A First Look at Abhidhamma (7):
The Eighty-Nine Kinds of Citta
“Breathing in, I know I am breathing in. Breathing out, I know I am breathing out.”
-- Anapanasati Sutta, Majjhima Nikaya 118.
This chapter names all the eighty-nine kinds of citta. It will get fairly technical, especially as the pali terms are introduced. Readers are not expected to remember all the names. They may use this chapter as reference when reading Abhidhamma articles. These eighty-nine names are typically spread over volumes of text, it is useful to compile them into one single chapter. Use the section/subsection numbering to keep in view with the macroscopic picture.
This chapter is long too, however this makes the chapter self-sufficient as a reference. Readers need not finish reading in one go.
Other than being a reference chapter, this chapter also drives home the point that citta is a single sequence of consciousness as mentioned in the previous chapter (see chapter 6). Each citta performs two main tasks: it experiences the mental object and conditions the arising of the next citta. Sometimes we may use words loosely and talk about the ‘function’ of a citta. Ultimately each citta exists neither for any purpose nor function. It is simply there because the previous citta conditioned its arising, and while it is there it conditions the next citta’s arising.
Note that although there are only eighty-nine kinds of cittas, each citta actually differs in a continuum of intensity and state. Hence there are actually infinitely many cittas. The number eighty-nine is used more as a classification or typing rather than the actual quantity.
The following is of two parts. First we shall name the cittas as we group them by their nature. Then we shall regroup them by the role they play.
(I) Names of all the Cittas Grouped by Their Nature
In this first part of the chapter, we shall name all the cittas. There are 54 cittas in the sensuous plane of consciousness, 15 cittas in the rúpå-jhåna plane of consciousness, 12 cittas in the arúpå-jhåna plane of consciousness and finally 8 lokuttara cittas. This gives us a total of 89. The 54 cittas in the sensuous plane of consciousness are the most relevant to us, hence they will be described in more detail.
Each citta either generates kamma, or is the effect of kamma, or does not generate kamma. We must know which group each citta belongs to. Hence we shall begin this part (I) with the grouping.
(I.1) The Four Groups of Citta by Nature
All cittas fall into four groups, according to their nature:
The kusala and akusala cittas generate future kamma, that is, they sow good or bad seeds. When the conditions arise and the seeds ripen, the vipakacittas are effected. There are also kiriyacittas which neither sow seeds nor are the effects of previous kamma.
(I.2) 54 Cittas in the Sensuous Plane of Consciousness
Our rupa world exists in the sensuous plane of consciousness. It is called sensuous because there exist sensory perceptions. In this plane there are 54 kinds of cittas. I shall mention them in 5 classifications: 12 akusala cittas, 18 ahetuka cittas, 8 mahå-kusala cittas, 8 mahå-vipåkacittas and 8 mahå-kiriyacittas. Do take note of which of the 4 nature groups each belongs to as I mention them.
(I.2.A) The 12 Akusala Cittas
There are 12 unwholesome cittas, called the 12 akusala cittas. They consist of 8 lobha-múla-cittas (cittas rooted in attachment), 2 dosa-múla-cittas (cittas rooted in aversion) and 2 moha-múla-cittas (cittas rooted in ignorance).
The cittas rooted in attachment (or craving) have a variety of eight because they are either accompanied by or not accompanied by any of three characteristics: pleasant feeling, wrong view (ditthi) and prompted-ness. A citta rooted in attachment can be accompanied by pleasant feeling or indifferent feeling. It can also be accompanied by wrong view or not accompanied by wrong view. The citta can be spontaneous, that is unprompted, or it can be prompted (or induced).
The cittas rooted in aversion are always accompanied by unpleasant feelings and with anger. Each is either unprompted or prompted (e.g. induced by incidents happening around the person). Hence there is a variety of 2.
The cittas rooted in ignorance are always accompanied by indifferent feelings (upekkhå). Each is either accompanied by doubt (vicikicchå) or by restlessness (uddhacca). Hence there is a variety of 2.
