what controls it? If Jīvita maintains others, what
protects Jīvita? The analogy of a boat and a boatman is given
there. The meaning there is when the boatman takes others
on the boat to the other side, to the other shore, he takes
himself also. When he takes people on the boat to the other
shore, he takes himself also because he is connected with the
boat. Although he does not mean to take himself as he takes
the boat to the other shore, he takes himself too. In the same

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way, Jīvita, the life faculty maintains others, the material

properties and it maintains itself also because it is connected
with other material properties. That is the meaning here. The
pilot controls the ship is not so good an analogy.

Oḷārika, Sukhuma, Santike, Dūre, Sappaṭigha, Appaṭigha

The next group is twelve kinds comprising the five
sensitive organs and seven sense-objects. Eye-sensitivity, ear-
sensitivity and so on, they are five. Seven sense-objects
means visual object, sound, smell, taste, earth, fire and air.
Altogether there are five and seven, so twelve. They are
called:
• gross, Oḷārika in Pāḷi,
• proximate or near, Santike, and
• Sappaṭigha, with impingement, with impinging
material phenomena.
The rest are called:
• subtle, Sukhuma,
• distant, Dūre, and
• non-impinging, Appaṭigha.
The sense-organs and the corresponding objects are
subject and object. They are said to be gross. Here gross does
not mean rough or big. Gross simply means it is easier to see,
easier to perceive, not difficult to perceive. When you see
something, you know there is eye-sensitivity and you see the
visible object. They are not difficult to see. They are easy to
see, easy to perceive. That is why they are called gross, not
that they are more substantial than or rougher than the subtle
matter. But here gross just means easy to see, easy to
perceive.

Proximate means near. What is near is easy to see. So

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they are called near. They are with impinging. That means
they come into contact — the eye and the visible object, the
ear-sensitivity and the sound — so there is a kind of
impinging, a kind of contact. They are called Sappaṭigha-rūpa.
The rest are called Sukhuma-rūpa, not so easy to see, not so
easy to perceive. Āpo, the water-element, is said to be
Sukhuma-rūpa, subtle matter, not easy to see. We can see the
water, but it is not easy to perceive the element or trickling
characteristic or cohesion of water-element. It is not as easy
to see as the other elements. What is not easy to see seems
to be far away, so they are called distant. Here we should
understand distance not as real distance but just as not as
easy to see as the other ones. They are therefore distant. And
non-impinging — there is no coming together.

Upādinna and Anupādinna

Material phenomena born of Kamma are called
Upādinna. The others are called Anupādinna. This term must
be understood properly and correctly. Many people make a
mistake about this term. The word ‘Upādinna’ is composed of
the word ‘Upa’ and ‘Adinna’. ‘Upa’ here means Kamma which is
the object of craving and wrong view. Actually ‘Upa’ means
approached, so here Kamma approached by craving and
wrong view, Kamma which is the object of craving and wrong
view, or Kamma which is concomitant with craving and wrong
view. Actually it is the object of craving and wrong view. If it is
Kusala Kamma, they do not arise together, but still Kusala
Kamma is the object of craving and wrong view. ‘Upa’ here
means approached, approached by craving and wrong view.
‘Adinna’ means taken. Taken here means something like
claiming. It is claimed by Kamma as its result. That is called
Upādinna, something that is claimed by Kamma as its results.
It is as though Kamma came forward and were to say, “These
are my results, these are the results that I produced.” It is
something like that. They are called Upādinna. It is usually
translated as clung-to, but actually Upādinna means those that
are born of Kamma.

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The others are not Upādinna; they are called

Anupādinna — those not born of Kamma. If they are not born
of Kamma, they are born of Citta, Utu and Āhāra. Those that
are born of Kamma are called clung-to, Upādinna and the
others are called not clung-to, Anupādinna.

In the book, “It should be noted that, unlike the other

pairs of terms used for the purpose of classification, the pair
‘clung-to’ and ‘not clung-to’ does not establish a mutually
exclusive dichotomy, …” (CMA, VI, Guide to §7, p.245)
You will understand more clearly when you get to the
next section.

“… for nine kinds of material phenomena born of

kamma can also originate from other causes.” (CMA, VI, Guide to §7,
p.245)

There are 18 material properties caused by Kamma.

Nine13 are caused by Kamma only and the other nine 14 are
caused by Kamma and the others15 as well. They are not
mutually exclusive. That is one thing.

There is another thing to understand.

“Generally, however, in a less technical sense, all
organic matter in the body is referred to as “clung-to”, while
inorganic matter is spoken of as “not clung-to”.” (CMA, VI, Guide to
§7, p.245)

That is important. The word ‘Upādinna’ strictly in

Abhidhamma terminology means Rūpa born of Kamma.
‘Anupādinna’ means Rūpa not born of Kamma, Rūpa born of

13 They are eye-sensitivity, ear-sensitivity, nose-sensitivity, tongue-sensitivity, body-

sensitivity, femininity, masculinity, heart-base and life faculty.
14 The others are earth-element, water-element, fire-element, air-element, form, smell,
taste, nutriment and space.
15 The others are also caused by Citta, Utu and Āhāra.

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other three causes. But in other places ‘Upādinna’ means

simply organic matter, matter in living beings. ‘Anupādinna’
means matter in outside things. You have to understand that.
Otherwise you will make a mistake. Especially in the Vinaya
we find this Upādinna and Anupādinna many times. There if
you translate it as clung-to or born of Kamma, you are wrong.
There Upādinna means animate Rūpa and Anupādinna means
inanimate Rūpa, outside things. We must understand that
Upādinna and Anupādinna have two meanings each.
• In Abhidhamma terminology Upādinna means
born of Kamma. Anupādinna means born of
Citta, Utu or Āhāra.
• But in general usage Upādinna means animate
matter. Anupādinna means inanimate matter.

Monks are not allowed to touch women. Women are

Upādinna. They are animate. We can touch the desk. The desk
is Anupādinna. There is no offense for us when we touch
Anupādinna. With regard to Upādinna we are not to touch
women. These words are used there. You must understand
that Upādinna means animate matter and so on. Otherwise if
you take Upādinna to just mean Rūpa born of Kamma, you will
be wrong there. So please understand these two words,
Upādinna and Anupādinna.

Sanidassana and Anidassana

The visible form is visible and the rest are non-visible.
Among the 28 material properties only one can be seen. It is
Rūpa, visible object. So Rūpa only can be seen among the 28
material properties. The other ones you cannot see with your
eyes. You see them with your minds.

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Asampatta and Sampatta

Eye and ear are called not reaching their object,
Asampatta. Nose, tongue and body are called Sampatta.
Sampatta means reaching out. That means coming to you. Eye
and ear take the object which does not reach them. That
means they take the object before it reaches them. Eye and
ear do not go out and take the object outside. We can also say
that meaning, but the correct meaning is that they take
objects that have not reached them yet.

For example, let us say the sound waves come and hit
our ear. According to Abhidhamma we take the sound before it
hits the ear. It may be close to the ear, but it has not yet
reached the ear. Eye and ear are said to be Asampatta. Then
we put the word ‘Gāhika’ after it. That means taking the object
which has not reached them. But the nose, tongue and body
are called those that take objects that have reached them.
That's understandable. The smell, as long as it does not come
in contact with your nose, does not produce an odor for you.
Touch and taste are the same. So they are called
Sampattagāhika.

There is a difference of opinion among the teachers

before the time of the Commentaries. There is what is called
Mahā Aṭṭhakathā. That means the original Commentaries.
When Buddhaghosa wrote his new Commentaries, he took
many from the Mahā Aṭṭhakathā. The authors of Mahā
Aṭṭhakathā think that they take the object which has reached
them. There is difference of opinion. The opinion of Venerable
Buddhaghosa or the elders at Mahāvihāra in Sri Lanka is the
opinion that prevails. Later authors or monks follow them.
Venerable Anuruddha also followed them. So he states that
eye and ear take objects that have not reached them. The
others take objects that have reached them. We may or may
not agree with that.

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Gocaraggāhika and Agocaraggāhika

These five, eye-sensitivity, ear, nose, tongue and body-
sensitivity, are called Gocaraggāhika. ‘Gocara’ means object
and ‘Gāhika’ means state. These five are called those that take
objects. The others are called Agocaraggāhika, those that do
not take objects.

At the beginning of this chapter it is said that Rūpa

does not take an object, Anārammaṇa. Here it says it takes
the object. Here we should understand that when it says they
take the object, as for example, the eye and ear take the
object, it means actually not they themselves, but the eye-
consciousness and ear-consciousness that arise depending
upon them take the object. That is why they are said to take
an object. Actually Rūpa cannot take objects.

Avinibbhoga and Vinibbhoga

The last one, the inseparable ones — they are Vaṇṇa
(visible object), Gandha (smell), Rasa (taste), Ojā (Ojā means
nutritive essence.) and Bhūta-catukka (the four great
essentials). The eight kinds of material phenomena that are
inseparable — these eight are called in Pāḷi Avinibbhoga those
that cannot be separated. The rest are called Vinibbhoga,
those that can be separated. These eight are everywhere. In
every particle of matter, however small it may be, there are
these eight particles. We may reduce the material particles to
the smallest atoms or sub-atoms. That sub-atomic particle
according to Abhidhamma has these eight particles — color,
odor and so on. They cannot be separated. However, we can
understand them; we can separate them with our minds. We
say that there are color, smell, taste and so on, but actually
we cannot separate them. The four essentials — earth-
element, water-element, fire-element and air-element — they
cannot be separated. Always there are these eight material
properties everywhere. That is why they are called

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inseparables. The others exist separately and they can be

separated. Eye-sensitivity and ear-sensitivity do not arise
together. They are separate. We know there is no eye-
sensitivity in the ear-sensitivity and no ear-sensitivity in the
eye-sensitivity. But in a particle of matter we say there is
color, there is smell, there is taste. So these are called
inseparable eight. The rest are the separable ones. These
eight will be taken as a basis. Then we will add one material
particle or two particles or three particles to it. We will study
them in the third section. These eight elements are collectively
known as the pure octad (see CMA, VI, Guide to §7, p.246) . That means
pure group of eight material properties. In Pāḷi they are called
Suddhaṭṭhaka. ‘Suddha’ means pure. Pure means not mixed
with others. ‘Aṭṭhaka’ means a group of eight. So here it is a
pure group of eight material properties.

Also they are collectively called Ojaṭṭhamaka, a group

with nutritive essence as the eighth. There is nutritive essence
among the eight — color, odor, taste and nutritive essence. So
they are called Ojaṭṭhamaka. If you read the Commentaries in
Pāḷi, you will find these terms here and there. Suddha ṭṭhaka
and Ojaṭṭhamaka mean the same thing. They both mean the
eight material properties. These eight material properties
cannot be separated. They are always in every particle of
matter.

These 28 material properties can be divided into many

classifications internal and external, base and non-base, door
and non-door and so on.

The basis of these classifications are the five sensitive

phenomena. The five sensitive phenomena are internal and
the others external.

Add one thing, heart, and they are called base, Vatthu

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and the rest Avatthu.

Then we add two, the Viññatti. These seven are Dvāra

(door) Rūpa and the rest are Advāra (non-door) Rūpa.

Then we add three. What are the three? They are two
Bhāvas and Jīvita. In Pāḷi you can say Pasāda, Bhāva and
Jīvita. ‘Pasāda’ means the five sensitivities. So altogether
there are eight. They are called faculties, Indriya-rūpa. The
rest are Anindriya, non-faculties.

Then there are twelve. What are the twelve? They are
Pasāda and Visaya. The twelve are comprised of the Five
Pasāda and seven Gocara or Visaya. Here the word Visaya is
used. There are twelve. They are gross, near and impinging.
The rest are called subtle, distant and non-impinging.

And then there are those that are born of Kamma. They
are 18. We will see them later. They are called Upādinna and
the others are called Anupādinna. You must also understand
the different meanings of Upādinna and Anupādinna —
animate and inanimate, born of Kamma and not born of
Kamma.

And the only one — Rūpa is the only visible object; it is

the only one that can be seen. The others cannot be seen.
Here it is said that they are with seeing and without seeing.

Then there are those that take the object which has not
yet reached them. What are they? They are eye and ear. And
then there are those that take the object which has reached
them — nose, tongue and body. These five are called object-
taking Rūpa, Gocaraggāhika-rūpa.

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Then there are those that cannot be separated. How

many Avinibbhoga are there? There are eight. They are color,
smell, taste, nutritive essence and four essentials. These eight
are called Avinibbhoga. The rest are called Vinibbhoga. Can
you tell me another name for Avinibbhoga-rūpa? The other
names are Suddhaṭṭhaka or Ojaṭṭhamaka. So there are three
names for these — Avinibbhoga, Suddhaṭṭhaka and
Ojaṭṭhamaka. We will find the word Suddhaṭṭhaka in the fourth
Section.

Sādhu! Sādhu! Sādhu!

Origination of Matter

Four Causes of Matter

Today we come to the section called the “Origination of
Matter” or the “Causes of Matter”, “Rūpasamuṭṭhāna”.
Buddhism teaches the conditionality of all things animate and
inanimate. Rūpa can be either animate or inanimate. Rūpa
must have conditions or causes. There are four kinds of causes
for the arising of matter. They are Kamma, Citta, Utu and
Āhāra. You know Kamma and Citta. Utu literally means climate
or weather. In Abhidhamma Utu means heat or cold or
temperature. Āhāra normally means food. Nutriment inherent
in food is called Āhāra. There are these four kinds of causes of
Rūpa. We will study in this chapter which kinds of causes
originate which kinds of Rūpas. You know there are 28 kinds of
material properties.

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Kamma as a Mode of Origin

First there is Kamma. What is Kamma in this particular
section? The Manual says,
“Therein, the 25 kinds of wholesome and unwholesome
kamma …” (CMA, VI, §10, p.247)
So Kamma here means the 25 kinds of wholesome and
unwholesome Kamma, not all Kamma because we are dealing
with Kamma that causes Rūpa. Now there are 25 kinds of
wholesome and unwholesome Kamma. How many wholesome
Kammas are there? There are Kāmāvacara Kusala eight and
Rūpāvacara five. Eight and five is thirteen. And then there are
Akusala twelve or unwholesome Kamma. Altogether there are
25.

Kamma means Cetanā accompanying these 25 types of

consciousness. That Kamma is performed in the past, it is past
Kamma. That Kamma produces Rūpa at what moment? It
begins with Paṭisandhi Citta. There are three sub-moments
within Paṭisandhi Citta — arising, presence and dissolution.
Here it is said beginning with Paṭisandhi, Kamma produces
Rūpa moment by moment. That means at every moment Rūpa
is produced. There are three sub-moments in Paṭisandhi. And
there are three sub-moments in Bhavaṅga and so on. At the
arising moment Kamma produces Kamma-born Rūpa. Then at
the presence moment it produces Rūpa again. And at the
dissolution moment also it produces Rūpa again. Kamma
produces Rūpa born of Kamma at every moment in our lives,
actually every sub-moment. Where does it produce Rūpa born
of Kamma? It produces Rūpa born of Kamma in the internal
continuum. My Kamma in the past will produce Kammaja-rūpa
in me, not in you, not in other persons. Kamma or volition or
Cetanā accompanying these 25, that is, Akusala, Kāmāvacara
Kusala and Rūpāvacara Kusala, produces Kamma-born matter
beginning with the first sub-moment of Paṭisandhi and all
through life until the 17th moment reckoned backward from
death. It will become clear when we study the section on how
matter arises and how matter disappears in one life. Kamma-

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born matter must disappear with death Citta, with Cuti Citta.
Life span of matter is how many moments? The life span of
matter is 17 thought moments. The last moment when
Kamma-born matter arises in one life is 17 th thought moment
reckoned backward from Cuti Citta. That will become clear
later. This is how Kamma-born matter arises.

