3. In the 89 types of consciousness,
52 mental states arise in varying
degree.
Introduction
4. Cetasikas are mental factors or
mental concomitants that arise and
perish together with citta, depend
on citta for their arising and
influence the mind to be bad, good
or neutral as they arise.
Characteristics of Cetasikas
5. i It arises together with citta
(consciousness).
ii It perishes together with citta.
iii It takes the same object (arammana)
which citta takes.
iv It shares a common physical base
(vatthu) with citta.
Four characteristic properties
6. When we say that the mind is the most powerful agent in
the world and it leads the world, it is not the performance
of citta alone, but the performance of citta and cetasikas
together that makes the mind most powerful.
Now which is more powerful—citta or cetasikas? Citta is no
doubt the leader of the group, but cetasikas influence the
citta and direct the citta to perform actions, speeches and
thoughts either morally or immorally. These actions,
speeches and thoughts change the world every day and
their kammic forces will create new worlds in the future.
Which is more powerful?
7. To decide which of the two—citta or cetasikas—is more
powerful, let us consider two similes.
1 In a family the father is the leader, but the mother has
complete influence on the father, and he does what she
asks him to do. Now who is more important—father or
mother?
2 In a saw-mill an elephant moves logs as directed by its
rider. The elephant cannot work alone, neither does the
rider. The elephant has strength to move the logs; the rider
cannot move the logs, but he can command the elephant
to work. Who is more important—the elephant or the
rider?
8. It may be noticed that both the father and the mother in simile (1)
and both the elephant and the rider in simile (2) are Indispensable
(Essential). So aren’t they equally important?
Citta is like the elephant and cetasikas are analogous(similar) to the
rider. No citta exists apart from its concomitants and no cetasikas
exist apart from citta. They function together. They are our true
strength and ability. The more we can develop them, the more
powerful shall we grow.
9. Cetasika = Ceta + s + ika
That which is associated with
mind or consciousness is
cetasika.
(Sanskrit - caitasika or caitti).
Notes:-
10.
11.
12.
13.
14.
15.
16.
17. There are 7 concomitants common to
every consciousness.
There are 6 others that may or may not
arise in each and every consciousness.
18. They are termed Pakinnaká
(Particulars).
All thes13 are designated
aññasamána ,
Aññasamána Cetasika
20. These 13 become moral
or immoral according to
the type of
consciousness in which
they occur.
Aññasamána Cetasika
21. 1. Phassa – Contact or mental
impression,
2. Vedanα Feeling or sensation,
3. Sannα-Perception,
4. Cetanα-Volition,
5. Ekaggatα-One-Pointedness or
concentration (samadhi),
6. Jivitindriya- Vitality or Psychic life,
7. Manasikαra (–attention or advertence)
Sabbacittasαdhαranα-7
22. As described above, all the 7 essential cetasikas perform important
tasks and they are essential for the awareness of an object by the
mind. Manasikara first confronts with the object and directs the citta
and the mental concomitants associated with it towards the object.
Cetana acts on the citta and the mental concomitants associated with
it to perform their respective duties efficiently until the task of
getting or knowing the object is completed.
23. Phassa let the citta and its mental concomitants be in contact with
the sense-object. Vedana enjoys the taste of sensation which arises
from the contact (phassa). Sanna takes note of the object and helps
to recognize the object.
Ekaggata focuses the citta and its concomitants on the object; it
binds the mental concomitants with citta together to be at a state
of one-pointedness on the object—a condition which is
also essential for the awareness of the object.
24. Jivitindriya sustains the vitality of the
citta and the mental concomitants so
that they will remain alive and active to
their full life. Otherwise, they will
perish before the task of getting or
knowing the object is completed.
25. unlike the Universals these cetasikas
are found only in certain classes of
consciousness (ii) 1. Initial
Application, 2. Sustained
Application, 3. Decision,
4. Effort, 5. Joy, 6.Conation.
These six mental states are termed
Particulars.
Pakinnakα - 6
26. Thus these (thirteen) mental states should be understood as
'common to each other' (aññasamána*).
* [A technical term applied collectively to all the 13 cetasikas
which may be either moral or immoral according to the type of
consciousness in which they are found. Añña - another :
samána - commom. When the good types of consciousness are
taken into account the evil are regarded as añña, and vice
versa.]
Aññasamána Cetasika
27. (ii) 1. Vitakko, 2. Vicαro, 3.
Adhimokkho, 4. Viriyam, 5. Peti,
6. Chando c'αti cha ime Cetasikα
pakinnakα nαma.
Eva'mete Cetasikα
Aρρasamαnα'ti veditabbα. (13)
Pakinnakα - 6
28. These six cetasikas may associate both with sobhana and asobhana
cittas, but not with all of them. They associate only with those cittas
with which they should associate.
1 Vitakka – initial application or thought conception
2 Vicara – sustained application or discursive thinking
3 Adhimokkha – decision or determination
4 Viriya – effort or energy or exertion
5 Peti – rapture(fancy) or interest
6 Chanda – wish, desire or will
29. There are 14 cetasikas which are ethically immoral. They may be
divided into four sub-groups as follows.
