Process of Consciousness and Matter - Abhidhamma.com
Process of Consciousness and Matter - Abhidhamma.com
Process of Consciousness and Matter - Abhidhamma.com
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I. CONSCIOUSNESS AND ITS FACTORS<br />
perform the function <strong>of</strong> receiving, investigating (santīraṇa) <strong>and</strong><br />
determining (voṭṭhabbana) the object. In the case <strong>of</strong> a thought process,<br />
occurring in the mind-door only, these three functions do not occur. In<br />
this case, mind-door adverting follows immediately upon the cutting<br />
<strong>of</strong>f <strong>of</strong> the bhavanga without any intermediate functions. The function<br />
<strong>of</strong> receiving is performed by two types <strong>of</strong> receiving consciousness<br />
(sampaṭicchana). The function <strong>of</strong> investigating is performed by three<br />
types <strong>of</strong> investigating counsciousness (santīraṇa). The function <strong>of</strong><br />
determining is performed by mind-door adverting consciousness<br />
(manodvārāvajjana). All <strong>of</strong> them are rootless (ahetuka) cittas.<br />
Javana Kicca - Function <strong>of</strong> Javana<br />
Javana is a technical term <strong>of</strong> <strong>Abhidhamma</strong> usage that is virtually<br />
impossible to translate <strong>and</strong> is, in many ways, best left untranslated.<br />
The literal meaning <strong>of</strong> the word is “running swiftly”. Here javana<br />
means running because in the course <strong>of</strong> thought-process it runs<br />
consecutively for seven thought moments or for five thought<br />
moments, taking the same object. In the case <strong>of</strong> death, or when the<br />
Buddha performed the twin miracles (yamaka-pāṭihāriya), only five<br />
javana thought moments arise. However, in the supra-mundane javana<br />
process the path-consciousness arises only for one moment. The<br />
javana stage is the function <strong>of</strong> apprehending the object <strong>and</strong> it is a very<br />
important stage from the ethical st<strong>and</strong>point because it is at this stage<br />
that wholesome or unwholesome cittas originate. Fifty-five cittas<br />
function as javanas, i.e. twelve unwholesome (akusala) cittas, twentyone<br />
wholesome (kusala) cittas, four supra-mundane resultant (phala)<br />
cittas <strong>and</strong> eighteen functional (kiriya) cittas; except two adverting<br />
cittas. (12+21+4+18=55)<br />
Tadālaṃbana Kicca - Function <strong>of</strong> Registration<br />
The word tadālaṃbana or tadārammaṇa means literally “having<br />
that object”. It denotes the function <strong>of</strong> taking as object the object that<br />
had been apprehended by the javanas. This function is exercised for<br />
two thought moments. It occurs immediately after the javana phase in<br />
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