Process of Consciousness and Matter - Abhidhamma.com

I. CONSCIOUSNESS AND ITS FACTORS
Ethically Variable Cetasikas
In the Abhidhamma there is a total of fifty-two cetasikas or mental
factors. These mental factors are divided into three basic groups: the
ethically variable factors (aññanamāna cetasikas), the unwholesome
factors (akusala cetasikas) and the beautiful factors (sobhana
cetasikas).
Of the fifty-two cetasikas, seven are classified as Universals and
six are classified as Occasional. Taken together these thirteen factors
are aññasamāna, that is ethically variable. The word aññasamāna
literally means “common to the other”. The non-beautiful cittas are
called other (añña) in relation to the beautiful cittas. The beautiful
cittas are called “other” in relation to the non-beautiful cittas. Thus, all
thirteen factors are said to be, aññasamāna, that is common to both the
beautiful and the non-beautiful cetasikas. Of them the following are
called Universals or sabba-citta-sādhāraṇa (because they are
associated with all cittas without exception): phassa (contact), vedanā
(feeling), saññā (perception), cetanā (volition), ekaggatā (onepointedness
of mind), jāvitindriya (life-faculty) and manasikāra
(attention).
However, vitakka (initial application), vicāra (sustained
application), adhimokkha (decision), vīriya (effort or energy), pīti
(joy) and chanda (will) are called pakiṇṇaka cetasika or Occasional
mental factors. These six factors are not associated with all cittas but
only with particular ones 4 .
Unwholesome Cetasikas
The second group of cetasikas is called akusala cetasika, the
unwholesome mental factors. They are fourteen in number and all of
them are associated respectively with the unwholesome
consciousnesses. Among them, moha (delusion), ahirika
(shamelessness), anottappa (fearlessness of wrong doing) and
uddhacca (restlessness) are associated with all twelve unwholesome
(akusala) cittas. However, lobha (greed), diṭṭhi (wrong view) and
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