(I.2.B) The 18 Ahetuka Cittas
There are six roots (hetus): attachment (lobha), aversion (dosa), ignorance (moha), greedlessness or generosity (alobha), non-hate or loving kindness (adosa), and finally paññå or wisdom (amoha). Cittas accompanied by one of these six roots are called sahetuka (meaning with hetus). Cittas not accompanied by any of these six roots are called ahetuka (meaning without hetus).
There are 18 ahetuka cittas. They are differentiated by the functions they perform. They consist of 10 dvi-pañca-viññåùas, 2 sampaìicchana-cittas (receiving-consciousness), 3 santíraùa-cittas (investigating-consciousness), 1 pañca-dvåråvajjana-citta (five-door-adverting-consciousness), 1 mano-dvåråvajjana-citta (mind-door-adverting-consciousness), and 1 hasituppåda-citta (the citta that produces the smile of an arahat).
The 10 dvi-pañca-viññåùas, are ahetuka vipåkacittas and are the five pairs of sensory consciousness:
Recall that vipåkacittas are cittas resulted from kamma. Hence they could be the result of wholesome (kusala) kamma or unwholesome (akusala) kamma. Therefore each of the sensory consciousness cittas exists in pairs. Each of these cittas experiences the respective sensory mental object.
The 2 sampaticchana-cittas (receiving-consciousness), are ahetuka vipåkacittas. One of them results from unwholesome kamma (thus is akusala vipåka) and the other one results from wholesome kamma (thus is kusala vipåka). These cittas arise immediately after the previous dvi-pañca-viññåùas has fallen, and inherits the same kusala/akusala nature. These cittas ‘receive’ the mental object.
The 3 santírana-cittas (investigating-consciousness) are ahetuka vipåkacittas. It arises right after sampaticchana-citta has fallen. One of the santírana-cittas results from unwholesome kamma (thus is akusala vipåka). This citta is always accompanied by indifferent feeling (upekkhå). The rest of the two santírana-cittas results from wholesome kamma (thus are kusala vipåka). One of these is accompanied by indifferent feeling and the other is accompanied by pleasant feeling (somanassa).
There is 1 pañca-dvåråvajjana-citta (five-door-adverting-consciousness) which is ahetuka kiriyacitta. This citta arises just before the dvi-pañca-viññåùas. When an object impinges on one of the five senses, this is the citta that adverts or turns towards the object through that sense-door.
There is 1 mano-dvåråvajjana-citta (mind-door-adverting-consciousness) which is ahetuka kiriyacitta. This is the citta that adverts a sensory mental object through the mind-door. This citta is also called the votthapana-citta. In this case, it occurs right after the santírana-cittas has fallen, and it ‘determines’ the sensory mental object.
Finally there is 1 hasituppåda-citta (smile-producing-consciousness of the arahat), which is an ahetuka kiriyacitta. Only arahats have this kind of citta. This citta produces the smile of an arahat.
(I.2.C) The 8 Mahå-kusala Cittas, 8 Mahå-Vipåkacittas and 8 Mahå-kiriyacittas
‘Mahå’ means great. The 8 mahå-kusala cittas are the wholesome cittas, as in contrast with the 12 akusala cittas mentioned above. These 8 cittas are also called the kåmåvara kusala cittas meaning the kusala cittas of the sensuous plane of consciousness. There are 8 of such cittas because each arises with or without 3 characteristics: pleasant feeling, wisdom and prompted-ness. A mahå-kusala citta can be accompanied by pleasant feeling or indifferent feeling. It can also be accompanied by wisdom or not accompanied by wisdom. The citta can be spontaneous, that is unprompted, or it can be prompted (or induced).
The 8 mahå-vipåkacittas are the results of wholesome kamma performed with mahå-kusala cittas. Hence there are 8 corresponding kinds as well.
The arahat does not generate kamma anymore. Hence they do not have mahå-kusala cittas. Instead they have corresponding mahå-kiriyacittas. Hence there are 8 mahå-kiriyacittas.
