Fundamental Knowledge of Abhidhamma
Lesson – 19 –
(52) Mental Factors &
Universal and Occasional
Collected By Ven.Paññādhikālaṅkāra
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Lesson - 3
Abhidhammattha and Pramattha
1. Citta - (consciousness), to cognize, aware or know the object (89/121)
2. Cetasika - (mental factors/ states / concomitants), arise along with consciousness
performing diverse functions (52)
3. Rūpa - (matter), 28- material phenomena deformed by cold, heat etc..,
4. Nibbāna (a state of freedom from attachment) and
5. Paññatti (concept).
Paramattha - the Ultimate and absolute truth
• 1) Consciousness 2) Mental factors 3) Matters 4) Nibbāna ( 5- Paññatti)
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Lesson - 3
Understanding the beings and things in the universe
Investigation in to the nature – (the whole universe into the reality to understand the underlying ultimate nature
of beings and things.)
• Beings – Animate – assemblage of factors of mental and physical processes
• Things – Inanimate – assemblage of factors of physical processes
(Both of them are in the process – impermanent nature – conditioned – Replacing - )
(Overcoming – penetrating – the conceptual knowledge or notions – by wisdom –
- Ultimate realities, objective actualities, intrinsic nature (sabhāva) – can be found )
I. Matter Process of materiality
II. Consciousness
The process of mentality
III.Mental factors
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Why citta is pricipal?
Cetasika – mental factor , mental states, mental concomitants
The second type of ultimate reality
Cetoyuttā dhammā – (mental) states associated with consciousness,
• Citta is the principal cognitive element
• Cetasikas asist (by performing more specific tasks) in the cognition of
the object
The mental factors cannot arise without citta, nor can citta arise
completely segregated from the mental factors.
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General description of Akusala Citta
Restlessn
Fearlessn ess
Greed
There are 27 – associated mental
ess of
wrong factors for unwholesome
Shameles Wrong
sness of
wrong percept
Volition One- view consciousness. But all these mental
pointe
ion
dness factors can arise at the same moment.
Life
Delusion feeling
faculty
Conceit
Greed and hatred cannot co-exist.
They cannot arise together at the
contact Attenti
on moment of same consciousness.
doubt Initial Wholesome and wholesome have
applicat
ion Desire Hatred the different nature. They oppse to
Sustained
Applicati
eachother.
Sloth
on
Decision
Zest
Envy
When the wholesome roots arise,
Energy
unwholeosme roots cannot arise at
Torpor
Avarice the same mind-moment.
Worry
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Fearlessn
Restlessn General description of Lobhamūla Citta
ess
ess of Greed
wrong
Shameles Wrong
sness of Volition One- view
wrong percept
pointe
ion
dness
feeling Life Conceit
Delusion
faculty
contact Attenti
on
Initial
applicat
ion Desire
Sustained
Applicati
on Zest
Sloth
Decision Energy
Torpor
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General description of Dosamūla Citta General description of Mohamūla Citta
Restless Restless
Fearless Fearless
ness ness
ness of ness of
wrong wrong
Shameles Shamele
sness of Volitio One-
percept n
ssness of Volition One-
wrong pointe wrong percept
ion pointe
dness Life ion
Delusio feelin dness
facult Delusion feeling Life
n g faculty
y
contac Attent
t contact Attenti
ion on
Initial
Initial
applicat
Desire Hatred doubt applicat
ion Desire
Sustaine ion
d Sustained
Applicati Zest Applicati
Sloth on Decisio on Zest
Envy
n Energy Decision Energy
Torpor
Avarice
Worry
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(See- p.76)
Four characteristics Of Cetasika –
1. Ekuppāda – Arise together (with consciousness)
2. Ekanirodha – Cease together (with consciousness)
3. Ekālambaṇa – Have the same object (with consciousness)
4. Ekavatthuka – Have the same base (with consciousness)
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• Conditioned realities have three phases of existence:
arising (uppāda), presence (ṭhiti), and dissolution(bhaṅga).
• Unconditioned reality of Nibbāna does not have these three phases.
• All types of Conceptual truth also does not have three phases of existence.
One mind-moment (Cittakkhaṇa) consists of the three (sub-) moments –
arising (Uppāda) , presence (ṭhiti), and dissolution (baṅga). (P.154)
The duration of material phenomena consists of seventeen such mind-
moments.
According to the commentators, in the time that it takes for linghtning to
flash or the eyes to blink, billions of mind-moments can elapes. (P.156)
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(See- p.76)
Why the four characteristics are rendered? –
1. Ekuppāda – Arise together (with consciousness)
2. Ekanirodha – Cease together (with consciousness)
-Exclude the material phenomena produced by mind and by kamma
3. Ekālambaṇa – Have the same object (with consciousness)
-To exclude two material phenomena
(bodyily intimation and vocal intimation)
4. Ekavatthuka – Have the same base (with consciousness)
-(the five material sense organs or the heart-base) 10
(See- p.76)
Notes
The material phenomena produced by mind and by kamma can arise
together (with consciousness) but they do not perish at the same time as
the co-arisen citta, but mostly endure for seventeen mind-moments.
