The Cycle of Birth and Death

As we have seen, the first aspect of citta given by the “Atthasālinī” is clear knowledge of an object. Remembrance of this aspect can be a supporting condition for sati to arise and to be aware of the characteristic of citta when there is seeing, hearing, smelling, tasting or the experience of tangible object. Such experiences can then be realized as citta, not self, who experiences. Citta is the reality, the dhamma, which clearly knows the object that is appearing.

The second aspect of citta is the aspect of javana-citta, which arranges itself in its own series of cittas of the same type. People have diverse inclinations because of different accumulations of kusala and akusala. Some people have accumulated a great deal of attachment, aversion and ignorance, whereas others have accumulated many wholesome qualities. Because of different accumulated inclinations people have different characters.

The third aspect of citta is the aspect of vipāka, of citta as result, conditioned by accumulated kamma and defilements. If one has right understanding of vīthi-citta, citta arising in a process, it will be clearer what the cycle of birth and death is. We are born and we revolve in a threefold cycle: the cycle of defilement, the cycle of kamma and the cycle of vipāka. This threefold cycle is summarized in the third aspect of citta, citta as vipāka, conditioned by accumulated kamma and defilements.

Kusala dhammas and akusala dhammas that arise at the moment of javana-citta fall away again, but they are not lost, they are accumulated and go on from one moment of citta to the next moment of citta. Citta that arises falls away again, but its falling away is a condition for the arising of the succeeding citta and all accumulations present in the preceding citta go on to the succeeding citta. That is the reason why akusala javana vīthi-citta and kusala javana vīthi-citta, which arrange themselves in their own continuing series, can condition the arising of vipāka later on.

As we have seen, the cycle of birth and death is threefold: the cycle of defilement, the cycle of kamma and the cycle of vipāka. The cycle of defilement revolves when objects are experienced through the sense-doors and through the mind-door. Defilements that arise in the series, or succession of javana, are the condition for the cycle of kamma. Akusala kamma and kusala kamma, performed through body, speech and mind are the condition for the cycle of vipāka.

When vipākacitta arises and experiences an object through the eyes, the ears, the nose, the tongue or the bodysense, defilements are bound to arise on account of the object that is experienced, and then the cycle of defilement revolves again. Time and again the defilements of like or dislike arise because of what appears through the sense-doors or the mind-door. Defilements again condition the performing of kamma, kusala kamma and akusala kamma, and these produce kusala vipāka and akusala vipāka. Thus, there is no end to the threefold cycle. So long as paññā has not been developed and is not powerful enough to reach the stage of being able to realize the four noble Truths, the threefold cycle of defilement, kamma and vipāka is bound to revolve all the time.

The “Dependent Origination,” Paticca Samuppāda, which is the teaching of the arising of phenomena in dependence upon each other, can be considered under the aspect of the threefold cycle. Ignorance, avijjā, is the condition for the arising of kamma-formation, saṅkhāra. This means that the cycle of defilement conditions the cycle of kamma. Kamma-formation, saṅkhāra, is the condition for the arising of consciousness, viññāṇa (in this case vipākacitta); this means that the cycle of kamma conditions the cycle of vipāka.

Ignorance, avijjā, is actually moha cetasika, the akusala dhamma that does not know realities as they are. It represents the cycle of defilement that conditions the arising of kamma-formations.

Kamma-formation, saṅkhāra, which is the fruit of ignorance, is threefold:

• meritorious kamma-formation (puññābhisaṅkhāra);

• demeritorious kamma-formation (apuññābhisaṅkhāra);

• imperturbable kamma-formation (āneñjābhisaṅkhāra).

Meritorious kamma-formation is volition, cetanā, performing kusala kamma that is dependent on rūpa, materiality, and this includes kāmāvacara kusala kamma (of the sense sphere) and rūpāvacara kusala kamma (rūpa-jhāna, of the fine-material sphere).

Demeritorious kamma-formation is the volition that performs akusala kamma.