(I.3) 15 Rúpåvacara Cittas of the Rúpa-brahma-plane (Fine-material world)
The 15 rúpåvacara cittas consist of 5 rúpåvacara kusala cittas, 5 rúpåvacara vipåkacittas, and 5 rúpåvacara kiriyacittas.
Jhåna means absorption, developed in samatha which is a kind of tranquil meditation. Upon adsorption there is no seeing, or any other sense-impression. Hence the jhånacittas are not of the sensuous plane of consciousness, but of a higher plane of consciousness. Jhånacittas are either rúpåvacara cittas or arúpåvacara cittas. This subsection introduces the rúpåvacara cittas, while the next subsection introduces the arúpåvacara cittas.
The rúpå-jhåna (fine-material jhåna) meditates on some material subjects, and produces the rúpåvacara cittas in the following way.
There are five hindrances in meditation: sensuous desire (kåmacchandha), ill-will (vyåpåda), sloth and torpor (thína and middha), restlessness and worry (uddhacca and kukkucca), and doubt (vicikicchå). To inhibit these five hindrances, there are five jhåna-factors that the meditator can train in and use:
With all these five jhåna-factors, the meditator would be able to inhibit the hindrances. When the meditator is more advanced, the meditator can let go of more and more jhåna-factors while still inhibiting the five hindrances. This gives rise to 5 stages of rúpa-jhåna (fine-material jhåna), with each succeeding stage being more refined than the preceding one:
Upon the attainment of each of these stages, a new stage of rúpåvacara kusala citta becomes available to the person. Hence there are 5 rúpåvacara kusala cittas. Each of these rúpåvacara kusala cittas can produce the corresponding rúpåvacara vipåkacittas. Hence there are 5 rúpåvacara vipåkacittas. Finally the arahats do not generate kamma any more, hence instead of the 5 rúpåvacara kusala cittas, they have the corresponding 5 rúpåvacara kiriyacittas which do not produce kamma.
(I.4) 12 Arúpåvacara Cittas of the Arúpa-brahma-plane (Immaterial world)
The 12 arúpåvacara cittas consist of 4 arúpåvacara kusala cittas, 4 arúpåvacara vipåkacittas, and 4 arúpåvacara kiriyacittas.
The arúpå-jhåna (immaterial jhåna) is more refined than rúpå-jhåna in that the meditation subject does not depend on materiality any more. This jhåna is performed after the meditator has perfected all the stages of the rúpå-jhåna. The arúpå-jhåna produces the arúpåvacara cittas in the following way. (See subsection I.3 for explanation of jhåna.)
There are four stages in arúpå-jhåna, each of which is more subtle than the previous one:
Upon the attainment of each of these stages, a new stage of arúpåvacara kusala citta becomes available to the person. Hence there are 4 arúpåvacara kusala cittas. Each of these arúpåvacara kusala cittas can produce the corresponding arúpåvacara vipåkacitta. Hence there are 4 arúpåvacara vipåkacittas. Finally the arahats do not generate kamma any more, hence instead of the 4 arúpåvacara kusala cittas, they have the corresponding 4 arúpåvacara kiriyacittas which do not produce kamma.
(I.5) 8 Lokuttara (Supramundane) Cittas
The 8 lokuttrara (supramundane) cittas consist of 4 magga-cittas (path consciousness) which are lokuttara kusala cittas, and 4 phala-cittas (fruit consciousness) which are lokuttara vipåkacittas.
There are four stages of Enlightenment:
At each of these stages the wholesome magga-citta arises which experiences nibbåna and eradicates defilements. As the magga-citta falls, the corresponding type of phala-citta immediately arises which only experiences nibbåna. Hence there are four types of magga-citta and four types of phala-citta.
(II) Functions of the Cittas
After naming all the 89 cittas, we know explore the functions of the citta. By knowing the functions, we can see how the 89 cittas work together conditioning the arising of each other. That is, we see the dependent origin of each citta. More pali names and categories will be mentioned below. These are new category names and not new cittas. All the 89 cittas are already mentioned above.