When we say Kamma here, we do not mean all

Kamma. We mean Cetanā associated with Akusala,
Kāmāvacara Kusala and Rūpāvacara Kusala. Arūpāvacara is
not included simply because there is no Rūpa in Arūpāvacara
realms. Since there is no Rūpa in Arūpāvacara realms,
Arūpāvacara Kamma cannot produce Rūpa. This is Kamma and
Kamma-born matter. In the “Guide to §10” from the CMA,
“The volitions of the wholesome immaterial-sphere
cittas generate rebirth in the immaterial plane and thus cannot
produce material phenomena originating from kamma.” (CMA, VI,
Guide to §10, p.247)

There is no matter, no Rūpa in Arūpāvacara realms.

Citta as a Mode of Origin

The next one is Citta. There are 89 Cittas, but not all
89 Cittas produce Rūpa. There are some types of
consciousness that have to be omitted. Look at the Manual,
“The 75 types of consciousness, excluding the
immaterial-sphere resultants (Arūpāvacara Vipāka) and the
two sets of fivefold sense consciousness (Dvipañcaviññāṇa) 16,
produce material phenomena originating from consciousness
…” (CMA, VI, §11, p.247)
Citta here means 75 Cittas. Those 75 are all Cittas
except Arūpāvacara Vipāka four and the two sets of fivefold
sense-consciousness. So 89 minus 14 is 75. These 75 Cittas
produce what is called Citta-born Rūpa. Beginning with what
16 That means seeing consciousness and so on, altogether ten.

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moment? Beginning with the first Bhavaṅga they produce

Citta-born Rūpa. After Paṭisandhi there is Bhavaṅga. Beginning
with that first Bhavaṅga, Citta produces Citta-born matter.
When do they produce matter? They produce Citta-born
matter only at the moment of arising. That means at the first
sub-moment. Citta produces Citta-born matter at the first sub-
moment of the first Bhavaṅga. Following that at every moment
of arising, Citta produces Citta-born matter. Citta-born matter
is produced neither at presence sub-moment nor at dissolution
sub-moment. Now that is the difference between Kamma-born
and Citta-born matter. Kamma-born Rūpa is produced at every
sub-moment in one life. Citta-born Rūpa is only produced at
the arising sub-moment of each Citta. Citta-born matter is
produced neither at the presence sub-moment nor at the
dissolution sub-moment of Citta.

Now there are some things we have to understand.

Rebirth-consciousness and death-consciousness do they
produce matter or not? It is said that rebirth-consciousness
does not produce matter, cannot produce matter because it
has to depend on a weak base. It is like a guest. It has just
come to a new existence. It is new, so it cannot produce Citta-
born matter at the moment of Paṭisandhi. Actually at the
moment of Paṭisandhi what arises is Kamma-born matter.
Since Kamma-born matter arises at moment of Paṭisandhi,
Paṭisandhi Citta cannot produce Citta-born matter at that
moment. Paṭisandhi Citta or rebirth-consciousness is to be
excluded.

Then it is said in the books that the death Citta of an

Arahant does not produce any Rūpa. But death Citta of other
beings does produce Rūpa. Here we have to exclude death
Citta of Arahants also. Although we leave them out, the
number of Cittas is the same. Although we leave out rebirth-
consciousness, there is Bhavaṅga consciousness. Also there is
death-consciousness of other beings. So the number of Cittas
is the same. But to be exact or if we go into details, we have

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to omit rebirth-consciousness and the death-consciousness of

Arahants. These types of consciousness do not produce any
Rūpa.

The Arūpāvacara Vipāka Cittas do not produce any

matter. That is easy to understand. It is simply because there
is no Rūpa in those realms.

What about the ten Cittas, seeing consciousness and so

on? They do not produce Rūpa. Why? It is said that in order
for the Cittas to be strong enough to produce matter they
need to be associated with what are called Jhāna factors,
Magga factors and Hetus (roots). These types of consciousness
(Dvipañcaviññāṇa) are not accompanied by Vitakka and
Vicāra. Also they are not accompanied by factors of Path or
any roots. So they are without them and have no power to
produce matter. That is why they are excluded from the Cittas
here. The four Arūpāvacara Vipākas do not produce matter
because there is no matter in Arūpāvacara realm. The ten
Cittas, Dvipañcaviññāṇa, do not produce matter because they
are too weak. Why are they too weak? They are too weak
because they are not accompanied by the factors of Jhāna,
factors of Path and Hetus. Rebirth-consciousness does not
produce Rūpa. Death-consciousness of Arahants also does not
produce Rūpa.

Now we have to understand at what moment mental

phenomena and material phenomena are strongest. It is said
that mental phenomena are strongest at the moment of
arising, among the three sub-moments. Cittas and Cetasikas
are strongest at the moment of arising. That is why Cittas
produce Rūpa at that moment and not at presence moment
and dissolution moment. But material phenomena are
strongest at the moment of presence. You know material
phenomena last for 51 sub-moments. Their presence is for 49
sub-moments. When they exist for that long they are strong.

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Matter is strongest at the moment of presence. That means it

is strongest during the 49 sub-moments of existence. Cittas
and Cetasikas are strongest at the moment of arising.

There are some particulars to understand with regard

to Cittas producing matter. That is, we need to understand
Appanā Javanas. How many Appanā Javanas are there? 26,
there are 26 when you take Lokuttara as eight. These Appanā
Javanas also uphold the bodily postures. That means in
addition to originating matter they uphold and maintain the
bodily postures. What are Appanā Javanas? They are
Mahaggata Kusala and Kiriya Cittas and the Lokuttara Cittas.
These Cittas produce matter and also uphold and maintain
postures. When a person is in a state of Jhāna, he can sit
cross-legged for seven days. Jhāna Javanas are strong so they
can maintain the postures. The maintenance or upholding of
the bodily posture is done by the 26 Appanā Javanas.

The determining consciousness (Voṭṭhabbana),

Kāmāvacara Javanas and two Abhiññās produce matter,
maintain or support postures, and they also activate bodily
and vocal intimation. How many Cittas are there? There are 32
Cittas. These 32 Cittas produce matter, maintain postures, and
produce Viññatti (bodily intimation and vocal intimation).

Then the last one — the 13 Javanas accompanied by

Somanassa produce smiling. There are four from Lobhamūla,
one from Ahetuka, and eight from Kāmāvacara (i.e. four from
Kāmāvacara Kusala and four from Kāmāvacara Mahākiriya).
These 13 produce matter, maintain postures, produce bodily
and vocal intimation, and also produce smiling.

Cittas that produce Rūpa only are two Sampaṭicchana,

three Santīraṇa, Pañcadvārāvajjana, eight Kāmāvacara
Sobhana Vipāka, and five Rūpāvacara Vipāka (also see CMA, VI, Table

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6.2, p.249).

The nine Mahaggata Kusala, the nine Mahaggata Kiriya

and eight Lokuttara produce Rūpa and maintain posture. I say
they maintain or support posture. Actually they do not
produce posture. They keep the postures intact. In order for
there to be posture there must be Viññatti. They do not
produce Viññatti. So they cannot produce or create posture.
The posture that is already there they maintain or support.
Those that support posture and produce Rūpa only are nine
Mahaggata Kusala, nine Mahaggata Kiriya and eight Lokuttara.
Again the Cittas that just produce Rūpa only are two
Sampaṭicchana, three Santīraṇa, Pañcadvārāvajjana, eight
Kāmāvacara Sobhana Vipāka, and five Rūpāvacara Vipāka.

Then there are Cittas that produce matter, support

postures and also produce intimations only. Those Cittas that
produce matter, support postures, and produce intimations
only are the four Lobhamūla Upekkhā, two Dosamūla, two
Mohamūla, Manodvārāvajjana, four Kāmāvacara Kusala
Upekkhā, four Kāmāvacara Mahākiriya Upekkhā and two
Abhiññās.

And then there are Cittas that produce Rūpa, support

bodily postures, produce Viññatti and produce smiling. Those
Cittas are four Lobhamūla Somanassa, Hasituppāda, four
Kāmāvacara Kusala Somanassa and four Kāmāvacara
Mahākiriya Somanassa.

Fifth Jhāna can be ordinary fifth Jhāna or Abhiññā fifth

Jhāna. If they are ordinary, they do not produce intimation.
But when they are Abhiññās, they produce intimation also.
When we say 26 Appanā Javanas, we mean ordinary fifth
Jhāna. We do not include Abhiññā there. When we say 26
Appanā Javanas uphold postures, we mean ordinary fifth

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Jhāna. When we say Voṭṭhabbana, Kāmāvacara Javanas and

Abhiññās produce matter, uphold postures and produce
intimation, we mean the fifth Jhānas that are Abhiññās.

How many Cittas produce matter? 75 Cittas produce

matter, all Cittas produce matter except Dvipañcaviññāṇa
Cittas and four Arūpāvacara Vipāka Cittas.

How many Cittas support posture? Those Cittas

supporting posture are nine Mahaggata Kusala, nine
Mahaggata Kiriya and eight Lokuttara.

How many Cittas produce matter and support

postures? Those Cittas that produce matter and support
postures are nine Mahaggata Kusala, nine Mahaggata Kiriya,
eight Lokuttara, four Lobhamūla Upekkhā, two Dosamūla, two
Mohamūla, Manodvārāvajjana, four Kāmāvacara Kusala
Upekkhā, four Kāmāvacara Mahākiriya Upekkhā, two
Abhiññās, four Lobhamūla Somanassa, Hasituppāda, four
Kāmāvacara Kusala Somanassa and four Kāmāvacara
Mahākiriya Somanassa.

How many Cittas produce intimations, Viññatti? Those

Cittas that produce Viññatti are four Lobhamūla Upekkhā, two
Dosamūla, two Mohamūla, Manodvārāvajjana, four
Kāmāvacara Kusala Upekkhā, four Kāmāvacara Mahākiriya
Upekkhā, two Abhiññās, four Lobhamūla Somanassa,
Hasituppāda, four Kāmāvacara Kusala Somanassa and four
Kāmāvacara Mahākiriya Somanassa.

How many Cittas produce smiling also? Those Cittas

that produce smiling are four Lobhamūla Somanassa,
Hasituppāda, four Kāmāvacara Kusala Somanassa and four
Kāmāvacara Mahākiriya Somanassa.

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How many Cittas do not produce matter? Those Cittas

that do not produce matter are Dvipañcaviññāṇa and four
Arūpāvacara Vipāka Cittas.

With regard to those that produce smiling also, there

are 13 of them. With these Cittas people smile.

Puthujjanas smile with how many Cittas? They smile

with four Lobhamūla accompanied by Somanassa and four
Kāmāvacara Kusala accompanied by Somanassa. With one of
these eight Cittas Puthujjanas smile.

What about Trainees, Sekhas17, with how many Cittas

do they smile? They smile with two from Lobhamūla, those not
accompanied by wrong view18, and then four Kāmāvacara
Kusala Cittas accompanied by Somanassa. Trainees smile with
one of these six Cittas.

What about Arahants with what Cittas do they smile?

They smile with five Cittas — Hasituppāda and four
Kāmāvacara Mahākiriya accompanied by Somanassa.

So Puthujjanas smile with eight Cittas. Trainees smile

with six Cittas. Arahants smile with five Cittas.

What about Buddhas? There were some teachers who

thought that a Buddha would not smile with Hasituppāda. The
common opinion of teachers does not accept that. Those who
said Buddha does not smile with Hasituppāda gave this
reason: “It is said that all bodily actions of Buddha follow
17 That means Sotāpannas, Sakadāgāmīs and Anāgāmīs.
18 That means the third and fourth Lobhamūla Cittas.

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wisdom, follow Ñāṇa. This Hasituppāda does not have Ñāṇa or

even Hetus. Since it is Ahetuka Citta, it does not follow
wisdom. Since it is said that all Buddha's bodily actions are
followed by wisdom, so Buddha would not smile with
Hasituppāda Citta.” The common opinion is that Buddhas do
smile with Hasituppāda Citta.

When Buddha smiles, He may look at the — let us say,

Buddha saw somebody and He smiled — He may look at a
person's past by His knowledge of past times. Or He may look
into the future of this person by His supernormal power.
Seeing the past or seeing the future is always accompanied by
wisdom. After that there is smiling. We can say that smiling
follows wisdom. Buddhas do smile with Hasituppāda Citta. This
is the common opinion of teachers. According to some,
Buddhas do not smile with Hasituppāda Citta because it has no
Ñāṇa; it does not follow Ñāṇa. The others say that when
Buddha smiles, first He looks into the past of that particular
being or He looks into the future of that particular being.
Those actions are associated with Ñāṇa. Only after that
observation does Buddha smile. Although it is not
accompanied by Ñāṇa, it follows Ñāṇa. Therefore, Buddhas
smile with Hasituppāda also. So Buddhas and Arahants smile
with five Cittas. That is the common opinion of teachers.

Those Cittas rooted in greed accompanied by joy, that

is, the four Lobhamūla Somanassa Cittas, produce matter,
maintain posture, produce intimation and produce smiling.

Greed-rooted in equanimity, the other four Lobhamūla

Cittas produce matter, they maintain posture, and they
produce intimation but not smiling.

Hate-rooted two, Dosamūla two what do they produce?

They produce matter, posture and intimation — only three.

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Delusion-rooted two produce what? The same, they

produce matter, posture and intimation, no smiling.

Ten kinds of sense-consciousness do not produce

anything.

Then receiving consciousness two — what are the two

receiving consciousness? They are the two Sampaṭicchana.
What do they produce? They produce Rūpa only — no posture,
no intimation and no smiling.

Then investigating three Cittas produce Rūpas only.

They do not produce posture, intimation or smiling.

The five-sense-door-adverting, Pañcadvārāvajjana

produces Rūpa only, no posture and so on.

Then mind-door-adverting, Manodvārāvajjana produces

what? It produces matter, posture and intimation.

Then Hasituppāda, smile-producing consciousness

produces what? It produces all four.

Kāmāvacara Kusala Cittas accompanied by Somanassa

produce all four — matter, posture, intimation and smiling.

Kāmāvacara Kusala accompanied by Upekkhā Cittas do

not produce smiling, so they produce only three.

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Then Kāmāvacara Sahetuka Vipāka, all eight, what do

they produce? They produce Rūpa only. They do not produce
posture and so on.

And then Kāmāvacara Mahākiriya accompanied by

Somanassa what do they produce? They produce matter,
posture, intimation and smiling.

Then Kāmāvacara Mahākiriya accompanied by

equanimity produce what? They only produce three — matter,
posture and intimation, no smiling.

Rūpāvacara Kusala five produce what? They produce

matter and posture, no intimation, no smiling. When you are
in Jhāna, you are still. You do not move. So there can be no
Kāya-viññatti or Vacī-viññatti.