Imperturbable kamma-formation is arūpāvacara kusala kamma, volition arising with the four types of arūpa-jhāna kusala citta (immaterial jhāna).

Meritorious kamma-formation, demeritorious kamma-formation and imperturbable kamma-formation are conditions for the arising of viññāṇa. Viññāṇa is a synonym of citta, consciousness, but in the context of the “Dependent Origination” it is vipākacitta. The vipākacitta that is rebirth-consciousness arises in different planes of existence, in accordance with the cause, kamma, that produces it.

The Buddha explained the Dhamma by different methods, for example, by way of the four paramattha dhammas, by way of the four noble Truths or by way of the “Dependent Origination.” These different methods concern the dhammas that occur at each moment, even now, at this very moment.

The third aspect of citta is citta as vipāka. Vipāka is conditioned by accumulated kamma and defilements. This shows us that in daily life there are defilements, kamma or vipāka at different moments. Right understanding of vīthi-citta is a condition for mindfulness and investigation of different cittas arising in processes that experience visible object, sound, the other sense objects or mental object. Then paññā can come to know when there is defilement, when kamma and when vipāka.

For example, with regard to cittas arising in the eye-door process, some cittas are vipāka and some are not:

• the five sense-door adverting-consciousness is not vipākacitta;

• seeing-consciousness is vipākacitta;

• receiving-consciousness is vipākacitta;

• investigating-consciousness is vipākacitta;

• determining-consciousness is not vipākacitta;

• javana-cittas that are kusala, akusala or kiriya are not

  vipākacitta;

• registering-consciousness is vipākacitta.

We may wonder of what use it is to know in detail at which moment there is vipāka and at which moment there is not vipāka in the eye-door process. It is useful to know that the dhammas that are cause are different from the dhammas that are result. Akusala dhammas and kusala dhammas are cause, not vipāka. When there is vipākacitta, there is result originating from a cause; vipāka itself is not a cause. If we understand at which moment there is vipāka, result produced by past kamma, such as seeing now, can we still believe that there is a self who can cause the arising of particular vipākas? If we have right understanding of the citta that is cause and of the citta that is result, we shall know the meaning of anattā, non-self. We shall understand anattā when seeing, hearing, smelling, tasting, experiencing tangible object or thinking. This understanding can be a supporting condition for sati to be aware of the realities that appear at such moments and, thus, there will be more understanding of the different characteristics of these realities that arise, each because of its own conditions.

Some people fear that vipāka will not arise anymore, they are afraid that vipāka will come to an end at death. There is no reason to be afraid of this, we do not have to worry that vipāka will not arise anymore today, tomorrow, the next days, the coming months, years or lives. When someone is not yet an arahat, there are still conditions present for the continuation of vipāka; it will arise time and again. We should consider what kind of kamma is going to produce vipāka in the future. We can verify in this life, in the case of different individuals, to what extent there is vipāka produced by kusala kamma and to what extent vipāka produced by akusala kamma.

In the commentary to the “Gradual Sayings,” the “Manoratha Pūraṇi”, in the commentary to the Nidāna Sutta (Book of the Threes, Ch IV, §33, Causes), there is an explanation of this sutta according to the Abhidhamma method. Kamma is classified as sixteen kinds: eight kinds of akusala kamma and eight kinds of kusala kamma. Akusala kamma as well as kusala kamma need other conditions to be able to produce their results. Four of these conditioning factors are favourable or advantageous (sampatti) and four are unfavourable or disadvantageous (vipatti). Some akusala kammas that have been performed can be prevented from producing result through four favourable factors: favourable place of birth (gati), favourable bodily condition (upadhi), favourable time (kāla) and success in means or occupation (payoga). Thus, when someone has a favourable place of birth, has a favourable bodily condition, lives in a favourable time and has success in his means or occupation, some akusala kammas do not have an opportunity to produce results.

