3.10.8.2

Lesson 3.10.8.2 Paṭṭhānapāli – Citta, Part Two - 'Catuvīsati Sahetukakāmāvacarakusalavipākakiriyacittāni' - States of Consciousness

According to the Abhidhamma, fifty-four states of consciousness in the sense sphere (kāmāvacarabhūmi) arise or exist. Of these, the twelve unwholesome cittāni (based on the unwholesome roots of dosa, lobha and moha) seem to occur predominantly. There are eighteen further states without any roots: seven of these states are unwholesome resultants (akusalavipākacittāni), eight are considered wholesome (kusalavipākāhetukacittāni) and the remaining three are functional (ahetukakiriyacittāni). These cittāni are consequences of wholesome or unwholesome kamma generated in the past. Whenever one encounters certain objects and situations based on one’s previous actions, they are recognised by these functional resultant mental states. Lastly, all other states that arise are called ‘beautiful’, ‘bright’ or ‘shining’ consciousness (sobhanacittāni), because they are based on the two or three wholesome roots of adosa, alobha and amoha. Their character or quality is wholesome (kusala) and are called ‘beautiful’ because they produce ‘beautiful’ results. When these same cittāni occur in fully enlightened beings, they remain wholesome but execute a merely functional purpose. This lesson describes the twenty-four types of wholesome, resultant and functional sense-sphere consciousness with roots.