Different Aspects of the Four Paramattha Dhammas
Citta, cetasika, rūpa and nibbāna are paramattha dhammas; they are reality. Citta, cetasika and rūpa, which arise and fall away in succession, present themselves so that they can be cognized, and thus it can be known that they are reality. For example, when we see colour, hear sound or think, cittas arise and fall away in succession, performing different functions. Some cittas see colour, others hear sound, and others again are thinking, depending on the type of citta and the conditions which cause its arising. The sequences of citta, cetasika and rūpa are extremely rapid and that is why we do not notice the arising and falling away. People may erroneously believe that rūpa gradually changes and that citta arises when a person or other living being is born, that the same citta lasts during life and falls away only when that person or being dies.
If we do not study and investigate the Dhamma, and not develop sati, mindfulness, and paññā, understanding, in order to penetrate the characteristics of citta, cetasika and rūpa, then we shall always be ignorant of the true nature of nāma dhamma and rūpa dhamma, of citta, cetasika and rūpa that arise and fall away in succession, all the time.
The dhammas that arise can do so because there are conditioning factors for their arising. They cannot arise without conditions. The venerable Sāriputta gained confidence in the teachings of the Buddha when he met the venerable Assaji, one of the monks from the group of the first five disciples of the Buddha. The venerable Sāriputta was so impressed by the venerable Assaji’s comportment that he followed him, asking him who his preceptor was and what his preceptor was teaching. The venerable Assaji answered:
“Ye dhammā hetuppabhavā tesaṃ hetuṃ Tathāgato āha, tesañ ca yo nirodho, evaṃvādī Mahāsamaṇo ti.”
This means:
“Those things (dhammas) which proceed from a cause, of these the Truth-finder has told the cause. And that which is their stopping – the great recluse has such a doctrine.”
If the Buddha had not taught about the dhammas and the ways they are conditioned, as he had realized through his enlightenment, there would be no one who would know which dhamma arises from what conditions. There would be no one who would know the dhammas that are the conditions for the arising of each type of citta paramattha dhamma, cetasika paramattha dhamma and rūpa paramattha dhamma. The Buddha had, through his enlightenment, penetrated the true nature of all dhammas. He taught that all dhammas that arise do so because of appropriate conditions, and he also taught which conditions bring about the arising of dhammas. Dhammas cannot arise without conditions.
We say of people, of other living beings, or devas, that they are born; but in reality, citta, cetasika and rūpa are born. When a specific type of citta accompanied by cetasikas arises together with rūpa we say in conventional language that a person is born. When citta and cetasikas arise with the rūpa of a deva (a being from a heavenly plane), we say that a deva is born. People, other living beings and devas have different kinds of births because the conditions for their births are different. The conditions that cause different births are numerous and they are most intricate. However, the Buddha, when he attained enlightenment, penetrated by his omniscience the true nature of all dhammas as well as all the different factors that are the conditions for their arising. He taught the true nature of each dhamma and he explained that whatever dhamma arises has conditions for its arising.
The dhammas that arise are saṅkhāra dhammas, conditioned dhammas. We know that there are citta, cetasika and rūpa, because they arise, and they arise because of the appropriate conditions. Hence, citta, cetasika and rūpa are saṅkhāra dhammas.
The Buddha’s teaching is complete as to the letter and meaning. But, he gave further explanations of Dhamma subjects, whose meaning people might misunderstand. He added words that described the meaning, making it even clearer. People might have misunderstandings about saṅkhāra dhamma, dhammas which arise because of conditions: they might mistakenly believe that dhammas that arise could continue to exist. Hence, the Buddha taught that saṅkhāra dhammas are also saṅkhata dhammas, dhammas that have already been conditioned and then fall away. The Buddha used the term saṅkhata dhamma in addition to saṅkhāra dhamma in order to explain that a dhamma that arises has conditions for its arising and that when the conditions fall away, that dhamma, which has arisen because of conditions, also must fall away. Saṅkhata dhamma is the dhamma that has been conditioned and then falls away. Hence, saṅkhāra dhamma, the dhamma that is compounded by conditioning factors, is also saṅkhata dhamma. The paramattha dhammas, which are citta, cetasika and rūpa, are saṅkhāra dhamma as well as saṅkhata dhamma and they have the following characteristics:
Sabbe saṅkhārā aniccā - All conditioned dhammas are impermanent.
Sabbe saṅkhāra dukkha - All conditioned dhammas are dukkha.
Sabbe dhammā anattā - All dhammas are non-self.