Some akusala kammas have the opportunity to produce result because of four unfavourable factors: unfavourable place of birth, unfavourable bodily condition, unfavourable time and failure in one’s means or occupation.

It is the same in the case of kusala kamma. If someone has the factors of unfavourable place of birth, unfavourable bodily condition, unfavourable time and failure in occupation, some kusala kammas do not have an opportunity to produce result.

Some kusala kammas have the opportunity to produce result because of four favourable factors: favourable place of birth, favourable bodily condition, favourable time and success in occupation. Thus, when we take into account the four favourable factors and the four unfavourable factors in the case of kusala kamma and of akusala kamma, kamma can be classified as sixteen-fold.

Favourable place of birth (gati sampatti) is a happy plane of existence where one is born. Unfavourable place of birth (gati vipatti) is an unhappy plane of existence where one is born, such as a hell plane.

We all have to be reborn as soon as the dying-consciousness falls away, but nobody knows whether the place one will go to will be happy or unhappy. Some people wish to be reborn into a family where there is no addiction to alcohol or intoxicating drugs, but so long as the moment of dying has not come yet, one does not know what types of javana vīthi-cittas that condition rebirth will arise before the dying-consciousness. One does not know which kamma will produce vipāka after the dying-consciousness, in the form of rebirth and in which plane there will be rebirth.

When kusala kamma produces result in the form of rebirth in a happy plane, there is a favourable place of rebirth. There is not only the kusala kamma that produces rebirth in a happy plane, but there are also other kusala kammas performed in the cycle of birth and death. On account of a happy rebirth these kammas can have an opportunity to produce, in the course of life, kusala vipākacittas that experience pleasant objects. However, one also committed akusala kamma in the past and thus one cannot experience only pleasant objects. When akusala kamma produces result, there is the experience of unpleasant objects through the eyes, the ears, the nose, the tongue or the bodysense. We all have performed both kusala kamma and akusala kamma but the opportunity for them to produce result depends on the factors of favourable or unfavourable place of birth and on other conditions.

Bodily condition (upadhi) is another factor that can be favourable or unfavourable. Dukkha, suffering, is inherent in bodily condition. Even when someone is born as a human being, thus, in a happy plane, akusala kamma that was committed in the past can be the condition for having a body with defects or handicaps. A defective body is an unfavourable bodily condition that contributes to akusala kamma producing results more often than kusala kamma.

Apart from this factor there is the time factor, which can be favourable (kāla sampatti) or unfavourable (kāla vipatti). The factor of time that is favourable conditions kusala kamma that has been performed in the past to produce result. When one lives in a favourable time, there is an abundance of food, enough fish in the water and plenty of rice in the fields. Then it is not difficult to obtain food and food is not expensive. When the country where one lives is prosperous and there is peace, when one can live in comfort, with an abundance of all the things one needs, kusala kamma has the opportunity to condition the arising of kusala vipākacitta. Then vipākacitta experiences pleasant objects through the eyes, the ears, the nose, the tongue and the bodysense.

It may happen that one lives in an unfavourable time, when the country is in a state of unrest, when food is hard to obtain and expensive. Then kusala kamma does not have an opportunity, to the same extent as when the time is favourable, to condition the arising of kusala vipākacitta that experiences pleasant objects through the senses. Even upright people who do not cause trouble to anybody may still have unpleasant experiences, they may suffer from pain or sickness or they may lose their lives, because they live in an unfavourable time. One may have accumulated kusala kamma, but if one lives in an unfavourable time, when one’s country is in disorder and confusion, akusala kamma committed in the past has the opportunity to produce result in the form of akusala vipākacitta, and this can happen also at this time.

