1. In the preceding chapter states of consciousness and mental concomitants were treated according to feelings, roots, etc. In the present one the author deals with thought processes as they arise through the mind and the other five senses, in accordance with the different kinds of individuals and planes of existence.

The Pali phrase pubbaparaniyamitam needs an explanation. The commentary explains it thus - this citta arises after so many cittas, and so many cittas follow this citta (idam ettakehi param, imassa anantaram, ettakani cittani).

Patisandhi here refers to the initial thought-process that occurs at the moment of conception in a new birth. Pavatti refers to all thought-processes that occur during the course of one's lifetime.

The translation of these two verses appears in the Compendium of Philosophy as follows:-

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2. Vithi is derived from vi + i, to go.

This term means a way or street, but here it is used in the sense of process (parampara). A thought-process consists of several thought-moments, and a thought-moment is never called a citta-vithi.

The commentarial explanation is - 'the presentation of objects at the doors,' or 'the genesis of consciousness on the presentation of such objects.' (visayanam dvaresu, visayesu ca cittanam pavatti).

The author evidently prefers the first explanation.

According to Abhidhamma ordinarily there is no moment when we do not experience a particular kind of consciousness, hanging on to some object - whether physical of mental. The time-limit of such a consciousness is termed one thought-moment. The rapidity of the succession of such thought-moments is hardly conceivable by the ken of human knowledge. Books state that within the brief duration of a flash of lightning, or in the twinkling of an eye billions of thought-moments may arise and perish.

Each thought-moment consists of three minor instants (khanas). They are uppada (arising or genesis), thiti (static or development), and bhanga (cessation or dissolution).

Birth, decay, and death* correspond to these three states. The interval between birth and death is regarded as decay.

Immediately after the cessation stage of a thought-moment there results the genesis stage of the subsequent thought-moment. Thus each unit of consciousness perishes conditioning another, transmitting at the same time all its potentialities to its successor. There is, therefore, a continuous flow of consciousness like a stream without any interruption.

When a material object is presented to the mind through one of the five sense-doors, a thought-process occurs, consisting of a series of separate thought-moments leading one to the other in a particular, uniform order. This order is known as the citta-niyama (psychic order). As a rule for a complete perception of a physical object through one of the sense-doors precisely 17 thought-moments must pass. As such the time duration of matter is fixed at 17 thought-moments. After the expiration of that time-limit, one fundamental unit of matter perishes giving birth to another unit. The first moment is regarded as the genesis (uppada), the last as dissolution (bhanga), and the interval 15 moments as decay or development (thiti or jara).

As a rule when an object enters the consciousness through any of the doors one moment of the life-continuum elapses. This is known as atita-bhavanga. Then the corresponding thought-process runs uninterruptedly for 16 thought-moments. The object thus presented is regarded as 'very great.'

If the thought-process ceases at the expiration of javanas without giving rise to two retentive moments (tadalambana), thus completing only 14 moments, then the object is called 'great'.

Sometimes the thought-process ceases at the moment of determining (votthapana) without giving rise to the javanas, completing only 7 thought-moments Then the object is termed 'slight.'

At times when an object enters the consciousness there is merely a vibration of the life-continuum. Then the object is termed 'very slight.'

When a so-called 'very great' or 'great' object perceived through the five sense-doors, is subsequently conceived by the mind-door, or when a thought process arising through the mind-door extends up to the retentive stage, then the object is regarded as 'clear'.

When a thought process, arising through the mind-door, ceases at the javana stage, the object is termed 'obscure'.

When, for instance, a person looks at the radiant moon on a cloudless night, he gets a faint glimpse of the surrounding stars as well. He focuses his attention on the moon, but he cannot avoid the sight of stars around. The moon is regarded as a great object, while the stars are regarded as minor objects. Both moon and stars are perceived by the mind at different moments. According to Abhidhamma it is not correct to say that the stars are perceived by the sub-consciousness and the moon by the consciousness.

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Mind-door Thought-Process
Manodvare Vithi-Cittappavattinayo

5. Appana - (Sanskrit - arpana, derived from ri, to go).

This is a rare Pali term found in Abhidhamma.

It is derived from the root i, to go

'I + the causal suffix; 'ape' + ana. 'A' is substituted for 'i', and 'p' is duplicated; 'A' + ppe + ana = appana. The initial 'a' is shortened before double 'p'.

Venerable Buddhaghosa defines 'appana' as the directing or fixing of the one-pointed consciousness on an object (ekaggam cittam arammane appenti).