1 Moha-catukka – akusala-sadharana – 4
A group of four cetasikas headed by moha
1 Moha – avijja – delusion, ignorance, dullness
2 Ahirika – lack of moral shame, impudence
3 Anottappa – lack of moral dread, recklessness
4 Uddhacca – unrest, restlessness, distraction.
Akusala Cetasikas
(Immoral Mental Concomitants)
30. 2 Lobha-tri – papanca-dhamma – 3
A group of three cetasikas headed by lobha
5 Lobha – raga –tanha – greed, attachment, sensuous desire
6 Ditthi – wrong view, evil opinion
7 Mana – conceit, pride
3 Dosa-catukka – hateful ones – 4
A group of four cetasikas headed by dosa
8 Dosa –patigha – hatred, anger, aversion
9 Issa – envy, jealousy
10 Macchariya – avarice, stinginess, selfishness
11 Kukkucca – worry, scruples, remorse
4 End-tri – dull and wavering ones – 3
The last three immoral cetasikas
12 Thina – sloth
13 Middha – torpor
14 Vicikicccha – sceptical doubt, perplexity.
34. (iii) 1. Delusion, 2. Shamelessness, 3. Fearlessness ( of
consequences, or to commit wrong ), 4. Restlessness,
5. Attachment, 6. Misbelief,7. Conceit,
8. Hatred, 9. Jealousy, 10. Avarice, 11. Worry,
12. Sloth, 13. Torpor,
14. Doubt.
These fourteen mental states are termed 'Immorals'.
'Immorals'.
35. There are 25 sobhana cetasikas which may be divided into 4 subgroups
for convenience.
1 Sobhana sadharana – 19
those which associate with all sobhana cittas.
2 Virati – 3
those connected with abstinence from immoral actions, speeches and
livelihood.
3 Appamanna –
those connected with ‘Boundless states’.
4 Pannindriya – 1
that connected with wisdom or insight.
Sobhana Cetasikas
(Beautiful Mental Concomitants)
36. These 19 mental concomitants associate with all beautiful
consciousness collectively.
1 Saddha – faith, confidence
2 Sati – mindfulness, attentiveness
3 Hiri – moral shame
4 Ottappa – moral dread
5 Alobha – non-attachment, greedlessness, generosity
6 Adosa – hatelessness, goodwill
7 Tatramajjhattata – equanimity, mental balance
37. 8 Kaya-passaddhi – tranquillity of mental concomitants
9 Citta-passaddhi – tranquillity of consciousness
10 Kaya-lahuta – agility or lightness of mental concomitants
11 Citta-lahuta – agility or lightness of
consciousness
12 Kaya-muduta –elasticity of mental concomitants
13 Citta-muduta– elasticity of consciousness
38. 14 Kaya-kammannata – adaptability of mental concomitants
15 Citta-kammannata – adaptability of consciousness
16 Kaya-pagunnata – proficiency of mental concomitants
17 Citta-pagannata – proficiency of consciousness
18 Kayujjukata – uprightness of mental concomitants
19 Cittujjukata– uprightness of consciousness.
39. Sobhanas, (Good), when compared with asobhanas
(Evil,) are called añña - 'other', being of the
opposite category.
So are the asobhanas in contradistinction to
Sobhanas.
40. 19 are common to all
types of moral
consciousness.
Sobhanas Cetasika
51. Thus these fifty-two (7 + 6 +
14 + 19 + 6 = 52) are found in
the respective types of
consciousness in different
proportions.
Cetasika 52
52. According to Abhidhamma, mind or consciousness is
accompanied by fifty-two mental states (cetasikas).
One of them is vedanα (feeling); another is saρρα (perception).
The remaining fifty are collectively called sankhαrα. Cetanα
(volition) is the most important of them.
The whole group of feelings is called vedanα-kkhandha. So are
saρρα-kkhandha and sankhαra-kkhandha.
cetasikas
53. For example, let us analyze the first immoral type of
consciousness, rooted in attachment.
Somanassa-sahagata - Accompanied by pleasure,
Ditthigata-sampayutta - Connected with misbelief,
Asankhαrika – Unprompted (impulse without external stimulus).
This consciousness, when analyzed, will show that the
vedanα or feeling is pleasure'.
The 7+6 Universals and all the Particulars are found in it.
microscopically analyzed
54. The 4 Immoral mental states common to all
immorals such as moha (delusion), ahirika
(shamelessness), anottappa, (fearlessness), and
uddhacca (restlessness) must arise in it.
What about the remaining ten?
Lobha - attachment must arise.
Ditthi - misbelief must arise.
Mαna - conceit cannot arise.
microscopically analyzed
55. Conceit does not arise in lobha consciousness, together
with misbelief. Ditthi is connected with wrong view, while
mαna is concerned with egoism. Both of them, say the
commentators, are like two lions that cannot live
together in one cave.
Dosa (hatred), issα (envy), macchariya (avarice), and
kukkucca (brooding) cannot arise, because these four are
found only in hateful consciousness.
Thνna and middha - (sloth and torpor) do not arise
because this is an unprompted consciousness.
microscopically analyzed
56. No sobhanas - (beautiful) occur in an immoral
consciousness.
Total - 7 + 6 + 4 + 2 = 19.
Thus, on analysis, we see that the first immoral
consciousness consists of 19 mental states.
The other types of consciousness should be similarly
analyzed.
microscopically analyzed
