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A Manual of Abhidhamma

by Nārada Thera | 80,494 words | ISBN-13: 9789380336510

In the Abhidhammattha Sangaha there is a brief exposition of the Law of Dependent Origination, followed by a descriptive account of the Causal Relations that finds no parallel in any other philosophy. Edited in the original Pali Text with English Translation and Explanatory Notes by Narada Maha Thera....

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Formless-Sphere Consciousness

arūpāvacara cittāni

§ 8.

(arūpāvacara kusala cittāni-4)

  1. ԲñⲹٲԲ-ܲٳٲ,
  2. վññԲñⲹٲԲ-ܲٳٲ,
  3. 쾱ñññⲹٲԲ-ܲ,
  4. N'eva-saññā-n'āsaññāyatana-kusalacittañ c'ati.

Imāni cattāri'pi Arūpāvacara-kusalacittāni nāma.

(arūpāvacara vipāka cittāni)

  1. ԲñⲹٲԲ-첹ٳٲ,
  2. ññԲñⲹٲԲ-첹ٳٲ,
  3. 쾱ñññⲹٲԲ-첹ٳٲ,
  4. N'eva-saññā-n'āsaññāyatana-vipākacittam c'ati.

Imāni cattāri'pi arūpāvacara-vipākacittāni nāma.

(arūpāvacara kriyā cittāni-4)

  1. ԲñⲹٲԲ-峦ٳٲ,
  2. ññԲñⲹٲԲ-峦ٳٲ
  3. 쾱ñññⲹٲԲ-峦ٳٲ,
  4. n'eva-saññā-n'āsaññāyatana-kriyācittañ c'ati.

 Imāni cattāri'pi arūpāvacara-kriyācittāni nāma.
Icc' evam sabbathā'pi dvādasa arūpāvacara-kusala-vipāka-kriyācittāni samattāni.
ālambanappabhedhena - catudhā'ruppamānasam
Puññapākakriyābhedā - puna dvādasadhā thitam.

 

(translation)

§ 8.

(Formless-Sphere Moral Consciousness - 4)

  1. Moral Բ consciousness dwelling on the "Infinity of Space",[1]
  2. Moral Բ consciousness dwelling on the "Infinity of Consciousness",[2]
  3. Moral Բ consciousness dwelling on "Nothingness",[3]
  4. Moral Բ consciousness wherein "Perception neither is nor is not".

These are the four types of ū貹-Բ Moral consciousness.

(Formless-sphere Resultant Consciousness - 4)

  1. Resultant Բ-consciousness dwelling on the "Infinity of Space".
  2. Resultant Բ-consciousness dwelling on the "Infinity of Consciousness",
  3. Resultant Բ-consciousness dwelling on "Nothingness",
  4. Resultant Բ-consciousness wherein "Perception neither is nor is not".

These are four types of ū貹-Բ Resultant consciousness.

(Formless-sphere Functional Consciousness - 4)

  1. Functional Բ-consciousness dwelling on the "Infinity of Space".
  2. Functional Բ-consciousness dwelling on the "Infinity of Consciousness".
  3. Functional Բ-consciousness dwelling on "Nothingness" .
  4. Functional Բ-consciousness wherein "Perception neither is nor is not".
  5. These are the four types of ū貹-Բ Functional consciousness.

Thus end, in all, the twelve types of ū貹 Բ Moral, Resultant, and Functional consciousness.[4]

ū貹-Բ consciousness is fourfold, classified according to the objects. Again they stand at twelve according to Moral, Resultant, and Functional types.

 

Notes:

44. ū貹 Բ-

The Yogi who has developed the ū貹 Բs and who wishes to develop the ū貹 Բs now concentrates on the Patibhāga Nimitta mentioned in the previous section. As he does so, a faint light, like a fire fly, issues from the Kasina object. He wills it to expand until it covers the whole space. Now he sees nothing but this light pervading everywhere. This developed space is not a reality but a mere concept. In Pāli this space is called 첹Գܲپ (space issuing forth from the Kasina object). On this concept he concentrates thinking "ākāso ananto", 'Infinite is space', until he develops the first ū貹 Բ-ԲñⲹٲԲ.

As in the case of the ū貹 Բs a thought-process, runs as follows:-

mano-dvārāvajjana, parikamma, upacāra, anuloma, gotrabhū,
ԲñⲹٲԲ.

Parikamma thought-moment may or may not occur.

The ū貹 Բ thought-moment occurs only for a moment, and then the consciousness lapses into Bhavanga consciousness.

Again he concentrates on the first ū貹 Բ thinking "viññānam anantam", 'Infinite is Consciousness' until he develops the second ū貹 Բ - &ܴdz;ññԲñⲹٲԲ&ܴdz;.

To develop the third ū貹 Բ - "ākiñcaññāyatana" - the Yogi takes for his object the first ū貹 Բ consciousness and thinks - 'Natthi kiñci', "There is nothing whatever".

The fourth ū貹 Բ consciousness is developed by taking the third ū貹 Բ consciousness as the object. The third ū貹 Բ is so subtle and refined that one cannot definitely say whether there is a consciousness or not. As he concentrates thus on the third consciousness he develops the fourth Բ. Although the term &ܴdz;ññ&ܴdz; is used here, 岹, (feeling) and ԰, (mental states) are also included therein.

The five ū貹 Բs differ according to the Բ factors. These four ū貹 Բs, on the other hand, differ according to the objects of concentration. The first and the third have two concepts (貹ññٳپ). They are the concept of the 'infinity of space' and the concept of 'nothingness'. The second and the fourth Բ consciousness have for their objects the first and the third Բ respectively.

These four ū貹 Բs have their corresponding effects in the ū貹 spheres. The four Kriyā Բs are experienced only by Buddhas and Arahats.

In all these twelve Բ Cittas are found the two Բ factors - and - equanimity and one-pointedness that constitute the fifth ū貹 Բ.

Footnotes and references:

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[1]:

[ԲñⲹٲԲ = ākāsa + ananta + āyatana. Ananta + ya = anantya = anañca = end-lessness. ākāsa + anañca = ākāsānañca + āyatana is used here in the sense of abode (󾱳ٳٳԲٳٳԲ)]

[2]:

[viññānañcāyatana-viññāna + ananta + ya = viññānanatya = viññānañca]

[3]:

[ākiñcaññāyatana-akiñcanassa bhāvo = ākiñcaññam]

[4]:

[Both ū貹 and ū貹 Cittas are collectively termed "Mahaggata" which literally, means 'great-gone-to', i.e., developed.]

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