Appana is a highly developed form of vitakka - initial application of the mind, one of the jhana factors.

The aspirant who wishes to develop jhanas takes for his object a suitable subject, according to his temperament. In the course of his meditations, as mentioned in the first chapter, he arrives at a stage when he would be able to experience the first jhanic ecstasy.

Then a thought-process runs as follows -

The first is the mind-door consciousness, which precedes the javana stage, conditioned by objects that enter the avenue of consciousness.

The initial thought-moment of the appana javana-process is termed parikamma because it is a preparation for the desired higher consciousness whether Sublime (mahaggata) or Supramundane (lokuttara). This is followed by another thought-moment known as upacara because it arises in proximity to the higher consciousness. Ordinarily these two thought-moments arise at the beginning of the appana javana-process, but if the person is morally advanced only upacara moment arises without the initial parikamma moment.

The third thought-moment is known as anuloma because it arises in harmony with the preceding thought moments and the following gotrabhu thought moment. Gotrabhu, literally, means that which overcomes the Sense-sphere lineage or that which develops the sublime or exalted lineage. Immediately after this gotrabhu thought-moment arises the appana jhana thought-moment. Absolute one-pointedness of the mind is gained at this advanced stage of mental development.

The fully undeveloped jhana, present in the preliminary thought-moments, is known as upacara samadhi, access concentration.

To a worldling and a Sekha one of the four kamavacara moral javanas, accompanied by knowledge, arises as these preliminary appana thought-moments. In the case of an Asekha it is one of the four kamavacara functional javanas, accompanied by knowledge.

The Supramundane appana javana-process occurs as follows -   

In this thought-process parikamma may or may not precede. As stated above it depends on the moral advancement of the person. Here gotrabhu means that which overcomes the lineage of the worldling or that which develops the supramundane lineage.

One of the four kamavacara moral javanas, accompanied by knowledge, arises in these preliminary stages. The object of the first three thought-moments is mundane but the object of the gotrabhu is supramundane Nibbana. Nevertheless, this developed thought-moment is incapable of eradicating the innate defilements. It is the magga (Path) consciousness that immediately follows, which performs the double function of intuiting Nibbana and of eradicating the defilements. It should be noted that the Path consciousness occurs only once. This is immediately followed by two moments of phala (Fruit) consciousness if parikamma is present. Otherwise there will be three phala thought-moments.

In the case of the second, third, fourth, stages of Sainthood-the fourth thought-moment is named vodana, which means purification, instead of gotrabhu. If the parikamma thought-moment precedes, vodana thought-moment arises as the fourth, otherwise as the third.

Each of the four Supramundane Paths arises only once in the course of one's life. But one may experience the Fruit consciousness even for a whole day continuously. The three lower fruits, Sotapatti, Sakadagami, and Anagami are preceded by a moral javana. When one enjoys the Fruit of Arahatship the javanas that immediately precede must be functionals because an Arahat, being an Asekha does not experience moral javanas.

6. Tihetuka - conditioned by three hetus - alobha (generosity), adosa (goodwill) and amoha (wisdom)

7. Viz., two types of kamavacara consciousness, accompanied by pleasure and knowledge.

8. Namely, the first 4 rupa jhanas and 28 (7x4) lokuttara jhanas. The Arahat Fruit and functionals are excluded.

9. Namely, 1, 5th rupa jhana + 4 arupa jhanas + 7 lokuttara pañcamajjhana.

10. Namely, 1st 4 rupa jhanas + 1st 4 arahatta phala jhanas.

11. Namely, 1, 5th rupa jhana + 4 arupa jhanas + 1, 5th arahattaphalajhana.

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The Procedure of Retention
Tadarammana Niyamo

The desirability or undesirability of an object is determined not according to individual temperament, but according to its intrinsic nature. The resultant consciousness conditioned thereby is regarded as the effect of one's good or bad action.

The sight of the Buddha will perhaps be repulsive to a staunch heretic. His javana thoughts will naturally be unwholesome. But the passive wholesome resultant eye-consciousness, caused by a past good kamma, is a kusala vipaka. This vipaka is not conditioned by his will, but is an inevitable consequence. The javana process, on the contrary, is conditioned by his own will.

Again, for instance, the mere sight of excreta will be a source of delight to an ordinary dog. The object is generally undesirable and is a bad effect (akusala vipaka), but the javana process caused thereby will be wholesome to the dog. The accompanying feeling will also be pleasurable.

Although even an Arahat experiences an akusala vipaka at the sight of an undesirable object, his javana process will neither be wholesome nor unwholesome. The accompanying feeling will be one of equanimity.

