Citta Knows an Object
As we read in the “Atthasālinī”, in the section about the aspects of citta (I, Book I, Part II, § 63), citta is so called because it thinks of its object, it clearly cognizes its object. We then read:
“Or, inasmuch as this word citta is common to all states or classes of citta, that which is known as mundane (lokiya): kusala (wholesome), akusala (unwholesome), or mahā-kiriya, is termed ‘citta’, because it arranges itself (cināti) in its own series or continuity by way of javana (impulsion), in a process of citta. And the vipāka is also termed ‘citta’ because it is conditioned by accumulated (cita) kamma and the defilements.
Moreover, all (four classes) are termed citta because they are variegated (citra or vicitta) according to circumstance. The meaning of citta may also be understood from its capacity of producing a variety or diversity of effects.”
When we study the texts that have been composed later on we shall find that they deal with six characteristics of citta. These aspects are actually taken from the “Atthasālinī”, which is the commentary to the “Dhammasangaṇi” (“Buddhist Psychological Ethics”), the first Book of the “Abhidhamma”. The aspects of citta can be classified as five or six categories:
Citta is so called because it thinks (cinteti) of an
object, it clearly knows an object.
Citta is so called because it arranges itself in its own series or
continuity, by way of javana in a process.
Citta is so called because it is result (vipāka), conditioned by
accumulated (cita) kamma and defilements.
Citta is so called because it is variegated (vicitta), according
to circumstances. In the commentaries composed later on this aspect
has been given as twofold:
Citta is variegated because it experiences different objects.
Citta is variegated because of the accompanying cetasikas,
sampayutta dhammas.
Citta is so called because of its capacity of producing a
diversity of effects.
All these aspects will be dealt with systematically, so that the characteristic of citta will be understood in conformity with the explanation of the “Atthasālinī”.
Citta is so called because it thinks (cinteti) of its object, it clearly cognizes its object. All of us think time and again. If we notice that we are thinking and carefully investigate this, we shall see that we are really quite occupied with thinking, that we think for a long time of a variety of things. We cannot prevent thinking – it goes on and on. Therefore, some people do not want to think; they want to be calm. They believe that it is beneficial to prevent thinking because they see that when they are thinking, they have worry and anxiety; they are restless and disturbed because of attachment or aversion.
We should know that citta is actually the reality that thinks. Rūpa cannot think. When we consider what the subjects are that citta thinks about, we shall know why citta thinks about them, even though we sometimes do not like to think about them at all. It is quite natural that citta arises and thinks time and again about what appears through the eyes, the ears, the nose, the tongue, the bodysense and the mind-door. We believe that all the subjects citta thinks about are very serious and important, but thinking only occurs because citta arises and thinks of an object, and then it falls away. If citta would not think about all those things we take very seriously, they would not exist at all. As we read in the “Atthasālinī”, citta is so called because it thinks, it clearly cognizes an object.
As to the dhammas that experience an object, there are different types of realities, each with its own characteristic, which experience an object. Cetasika is a reality that experiences an object, but it is not the “leader” in cognizing an object. Cetasikas arise together with the citta and they experience the same object as the citta, but they each perform their own function. Phassa cetasika (contact), for example, arises together with the citta, but it performs its own function, it experiences the object by contacting it. If phassa cetasika did not arise and perform its function while experiencing an object, there would be no contact with the object. Phassa cetasika experiences the object only in contacting it, but it does not know the object in the same way as citta that clearly cognizes the object.
Paññā is another cetasika that knows, for example, the characteristics of realities that appear as non-self, not a living being, not a person. It penetrates the true characteristics of realities that appear through the six doors. As regards citta, this is the reality that clearly knows its object, as has already been explained. However, citta knows the object differently from phassa, which just contacts the object, or saññā (perception, or remembrance) which recognizes the characteristic of the object, or paññā, which penetrates the true nature of realities.
Citta is the reality that cognizes, that clearly knows the different characteristics of the objects that appear. Is what is appearing through the eyes at this moment one and the same colour, or are there different colours appearing? Reality is true dhamma (sacca dhamma); it can be verified. We should find out whether at this moment we see only one thing, only one colour, or whether we see that which is appearing as different colours, in a detailed way, so that we can distinguish between different things that are perceived. Can we, for example, distinguish between a real diamond and a synthetic diamond?
Citta is the reality that sees and knows clearly; it clearly knows the different characteristics of the different objects, and that even into the smallest details. At this moment, the rūpa that is the eyesense has as its characteristic a special clarity – it can be compared to a mirror in which the image of whatever passes is clearly reflected. The eyesense can come into contact with visible object. The earsense can come into contact just with sound, smelling-sense just with odour, tasting-sense just with flavour, and bodysense just with those rūpas that are tangible object.
Whatever colour appears, the colour of a real diamond, of a synthetic diamond, of jade, of a stone, even the colour of the look in someone’s eyes that expresses envy, all that can appear to the citta which sees.