Then Rūpāvacara Vipāka five what do they produce?

They produce Rūpa only.

What do Rūpāvacara Kiriya five produce? They produce

Rūpa and postures.

Arūpāvacara Kusala four produce what? They produce

two, matter and Iriyāpatha (postures).

Arūpāvacara Vipāka four produce what? They do not

produce anything.

Arūpāvacara Kiriya four produce what? They produce

Rūpa and Iriyāpatha.

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What do the Lokuttara eight produce? They produce

Rūpa and postures, no intimation and no smiling.

Direct knowledge two (That means Kusala and Kiriya of

fifth Rūpāvacara), they produce matter, postures and
intimation.

Utu as a Mode of Origin

Now we come to Rūpa caused by temperature. What is
Utu or what is temperature here? It is Tejo-dhātu or fire-
element. Among the four elements Tejo-dhātu is called Utu
here. It is heat or cold. It is stated as temperature.
“The fire element, which comprises both cold and heat,
on reaching its state of presence (second sub-moment),
produces, according to circumstances, both internal and
external material phenomena originating from temperature.”
(CMA, VI, §12, p.250)

Tejo-dhātu is Rūpa. So it is strong only at its presence

moment. At the moment of arising it does not produce matter.
At its presence moment, during 49 sub-moments, it produces
Utu-born matter or temperature-born matter. Where? It
produces both internal and external Utu-born matter.

“Beginning from the stage of presence at the moment

of rebirth-linking, the internal fire element found in the
material groups born of kamma combines with the external
fire element and starts producing organic material phenomena
originating from temperature.” (CMA, VI, Guide to §12, p.250)
At Paṭisandhi Citta — there are three moments in
Paṭisandhi Citta. The first sub-moment is arising moment. It
cannot produce anything. At the next sub-moment or presence
moment of Paṭisandhi Citta the internal fire-element combines

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with the external fire-element. It is said that internal fire-

element cannot produce Rūpa unless it receives the support of
external fire-element. That means internal heat can produce
Rūpa only when it gets the support of external heat. External
heat is always — we always feel that external heat. There is
always external heat even through our bodies like mothers
through their bodies the external heat gets inside the body
and supports the internal temperature19. That internal
temperature supported by the external temperature causes
Rūpa. What about external things? Whatever happens outside
living beings is called external. There also the external fire-
element produces climatic changes or geological
transformations. There also Utu, born of temperature, is
produced. Utu or temperature produces matter only at the
moment of presence. Beginning with the presence moment of
Paṭisandhi Citta temperature produces Rūpa. It will go on and
on producing Rūpa. The temperature in the material group
born of all four causes produces organic material phenomena
born of temperature throughout the course of existence. All
through life temperature causes Rūpa. Temperature can be
among the groups of matter which is caused by all four
causes. It is among the four essentials. And four essentials are
in every group of Rūpa. We will study the groups of Rūpa a
little bit later. Utu or temperature produces Rūpa when it
reaches its presence state. The Rūpa which is produced at
presence stage of Paṭisandhi Citta reaches its presence stage
at the dissolution moment of Paṭisandhi Citta. We can say that
the Utu-born matter is produced at almost every moment. One
Rūpa also when it reaches its presence stage produces another
Rūpa and so on. Actually at every moment Utu-born matter is
produced.

Āhāra as a Mode of Origin

The last one is nutrition.

19 The opinion of the editor is that Sayādaw is saying: The fetus receives external heat
from the mother’s body that supports the internal temperature of the fetus.

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“Nutriment, known as nutritive essence, on reaching its

stage of presence, produces material phenomena originating
from nutriment at the time it is swallowed.” (CMA, VI, §13, p.250)
Nutrition is called Ojā or Āhāra in Pāḷi. Āhāra is known
as Ojā, nutritive essence. What we call Āhāra in Abhidhamma
is not the food itself. The nutritive essence that is in the food
is called Āhāra. That nutritive essence on reaching its stage of
presence produces material phenomena.

When the author says, “at the time it is swallowed”, he

is speaking in general terms and making use of ordinary
language. It does not really mean at the time of swallowing.
Even before then, before it reaches your taste buds, it begins
even then to produce matter caused by nutriment. “At the
time it is swallowed” is just an expression. Actually even
before swallowing the Rūpa is produced.

Here there are two opinions. The common opinion is

that external Āhāra or nutriment produces matter. When you
eat something, the nutriment is external. That external Āhāra
that you eat comes into contact with internal Āhāra. It gets
the support of internal Āhāra and produces Rūpa. What
produces matter is external Āhāra or nutriment. The external
nutriment comes into our bodies and comes into contact with
the internal Āhāra. Then supported by internal Āhāra the
external Āhāra produces Rūpa. If you remember how
temperature produces Rūpa, it is the other way round. With
regard to temperature caused Rūpa the internal temperature
causes or produces Rūpa when it gets the support of external
temperature. With regard to temperature-born Rūpa it is the
internal temperature that produces Rūpa. With regard to
nutriment-born Rūpa it is the external or outside nutriment
which produces matter with the support of internal matter.
That is the difference.

There was one teacher in a Sub-commentary to the

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Visuddhimagga that had a different opinion. According to him,

it is the internal nutritive essence that produces matter, not
external. External is only a support.

In this CMA in “Guide to §13”,

“The internal nutritive essence, supported by the
external, produces material phenomena at the moment of
presence starting from the time it is swallowed.” (CMA, VI, Guide to
§13, p.250)

It follows the Sub-commentary to the Visuddhimagga.

The others are taken from the Visuddhimagga.

“The nutritive essence that has reached presence in the
material groups originating from nutriment produces a further
pure octad, and the nutritive essence in that octad originates
still a further octad; thus the occurrence of octads link up ten
or twelve times.” (CMA, VI, Guide to §13, p.250)
Actually this passage explains not just Rūpa produced
by nutriment; this passage explains the Rūpa produced by
nutriment which has nutriment as its condition. It is a little
complicated. In the Visuddhimagga there are given sometimes
five, sometimes six kinds of Rūpa: Rūpa born of Citta, Rūpa
born of Utu, Rūpa born of Āhāra and so on. The divisions are:
What is Āhāra? What is caused by Āhāra? What is that which
has Āhāra as its condition? The Visuddhimagga continues with
the presentation of these divisions in this way. This passage
explains that one kind of Rūpa born of Āhāra produces another
kind of Rūpa born of Āhāra. It goes on and on like that. It is
not simply the explanation of Rūpa caused by Āhāra. This
explanation is for Rūpa caused by Āhāra which has Āhāra as
its condition, the Rūpa born of Āhāra producing Rūpa born of
Āhāra.

“The nutriment taken by a pregnant mother, pervading

the body of the embryo, originates materiality in the child.”

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(CMA, VI, Guide to §13, p.250)

What the mother eats, from that the child gets Āhāra.

“The nutritive essence in the internal groups born of

the other three causes also originates several occurrences of
pure octads in succession.” (CMA, VI, Guide to §13, p.250)
If we do not study all these in detail, you may not
understand.

“The nutriment taken on one day can support the body

for as long as seven days.” (CMA, VI, Guide to §13, p.251)
It is what they believed, that is, food taken once can
support the body for seven days. After that the body may be
supported by some other means or other causes. A person can
be without food for no more than seven days.

There was a monk in Burma who demonstrated against

the British. He was put into prison and he refused to eat
anything. He was without food for more than 100 days.
Eventually he died. His body may be sustained by his will or
from the water he drank. He got very little nutriment.

You may remember that when people enter into

Nirodha-samāpatti that human beings can only enter for seven
days. The reason given is that with one day's sustenance, the
body can be sustained for seven days only. There are animals
who hibernate and don't eat anything for a long time.

Now let us go to which Rūpa is caused by which cause.

Heart-base and then eight Indriya-rūpas are caused by
Kamma. Do you remember Indriya faculties? What are the
Indriya-rūpas? They are the five sensitivities, two Bhāvas and
Jīvita. They are called Indriya-rūpas. These eight and heart-

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base are produced by Kamma only.

The two intimations are caused by Citta only. When I

talked about the life span of Rūpa-indriya, I always used the
term ‘generally’. The life span of Rūpa is 51 sub-moments.
That means the life span of Rūpa is 51 sub-moments except
for the two Viññattis and the four characteristics. I did not tell
you that information previously because I did not want to
confuse you. Viññatti or intimations are born of consciousness.
That means they follow consciousness. They arise and
disappear together with consciousness. They do not live for 51
sub-moments. In the Dhammasaṅgaṇī they are mentioned as
“Cittānuparivatti”. That means those that follow Cittas. When
we say the life span of Rūpa is 17 thought moments, we mean
Rūpas except the two Viññatti and the four characteristics.
This is true for Lakkhaṇa-rūpa because the four characteristics
are just the marks of different Rūpas. So they are not really
Rūpas. Viññattis always follow Citta. That means they arise
and disappear along with Citta. They don't last for 17 thought
moments. The Viññatti are caused by Citta only.

Sound is caused by Citta and Utu. Sometimes sound is

caused by Citta. Sometimes sound is caused by Utu. Now I am
talking and I am producing sound. This sound is caused by
Citta. Then there may be some sound in my body — my
stomach making sound and so on — that is not caused by
Citta. That is caused by Utu. And then outside, any sound
outside is caused by Utu. Sound is caused by Citta and Utu.
That means sound is caused by Citta sometimes and by Utu
sometimes, not by both Citta and Utu together.

The three, lightness (Lahutā), malleability (Mudutā),

and wieldiness (Kammaññatā), are caused by temperature,
consciousness and nutriment. These three arise only
sometimes, not always. Sometimes you have no lightness of
matter. When you are dull, when you are sleepy, when you are

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ill, there is no lightness, malleability or wieldiness. They arise

or exist not always. They arise sometimes. They cannot be the
product of Kamma. If they were the product of Kamma, they
must arise every moment. They would always be with us. We
wish they would be caused by Kamma. It is a pity they do not
arise through Kamma. These three are caused by Citta, Utu
and Āhāra. When you have a happy frame of mind, you feel
lightness in your body. When the weather is good, you feel
lightness. When you have eaten good food or suitable food,
you feel lightness and so on. These three are caused by Citta,
Utu and Āhāra.

The eight inseparable Rūpas — do you remember the

eight inseparable Rūpas? They are the four essentials, visible
object, smell, taste and Āhāra. These eight are called
inseparables. These eight and space (Ākāsa-dhātu) are caused
by all four causes. They are caused by Kamma, Citta, Utu and
Āhāra, by all four causes. Actually Ākāsa is not caused by
anything. But when the groups of matter are produced, there
is always Ākāsa between these groups of matter. So it is said
to be produced by four causes. Ākāsa-dhātu appears only
when the Rūpa caused by four causes arises. Without these
Rūpa there can be no Ākāsa. So they are said to be caused by
four causes.

The four characteristics are not caused by any cause.

Actually they are not real Rūpas. They are not caused by
anything. Why do the characteristics arise without any cause?
In the Manual itself it is said,
“It is explained that the characteristics (of material
phenomena) are not produced by any (modes of origin) since
their intrinsic nature consists solely in the qualities of being
produced, etc.” (CMA, VI, §15, p.252)
That means they are the nature of those that are
produced. When something is produced, there are these four
characteristics. They are not separate materials properties, but

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they are the qualities of these material properties. That means

their arising, their staying for some time and their
disappearance. Since they are the nature or the essence of the
material qualities, they are said to be not caused by any
cause. The four characteristics are outside of the matter
caused by any of the four causes.

In the summary the numbers are given 18, 15, 13 and

12 (see CMA, VI, Guide to §15, p.252).

• 18 are caused by Kamma.

• 15 are caused by Citta.
• 13 are caused by Utu.
• And 12 are caused by Āhāra.
We will have to find out the 18.

Which are the 18 caused by Kamma? Nine are caused

by Kamma only and nine are caused by four causes. Again you
will have to find the 18 caused by Kamma. Caused by Kamma
does not mean necessarily by Kamma only. If Kamma is
among the causes, we say it is caused by Kamma. 18 Rūpas
are caused by Kamma. What are those 18? The eighteen that
are caused by Kamma are the eight Suddhaṭṭhaka
(inseparables), the eight Indriya (faculties), Hadaya-vatthu
(heart-base), and Ākāsa (space).

By Citta there are said to be 15. What are the 15? They
are the eight inseparables, Viññatti two, Lahutā, Mudutā,
Kammaññatā, sound and space. There are 15.

Thirteen are caused by Utu. They are the eight

inseparables, Lahutā, Mudutā, Kammaññatā, sound, and
space.

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Twelve are caused by Āhāra. They are the eight

inseparables, Lahutā, Mudutā, Kammaññatā and space.

18, 15, 13 and 12 — 18 are caused by Kamma; 15 are

caused by Citta; 13 are caused by Utu; and 12 are caused by
Āhāra. On page 252 of the CMA you may find the answer.
“The 18 that arise from kamma are: eight inseparables,
eight faculties, heart-base and space.” (CMA, VI, Guide to §15, p.252)
It is just another way of reckoning.

“The 15 that arise from consciousness are: eight

inseparables, five mutables (That means intimations, lightness
and so on), sound and space.” (CMA, VI, Guide to §15, p.252)

“The thirteen that arise from temperature are: eight

inseparables, lightness triad, sound and space.” (CMA, VI, Guide to
§15, p.252)

“The twelve that arise from nutriment are: eight

inseparables, lightness triad and space.” (CMA, VI, Guide to §15, p.252)

The 28 material phenomena can be further classified

according to their number of causes as follows (also see CMA, VI,
Guide to §15, p.252):

Those that arise through only one cause are how

many? There are eleven that arise through one cause only.
Eight faculties — what is the cause of eight faculties? The
cause is Kamma. What is cause of heart-base? It is Kamma.
What is cause of intimations? The cause of the Viññatti is
Citta. They are all caused by one cause, but they are different
causes.

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What has two causes? Sound has two causes. What are
the two causes? The two causes are Citta and Utu.

What has three causes? Lightness and others have

three causes. They are caused by Citta, Utu and Āhāra. They
are not caused by Kamma because they don't exist always.

Which ones have four causes? The eight inseparables

and space have four causes.

Which have no cause? The four characteristics have no

cause.

What are the four causes of Rūpa? The four causes of

Rūpa are Kamma, Citta, Utu and Āhāra.

What is Kamma? Kamma is volition or Cetanā. Here it

is Cetanā associated with 25 Cittas.

Which 25 Cittas is Kamma associated with? It is

associated with Akusala, Kāmāvacara Kusala and Rūpāvacara
Kusala Cittas.

75 Cittas produce Rūpa. What do you exclude?

Dvipañcaviññāṇa ten and four Arūpāvacara Vipāka Cittas are
excluded.

What is Utu? What is temperature? Among the four

essentials it is the fire-element.

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What is Āhāra? Āhāra is nutriment or nutritive essence.

Āhāra is found in everything because nutriment is one of the
inseparables. Even in a rock there is Āhāra.

How many are caused by Kamma? 18 kinds of Rūpa are

caused by Kamma.

How many are caused by Citta? 15 kinds of Rūpa are

caused by Citta.

How many are caused by Utu? 13 kinds of Rūpa are

caused by Utu.

How many are caused by Āhāra? 12 kinds of Rūpa are

caused by Āhāra.

How many have no cause? 4 have no cause.