Now, when an undesirable object is presented either through the mind-door or five sense-doors, the sense-impressions, reception, investigation, retention that occur in the respective thought-processes, are all bad effects (akusala vipakas). The accompanying feeling is invariably upekkha, except in the case of body-impression which is dukkha. These thought-moments are the inevitable results of past bad actions.

If the presented object is desirable, then the afore-said thought-moments are all good effects (kusala vipakas). Here too the accompanying feeling is upekkha, except in the case of body-impression which is sukha. All these thought-moments are the results of past good actions.

When the object is extremely desirable, the feeling of the santirana moment differs. Instead of upekkha it is somanassa.

The tadarammanas followed by Sense sphere functional javanas, accompanied by pleasure, are also associated with a similar feeling. Likewise the upekkha javanas are followed by upekkha tadarammanas.

As a rule the preceding javanas and the subsequent tadarammanas possess a similar feeling. Somanassa is followed by somanassa, and upekkha by upekkha.

What happens when the javanas are accompanied by domanassa as there are no domanassa tadarammanas?

If the rebirth-consciousness (patisandhi-citta) of the person is accompanied by somanassa, then when javanas are accompanied by domanassa, the tadarammanas, if they occur, will be accompanied by equanimity (upekkha-sahagata), but if tadarammanas do not occur, then an adventitious upekkha santirana, without any special function, will intervene for one moment. This adventitious thought-moment is technically termed agantukabhavanga. Usually the object of the javanas and that of the tadarammanas are identical. But in this particular case the objects differ. The object of this santirana is another kamavacara object with which one is familiar in the course of one's life. This object is termed paritta (smaller or lesser) in comparison with the higher rupa, arupa and lokuttara objects.

If, on the other hand, the rebirth-consciousness is not associated with somanassa, then the tadarammanas therein become upekha as are the bhavangas that follow.

It should be noted that tadarammanas occur only at the end of kamavacara javanas, only to kamavacara beings, and only in connection with kamavacara objects, which are either 'very intense' or 'clear.'

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Procedure of Javana (13)
Javana - Niyamo

As it is difficult to give an adequate English rendering for javana, the Pali term has been retained here.

Both psychologically and ethically javana thought-moments are the most important, as both good and evil are determined at this stage.

Sometimes the javanas last only for one moment. At times they may continue for seven moments at the most.

Kamavacara javanas, as a rule, last only for six or seven moments. When one is in a senseless state or is about to die, javanas are confined to five moments.

When the Buddha, by His psychic powers, emits fire and water, almost simultaneously, from His body, only four or five javana thought-moments arise so as to reflect on the jhana factors, which is a prerequisite, for the performance of this 'Twin Psychic Phenomenon'.

In the case of a yogi who develops the first jhana for the first time, javana lasts only for one moment. So is it with those who develop the five abhiññas - namely,

The four classes of supramundane javana Path-consciousness also last for one moment only. It is at this great moment that Nibbana is intuited.

An Anagami or an Arahat, who has developed the rupa and arupa jhanas, could, by will-power, temporarily arrest the ordinary flow of consciousness even for seven days continuously. When one attains this state, all mental activities cease, although there exist heat and life devoid of any breathing. The difference between a corpse and one in this state, is that the latter possesses life. Books state too that his body cannot be harmed. The attainment of such an ecstatic state is known as nirodha samapatti. Nirodha means cessation, and samapatti is attainment.

Immediately prior to the attainment of this state he experiences for two moments the fourth arupa jhana (state of neither perception nor non-perception). The flow of consciousness then ceases until he emerges therefrom as determined by him. As a rule he remains in this state for about a week. Motionless he abides in this ecstasy. Books relate an incident of a Pacceka Buddha whose body was set fire to while in this state. But he was not affected thereby.

Now when he emerges from this state the first thought-moment to arise is an Anagami Fruit-consciousness in the case of an Anagami, or an Arahat Fruit-consciousness in the case of an Arahat. Thereafter the stream of consciousness subsides into bhavanga.

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Classification of Individuals
Puggala-Bhedo

Section on Planes
Bhumi-Bhedo

When, for instance, a visible object enters the mind through the eye-door, a thought-process runs as follows -

Immediately after this five sense-door thought-process, the stream of consciousness subsides into bhavanga. Then there arises a mind-door thought-process perceiving the aforesaid visible object mentally as follows -

Again the stream of consciousness subsides into bhavanga, and two more similar thought-processes arise before the object is actually known.

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