All Saṅkhāra Dhammas are Impermanent
All conditioned dhammas are impermanent. The decay and impermanence of rūpa dhamma are apparent but the impermanence of nāma dhamma is hard to notice. We read in the “Kindred Sayings” (II, Nidāna-vagga, XII, the Kindred Sayings on Cause, 7, the Great Chapter §61, The Untaught) that the Buddha, while he was staying near Sāvatthī, at Jeta Grove in Anāthapiṇḍika’s Park, said to the monks:
“The untaught many folk, monks, might well be repelled by this body, where the four great Elements come together, they might cease to fancy it and wish to be free from it. Why so? Seen is the growth and decay of this body, where the four great Elements come together, the taking on (at birth) and laying down of it (at death). Hence well might the many folk be repelled by it, cease to fancy it and wish to be free from it.
Yet this, monks, what we call thought, what we call mind, what we call consciousness (citta), by this the untaught many folk are not able to feel repelled, they are not able to cease fancying it or to be freed from it. Why so? For many a long day, monks, has it been for the uninstructed many folk that to which they cling, that which they call ‘mine’, that which they wrongly conceive, thinking - that is mine, this I am, this is myself. Hence the untaught many folk are not able to feel repelled by it, are not able to cease fancying it, are not able to be freed from it...But as to this, monks, what we call thought, what we call mind, what we call consciousness: one citta arises when another perishes, day and night.”
Although citta, cetasika and rūpa arise and fall away all the time, it is hard to understand this and to become detached, to eliminate clinging to nāma and rūpa. Nāma and rūpa must be investigated and understood by paññā so that clinging can be eliminated. We read in the “Dhammapada” vs. 277-280 (“Minor Anthologies”) that the Buddha said:
“ ‘All saṅkhāra dhammas are impermanent’, when one discerns this with wisdom, one turns away from dukkha; this is the Path to purity.
‘All saṅkhāra dhammas are dukkha’, when one discerns this with wisdom, one turns away from dukkha; this is the Path to purity.
‘All dhammas are non-self (anattā)’, when one discerns this with wisdom, one turns away from dukkha; this is the Path to purity.”
If one does not realize the arising and falling away of nāma dhammas and rūpa dhammas in order to eliminate clinging to wrong view, one cannot penetrate the four noble Truths and become an ariyan, a “noble person” who has attained enlightenment. The ariyan understands the meaning of “awakening” or Buddhahood, the Buddha’s enlightenment. He understands this not merely by theoretical knowledge of the dhammas the Buddha taught, but by direct understanding of the dhammas the Buddha had penetrated by his enlightenment. The ariyan has eradicated all doubt concerning the dhammas the Buddha had penetrated, because the ariyan has realized those dhammas himself. The ariyan has realized the meaning of “Buddhahood” because by attaining enlightenment he has penetrated himself the true nature of the dhammas the Buddha taught. The person who understands and sees the Dhamma, sees the Tathāgata. The person who studies the Dhamma and practises the Dhamma in order to penetrate the true nature of realities can attain enlightenment and eradicate defilements. But this depends on the stage of enlightenment he has attained, be it the stage of the “stream-winner” (sotāpanna), the “once-returner” (sakadāgāmī), the “non-returner” (anāgāmī) or the arahat.
All Saṅkhāra Dhammas are Dukkha
All saṅkhāra dhammas, conditioned realities, arise and then fall away, be it wholesome citta or unwholesome citta, be it rūpa that is beautiful or rūpa that is ugly, they all arise and fall away alike. The arising and falling away of realities, their impermanence, means dukkha, unsatisfactoriness. The nature of dukkha inherent in all saṅkhāra dhammas is not merely dukkha, suffering, in the sense of bodily pain, illness or tribulations, or suffering caused by separation from what we like and association of what we dislike. The nature of dukkha inherent in all saṅkhāra dhammas is their impermanence; when they have arisen they fall away and thus they should not be taken for happiness. Some people may wonder why all saṅkhāra dhammas are dukkha, why even the citta that experiences happiness and enjoys pleasant objects is dukkha. The citta that experiences happiness does not last and thus it is dukkha. All saṅkhāra dhammas, citta, cetasika and rūpa, are dukkha because they are impermanent, they do not last.
All Dhammas are Anattā
All dhammas are anattā. All four paramattha dhammas, citta, cetasika, rūpa and nibbāna are anattā. They are not self; they are not under anyone’s control.