Success or failure in one’s means or occupation (payoga sampatti and vipatti) are also factors that condition kamma to produce result or that can prevent kamma from producing result. Someone is successful in his occupation when he is skilful, diligent and clever in the performing of his tasks. Each kind of occupation, even that of a thief, needs expertise and skill for the accomplishment of one’s tasks. The ability to accomplish one’s work is success in occupation, be it in a wholesome way or in an unwholesome way. No matter which profession or task one performs, one needs success in occupation, skilfulness and competence in the accomplishment of one’s work. Then akusala kamma that has been committed in the past has no opportunity to condition vipākacitta. Someone may be upright, but he may lack expertise, knowledge and competence in his profession or task, and thus there is failure in occupation. This may prevent the arising of kusala vipāka.

The Buddha taught in detail about the causes that bring their appropriate results and he also explained about the different conditioning factors necessary for the arising of results. His teaching about this subject illustrates the truth of anattā. There is no self who can cause anything to arise at will. Each citta that arises is dependent on different conditions. As we have seen, the producing of result by kusala kamma or akusala kamma is also dependent on other conditioning factors, which are: favourable or unfavourable place of birth, favourable or unfavourable bodily condition, favourable or unfavourable time and success or failure in one’s occupation.

Right understanding of cause and result, that is, of defilements, of kamma and of vipāka, can be a condition for a decrease in the suffering, dukkha, which is inherent in the cycle of birth and death. We should know with regard to the vīthi-cittas, for example, those of the eye-door process, what is vipāka and what is kamma, and we should know that vipākacittas cannot perform kamma. The vipākacittas in that process are, as explained before, seeing-consciousness, receiving-consciousness that receives the object after the seeing-consciousness, and investigating-consciousness that investigates the object after the receiving-consciousness. When one performs kusala kamma there are no vipākacittas but kusala javana-cittas.

When one hears a pleasant sound, the vipākacitta that is hearing-consciousness arises and just hears, the receiving-consciousness receives that sound, the investigating-consciousness investigates it, examines it. These vipākacittas cannot perform any akusala kamma or kusala kamma.

When one smells a fragrant odour that impinges on the nose, the vipākacitta that is smelling-consciousness arises and experiences that odour. The receiving-consciousness receives that smell and the investigating-consciousness examines it. These vipākacittas cannot perform kamma; they cannot cause the movement of any rūpa of the body to perform kamma.

When we speak, walk, lift our hands, or when the body moves for the performing of different functions, the citta at such moments is different from the vipākacitta that sees, hears, tastes, smells or experiences tangible object. The javana vīthi-cittas, be they kusala or akusala, can cause the movement of rūpas of the body. Thus, we can understand that the cittas that perform kamma are altogether different from vipākacittas.

While we are eating different types of citta arise. The citta that sees is vipākacitta, the citta that likes the food that is seen is akusala citta rooted in attachment, the citta that dislikes the food that is seen is akusala citta rooted in

aversion. The citta that tastes a sour or sweet flavour is vipākacitta. The citta that, with desire, conditions the movement of the body when taking the food, when chewing and swallowing it, is akusala citta rooted in attachment. Sati can arise and be aware of the characteristics of the different kinds of cittas as they naturally appear, so that they can be known as they are. One should not try to flee from lobha, but one should know it as it is; and only thus can it be eventually eradicated.

Since the time of our birth there were conditions for the arising of attachment, time and again, in daily life, and therefore attachment has become our nature. While we are doing our work there is, most of the time, attachment; thus, the moments of attachment that arise in a day are countless. However, if we see the benefit of kusala, there can also be conditions for the arising of kusala citta. While we are eating, javana vīthi-cittas with attachment are likely to arise and fall away, but the javana-cittas in the next process may be different. If sati can be mindful of the citta that enjoys the food, there are kusala javana-cittas. Or sati can be mindful of the characteristics of rūpas, such as softness, hardness, cold, heat, motion, pressure, or of the flavour that appears, which may be sour, sweet or salty.

When one develops satipaṭṭhāna, right understanding can come to know the nature of citta. Akusala can be known as it is, before there is any action through body or speech. Sati can be aware of the citta that sees and then there can be right understanding of its characteristic, as being different from the citta with attachment to the object that appears.