Those caused by only one cause are how many? There

are eleven.

How many arise through two causes? Only one, sound

arises through two causes.

How many arise through three causes? Three arise

through three causes.

How many arise through four causes? There are nine.

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How many have no cause? Four have no cause.

Sādhu! Sādhu! Sādhu!

Matter Groups

Today we come to the “Groupings of Material

Phenomena”, in Pāḷi “Kalāpa-yojana”. The Pāḷi word ‘Kalāpa’
means a group. So it is very close to the English word ‘club’.
Material phenomena do not arise singly but in combination of
groups known as Rūpa-kalāpa. When material properties arise,
they arise in a group. There are altogether 21 such groups.
They are divided into:
• groups caused by Kamma,
• groups caused by Citta,
• groups caused by Utu, and
• groups caused by Āhāra.
The basis of these groups is the eight inseparable
material properties.

First you must be familiar with these eight material

properties. If you look at the chart (see CMA, VI, Table 6.3, p.262), you
will see them in Rūpa-vibhāga, the next to last column —
Avinibbhoga: the four essential elements, Rūpa (visible form),
Gandha (smell), Rasa (taste), and Āhāra (nutriment). These
eight are called Avinibbhoga in the section “Rūpa-vibhāga”.
They will be called Suddhaṭṭhaka among the Cittaja groups,
four Utuja groups and two Āhāraja groups. These eight
inseparable ones are called Avinibbhoga or Suddhaṭṭhaka or
they may also be called Ojaṭṭhamaka, another name. These

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eight are the basis for forming groups or Kalāpas.

Kalāpas Caused by Kamma

As to nine Kalāpas caused by Kamma, these eight plus
one Jīvita — these nine are the basis for the nine groups
caused by Kamma. To that nine you add one which is eye-
sensitivity. You get Cakkhu-dasaka. ‘Dasaka’ means a group of
ten. ‘Cakkhu’, as you know, means eye-sensitivity. So a group
of ten material properties marked by eye-sensitivity is called
in Pāḷi ‘Cakkhu-dasaka’ and in English ‘eye-decad’. These ten
properties as a group are called Cakkhu-dasaka, eye-decad.

The next decad is Sota-dasaka. Here you substitute

Sota for Cakkhu. There are eight inseparables, Jīvita plus ear-
sensitivity. These ten are called Sota-dasaka, ear-decad.

The next is the eight inseparables, Jīvita and nose-

sensitivity. These ten are called Ghāna-dasaka, nose-decad.

Next there are the eight inseparables, Jīvita and

tongue-sensitivity (Jivhā). These ten are called Jivhā-dasaka,
tongue-decad.

Then there are eight plus Jīvita plus body-sensitivity.

These ten are called Kāya-dasaka, body-decad.

Then next there is Itthi-bhāva-dasaka. There are the

eight inseparables, Jīvita and Itthi-bhāva (femininity). These
ten are called Itthi-bhāva-dasaka, female-decad.

The next is Pumbhāva-dasaka. Here there are eight

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inseparables, Jīvita and masculinity. These ten are called

Pumbhāva-dasaka, male-decad.

The next group is eight inseparables, Jīvita and heart-

base. These ten are called Vatthu-dasaka, base-decad.

But the last one is only nine. These are the eight
inseparables plus Jīvita. These nine are called Jīvita-navaka,
the life-nonad.

These nine groups or Kalāpas are caused by Kamma.

There are nine Kammaja-kalāpas.

Once again what is the first one? The first group is

Cakkhu-dasaka. What are the ten? They are the eight
inseparables, Jīvita and eye-sensitivity.

The second one is Sota-dasaka, ear-decad consisting of

the eight inseparables, Jīvita plus ear-sensitivity.

The next one is Ghāna-dasaka, nose-decad. There we

find the eight inseparables, plus Jīvita, plus nose-sensitivity.

The next, tongue-decad (Jivhā-dasaka), consists of the

eight inseparables, plus Jīvita, plus tongue-sensitivity.

The next one is Kāya-dasaka — eight plus Jīvita plus

body-sensitivity.

And then there is Itthi-bhāva-dasaka, female-decad.

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There are eight plus Jīvita plus femininity (Itthi-bhāva).

The next is Pumbhāva-dasaka, masculinity decad. The

ten material properties are eight inseparables, plus Jīvita, plus
masculinity.

Then the next one is Vatthu-dasaka — Vatthu here

means Hadaya-vatthu. In this group there are eight
inseparables, plus Jīvita, plus Hadaya.

The last one is only nine, so eight plus Jīvita.

There are altogether nine groups that are caused by

Kamma.

Kalāpas Caused by Citta

Look at the Rūpa-samuṭṭhāna column (see CMA, VI, Table 6.3,
p.263).
You will see all the causes of Cittaja, mind-born Kalāpas.
How many Cittaja-kalāpas, mind-born groups are there?
There are six. The first one is Suddhaṭṭhaka. ‘Suddha’ means
pure. ‘Aṭṭhaka’ means a group of eight, so octad. It is called
pure octad. Suddhaṭṭhaka just means the inseparables (four
essentials, Rūpa, Gandha, Rasa and Āhāra). The first one is
the pure octad; only these eight are found in this Kalāpa.

The second one is Kāya-viññatti-navaka, bodily

intimation-nonad. In this Kalāpa, the eight inseparables plus
Kāya-viññatti make up Kāya-viññatti-navaka.

The next one is Vacī-viññatti-dasaka, vocal intimation-

decad. When you take Vacī-viññatti, you also take Sadda

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(sound) because there can be no Vacī-viññatti without sound.

When we say Vacī-viññatti (vocal intimation), we also mean
sound. So although the name is Vacī-viññatti-dasaka, we must
understand it to mean Vacī-viññatti-sadda-dasaka. We do not
call it Vacī-viññatti-sadda-dasaka. We must understand that
sound is included in the term Vacī-viññatti-dasaka. Vacī-
viññatti-dasaka consists of eight inseparables, sound and vocal
intimation.

The next one is what? We have a long name —

Lahutādekādasaka, the un-decad of lightness triad. ‘Ekādasa’
means eleven. Lahutā means Lahutā and others. Actually it
refers to the three — Lahutā, Mudutā and Kammaññatā.
Lahutādekādasaka consists of the eight inseparables, plus
Lahutā, Mudutā, and Kammaññatā, so eleven.

The next one is longer — Kāya-viññatti-lahutādi-

dvādasaka, the do-decad of bodily intimation and lightness
triad. Kāya-viññatti is one. Lahutādi is three. So one plus three
is four. And four plus eight is twelve. Twelve is called ‘Dvādasa’
in Pāḷi. So we get Kāya-viññatti-lahutādi-dvādasaka, a group
of twelve material properties with Kāya-viññatti and three
Lahutā and the rest.

The last one is still a long name — Vacī-viññatti-sadda-

lahutādi-terasaka, the tri-decad of vocal intimation, sound,
and lightness triad. Now here Sadda is used. Vacī-viññatti is
one. Sadda is one. Lahutādi is three. Five plus eight equals
thirteen. Thirteen is called ‘Terasa’ in Pā ḷi. So the name for this
group is Vacī-viññatti-sadda-lahutādi-terasaka. The English
words are as difficult as the Pāḷi words — un-decad, do-decad
and so on. It looks like Spanish. You may learn Pāḷi or English
which ever is easier for you. Neither one is easy.

There are six groups caused by Citta — actually all

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these are those that are caused by Citta in the Rūpa-

samuṭṭhāna (causes of Rūpa). Let us go through them once
more.
• The first one is Suddhaṭṭhaka, only eight.
• The second one is Kāya-viññatti-navaka. That
means eight plus Kāya-viññatti.
• The third one is Vacī-viññatti-dasaka. That
means eight plus Vacī-viññatti plus Sadda
(sound).
• And then there is Lahutādekādasaka eleven —
eight plus Lahutā, Mudutā and Kammaññatā.
• The fifth one is Kāya-viññatti-lahutādi-
dvādasaka twelve. There is Kāya-viññatti and
then Lahutā, Mudutā and Kammaññatā three,
and the eight kinds of materiality in the pure
octad.
• The last one, the sixth group is Vacī-viññatti-
sadda-lahutādi-terasaka — eight inseparables,
plus vocal intimation, sound, plus Lahutā,
Mudutā, and Kammaññatā. Altogether there are
13.

If you have the chart, you can find them out very easily
(see CMA, VI, Table 6.3, p.263).
If you don't have the chart, you have
to memorize them. The eight are the basis. You add something
to the eight. With regard to the Kamma-born Kalāpas you add
Jīvita and make nine the basis. But here with Cittaja you make
eight as the basis. So you add one Kāya-viññatti, you get one
Navaka. Then you add Vacī-viññatti and sound, you get Vacī-
viññatti-dasaka. You add Lahutā and the others and you get
Lahutādekādasaka. And then you add Kāya-viññatti and
Lahutādi and you get Kāya-viññatti-lahutādi-dvādasaka.

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Kalāpas Caused by Utu

The next group is the four Kalāpas caused by Utu,
caused by temperature.
• The first one is pure octad, Suddhaṭṭhaka.
• The second one is Sadda-navaka, the sound-
nonad. That means eight plus sound (Sadda).
• The third one is Lahutādekādasaka, the un-
decad of lightness triad. So it is eight plus
Lahutā, Mudutā, and Kammaññatā.
• The fourth one is Sadda-lahutādi-dvādasaka,
the do-decad of sound and lightness triad. So it
is sound and three Lahutā and others and eight
pure octad.
These are caused by temperature or climate.

Kalāpas Caused by Āhāra

The last group consists of two Kalāpas. They are
caused by nutriment, Āhāra.
• The first one is again Suddhaṭṭhaka, the pure
octad.
• The second one is Lahutādekādasaka, the un-
decad of lightness triad. Three lightness and so
on plus eight inseparables octad, so we get
eleven that make up this Kalāpa.

Altogether there are 21 Kalāpas — nine, six, four and

two.

In the CMA,
“Of them, the two material groups produced by

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temperature — the pure octad and the sound nonad — are

found externally too. All the rest are strictly internal.” (CMA, VI,
§21, p.254)

We must understand this. Out of 21 Kalāpas, only two

Kalāpas can be found outside living beings. Externally means
outside living beings. The others are always internal. Here the
pure octad and the sound-nonad are found externally too.
Only these two can be found both internally and externally.
They are the pure octad and the sound-nonad. A piece of rock,
what does it consist of? It consists of only the eight
inseparables. You drop the piece of rock on the ground, and
then sound is produced. That is sound-nonad. Only these two
are found outside living beings. The others are always internal.

In Abhidhamma trees, plants, mountains and others

are all taken to be external, not internal. Therefore, we cannot
say there is Jīvita in plants or trees. Jīvita, as you see here,
arises only internally. Jīvita-navaka and all these Kammaja
groupings arise internally only. So Jīvita cannot be found
outside living beings according to Abhidhamma. Abhidhamma
takes trees and others as non-living things, not as living
beings. It would be wrong to say that there is Jīvita in trees or
plants. We should be very careful when we talk about these
things. There may be what is called life in plants or in trees,
but that life is not Jīvita. It may be some other thing which is
called life. So all 21 groups may be found internally and only
two are to be found externally. Whenever we hear the noise of
thunder however loud it may be, it is just Sadda-navaka.

Ākāsa (space) and the four characteristic marks

(Upacaya, Santati, Jaratā & Aniccatā) are not part of Kalāpas
or material groups. When we talk about Kalāpas, we do not
talk about these things. They are not included in Kalāpas. The
last verse explains that.
“As space demarcates, and the characteristic marks
just indicate, the wise state that they are not constituents of
material groups.” (CMA, VI, §22, p.254)

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I think one word is missing here. “As space

demarcates, and the characteristic marks just indicate the
Kalāpas.” We should add the material groups. “As space
demarcates, and the characteristic marks just indicate the
material groups, the wise state that they are not constituents
of material groups.”

Why are space and four characteristic marks not

included in the Kalāpas? They are not included in the Kalāpas
because space is just the separation of one Kalāpa and
another. When Kalāpas meet, there is this space. By space I
do not mean open space, but space between two Kalāpas.
Space can be found only between Kalāpas and not inside
Kalāpas. That is why space is not included in the Kalāpas. In
one Kalāpa all the material particles are pressed together
without any space between them. Space is found only between
one group and another. These groups may be touching
together, but still there is a kind of space between these two
groups. And then the characteristics are just the mark of or
the different stages of these material properties. So they are
not included in the Kalāpas. Space is not included in material
groups because it is just demarcation of Kalāpas.
Characteristic marks are not included in material groups
because they just indicate the stages of matter — the arising,
continuation, old age and impermanence. So they are not the
constituents of the Kalāpas.

The first column is Rūpa-samuddesa. This chapter

begins with the enumeration of matter (Rūpa-samuddesa). Let
us look at this enumeration of matter. There are 28 Rūpas. You
may find the English names for these 28 material properties in
the CMA (see CMA, VI, Table 6.3, p.262-263). In Pāḷi these material
properties are Pathavī, Āpo, Tejo, Vāyo. Then there are
Cakkhu, Sota, Ghāna, Jivhā, Kāya, Rūpa, Sadda, Gandha,
Rasa, Phoṭṭhabba. Phoṭṭhabba is actually the combination of
three essential elements. Phoṭṭhabba is combination of what
three material properties? Pathavī, Tejo and Vāyo in

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combination are taken to be Phoṭṭhabba. That is why

Phoṭṭhabba appears in the list of 28 material properties, but it
is not counted as a separate ultimate reality because its
component parts are the three great essentials which have
already been enumerated. Next is Itthi-bhāva (femininity),
and then we have Pumbhāva (masculinity), Hadaya (heart-
base), Jīvita (life faculty), Āhāra (nutriment), Ākāsa (space).
Then there are Kāya-viññatti (bodily intimation), Vacī-viññatti
(vocal intimation) and then Lahutā (lightness), Mudutā
(softness) and Kammaññatā (wieldiness) and Upacaya (first
arising) Santati (continuation), Jaratā (old age), Aniccatā
(impermanence). Aniccatā means dissolution or death. There
are 28 materials properties given here.

We have to be careful about Phoṭṭhabba. Although

Phoṭṭhabba is included in some enumerations, the number
does not change because Phoṭṭhabba and the three essentials
are the same. Since we have taken the four essentials,
although we take Phoṭṭhabba, the number does not increase.

The first group is Mahābhūta, the four essentials. The

others are Upādā-rūpa. We have the four essentials and the 24
dependent material properties.

Next there is Ajjhattika and Bāhira. Cakkhu, Sota,

Ghāna, Jivhā and Kāya are Ajjhattika. The others are Bāhira.
Ajjhattika means internal. Bāhira means external.

Then there is Vatthu, base. Vatthu means Cakkhu

(eye), Sota (ear), Ghana (nose), Jivhā (tongue), Kāya (body),
and Hadaya (heart). The others are Avatthu (non-base).

Then there is Dvāra, door. Cakkhu (eye), Sota (ear),

Ghāna (nose), Jivhā (tongue), Kāya (body), Kāya-viññatti

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(bodily intimation), and Vacī-viññatti (verbal intimation) are

called Dvāra because they are the doors of actions, actions of
body and actions of speech. They are not like the Dvāra we
are familiar with in the third chapter. They are called Kamma-
dvāra. Since they are Dvāra, they are included here. There are
seven Dvāra and the others are Advāra, non-doors.