There are altogether 14 functions of the citta. Instead of going into functions by functions, I shall illustrate all of the functions through 2 processes: the sensory process and the birth-life continuum-death process.
(II.1) The Sensory Process
A mental object lasts longer than a citta. In fact it lasts the lifetime of 17 consecutive cittas. Thus a sequence of different cittas works on the mental object from its arrival to its departure. A typical 17 citta sequence is as follows:
When the rupa object contacts the relevant sensory organ, one citta arises and fall. This citta is the first in the sequence of 17, called the atíta-bhavanga. After the atíta-bhavanga falls, the mind is disturbed by the object, hence the next citta is bhavanga-calana or the vibrating bhavanga. After the bhavanga-calana falls, the bhavanga series of cittas end with a bhavanga citta called bhavangupaccheda or arrest-bhavanga. It ‘arrests’ the bhavanga series and starts the sense door adverting process.
Thus after the bhavangupaccheda falls, the next citta is the pañca-dvåråvajjana-citta or the five-door-adverting-consciousness. Recall that this citta is one of the 18 ahetuka cittas mentioned in part I. The five sensory doors are: the eye door, ear door, nose door, tongue door and body sense door. Upon the adverting of this citta, the mind pays attention to the specific sensory door.
After the pañca-dvåråvajjana-citta falls, the next citta is one of the ten dvi-pañca-viññåùa cittas (the five pairs of sensory consciousness). Recall that these ten cittas are among the 18 ahetuka cittas mentioned above. If the rupa object concerns sight, then one of the two possible seeing-consciousness will arise; if the rupa object concerns sound, then one of the two possible hearing-consciousness will arise, and so forth for the other three senses.
After the particular dvi-pañca-viññåùa citta falls, the next citta is one of the two sampaticchana-cittas (receiving-consciousness). If the dvi-pañca-viññåùa citta was an akusala (unwholesome) vipåka, then the sampaticchana-citta is also an akusala vipåka. If the dvi-pañca-viññåùa citta was a kusala (wholesome) vipåka, then the sampaticchana-citta is also a kusala vipåka. The sampaticchana-citta receives the mental object into the mind. Recall that the sampaticchana-cittas are among the 18 ahetuka cittas mentioned above.
After the sampaticchana-citta falls, the next citta is one of the three santírana-citta (investigating-consciousness). This citta ‘investigates’ the received mental object. Recall that these santírana-cittas are among the 18 ahetuka cittas mentioned above.
After the santírana-citta falls, the next citta is the votthapana-citta (determining-consciousness). This citta determines the mental object. Recall that the votthapana-citta is also called the mano-dvåråvajjana-citta (mind-door-adverting-consciousness), and is one of the 18 ahetuka cittas mentioned above.
After votthapana-citta falls, the mental object is experienced by seven consecutive javana-cittas. This series of cittas are all of the same akusala (unwholesome) or kusala (wholesome) type. For example, if the first one is akusala, then the rest of the six are all akusala, because each one is conditioned by the previous javana-citta. The arahats do not have akusala or kusala cittas, hence they have kiriyacittas as javana-cittas instead.
There are 55 cittas that can play the role of javana-cittas. They are the:
Note that it is during the javana-cittas that we accumulate wholesomeness or unwholesomeness.
Finally after the last of the seven javana-cittas falls, the next citta is a tadårammaùa-citta (registering-consciousness). This citta registers or retains or hangs on to the mental object. After this citta has fallen, the entire sensory process has run its full course.
There are 11 cittas that can play the role of a tadårammaùa-citta (registering-consciousness). They are the:
The above sequence is for the sensory doors such as the eye door, ear door, nose door, tongue door and body sense door. There is a sixth door called the mind door. The mind door process has the following citta sequence:
The mind door process can begin after a sensory door process. Although the sensory mental object has fallen, the cittas can experience previous sensory mental objects.
Note that we have not mentioned about bhavanga cittas (the life continuum cittas). This will be discussed in the next subsection.