As we have seen, the third aspect of citta is the aspect of citta as vipāka, conditioned by accumulated kamma and defilements. Defilement is the dhamma that is impure. When one desires something or wishes to obtain something for oneself, there is no contentment, no peace. Whereas, if one does not want anything for oneself and attachment does not arise, there is contentment. When one longs for something, when one is attached, there is ignorance which is unable to see that at such moments there are impure dhammas, that there is no inward peace but confusion caused by clinging. Whenever one is disturbed by selfish desire, by clinging, there are impure, akusala dhammas. People sometimes mistake attachment for confidence in kusala (saddhā). If sati does not arise and paññā does not investigate realities, it will not be known when there is attachment that is akusala and when there is confidence in wholesomeness that is kusala.

Monks and laypeople, who still have defilements, are not free from attachment; it arises in daily life. So long as defilements have not been eradicated, be it in the case of layman or monk, attachment to what appears through the eyes, the ears, the nose, the tongue, the bodysense or the mind-door will arise. The different defilements that arise time and again can be very strong, and then they are of the degree of akusala kamma committed through the body or through speech. If defilements would be eradicated, akusala kamma could not arise. When one has performed kamma, the citta and cetasikas that arose together at that moment have fallen away, but kamma is never lost. It is accumulated and goes on from one citta to the next citta, since each citta that falls away is succeeded by the next citta, all the time. Because of this, there can be kamma-condition (kamma-paccaya), that is, kamma that conditions the arising of result, vipākacitta and its accompanying cetasikas.

We should know when there are defilements, when kamma and when vipāka. The cittas that see, hear, smell, taste or experience tangible object are vipākacittas, results of kamma. We all like to see only pleasant things and we never have enough of seeing them. We have eyesense, a rūpa that is conditioned by kamma, thus we have the ability to see, but we cannot be sure whether we shall see a pleasant object or an unpleasant object. It depends on kamma-condition whether a pleasant object or an unpleasant object will impinge on the eyesense and appear to seeing-consciousness. When kusala kamma is kamma-condition, it causes seeing-consciousness that is kusala vipākacitta to arise and to experience a pleasant object. When akusala kamma is kamma-condition, it causes seeing-consciousness that is akusala vipākacitta to arise and to experience an unpleasant object. When hearing-consciousness hears a pleasant sound, it is the result of kusala kamma. When hearing-consciousness hears an unpleasant sound, it is the result of akusala kamma. The arising of kusala vipāka or akusala vipāka at this moment or the next moments depends on kusala kamma or akusala kamma that is the condition for the vipākacitta that experiences an object through one of the senses.

There are twenty-four principal conditions for all realities that arise. Kamma-condition, kamma-paccaya, is one condition among them, being the condition for the arising of vipāka. Seeing, hearing, smelling, tasting, or the experience of tangible object, are vipākacittas accompanied by vipākacetasikas that arise because of kamma-condition. Nobody can cause the arising of vipāka according to his wish. At this moment, we have seen already, we have heard already. Who can prevent seeing or hearing when they have already arisen because of kamma-condition?

Citta and cetasikas that experience an object appearing through the senses are vipākacitta and vipākacetasikas that arise together. Vipākacitta is a condition for vipākacetasika and vipākacetasika is a condition for vipākacitta, and, thus, since they are both vipāka they condition one another by way of vipāka-condition, vipāka-paccaya. The citta and cetasikas that arise together and are vipāka, condition one another; each of them, citta and each of the accompanying cetasikas, is vipāka-condition for the other conascent dhammas.

The rūpa that is conditioned by kamma is not vipāka, although it is the result of kamma. Rūpa is altogether different from nāma, it does not know anything and thus it is not vipāka that is the mental result of kamma. Vipāka is nāma, the reality that experiences an object.

Questions

1. What is kamma-condition?

2. What is vipāka-condition?

3. Is the rūpa that originates from kamma, vipāka? Explain your answer.