What appears at this moment through the eyes appears to citta, which clearly knows it. It sees all the colours of the different objects that appear, and thus the meaning of things can be known, the shape and form perceived, and there can be thinking about what has appeared through the eyes.
Are sounds that appear through the earsense entirely the same or are there different sounds? Each sound is different depending on the conditions that caused the arising of that sound. No matter how many people there are, the sound of each individual is different. Citta clearly knows each of the different sounds that appear. Citta knows the sound of ridicule, of sarcasm, of contempt, of a fan, of a waterfall, the cry of an animal, the different calls of various kinds of animals, or even the sound of a man who imitates the sound of an animal. Citta clearly knows the characteristics of the different sounds; it hears each different sound.
All kinds of realities can appear when citta arises and clearly knows the object that presents itself. The citta that smells through the nose can arise and clearly know the different odours that appear. It can clearly know the smell of different kinds of animals, plants or flowers, the smell of food, of curry and of sweets. Even if we only smell without seeing anything, we can know what kind of smell it is.
The citta that experiences flavour through the tongue can arise and clearly know different flavours. There are many flavours of food, such as flavour of meat, vegetable or fruit, there is the flavour of tea, coffee, salt, sugar, orange juice, lemon or tamarind. All these flavours are completely different, but the citta that tastes clearly knows each of the different flavours that appear. Citta is able to distinguish clearly the subtlest differences in flavour, it knows them in a detailed way. For example, when we sample food, the citta that tastes the flavour knows exactly whether there is still something lacking. It knows which ingredient should be added, how the food should be seasoned so that it is more tasty.
The citta that experiences tangible object impinging on the bodysense clearly knows the different characteristic of tangible object. It knows, for example, the characteristic of cold of the air, cold of the water, or of the cold weather. It knows the characteristic of silk or of wool that touches the bodysense.
Someone said that while he was standing on the road there was mindfulness of the characteristic of hardness that appeared. He thought that this was hardness of the road, that hardness of his shoes and that hardness of his stockings. All this is thinking about the characteristic of hardness that appears. The citta that thinks arises because of conditions. When hardness impinges on the bodysense and one thinks about what this hardness is, the road, the shoes or the stockings, it can be known that nobody can avoid thinking of different things. However, paññā should understand that citta arises, knows clearly one object at a time and then falls away very rapidly. In this way, the characteristics of realities can be known as they are. Thinking about the road, the shoes or the stockings does not occur at the same time as realizing the characteristic of hardness.
If we clearly understand that it is not a self who thinks, that it is citta that knows the subject about which it thinks, it can be a condition for paññā to develop, so that it comes to know precisely the characteristics of realities as they are. The citta that thinks is different from the citta that sees. The citta that sees knows an object through the eyesense, whereas the citta that thinks knows an object through the mind-door. When a reality appears through the bodysense, be it the characteristic of softness or hardness, it is natural that at that moment we do not yet know what it is that is impinging on the bodysense. Later on we will know what the object is that is hard or soft. If we touch something in the dark, we may turn on the light in order to see what we are touching. Thus, we can understand that at the moment citta experiences hardness, it does not think; that kind of thinking is another type of citta.
When citta experiences just hardness, there is no world of the road, the shoes or the stockings. There is no world of conventional truth, of concepts. There is only the reality that experiences the characteristic of hardness. The reality that experiences hardness is not a living being or a person, it is
just a type of nāma that arises and then falls away. The citta that arises later on can think about what has appeared through the eyes, the ears, the nose, the tongue, the bodysense or the mind-door. It thinks about a story, about concepts of what has appeared. Since we are so occupied with our thinking, we forget that the citta that arose and experienced hardness, and the rūpa that is hardness, have fallen away already.
Also, the cittas that are thinking about the hard substance, fall away immediately as well. Nāma and rūpa arise and fall away. Cittas arise and fall away, one after another, continuously, as do rūpas. This happens so rapidly that we do not realize their arising and falling away. We do not realize that the nāma dhammas and rūpa dhammas that arise and fall away are non-self.
Citta is the reality that clearly knows the object that appears, be it through the eyes, the ears, the nose, the tongue, the bodysense or the mind-door. Whatever object phassa cetasika contacts, the citta that arises together with it clearly knows the characteristic of that object; it knows each different object. When it is said of citta, the reality that experiences something, that it has the characteristic of clearly knowing an object, we should understand what that means. It means that citta knows the different characteristics of the different objects appearing through the senses or through the mind-door. Citta is the reality that clearly knows an object, and the object is a condition for citta to arise and to experience that object. The object is object-condition (ārammaṇa-paccaya), it is a condition for the arising of citta by being its object.
Citta cannot arise without knowing an object, but besides object-condition there are also several other conditions for each type of citta that arises.
Questions
What are the different ways of knowing an object in the case of phassa cetasika, saññā cetasika, paññā cetasika and citta?
What is object-condition?
Which objects can be object-condition?
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