Thus to exclude them the characteristic “ceasing together” is introduced.
The two material phenomena–bodyily intimation and vocal intimation –
arise and cease together with consciousness.
The material phenomena do not take and object, co-arisen citta and
cetasikas experience the same object. Thus the third characteristic is stated,
that of having the same object.
The citta and its cetasikas have the same physical base (the five material
sense organs or the heart-base) in the sensuous world and the fine-material
world where the aggregate of material form is found. 11
General description of Akusala Citta
Restlessnes
Fearlessne s
ss of Greed
Kamma
(25-kammas) - At each sub-moment, (starting from the
wrong
Shamelessnes
One-
Wrong
view -born
arising moment of the rebirth-linking consciousness) (p.247)
s of wrong Volition
perceptio
pointed
n
ness matters
feeling Life Conceit
Delusion
faculty
contact Attentio
n
Mind-
doubt
Initial (75-consciousness) - At the moment of arising, (starting
applicatio
n Desire Hatred born from the arising moment of first bhavanga) (p.248)
Sustained
Application
Zest
matters
Sloth Envy
Decision
Energy
Torpor
Avarice
Worry
Temperature (the fire element, which comprises both cold and heat) -
-born According to circumstances, (starting from the stage of
matters presence at the moment of rebirth-linking,) (p.250)
Nutriment
- born (the internal nutritive essence, supported by the external) - at the moment of
matters precence, (starting from the time it is swallowed.) (p.250)
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P. 78
52 – Mental Factors (Dvipaññāsa Cetasikas)
(1) Aññasamāna-Cetasikas (Ethically variable factors) – 13
(2) Akusala-Cetasika (Unwholesome factors) – 14
(3) SobhanaCetasika (Beautiful Factors) – 25
Añña (other) + samāna (common to) = common to the other
Beautiful citta Non-beautiful citta
How are they variable?
• In wholesome citta they become wholesome,
• In unwholesome citta they become unwholesome, and
• In Kammically indeterminate (abyākata) citta they become Kammically
indeterminate 13
(1) Aññasamāna – Ethically variable factors
Sabbacitta-sādhārana – Paiṇṇaka –
(Universal Factors) – 7 (Occasional Factors) – 6
1. Phassa – Contact
2. Vedanā – Feeling 1) Vitakka – Initial application
3. Saññā – Perception 2) Vicāra – Sustained application
4. Cetanā – Volition 3) Adhimokkha – Decision
5. Ekaggatā – One-pointedness 4) Vīriya – Energy
6. Jīvitindriya – Mental life faculty 5) Pīti – Zest
7. Manasikāra – Attention 6) Chanda – Desire
- Common to all consciousness. - Associatedwith all types of
(Associated with all 89 / 121.) consciousness, but only in particular
types of consciousness, not in all. 14
(Sabbacitta-sādhārana – Seven Universal Factors)
The bare affective quality of an experience, which may be either
Phassa – contact pleasant, painful or neutral. (the characteristic of touching)
Vedanā – feeling (the characteristic of being felt (Vedayita)
Saññā – perception (the characteristic of perceiving of the qualities of the object)
Cetanā – Volition (the characteristic of the state of willing)
- Unification of the mind on its object. This unification is present in
Ekaggatā – One-pointedness all types of consciousness, even the most rudimentary. (the
characteristic of non-wandering or non-distraction)
Jīvitindriya – Mental life faculty (the characteristic of maintaining the associated mental states)
- “making in the mind” - the mind’s advertence to the object, by
virtue of which the object is made present to consciousness. (the
Manasikāra – Attention
characteristic of conducting of the associated mental states to the
object) 15
(Paiṇṇaka – occasional factors )
- The application of the mind to the object.
Vitakka – - When vitakka is cultivated through concentration it becomes a factor of jhāna.
initial application – it is also called Saṅkappa.
(the characteristic of the directing of the mind onto the object)
Vicāra –
(the characteristic of continued pressure on the object)
Sustained application
- The releasing of the mind onto the object. It is compared to a stone pillar
Adhimokkha –
owing to its unshakable resolve regarding object.
Decision
(the characteristic of conviction)
- Just as new timbers added to an old house prevent it from collapsing, or just as a
strong reinforcement enables the king’s army to defeat the enemy, so energy
Vīriya – Energy
upholds and supports all the associated states and does not allow them to recede.
(the characteristic of supporting, exertion, and marshalling)
Pīti – Zest (the characteristic of endearing (Sampiyāyana)
- As the stretching forth of the mind’s hand towards the object. 16
Chanda – Desire
(the characteristic of desire to act)