The next one is Indriya, faculties. The Indriya are

Cakkhu (eye), Sota (ear), Ghāna (nose), Jivhā (tongue), Kāya
(body), Itthi-bhāva (femininity), Pumbhāva (masculinity),
Jīvita (life faculty). These eight are called Indriya (faculties).
The rest are called Anindriya, non-faculties.

Then Oḷārika (gross) and so on, there are twelve. Āpo

is not included. Those material properties that are O ḷārika are
Paṭhavī-dhātu (earth-element), Tejo-dhātu (fire-element),
Vāyo-dhātu (air-element), Pasāda-rūpa (five sensitivities), and
Gocara-rūpa (object phenomena). These material properties
are called gross, near and impinging. The others are called
Sukhuma. That means subtle, far and non-impinging. Āpo
(water-element) is Sukhuma.

The next one is Upādinna. What is Upādinna? Do you

remember? Kammaja-upādinna and Kammaja are the same.
There are 18 — Mahābhūta (four essentials), Pasāda-rūpa
(five sensitivities), Rūpa (sight), Gandha (smell), Rasa (taste),
Phoṭṭhabba (touch)20, and then Itthi-bhāva (femininity),
Pumbhāva (masculinity), Hadaya (heart), Jīvita (life faculty),
Āhāra (nutriment) and Ākāsa (space). Altogether there are 18.
The others are Anupādinna.

And then what is next? Sanidassana (with seeing),

there is only one. Among the 28 material properties there is

20 Although Phoṭṭhabba is in the list, it does not count in the enumeration as three of the
four great essentials are Phoṭṭhabba.

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only one that you can see. The others you cannot see with
your eyes. The others you see with your mind.

Then there is Gocaraggāhika, those that take objects.

There are five — Cakkhu (eye), Sota (ear), Ghāna (nose),
Jivhā (tongue), and Kāya (body). The others are
Agocaraggāhika, not taking objects.

Then Avinibbhoga, the inseparables, there are eight.

The others are Vinibbhoga.

Then there are the causes of Rūpa. Kammaja-rūpa

there are 18, that is, there are 18 kinds of materiality caused
by Kamma. They are the Mahābhūta (four essentials), Pasāda-
rūpa (five sensitivities), Rūpa (sight), Gandha (smell), Rasa
(taste), Phoṭṭhabba (touch)21, and then Itthi-bhāva
(femininity), Pumbhāva (masculinity), Hadaya (heart), Jīvita
(life faculty), Āhāra (nutriment), and Ākāsa (space).

Those caused by Citta are the Mahābhūta (four

essentials), Rūpa (sight), Gandha (smell), Rasa (taste), Āhāra
(nutriment), Phoṭṭhabba (touch), and then Sadda (sound),
Ākāsa (space), plus Kāya-viññatti (bodily intimation), Vacī-
viññatti (verbal intimation), Lahutā (lightness), Mudutā
(malleability), and Kammaññatā (wieldiness).

And Utuja, those caused by Utu (temperature) are the

Mahābhūta (four essentials), and then Rūpa (sight), Gandha
(smell), Rasa (taste), Phoṭṭhabba (touch), Āhāra (nutriment),
Sadda (sound), Ākāsa (space), Lahutā (lightness), Mudutā
(malleability), and Kammaññatā (wieldiness).

21 Although Phoṭṭhabba is in the list, it does not count in the enumeration as three of the
four great essentials are Phoṭṭhabba.

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Those caused by Āhāraja, caused by nutriment, are the

Mahābhūta (four essentials), Rūpa (sight), Gandha (smell),
Rasa (taste), Phoṭṭhabba (touch), Āhāra (nutriment), Ākāsa
(space), and then Lahutā (lightness), Mudutā (malleability),
and Kammaññatā (wieldiness).

We are now acquainted with the first four sections of

the Abhidhammatthasaṅgaha on Rūpa — Samuddesa,
Vibhāga, Samuṭṭhāna and Kalāpas.

Arising of Matter
We will go to the next section. The next section is the
“Occurrence or Arising of Material Phenomena”. The Pāḷi word
is “Rūpa-pavattikkama”. That means the sequence of the
occurrence of material properties — when they arise, and
actually not only that, but when they last arise and when they
last disappear also.

In “Rūpa-samuddesa” we learned something about

when material properties arise in one life. Do you remember
that? When does Kammaja-rūpa arise, at what moment? It
arises at the first moment of Paṭisandhi Citta and then at every
sub-moment through life.

And then mind-born Rūpa when does it first arise? It

arises at the first sub-moment of Bhavaṅga. There is
Paṭisandhi Citta. Then there is first Bhavaṅga, second
Bhavaṅga, third Bhavaṅga and so on. At the first sub-moment
of first Bhavaṅga, Citta-born matter arises. And then after that
Cittaja-rūpa is produced at each arising sub-moment, neither
at presence sub-moment nor at dissolution sub-moment, but it
is just produced at arising sub-moment.

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Do you also know when Utu, temperature-born matter

arises? It first arises at the presence sub-moment of
Paṭisandhi Citta. You must remember this before you go
forward.

The first arising of nutriment-born Rūpa we do not

know. We cannot pinpoint when it arises. Once conception
takes place, we do not know when nutriment-born matter
arises there. For those who are born in mother's womb, they
get Āhāraja, the nutriment-born Rūpa, when they get
nutriment from the mother through the umbilical cord. We do
not know or cannot say exactly when nutriment-born Rūpa
arises first in a life.

In Kāmāvacara Loka

During the Course of Existence

Now we will go forward.
“All these material phenomena are obtained with no
deficiency, according to circumstances, during the course of
existence in the sensuous world (Kāmāvacara Loka).” (CMA, VI,
§23, p.255)

In Kāmāvacara Loka these 28 properties can be

obtained. There can be all of these 28 material properties in
sensuous world (Kāmāvacara Loka). We need to understand
“according to circumstances” and “with no deficiency”. “With
no deficiency” means all these 28 material properties can be
obtained. But “according to circumstances” means that if you
are a man, you have only 27; if you are a woman, you only
have 27. You cannot have all 28 material properties. That is
why it is said “according to circumstances”. Generally
speaking, all 28 material properties can be obtained in the
human world. Specifically one person can have at most only
27 and not 28.

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At Rebirth-linking
At rebirth-linking or at Paṭisandhi there are four kinds
of birth. If you turn to the next page (page 256 of the CMA),
you will see them there.
“According to Buddhism there are four kinds of birth,
namely egg-born beings (aṇḍaja), …” (CMA, VI, Guide to §23, p.256)
You know egg-born beings right? Birds and fish are
egg-born beings.

“… womb-born beings (jaḷābuja), …” (CMA, VI, Guide to §23,

p.256)

That means human beings, animals and others.

“… moisture-born beings (saṃsedaja), …” (CMA, VI, Guide to

§23, p.256)

That means insects and so on.

The last one is,

“… beings having spontaneous birth (opapātika).” (CMA,
VI, Guide to §23, p.256)

Devas, Brahmas, beings in hell, Petas and so on may

take this form of rebirth. It is called spontaneous birth
because they don't have to grow from a fetus. When they are
reborn, they are born as grown-up persons. When you are
reborn as a Deva, you are reborn there at about the age of 16
years. You don't have to be a child and then grow up. They are
called spontaneous births. There are these four kinds of birth.

The author, Venerable Ācariya Anuruddha, says here,

“But at rebirth-linking, to moisture-born beings and to

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those of spontaneous birth, there arise at most seven decads

…” (CMA, VI, §23, p.255)
Let us take, for example, a Deva. A Deva is a person of
spontaneous birth. When he is reborn as a Deva, at the very
moment of rebirth-linking seven decads will arise. They are
eye-decad, ear-decad, nose-decad, tongue-decad, body-
decad, sex-decad and the heart-base-decad. These seven
decads arise at moment of Paṭisandhi. That means these seven
kinds of decads, not just seven decads. You are reborn there
as a 16 year old person. So there are millions and millions of
material properties. Seven decads means seven kinds of
decads, but there may be millions of eye-decads, millions of
ear-decads and so on. It is said at most there can be seven.

“As a minimum, sometimes the eye, ear, nose, and sex

decads are not obtained.” (CMA, VI, §23, p.255)
For these beings, for those who are moisture-born and
those who are born spontaneously eye-decad, ear-decad,
nose-decad or sex-decad can be deficient. Some may be born
without eyes, ears, nose or sex.

We must understand by way of these decads the

deficiency of material properties or the deficiency of decads.
Sometimes the ear-decad may be missing. In that case there
will be only six decads. Sometimes the nose-decad will be
missing. In that case there will be only six decads and so on.
Eye, ear, nose and sex-decad can be deficient in these beings,
beings who are moisture-born and who are spontaneously
born.

Human beings at the beginning of one world cycle are

of spontaneous birth. They don't have to get into the mother's
womb because they are the first human beings there. When
human beings appear in the world for the first time, they are
born spontaneously. It is like they fall down from the world of

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Brahmas or something like that. It is said that at the

beginning there was no difference of sex. They were just
human beings. Sex-decad can be deficient for those human
beings who are born at the beginning of a world cycle by
spontaneous birth. Only later did sex and other differences
occur. In the beginning ages of the world cycle there were no
men or women, just human beings. If you want to read that,
you should consult the Visuddhimagga. In Visuddhimagga the
beginning of the world and the end of the world are explained.
For beings who are moisture-born and who are of spontaneous
birth there can be at most seven decads at the moment of
relinking. Among them eye, ear, nose and sex decads may be
deficient. If one is deficient, there will be six decads. If two are
deficient there will be five and so on.

For Womb-born Creatures

Now the next paragraph,
“To the womb-born creatures (like human beings and
animals) there arise (at rebirth) three decads …” (CMA, VI, §23,
p.255)

Only three decads arise at the moment of relinking.

That means at the moment of conception in the mother's
womb. These three are the decad of body, the decad of sex
and the decad of heart-base.

“Sometimes, however, the sex decad is not obtained.”

(CMA, VI, §23, p.255)

A person may be born without sex. They are called in

Pāḷi ‘Nipuṃsika’.

“Thereafter, during the course of existence, …” (CMA, VI,

§23, p.255)

That means after Paṭisandhi, beginning with the

moment after Paṭisandhi, it is called here the course of

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existence.

“… gradually there arise the eye decad and so forth.”

(CMA, VI, §23, p.255)

That is how beings develop. But it is very rudimentary.

So according to this, at the moment of Paṭisandhi there are
three decads. Three decads means thirty material properties.
Then after that, gradually, the eye-decad and so on arise.

In connection with this we should know what the

Buddha said about the development of the fetus.
“Paṭhamaṃ kalalaṃ hoti, kalalā hoti abbudaṃ; abbudā
jāyate pesi, pesi nibbattatī ghano; ghanā pasākhā jāyanti,
kesā lomā nakhāpi ca.” (Saṃyuttanikāya, Sagāthāvaggapāḷi, 10.
Yakkhasaṃyuttaṃ, 1. Indakasuttaṃ, 235)

This is Pāḷi in the Saṃyutta Nikāya. Once a deity came

to the Buddha and asked about the beings. The Buddha
replied in this verse. “First there is Kalala. (We will come to
the meaning later.) After Kalala there is Abbuda. After Abbuda
it becomes Pesi. (That means it grows into Pesi.) Pesi becomes
Ghana. After Ghana, Pasākhas arise and also head hair, body
hair and nails.” This is what the Buddha said about the growth
of a fetus.

Buddha did not say that Kalala developed for one week
and then after that Abbuda developed for one week. That one
week is inserted by the Commentaries. In the Commentaries it
is said, “Together with the first relinking consciousness there
are no names as Tissa or Phussa”. That is because it is a very
tiny speck of material property. There are only thirty material
properties. “But there is Kalala which is as much as a drop of
oil hanging on the tip of a single thread made of three hairs of
a newborn kid's wool.” Here kid means a newborn goat 22.
22 Venerable Ashin U Osadha's statement: “This term of ‘goat and sheep’ is always
confusing in the Nissaya (Burmese translation) when we want to know exactly the
correct one: goat or sheep. In the Commentary, the original Pāḷi (word) is ‘Eḷaka’

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“With reference to that it is said, ‘Like a drop of sesame oil,

(or of) unclouded cream of ghee, thus the counterpart
appearance, is Kalala said to have.’ ”

The first one is called Kalala. The basic meaning of

Kalala is mud. It may be something like soft mud. Kalala is
explained as clear, so water-like Rūpa. What is the size of this
Kalala? “It is as much as a drop of oil hanging on the tip of
single thread made of three hairs of a newborn kid's wool.”
The hair of a newborn kid's wool is very very delicate, very
subtle, very small. You take these three and make it into a
thread. Then you dip it in the oil and take it up. The oil will
drip down. And the last drop, so very very little, is about the
size of a Kalala. That is what the Commentary says here.
“There is Kalala which is as much as a drop of oil hanging on
the tip of a single thread made of three hairs of a newborn
kid's wool.” With reference to that it is said, “So Kalala is like
that drop of sesame oil or like a drop of unclouded cream of
ghee.” Ghee is clear. It is clarified butter so it is pure. That
means Kalala is very small. We cannot say how small. It is a
very small material particle.

“After Kalala there is Abbuda: after the lapse of a week

from that (stage of) Kalala,” — here the Commentaries say
that it takes one week for a Kalala to develop and then during
the second week the Kalala changes into Abbuda, or develops
into Abbuda. “It becomes Abbuda which has the appearance of
water with which meat has been washed.” Ladies may know
more about this than men. You have washed meat many times

which literally means ‘goat’. But I think that is not the ordinary one without horns we
normally see in farms. In the Sub-commentary it says that ‘Eḷaka’ or these kinds of
goats live in the Himalaya mountains. And so they have two horns on their head, but
their body hair may be long and thick like sheep to protect themselves from severe
cold in the winter. It is said in the Commentary that the prominent feature of this
goat is their body hair is extremely small, smaller, finer and thinner than that of other
animals. That is the main reason to compare in the Commentary. As they live in the
Himalaya Mountains, sometimes Burmese translators translate (the word ‘Eḷaka’) as
‘jungle goat’ and sometimes as ‘jungle sheep’ as their body hair is long and thick.
Both of them are right according to their different view. The reference is Vibh A
(Vibhaṅga Commentary, Sub-commentaries).

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maybe. I don't know how the water with which you wash meat
looks like. Maybe there is something like bubbles or some red
color. It develops into that Abbuda. When it becomes Abbuda,
the name Kalala disappears. When it becomes Abbuda, you
don't call it Kalala. You call it Abbuda. That is the second stage
in development.

After Abbuda it becomes Pesi. “After Abbuda it becomes

Pesi. Also from that (stage) of Abbuda, after the lapse of a
week,” — the Commentary always gives one week for each
stage of growth. “It becomes Pesi by name which resembles
molten lead.” Pesi means a piece of flesh. It becomes a little
more solid. Kalala is just clear oil or water. Abbuda may be a
little bit colored but still liquid. When it becomes Pesi, there is
no name Abbuda.

“Pesi becomes Ghana: from that Pesi, after the lapse of

a week, it becomes Ghana by name, a lump of flesh
resembling an egg of a hen.” It is not as big as a hen's egg,
but perhaps it is the shape of a hen's egg or something like
that. The meaning of Ghana is solid. The fetus becomes a little
solid now.