Nibbāna is paramattha dhamma; it is reality. Nibbāna is not saṅkhāra dhamma, it is visaṅkhāra dhamma, unconditioned dhamma. Nibbāna is the dhamma that does not arise, it is the opposite of saṅkhāra dhamma. Saṅkhāra dhamma is the dhamma that arises because of conditions whereas visaṅkhāra dhamma is the dhamma that does not arise, that is unconditioned.
Nibbāna is asaṅkhata dhamma, the dhamma that is not saṅkhata. Saṅkhata dhamma is the dhamma that arises and falls away whereas asaṅkhata dhamma is the dhamma that does not arise and fall away. Nibbāna is not conditioned, and, thus, it does not arise and fall away.
Citta, cetasika and rūpa, which are saṅkhāra dhammas, are lokiya, “mundane.” They are susceptible to destruction. Nibbāna, which is visaṅkhāra dhamma or asaṅkhata dhamma, is lokuttara. The word lokuttara means beyond the world, supramundane, free from the world.
Summarizing the paramattha dhammas, they are:
nāma dhamma which knows an object:
citta paramattha, 89 or 121 cittas;
cetasika paramattha, 52 cetasikas
rūpa dhamma:
rūpa paramattha, 28 rūpas;
nāma dhamma which does not know an object:
nibbāna paramattha.
The Five Khandhas
The five khandhas, groups or aggregates, comprise:
rūpakkhandha (all rūpas),
vedanākkhandha (feelings),
saññākkhandha (remembrance or perception),
saṅkhārakkandha (all cetasikas, except feeling and remembrance),
viññāṇakkhandha (all cittas).
Paramattha Dhammas and Khandhas
Citta is viññāṇakkhandha.
Cetasika is vedanākkhandha, saññākkhandha, saṅkhārakkhandha.
Rūpa is rūpakkhandha.
Nibbāna is not khandha. It is freedom from khandha (khandha vimutti).
The term khandha refers to the dhamma that can be described as past, future or present, internal or external, gross or subtle, inferior or superior, far or near. Hence, khandha is saṅkhata dhamma, the dhamma that is conditioned, which arises and falls away, and thus, it can be described as past, present, future, etc. Whereas asaṅkhata dhamma, nibbāna, is the dhamma that does not arise, that is unconditioned. It cannot be said of nibbāna that it has arisen, that it has not yet arisen, or that it will arise. It cannot be described as past, future or present. Therefore, visaṅkhāra dhamma, nibbāna, is not khandha, it is freedom from khandha (khandha vimutti).
We read in the “Kindred Sayings” (III, Khandhā-vagga, First Fifty, Ch 5, §48, The Factors) that the Buddha, while he was at Sāvatthī, explained to the monks about the five khandhas and the five upādāna khandhas, khandhas of grasping:
“I will teach you, monks, the five khandhas and the five khandhas that have to do with grasping. Do you listen to it.
And what, monks, are the five khandhas?
Any rūpa, be it past, future or present, inward or outward, gross or subtle, inferior or superior, far or near – that is called rūpakkhandha. Any feeling, any perception, any group of ‘activities’ (or ‘formations’, saṅkhārakkhandha), any consciousness, be it past, future or present, inward or outward, gross or subtle, inferior or superior, far or near, that is called viññāṇakkhandha. These five, monks, are called the five khandhas.
And what, monks, are the five khandhas that have to do with grasping (upādāna khandhas)? Any rūpa, monks, be it past, future or present...be it far or near, goes together with the āsavas (intoxicants), and is a condition for upādāna, grasping. That is called khandha of grasping, upādāna khandha. Any feeling...any perception...any group of “activities”...any consciousness, monks, be it past, future or present...be it far or near, goes together with the āsavas, and is a condition for upādāna, grasping. These are called the five upadāna khandhas.”
The Three Paramattha Dhammas classified as Five Khandhas
Citta Paramattha Dhamma - all 89 (or 121) types are: Viññāṇakkhandha.
Cetasika Paramattha Dhamma - 52 types:
Rūpa Paramattha Dhamma - all 28 types are: Rūpakkhandha.
The Five Khandhas Classified as Three Paramattha Dhammas
Rūpakkhandha is: Rūpa Paramattha Dhamma (28 rūpas).
Vedanākkhandha is: Cetasika Paramattha Dhamma (vedanā).
Saññākkhandha is: Cetasika Paramattha Dhamma (saññā).
Saṅkhārakkhandha is: Cetasika Paramattha Dhamma (50 cetasikas).
Viññāṇakkhandha is: Citta Paramattha Dhamma (89 or 121 cittas).
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