(II.2) The Birth/Rebirth, Life Continuum and Death Consciousness
Where there is birth, there is death. This is because the rupa body is impermanent. Even if the material of the body is long lasting, life is nonetheless sustained moment by moment according to the Law of Cause and Effect. Hence life can still end any time.
Buddhism believes in rebirth. The last citta in one’s life is called the cuti-citta (dying consciousness). The sequence of citta does not stop after the cuti-citta. Instead, there is rebirth, and the next citta becomes the first citta in a new life. This first citta is called the patisandhi-citta (rebirth consciousness). In between the patisandhi-citta and the next cuti-citta, there are all the sensory and mind door processes, and there is another type of citta as well, called the bhavanga-cittas. The bhavanga-cittas are life continuum cittas. It fills up the gaps between the sensory and mind door processes. Bhavanga-cittas are vipåkacittas, that is, they are the results of wholesome or unwholesome kammas. The first bhavanga-citta of one’s life, arises right after the patisandhi-citta.
The patisandhi-citta, bhavanga-cittas and cuti-citta in one’s lifespan are of the same type of vipåkacitta and they experience the same object. There are 19 cittas that can play the role of bhavanga-citta. They are:
An arahat’s cuti-citta is not followed by a patisandhi-citta. For every one else, the cuti-citta is followed by a patisandhi-citta. The patisandhi-citta is conditioned by the cuti-citta, and as a vipåkacitta, by kamma as well. Everyone wants a good rebirth, but rebirth cannot be controlled. Some people think that by controlling one’s cuti-citta, one can control one’s patisandhi-citta and hence one’s rebirth. However it is impossible to even control one’s citta, not to say especially one’s cuti-citta. Furthermore the patisandhi-citta depends on one’s kamma in the past lives as well. It all depends on what seeds bear fruit next.
The cuti-citta and patisandhi-citta link, is the only link that connects the past to the present. Nothing else is passed between the life forms. There is no self that is passed through the life forms. The previous rupa and nama forms are dead, and the present rupa and nama forms are new. All the tendencies and kamma of the past lives are passed only through the way the cuti-citta conditions the patisandhi-citta. There is no self. There is only the ignorance of believing that there is a self.
(III) Mindfulness Meditation
Breathing in, I know I am breathing in;
breathing out, I know I am breathing out.
In this way, the body is pacified.
Breathing in, I am mindful of my brain thoughts;
breathing out, I let go of my brain thoughts.
In this way, the brain thoughts are pacified.
Whenever one is mindful,
one’s body is calm,
and there are no brain thoughts,
one is finally deep listening to one’s citta.
The names and classifications of the cittas are unimportant, for they are only concepts and beliefs. This knowledge exists only in the brain, which the cuti-citta cannot pass on to the patisandhi-citta. What is really important about this knowledge, is how one uses it to purify one’s citta and end suffering.
Knowing how the cittas work is like looking at the night sky with a star-chart. The chart helps us more easily find and identify the stars. This is very useful. However it also has a danger. The star-chart may make us imagine things that are not really there. Similarly we may end up imagining cittas that are not really there.
That is why in mindfulness meditation, it is important not to crave for any stage of attainment. If we cannot identify our feelings, then so be it. If we cannot see our cittas, then so be it. If we crave, then our minds will do tricks on us, and make us believe that we saw our feelings and cittas. This is ignorance, not Enlightenment.
There are always cloudy nights and clear nights. On the cloudy nights, we cannot see the moon; on the clear nights we may also not see the moon. Similarly mindfulness practice also has it ups and downs, just like seeing the moon. When the practice is down, we may encourage ourselves that this is precisely the best training period. Why? Because this is the time where conditions are worst for mindfulness. Hence any little bit of improvement, or even non-retardation in our practice, would build a very strong foundation. When the practice is up, we may encourage ourselves that our practice does bear fruit. Why? Because if we have not been practicing, we would not even know that our practice is up.
The Law of Cause and Effect extends even into our mindfulness practice.
--By Lee Hon Sing. Last modified: January 9, 2004. All ignorance is mine.