After Ghana, Pasākhas arise. Pasākhas mean branches.

Branches mean the five swellings in the fetus for five things.
Five swellings appear for the two hands, the two feet and the
head. So there are five swellings in that lump of flesh.

From here, skipping the sixth, seventh and other weeks

and condensing the discourse, the Buddha said, ‘Kesa, etc.’ —
that means the Buddha said head hairs, body hairs, nails. If
you just read the text, the verse, you may think that after
Pasākhas, head hairs, body hairs, nails, etc., follow
immediately. Here the Commentary explains that the Buddha
skipped the sixth, seventh and other weeks because He

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wanted to condense the discourse. Then he jumps to the 42 nd

week. At that time the Buddha said head hair, body hair and
nails appear. According to the interpretation of this
Commentary, head hair, body hair and nails appear in the 42 nd
week after conception. How many months? There are 52
weeks in a year. There are head hair, body hair and nails after
42 weeks. This is from the Commentary to Saṃyutta Nikāya.

In the Kathāvatthu Commentary it is also said, “To

those born of mother's womb, among the internal bases
(Āyatanas) only Manāyatana and Kāyāyatana arise at the
moment of relinking.” At the moment of Paṭisandhi there arise
only Manāyatana and Kāyāyatana, only two among the six
bases appear. And then “The rest, the four bases (Cakkhu,
Sota, Ghāna and Jivhā bases) appear at the 77 th” — it may be
70-77th day. During that period Cakkhu, Sota, Ghāna and Jivhā
bases appear according to the Kathāvatthu Commentary. The
Commentaries are written by Venerable Buddhaghosa.
According to the Venerable Buddhaghosa, the eye-sensitivity,
ear-sensitivity, etc., arise after about 70-77 days from
conception.

Now please turn to the other page.

Student: Why did the deity ask the Buddha this question?

Sayādaw: Because the deity believed in Atman. This is how

you can explain without reference to Atman or
something like that. So the Buddha said this.

On the next page we have the development of the fetus

in the mother's womb according to Venerable Buddhaghosa
and according to Abhidhammatthavibhāvinī. According to
Venerable Buddhaghosa, the first week is the period of Kalala,
clear water-like Rūpa. There are three decads or thirty Rūpas.

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You know the thirty Rūpas or three decads (Kāya, Bhāva &
Vatthu). In the second week there is Abbuda, foam-like Rūpa.
In the third week there is Pesi, a lump. In the fourth week
there is Ghana, solid Rūpa. And in the fifth week there are five
swellings — one for the head, two for the hands, and two for
the feet. We don't know sixth and seventh week and so on. In
the eleventh week eye, ear, nose and tongue sensitivities arise
according to the Commentary. Then the other weeks are
skipped until the 42nd week. During this week head hair, body
hair, and so on, appear in the fetus. This is according to the
Commentaries or according to Venerable Buddhaghosa.

The Abhidhammatthavibhāvinī is a Sub-commentary on

the Abhidhammatthasaṅgaha, this Manual. That teacher says
differently. According to him, the first through the fifth week
are the same. So there would be clear water-like Rūpa, foam-
like Rūpa, a lump, solid Rūpa and five swellings. But he said at
the seventh week eye-decad arises. During the eighth week
ear-sensitivity arises. In the ninth week nose-sensitivity
arises. And in the tenth week tongue-sensitivity arises. There
is a difference between the Venerable Buddhaghosa and the
author of the Abhidhammatthavibhāvinī. Who do you follow?
Venerable Buddhaghosa has more authority. We will side with
Venerable Buddhaghosa. There is a reason why the
Abhidhammatthavibhāvinī differs from Venerable
Buddhaghosa. But if you do not know Pāḷi, it is difficult to
explain. Our teachers, Burmese teachers, have thought of the
reason why Abhidhammatthavibhāvinī differs from the
Venerable Buddhaghosa. According to Burmese teachers, the
author of the Abhidhammatthavibhāvinī Ṭīkā had a different
reading in one Commentary. He met with that different
reading or corruption of the reading, but he took it to be
correct reading. Basing on that reading, he said at seven
weeks there is eye-sensitivity, at eight weeks there is ear-
sensitivity and so on.

It can happen easily in Pāḷi because ‘Satta Sattati’ is

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77. But if the scribe forgot to write the last ‘ti’ it becomes
‘Satta Satta’, 7 x 7. That means 49, not 77. 49 means the
seventh week. Sometimes that can happen. During their days
it was very difficult to compare two copies of one manuscript.
Even one manuscript was very difficult to obtain. Burmese
teachers explained that the author of
Abhidhammatthavibhāvinī may have read a corrupt reading of
the Commentary. So he had that opinion. The author of the
Abhidhammatthavibhāvinī is not followed by later teachers.
We just stick with what the Venerable Buddhaghosa said. At
eleven weeks eye and so on arise. At 42 nd week head hair and
others arise.

This is how development of fetus is taught in Buddhist

books. The Buddha just states the different stages of
development. But Buddha did not say how many days it takes
for one stage to develop into another stage. The
Commentaries said that one stage lasts for one week. The
time frame of a week is not expressly said by the Buddha. The
Commentaries explain it to mean one week. They say Kalala is
for one week, Abbuda is for one week and so on. It may or
may not be consistent with what modern medical science has
found out. It may not be exact in every respect. No one can
really get into the womb of the mother and look at the fetus.
Nowadays there are instruments that take pictures of the
fetus. There are pictures of fetus at one week, two weeks and
so on. It may or may not be what modern medical science has
found. But at least we know development of fetus is described
in Buddhist books. That may roughly correspond to what
people know about fetus nowadays.

That is with regard to human beings. Although animals

are born in mother's womb, they may not take as long as
human beings to take birth. Most animals are not born ten
months after conception. This Kalala for one week, Abbuda for
one week and so on are for human beings, not for animals.

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“Thereafter, during the course of existence, gradually

there arise the eye decad and so forth.” (CMA, VI, §23, p.255)

“Thus the continuity of material groups produced in

four ways — namely, kamma-born from the time of rebirth-
linking, consciousness-born from the second moment of
consciousness, temperature-born from the time of the stage of
presence, nutriment-born from the time of the diffusion of
nutritive essense — uninterruptedly flows on in the sense
sphere till the end of life …” (CMA, VI, §24, p.256)
This flow of material properties goes on and on until
the end of life.

“… like the flame of a lamp or the stream of a river.”

(CMA, VI, §24, p.256)

You light a lamp and see a flame there. You think that
the flame goes on and on. Actually there is a new flame at
every moment. The same is true for the stream of a river.
When you look at a river, you think it is the same all the time,
but at every moment there is new water flowing. In the same
way, in the sense-sphere until the end of life these material
groups produced in four ways flow on and on.

So here “Kamma-born from the time of rebirth-linking”

— that means Kamma-born materiality arises from the time of
the first moment of rebirth-linking. And the “consciousness-
born from the second moment of consciousness” means
materiality born of consciousness arises at the first moment of
second consciousness in a life. That means first Bhavaṅga,
from the moment of first Bhavaṅga Cittaja-rūpa arises. That
means Citta-born matter arises from the first sub-moment of
the first Bhavaṅga. Then “nutriment-born from the time of the
diffusion of nutritive essence” — so we don't know when Rūpa
born of Āhāra first arises. For those who are born
spontaneously it may begin when the person swallows his own
saliva. From that moment it gets nutriment-born Rūpa. But for

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those who live in the womb of the mother they may get
nutriment-born Rūpa from the mother. The mother eats
something and then nutriment is received through the
umbilical cord by the fetus.

What we should understand here is at what precise

moment Kamma-born Rūpa arises, at what precise moment
mind-born Rūpa first arises, and at what precise moment does
temperature-born Rūpa arises. From the second sub-moment
of Paṭisandhi, temperature-born Rūpa arises. From then on, at
almost every moment temperature-born matter arises because
the temperature or Utu which arises at the second sub-
moment of Paṭisandhi Citta reaches its presence moment at
the third sub-moment of Paṭisandhi Citta. Visualize three sub-
moments of Paṭisandhi, so first, second and third. At the first
sub-moment of Paṭisandhi, Kamma-born Rūpa arises. At the
second sub-moment of Paṭisandhi, temperature-born Rūpa
arises. At that second sub-moment of Paṭisandhi, it is the first
sub-moment of temperature-born Rūpa. Now it reaches the
next sub-moment of temperature-born Rūpa. That next sub-
moment is the third sub-moment of Paṭisandhi but the second
sub-moment of temperature-born Rūpa. From the second sub-
moment of Paṭisandhi onwards at every moment temperature-
born Rūpa arises. Here the passage shows when they arise for
the first time.

When they arise for the last time in one life and when
they disappear altogether, that will come next week.

Sādhu! Sādhu! Sādhu!

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Occurrence of Matter & Nibbāna

The Last Occurrence, and Disappearance of Matter

Up to now we have studied how matter arises at the
moment of relinking and also a few moments after relinking.
Today we will study Rūpa at the time of death. “At the time of
death” means at the time approaching death and also maybe
after death. At the time of death Kamma-born material
phenomena no longer arise starting with stage of presence of
the 17th consciousness preceding the death-consciousness.
There are three sub-moments of Paṭisandhi — arising,
presence and disappearing or death. At the sub-moment of
arising of Paṭisandhi what arises? Kamma-born matter arises.
That is the first moment of arising of Kamma-born matter. At
the presence moment, that means the second sub-moment of
Paṭisandhi, temperature-born matter or Utuja-rūpa arises. It is
the first arising of Utuja-rūpa. And then at the first sub-
moment of first arising of Bhavaṅga, there arises mind-born
matter. So we have here the first arising of matter born of
Kamma, matter born of temperature and matter born of mind.
There are these three moments. Later on Kamma-born matter
arises at every sub-moment all through life. Temperature-born
matter arises when Rūpa reaches presence stage. Actually
from that moment on temperature-born matter arises at every
moment. Then mind-born matter arises only at the first sub-
moment of each arising of Citta. Mind-born matter arises at
the first sub-moment of first Bhavaṅga, and then at first sub-
moment of second Bhavaṅga, and then at first sub-moment of
third Bhavaṅga and so on. Mind-born matter does not arise at
presence stage or at dissolution stage.

Kamma-born matter must disappear at the end of one

life. Kamma-born matter cannot continue to exist after death.
You know that the life span of matter is 17 thought moments.
So you can find out when the last moment of the arising of

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Kamma-born matter occurs. It must disappear with the last

moment of Cuti. That means you must go backward until the
17th moment. ‘17’ means that you must take Cuti as one
moment. When you go backward in this particular thought
process, you come to Atīta Bhavaṅga. At the first sub-moment
of that 17th thought moment preceding Cuti, there is the last
moment of arising of Kamma-born matter. Kamma-born
matter arises for the last time at that sub-moment. Kamma-
born matter that arises at that moment will disappear with the
third moment of Cuti. The third sub-moment of Cuti is the final
cessation of Kamma-born matter. Kamma-born matter arises
for the last time at the 17th thought moment reckoned
backward from Cuti. Kamma-born matter arising at that
moment continues to exist until the third or last sub-moment
of Cuti. With the cessation of Cuti Citta, Kamma-born matter
also ceases. There is no more Kamma-born matter after
death. In the Manual it is said,
“But at the time of death, kamma-born material
phenomena no longer arise starting with the stage of presence
of the 17th consciousness preceding the death consciousness.”
(CMA, VI, §25, p.256)

Starting with the presence sub-moment of the 17 th

thought moment, Kamma-born matter no longer arises.

“Kamma-born material phenomena that arose earlier

…” (CMA, VI, §25, p.256)

That means that they arose at the first sub-moment of

the 17th thought moment.

“… occur till the death-moment …” (CMA, VI, §25, p.256)

That means exist.

“… and then cease.” (CMA, VI, §25, p.256)

That means it finally ceases with Cuti Citta.

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“Following that, the consciousness-born and nutriment-

born material phenomena come to cessation.” (CMA, VI, §25, p.256)
The Manual does not say when. We have to find out
when. It simply says that consciousness-born and nutriment-
born material phenomena come to cessation after that or
following that. In order to understand this, we must
understand first the arising of mind-born matter. Mind-born
matter arises at every first sub-moment of every thought
moment. It means that at the first sub-moment of the arising
of Cuti Citta, mind-born matter arises. Since the life span of
Rūpa is 17 thought moments, it must go 17 thought moments.
Cuti is one moment. Paṭisandhi is second moment. And then
15 Bhavaṅgas are 17 thought moments. At the 15 th Bhavaṅga,
the 17 thought moments are full. At the third sub-moment of
15th Bhavaṅga, the mind-born matter of the previous life
ceases. That means how many sub-moments? How many sub-
moments after Cuti? 48. 48 sub-moments after Cuti mind-
born matter of the previous life ceases finally.

Then nutriment-born matter — it is said that nutriment-

born matter can arise even at the last sub-moment of Cuti.
The last moment of arising of nutriment-born matter in one
life is in the third sub-moment of Cuti. Then it must go on for
51 sub-moments. We get only one moment with Cuti. When
we reach the presence stage of 16 th Bhavaṅga, 51 sub-
moments are full. And so at the presence moment of the 16 th
Bhavaṅga, the nutriment-born matter of the previous life
finally ceases. It means some Rūpa from this life continues to
exist even after death. But you know 17 thought moments are
nothing when talking about experiences. It is not even one
second. But to be precise and to be exact we must say some
material properties continue to exist even after death. They
are what? They are Citta-born matter and nutriment-born
matter but not Kamma-born matter. Kamma-born matter must
cease with the cessation of Cuti Citta or with the cessation of
this life.

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“Thereafter, a continuity of material qualities produced

by temperature persists until it becomes a corpse.”23 (CMA, VI,
§25, p.257)

Here “until it becomes a corpse” is not to be taken

literally because the corpse may decay and even at that time
there are temperature-born matter arising and disappearing.
That will go on and on until the end of this world actually, not
just for the time that a man is called a corpse. Suppose he is
buried. Then the body degenerates little by little. Then at that
time also there is temperature-born matter arising and
disappearing. It will go on and on until the world is totally
destroyed. If he is cremated and reduced to ashes, still there
is temperature-born matter arising and disappearing. Among
the four kinds of material properties, that is, Kamma-born,
Citta-born, Utu-born and Āhāra-born, three kinds of material
properties continue to exist even after death. Kamma-born
matter ceases together with the last moment of Cuti Citta.
That is the order of the arising and disappearing of material
properties at death or at the time around death. You must
understand that Kamma-born matter arises at every sub-
moment, that Citta-born matter arises only at the arising
moment and temperature-born matter arises only at the
presence moment. If you understand this, you can find out
when a certain material property arises for the last time, when
it ceases.

Let's go back again. When is the last arising of Kamma-

born matter? At the first sub-moment of 17th thought moment
reckoned backward from Cuti Citta. The Kamma-born matter
that arises at this 17th thought moment ceases at the third
sub-moment of Cuti Citta.

What about Citta-born matter? Citta-born matter can

arise even at the first moment of Cuti Citta. It will go on until
23 CMA, Second Edition, 1999: “Thereafter, a continuity of material qualities produced
by temperature persists in the form of the corpse.”

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the 15th Bhavaṅga following the Paṭisandhi. At the third

moment of 15th Bhavaṅga, Citta-born matter of the previous
life ceases altogether.

And then nutriment-born matter — it is said that it can

arise even at the last moment of one life. We take it that
nutriment-born matter arises at the third sub-moment of Cuti
Citta. It must go on for 51 sub-moments. When it reaches the
presence moment of the 16th Bhavaṅga, it ceases altogether.

For Utu or temperature-born matter it goes on and on

until the end of the world.

Conclusion
At the end of the fifth chapter there is a description of
Paṭisandhi following Bhavaṅga and then Cuti, Paṭisandhi,
Bhavaṅga and so on, the wheel of life. That is Nāma Sa ṃsāra,
Citta and Cetasikas arising one after another.

Here the Rūpa process is indicated by the verse on

page 257 of the CMA,
“Thus to the deceased beings, again in a subsequent
life, material phenomena arise, starting from rebirth-linking, in
the same way.” (CMA, VI, §26, p.257)
As soon as a person takes Paṭisandhi, there is Rūpa
arising. Then Rūpa arises in life at every moment or at the
first moment, or when Rūpa reaches presence moment until
death or a little later. This is the arising and disappearing of
Rūpa for Kāmāvacara beings.

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In Rūpāvacara Loka
“In the fine-material world, the decads of nose, tongue,
body, sex, and the material groups produced by nutriment are
not found.” (CMA, VI, §27, p.257)
Now we go to Paṭisandhi again. In the Rūpāvacara Loka
nose, tongue, body and sex groups are not found because
they don't like nose, tongue, body and sex. So these do not
arise for them. In the world of Rūpāvacara beings nose,
tongue, body and sex decads are not found.

“Therefore, to those beings, at the time of rebirth-

linking there arise four material groups produced by kamma
…” (CMA, VI, §27, p.257)
Four Kamma-born groups arise at the moment of
Paṭisandhi — eye-decad (Cakkhu-dasaka), ear-decad (Sota-
dasaka), heart-decad (Vatthu-dasaka) and vital nonad (Jīvita-
navaka). There are four groups. Four groups of material
properties arise at Paṭisandhi for the Rūpāvacara beings.

“During the course of existence, …” (CMA, VI, §27, p.257)

That means after Paṭisandhi.

“… material phenomena produced by consciousness

and by temperature are also found.” (CMA, VI, §27, p.257)
You must add ‘also’ there. If there is no ‘also’ it means
a different thing. At the moment of Paṭisandhi there are only
four decads. But in life, during the course of existence there
are these four decads plus those produced by consciousness
and those produced by temperature. How many groups are
produced by consciousness? Six groups are produced by
consciousness. How many are produced by temperature? Four
groups are produced by temperature. During the course of life
six plus four, plus four (the eye-decad, ear-decad, heart-
decad, vital nonad) 14 altogether are produced. That is for

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Rūpāvacara beings. ‘Rūpāvacara beings’ refers to all

Rūpāvacara beings except mindless beings. For mindless
beings there is a difference. For Rūpāvacara beings at the
moment of Paṭisandhi there are four groups — eye-decad, ear-
decad, heart-decad and vital nonad. ‘Nonad’ means a group of
nine. There are three groups of ten and one group of nine.
During the course of existence six groups born of Citta and
four groups born of temperature are also found. Four are
found at Paṭisandhi and 14 during the course of life. Later on
we will have to find out how many Rūpas.

Asañña-sattas
Now we come to Asañña-sattas, mindless beings.
“Among the non-percipient beings, the eye, ear, heart-
base, and sound are also not found.” (CMA, VI, §28, p.257)
No sound is found.

“Similarly, no consciousness-born material phenomena

are found.” (CMA, VI, §28, p.257)
No Cittaja-rūpa is found.

“Therefore, at the moment of their rebirth-linking, only

the vital nonad arises.” (CMA, VI, §28, p.257)
So there is only one group at the moment of relinking
for Asañña-sattas.

“During the course of existence, material phenomena

produced by temperature, with the exception of sound,
continue.” (CMA, VI, §28, p.258)
Look at the groups caused by temperature. How many
are there? There are four. From these four you leave out what?

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We take out two groups. We leave out sound. The second

group (Sadda-navaka) we cannot take because there is no
sound. Also the last group Sadda-lahutādi-dvādasaka cannot
be taken. From among the four Utuja groups only the first one
and the third one are taken in the world of mindless beings. At
the moment of Paṭisandhi there is one group. During life there
are three groups — Jīvita-navaka, Suddhaṭṭhaka and
Lahutādekādasaka. There is no Rūpa born of Citta and also
there is no Rūpa born of Āhāra (Nutriment). Although there is
nutriment in their bodies, they do not get nutriment from
outside. There is no nutriment-born Rūpa. It is the same with
Rūpāvacara Brahmas. The other Rūpāvacara Brahmas, for
them also there is no Rūpa born of nutriment. It is said that
they do not eat anything. They survive with Pīti. Pīti is their
food. Since they do not eat anything, they do not have Rūpa
born of Āhāra. Rūpa born of Āhāra needs external Āhāra.
When internal Āhāra and external Āhāra come together, Rūpa
born of Āhāra arises. For Rūpāvacara beings both with mind
and without mind there are no material properties born of
Āhāra.

Let us go to the end and then come back.

“Thus in the three cases of the sensuous world, the
fine-material world, and non-percipient beings, the occurrence
of material phenomena should be understood as twofold, by
way of rebirth-linking and the course of existence.” (CMA, VI, §29,
p.258)

There are two kinds of arising of matter for these

beings — at Paṭisandhi and during life.

“In the sense planes, 28 material phenomena are

found; …” (CMA, VI, §29, p.258)
In the Kāmāvacara world, all 28 can be found.

“… in the fine-material planes, 23 (are found); …” (CMA,

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VI, §29, p.258)

What are missing? Nose, tongue, body and two sexes

are missing. 28 minus 5 is 23. In the Rūpāvacara world except
Asañña-satta only 23 material properties are found. Although
they do not have nose-sensitivity, tongue-sensitivity and body-
sensitivity, they have noses, tongues and bodies. Only they
lack sensitivity. Although they are without sex, it is said they
look like men.

“… among the non-percipients, 17 (material properties

are found); …” (CMA, VI, §29, p.258)
In non-percipient beings are found the following
material properties: the four essentials, Rūpa, Gandha, Rasa,
Jīvita, Āhāra, Ākāsa, Lahutā, Mudutā, Kammaññatā, Upacaya,
Santati, Jaratā and Aniccatā. Altogether there are 17. Only
these 17 properties are found in the world of mindless beings.
In the world of mindless beings there are the four essentials.
There is Rūpa. There is smell. There is taste. There is touch.
Although there is no sense of touch, they have Pho ṭṭhabba.
There are life principle, nutriment, space, the material groups
lightness and so on, and the characteristics.

“At the moment of conception, sound, mutability,

decay, and death are not found.” (CMA, VI, §29, p.258)
At the moment of Paṭisandhi there is no sound; no
sound can arise. There is no mutability, Vikāra. That means
Kāya-viññatti, Vacī-viññatti, Lahutā, Mudutā and Kammaññatā.
There is no Jaratā. Here at Paṭisandhi means at the very first
sub-moment of Paṭisandhi because at the second sub-moment
there is Jaratā. Paṭisandhi here means the first sub-moment of
Paṭisandhi. And death is not found. These are not found at the
moment of conception.

“In the course of existence (during life), there is

nothing that is not obtained.” (CMA, VI, §29, p.258)

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All 28 material properties can arise.

Now you know how matter arises and how it finally

disappears in one life. And as hinted by the verse on page 257
of the CMA, Burmese teachers of old have formulated Rūpa-
vīthi. It is not found in the Commentaries. This is the product
of Burmese teachers. If there is a process of thought
moments, there can be a process of material properties only.
They designed this. It is very complicated and also not exact.
It is just a glimpse, just a sample of how the material
properties arise.

I will not go through all these. It is too complicated, but

let's see how much we can understand. Although there are
many groups arising at the moment of Paṭisandhi, here we
take only one group, Suddhaṭṭhaka. The other groups may or
may not arise at the moment of Paṭisandhi. The group
containing Sadda (sound) will never arise at the moment of
Paṭisandhi. The pure octad, Suddhaṭṭhaka, is meant here. At
Paṭisandhi there are three sub-moments — genesis, stasis and
decease. The first sub-moment is arising. Stasis is presence.
Decease is disappearing. At the first moment for womb-born
beings, like human beings, how many Kalāpas are there?
There are three groups. Do you remember the three groups?
The three groups are Kāya, Bhāva and Vatthu. On the bottom
of page 255 of the CMA,
“To the womb-born creatures there arise (at rebirth)
three decads — the decads of body, sex, and the heart-base
(Kāya, Bhāva & Vatthu Dasaka).” (CMA, VI, §23, p.255)
So at the genesis moment or arising moment of
Paṭisandhi three Kalāpas arise. These three will last until the
17th moment. It is said that Kamma-born matter arises at
every sub-moment. At the stasis stage three arise again, and
so there are six — the three that arose at genesis continue to
exist and at the second moment three are added, and at the
third moment, at decease moment, three more are added.

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There are three at genesis moment. There are six at stasis

moment. And there are nine at decease moment of Paṭisandhi.
Following Paṭisandhi there is Bhavaṅga, many Bhavaṅgas. At
genesis moment of first Bhavaṅga there are 12. At stasis there
are 12 plus 3 = 15. At decease there are 15 plus 3 = 18. So
you add three all through until you reach Manodvārāvajjana.
From Manodvārāvajjana onwards the number is always 153.
That is because three arise and three disappear. The three that
arise at the genesis moment of Paṭisandhi disappear at the 16 th
Bhavaṅga moment. At the genesis moment of
Manodvārāvajjana three are added. Although three are added,
since three have disappeared, the number is the same. From
that moment the number is always the same. The number
remains the same because three arise and three disappear.
The number will go on and on the same. This is for Kamma-
born Kalāpas. Do you understand now? In order to understand
this, first you must understand that Kamma-born matter
arises at every sub-moment. Let us say, for human beings at
the moment of Paṭisandhi three Kalāpas arise — body, sex and
heart. Three groups of Kamma-born materiality arise at
genesis, three at stasis and three at decease. So we add
three, three and three until we come to 153. After that the
number remains constant. The moment following that, three
arise and three disappear.

Next are those born of Citta. Mind-born Rūpa arises

when? It arises at the first moment of first Bhavaṅga. It arises
at every first moment, not every sub-moment, but only at
every first sub-moment. At the first sub-moment of first
Bhavaṅga there is one Kalāpa born of Citta. It continues to
exist. At the stasis and decease sub-moments of first
Bhavaṅga there is no addition. But at the first sub-moment of
second Bhavaṅga one group arises. So there are two groups.
And at the stasis and decease sub-moments of second
Bhavaṅga there is no addition. At the third Bhavaṅga at the
genesis sub-moment one more Citta-born material group
should be added. So we get one, one, one, two, two, two,
three, three, three and so on. Until when do additional

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groupings of Citta-born matter arise? Additional groupings of

Citta-born matter arise until Manodvārāvajjana. After that the
number remains the same — 17, 17, 17 because one
disappears and one arises. So one disappears and one arises
and so on and so on. From that time the number is constant.

Now Utuja, temperature-born matter can arise when?

It begins to arise with the stasis moment of Paṭisandhi. That
means the three Kammaja-kalāpas that arise at the genesis
moment of Paṭisandhi reach their stasis moment beginning
with the stasis moment of Paṭisandhi. When they reach that
moment, they produce three Utu-born Kalāpas. Then the
Kammaja-kalāpas that arise at the stasis moment of
Paṭisandhi reach their stasis stage at the stage of decease of
Paṭisandhi. Since they have reached their stasis stage, they
produce three more. So there are six. It is a little complicated.
The three Kammaja-kalāpas that arise at genesis moment of
Paṭisandhi, those three Kalāpas will exist until the 17th
moment. The life span of Rūpa is 51 sub-moments. The first
moment is their genesis. 51st moment is their decease. The 49
sub-moments in between are their stasis stage. The genesis
and decease stages of Citta and Rūpa are the same. But the
stasis stage of Rūpa and Citta are different. The three Kalāpas
that arise at the genesis moment of Paṭisandhi reach their
stasis moment at the stasis moment of Paṭisandhi. When they
reach their stasis moment, they become strong. And so they
produce three Kalāpas. Then the three Kalāpas that arise at
the stasis moment of Paṭisandhi reach their stasis moment at
the decease moment of Paṭisandhi. So they become strong and
they produce three more. And the three Kalāpas that arise at
decease moment of Paṭisandhi reach their stasis stage at the
genesis moment of first Bhavaṅga. So they produce three
more. So you add three and get 3, 6, 9, and so on.

Then there is 13, not 12. It's not easy. Why do we add
four? Cittaja-kalāpa which arises at genesis moment of first
Bhavaṅga reaches its stasis moment at the stasis moment of

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first Bhavaṅga. At the moment of stasis of first Bhavaṅga we

add four Kalāpas, not three. Three is as usual by Kammaja-
kalāpas. Cittaja-kalāpa reaches stasis moment at the stasis
moment of first Bhavaṅga Citta. It produces one. So we add
four and not three — three by Kammaja-kalāpas and one by
Cittaja-kalāpa. We add four Kalāpas so there are 13 and not
12. Later we just add three. And at every stasis moment we
add four because the Cittaja-kalāpa that arises at genesis
moment of second Bhavaṅga reaches its stasis at the stasis
moment of second Bhavaṅga. So it produces one. Then we add
4 to 19 and so we get 23. It goes on and on like this. So at
stasis moment you add four and at other moments you add
three.

Beginning with the stasis stage of Manodvārāvajjana

there is no increase in numbers — all 170, 170, 170. Why?
The three that are caused by the Kammaja-rūpas disappear at
that moment. That means three disappear and four arise. That
means only one more. That is why it is 170 and not 173. So
there is only one more. And later on there is one more and so
on. This is just a glimpse of what we can explore with regard
to the arising of matter in one life. When we say three
Kalāpas, six Kalāpas, we do not mean only three groups. We
mean three kinds of groups because there may be many of
those groups. With regard to kinds of groups there are only
these three kinds. When we say three Kalāpas, we do not
mean that there are only three groups but three kinds of
groups. Let us say, they are Kāya, Bhāva and Vatthu groups.
There may be thousands of Kāya group. There may be
thousands of Bhāva group. There may be thousands of Vatthu
group. But we call them three groups because there are three
kinds of groups. This is the process of Rūpa or in Pā ḷi we call it
Rūpa-vīthi. It is not mentioned in any Commentary. In Burma
especially in the olden days students had to study this also.
There are many more actually.

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Nibbāna
Now we come to the last section of the sixth chapter
and that is on Nibbāna. There are four ultimate truths. Citta,
the first ultimate truth, is treated in the first chapter. Cetasikas
are treated in the second chapter. In the third, fourth and fifth
chapters both Cittas and Cetasikas are treated. In the sixth
chapter Rūpa is treated. There is only one reality left —
Nibbāna. It is a very short description of Nibbāna in this book.

Nibbāna is termed Supramundane, in Pāḷi, Lokuttara.

You know Lokuttara — ‘Loka’ and ‘Uttara’, transcending the
Loka. Loka here means the world of five aggregates of
clinging. Nibbāna is called Lokuttara because it transcends the
five aggregates of clinging, the world of five aggregates.

It is to be realized by the knowledge of the four Paths.

Nibbāna is not nothingness. Nibbāna is something. It can be
realized by the knowledge of the four Paths. That means
Nibbāna is a direct experience for those who have gained
enlightenment. Only when a person gains enlightenment can
his mind take Nibbāna as an object. At the moment of
enlightenment Magga Citta arises. That Magga Citta takes
Nibbāna as object. So those who have experienced Magga and
Phala can experience Nibbāna or take Nibbāna as object
directly. But for Puthujjanas (unenlightened beings) it is not
direct knowledge. It is inferential knowledge. It is to be
realized by the knowledge of the four Paths. That means
Nibbāna is a direct experience for any of those who have
gained any one of the four Path knowledges.

“It becomes an object to the paths and fruits, …” (CMA,

VI, §30, p.258)

That means it is the object of Path and Fruit

consciousness. It is the object of Magga and Phala Cittas. We
learned about this in the third chapter. In the third chapter
there is one section that deals with objects. Lokuttara Cittas

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all take Nibbāna as object. Nibbāna is the object of Magga and

Phala.

The Commentary explains by this sentence that

Nibbāna is the object of Magga and Phala; the author wants us
to understand for the unenlightened persons it is to be
understood through inference. What we understand about
Nibbāna is not direct knowledge but through inference. There
is what is called Magga and Phala or there is what is called
freedom from mental defilements. Although nowadays we do
not see Arahants, in the olden days they may see Arahants.
And they may really see people who are free from mental
defilements altogether, like the Buddha and so on. When we
see what is called the eradication of mental defilements, we
can infer that there is something which is not a conditioned
phenomenon, and which is not a concept, and that is the
object of Magga and Phala. That object is Nibbāna. By
inference those who have not yet reached enlightenment can
understand through thinking in this way that Nibbāna is the
object of Magga and Phala. I'm repeating. When we see or
understand the eradication of mental defilements, we can infer
there must be some knowledge which can accomplish the
eradication of mental defilements. Any Citta or any knowledge
which takes conditioned things or concepts as object is
incapable of achieving eradication of mental defilements. It is
only the knowledge that can take Nibbāna as object that can
eradicate mental defilements. Since there is the eradication of
mental defilements, we can infer there must be something
which is the object of Magga and Phala, which accomplishes
the eradication of mental defilements. With such an inference
people who have not yet become enlightened understand
Nibbāna. Nibbāna is direct experience to those who have
attained enlightenment. For others Nibbāna should be
understood through inference.

“… and is called Nibbāna because it is a departure from

craving, which is an entanglement.” (CMA, VI, §30, p.258)

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Now the word ‘Nibbāna’ is explained here as composed

of ‘Ni’ and ‘Vāna’. You have to understand Pā ḷi grammar to
know why ‘V’ becomes ‘B’. This is the domain of grammar. The
word Nibbāna is composed of the words ‘Ni’ and ‘Vāna’. Vāna
is explained here to mean entanglement or stitching together.
That stitching together is nothing but craving. So long as there
is craving there will be rebirth. Craving is like a thread that
combines one thing with another. That stitching or that thread
is called Vāna in Pāḷi. ‘Ni’ means getting out of. ‘Nibbāna’
means getting out of craving. Getting out of craving means
Nibbāna cannot be the object of craving. Craving cannot take
Nibbāna as object. Nibbāna is beyond the range of craving.
Also there is no craving in Nibbāna. Nibbāna is said to be out
of Vāna, out of craving. That is why it is called Nibbāna. ‘Ni’
and ‘Vāna’ are put together and ‘V’ is changed to ‘B’, so it
becomes Nibbāna. That is the meaning described in this CMA.

Another explanation is given in the guide here.

“Etymologically, the word Nibbāna — the Pāḷi form of
the better known Sanskrit ‘Nirvāṇa’ — is derived from a verb
‘Nibbāti’ meaning ‘to be blown out’ or ‘to be extinguished’. It
thus signifies the extinguishing of the worldly ‘fires’ of greed,
hatred and delusion.” (CMA, VI, Guide to §30, p.259)
This is another meaning. This is also explained in the
Commentaries, but not here in this Manual. Nibbāna is called
Nibbāna because through Nibbāna the fires of greed, hatred
and delusion are extinguished. That is why it is called Nibbāna.
In that case Nibbāna is derived from the verb ‘Nibbāti’, to be
blown out or to be extinguished.

“But the Pāḷi commentators prefer to treat it as the

negation of, or ‘departure from’ (nikkhantatta), the
entanglement (vāna) of craving, the derivation which is
offered here.” (CMA, VI, Guide to §30, p.259)
Actually the Pāḷi Commentators give both these
meanings — to be extinguished, to depart from, to get out of

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craving.

“For as long as one is entangled by craving, one

remains bound in saṃsāra, …” (CMA, VI, Guide to §30, p.259)
So long as there is craving, we cannot get out of
Saṃsāra.

“… but when all craving has been extirpated, one

attains Nibbāna, deliverance from the cycle of birth and
death.” (CMA, VI, Guide to §30, p.259)
Nibbāna is derived in two ways. The derivation here in
this CMA is ‘Ni’ plus ‘Vāna’, getting out of or departure from
Vāna, which is entanglement or which is craving. The other
meaning is: Nibbāna is something through which the fires of
greed, hatred and delusion are extinguished.

Nibbāna is only one according to its individual essence

and that is peace.
“… by reference to a basis (for distinction), it is twofold,
namely, the element of Nibbāna with the residue remaining,
and the element of Nibbāna without the residue remaining.”
(CMA, VI, §31, p.259)

There are two kinds of Nibbāna. First we must

understand that Nibbāna is only one according to its intrinsic
nature because Nibbāna is peace. But we can say there are
two kinds of Nibbāna. That distinction is a basis for reference.
That distinction is beings with remaining and beings without
remaining. When we look at it in that way — beings with
remaining and beings without remaining — we can say there
are two kinds of Nibbāna. The first one is called ‘Sa-
upādisesa’. I want you to be familiar with those words. Sa-
upādisesa — you can see the word in the Pāḷi section.
“Tadetaṃ sabhāvato ekavidhampi saupādisesanibbānadhātu”
(Abhidhammatthasaṅgaha, 6.63). The second one is ‘Anupādisesa
Nibbānadhātu’. Now there is Sa-upādisesa. ‘Sesa’ means

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remaining. ‘Upādi’ means aggregates. ‘Sa’ means with. So the

meaning is with aggregates remaining. The element of
Nibbāna which is with the aggregates remaining is called Sa-
upādisesa. Anupādisesa means the opposite of that. The
element of Nibbāna which is without the aggregates remaining
is Anupādisesa. Looking in that way, there are two kinds of
Nibbāna.
1. The first one is ‘Sa-upādisesa Nibbānadhātu’,
the element of Nibbāna which is with aggregates
remaining, and
2. The second one is ‘Anupādisesa Nibbānadhātu’,
the element of Nibbāna which is without the
aggregates remaining.

When a person attains Nibbāna, or realizes Nibbāna, or,

let us say, becomes an Arahant, he extinguishes all mental
defilements. All mental defilements are gone for him. What
remains is his body and other Cittas and Cetasikas. An
Arahant still has a physical body and some Cittas and
Cetasikas remaining. They are called ‘remaining’ because
when the mental defilements are eradicated, they remain. An
Arahant's mind and matter are called here Upādi-sesa
(aggregates remaining), remaining after the eradication of
mental defilements. The Nibbāna which a person realizes while
still having this body and mind is called Sa-upādisesa. There is
Nibbāna which becomes evident after an Arahant's death.
When an Arahant dies, the mind and the body disappear
altogether. There is no more arising of mind and body. That
kind of Nibbāna is called Nibbāna without the aggregates
remaining. That means the Nibbāna after death of the Buddha
or an Arahant. So there are two kinds of Nibbāna.

The first kind of Nibbāna is also called Kilesa

Parinibbāna. It means the extinguishing of Kilesas. The second
kind of Nibbāna is also called Khandha Parinibbāna, the
extinguishing of the remaining aggregates. So there are:

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1. Kilesa Parinibbāna, and

2. Khandha Parinibbāna.
Kilesa Parinibbāna is the same as Sa-upādisesa
Parinibbāna. Khandha Parinibbāna is the same as Anupādisesa
Parinibbāna. The presence or absence of the aggregates is the
basis of saying there are two Nibbānas.

“It is threefold according to its different aspects,

namely, void, signless, and desireless.” (CMA, VI, §31, p.259)
It can also be described as of three kinds of Nibbāna
according to its different aspects. These three aspects we call
three kinds of Nibbāna. The first one is void, in Pā ḷi Suñña or
Suññata. Here ‘Suñña’ means devoid of greed, hatred and
delusion. It is also called Suñña because it is devoid of all that
is conditioned. Two explanations are given for the void or
Suñña. Suñña is void; it is devoid of greed, hatred and
delusion. It is devoid of all that is conditioned. There is nothing
that is conditioned in Nibbāna and Nibbāna itself is
unconditioned.

The second name is signless. Greed, hatred and

delusion are called a sign. Being conditioned is called a sign.
Nibbāna is called signless because it is free from the signs of
greed, hatred and delusion, and also it is free from the sign of
all conditioned things. It is the same explanation.

It is called desireless because it is free from hankering

of greed, hatred and delusion and also because it is not
desired by craving. Not desired by craving means it is not the
object of craving. According to these aspects, we can say
there are three kinds of Nibbāna. Actually there is only one
Nibbāna, known by its intrinsic nature which is peace.

First there is one Nibbāna. Then there can be two kinds

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of Nibbāna depending on the presence or the absence of the

remaining aggregates. It also can be three Nibbānas
depending on its aspects. These three aspects are what? They
are Suñña (void), Animitta (signless), and Appaṇihita
(desireless).

We come to the end of the chapter.

“Great seers who are free from craving declare that
Nibbāna is an objective state …” (CMA, VI, §32, p.260)
Nibbāna is a real state. It is not nothingness.

“… which is deathless, …” (CMA, VI, §32, p.260)

It is deathless because it is without a beginning. If

there is a beginning, there must be an end. We must
understand this very clearly. Most of the time, we are not fair
in our aspirations, in our desires. We don't want the end, but
we want the beginning. If you do not want the end, you must
not want the beginning. So if you do not want death, you must
not want birth. When there is birth, there is death. It is natural
law. Here Nibbāna is said to be deathless because it is
beginingless. We cannot say when Nibbāna arises or when it
disappears. It is absolutely endless. There is no end simply
because there is no beginning. It is unconditioned. Nāma and
Rūpa are conditioned by other Nāma and Rūpa. But Nibbāna is
not conditioned. Nibbāna is never the result of anything.
Nibbāna is never conditioned by any kind of condition. It is
unsurpassed. That means it has no equal.

In the Pāḷi verse, there is a play of words. The great

seers who are free from craving in Pāḷi are called Vānamuttā —
the author takes the word ‘Vāna’ from the word Nibbāna.
Nibbāna comes from ‘Ni’ and ‘Vāna’. Vāna is used here to
describe those who are free from craving. So those who are
free from craving are Vānamuttā. This is the style of authors.
They may use similar words, words that sound similar.

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“Thus as fourfold the Tathāgatas reveal the ultimate

realities …” (CMA, VI, §32, p.260)
Buddhas reveal ultimate realities as being of four kinds.
They are consciousness, mental factors, matter and Nibbāna.
This is the end of the section on Nibbāna and this is the end of
the sixth chapter. And this is the end of the discussion of all
four ultimate realities. So we can stop here if we want to
because we have come to the end of all four ultimate realities.

Sādhu! Sādhu! Sādhu!

Kalāpas and Different Kinds of Beings

I want to give some additional information on when and

to which kind of beings the Rūpa-kalāpas arise and which can
be deficient. The first is Kāmāvacara Bhūmi, those beings in
the sensual planes. There are three kinds of beings:
• moisture-born,
• spontaneous-born, and
• womb-born.
Moisture-born means those who are born of moisture,
like insects. They are called moisture-born. At the moment of
Paṭisandhi there arise in them Cakkhu, Sota, Ghāna, Jivhā,
Kāya, Bhāva and Vatthu, so seven decads. Cakkhu, Sota,
Ghāna and Bhāva may be deficient. Sometimes they may not
have Cakkhu. Sometimes they may not have Sota and so on.
That is at the moment of relinking. ‘Pavatti’ means through
life. In life24 all Rūpas except those that are deficient can arise.

24 That means after relinking.

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Spontaneous-born means they are born as grown-up

beings. Here three kinds of spontaneous-born beings are
mentioned. One is for Devas. At the time of relinking there are
all seven decads. The seven decads are Cakkhu, Sota, Ghāna,
Jivhā, Kāya, Bhāva and Vatthu. There is no deficiency for them
because they are born of very strong Kamma. In life all Rūpa
arise in them.

Then there are spontaneous-born beings in Apāya, the

four woeful states. For those who are born in the four woeful
states at the moment of Paṭisandhi the seven decads arise.
Among them Cakkhu, Sota and Bhāva can be deficient.
Sometimes they may take conception without Cakkhu and so
on. At Pavatti all Rūpas arise except those that are deficient.

The last kind of spontaneous-born is human beings. It

is said that human beings are born spontaneously at the
beginning of the world. Because there were no human beings
at that time the Brahmas die from their Brahma world and are
born as human beings. At that time human beings are born
spontaneously. For them Cakkhu, Sota, Ghāna, Jivhā, Kāya
and Vatthu, six decads arise, but not Bhāva. It is said that
they have no sex at that time. Only after some time did the
sexes arise. At Pavatti, in life, all Rūpas except the two Bhāvas
can arise.

Then womb-born beings include human beings, birds

and other animals. At Paṭisandhi there are only three decads —
Kāya, Bhāva and Vatthu. Sometimes Bhāva is deficient. There
are some who are born without gender, without sex. At Pavatti
all Rūpas arise. Cakkhu, Sota, Ghāna and Bhāva can be
deficient. Deficient means when it is time for Cakkhu decad to
arise it does not arise and so on. Those are called born-blind,
born-deaf and so on. These are for beings in Kāmāvacara
realm.

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For beings in Rūpāvacara realm except Asañña-sattas

(except mindless beings), at Paṭisandhi (at moment of
relinking), Cakkhu, Sota, Vatthu decads and Jīvita-nonad
arise. These four groups arise at Pavatti or during life, those
four decads plus six groups born of Citta and four groups born
of Utu, these also arise. So at Pavatti (4+6+4) 14 groups of
matter arise. There are 23 Rūpas.

For the mindless beings of Rūpāvacara world at

Paṭisandhi only Jīvita-navaka arises. At Paṭisandhi there is only
one nonad — Jīvita-navaka. At Pavatti there is Jīvita-navaka
plus Suddhaṭṭhaka (pure octad) and Lahutādekādasaka of
Utuja-kalāpas. For mindless beings at Paṭisandhi there are only
nine kinds of material properties. During life there are 17
material properties. These are the decads which arise at
Paṭisandhi and during life. There are some which can be
deficient.

Sādhu! Sādhu! Sādhu!

[End of Chapter Six]

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