Roots
Cittas are variegated on account of the associated dhammas, sampayutta dhammas, which are roots, hetus.
The realities that are saṅkhāra dhammas, conditioned dhammas, cannot arise just by themselves, without being dependent on conditions for their arising. There are three kinds of paramattha dhammas that are saṅkhāra dhamma: citta, cetasika and rūpa. Citta is dependent on cetasika as condition for its arising and cetasika is dependent on citta for its arising. Some cittas are dependent on both cetasika and rūpa as conditions for their arising. Rūpas are dependent on other rūpas as condition for their arising. Some rūpas are dependent on citta, cetasika and other rūpas as condition for their arising.
Cittas are variegated on account of the different roots, hetus, which accompany them. Some cittas arise together with cetasikas that are hetus, whereas other cittas arise without hetus. Only six cetasikas are hetus:
3 akusala hetus:
lobha cetasika is the hetu that is lobha
dosa cetasika is the hetu that is dosa
moha cetasika is the hetu that is moha
3 sobhana hetus:
alobha cetasika is the hetu that is alobha
adosa cetasika is the hetu that is adosa
paññā cetasika is the hetu that is amoha1
Dhammas other than these six cetasikas cannot be root-condition, hetu-paccaya. The cetasikas that are not hetus condition citta while they arise together with it, but they are not a condition by way of hetu-paccaya, by being roots. Hetu-paccaya is only one condition among the twenty-four principal conditions for phenomena.
The six cetasikas which are roots, hetus, can be compared to the roots of a tree, which make it thrive and become fully grown, so that it flowers and bears much fruit. When the six kinds of hetus arise, they also make the dhammas they accompany thrive and develop so that they can produce much fruit, evermore, again and again. Those who are not arahats still have both akusala hetus and kusala hetus. For the arahat there are no akusala hetus nor are there kusala hetus. The cetasikas alobha, adosa and paññā (amoha), that accompany the kiriyacitta which performs the function of javana in the case of the arahat are indeterminate roots, avyākata hetus, roots that are neither kusala nor akusala.
Indeterminate dhammas, avyākata dhammas, are realities that are neither kusala nor akusala, namely: vipākacitta, kiriyacitta, vipāka cetasikas, kiriya cetasikas, rūpa and nibbāna.
As we have seen, the six hetus can be classified as twofold: as the three akusala hetus of lobha, dosa and moha, and as the three sobhana hetus of alobha, adosa and paññā. In this classification the term sobhana, beautiful, is used and not kusala. The hetus that are kusala condition kusala vipāka, result, which arises later on. Whereas sobhana hetus arise with kusala citta, with kusala vipākacitta and with sobhana kiriyacitta. Thus, sobhana hetus do not merely arise with kusala citta.
The four paramattha dhammas can be classified as twofold by way of not hetu (in Pāli na-hetu) and hetu:
citta: not-hetu (na-hetu);
cetasika: only six of the fifty-two cetasikas are hetu, the other
forty-six cetasikas are not-hetu (na-hetu);
rūpa: not-hetu (na-hetu);
nibbāna: not-hetu (na-hetu).
Citta and forty-six cetasikas are na-hetu. Some cittas and cetasikas are accompanied by cetasikas that are hetus; they are sahetuka citta and cetasika. Some cittas and cetasikas are not accompanied by hetus, they are ahetuka citta and cetasika.
Seeing-consciousness, which sees visible object that appears, is accompanied by only seven cetasikas: by contact, feeling, remembrance, volition, life faculty, one-pointedness and attention. Contact, phassa cetasika, performs the function of contacting the visible object that impinges on the eye-sense. Feeling, vedanā cetasika, performs the function of feeling; in this case it is upekkhā vedanā, which feels indifferent about visible object. Remembrance or perception, saññā cetasika, performs the function of remembering visible object that appears through the eyesense. Volition, cetanā cetasika, which performs in this case, since it is neither kusala nor akusala, the function of coordinating and urging citta and the accompanying cetasikas to accomplish their own tasks. Life faculty, jīvitindriya cetasika, performs the function of watching over citta and the accompanying cetasikas, maintaining their life, but only so long as they are present. One-pointedness or concentration, ekaggatā cetasika, performs the function of focussing on the object that appears. Attention, manasikāra cetasika, performs the function of being attentive to the visible object.
These seven cetasikas are not-hetu, and, therefore, seeing-consciousness is ahetuka vipākacitta. Lobha-mūla-citta, which may arise after seeing, is accompanied by two cetasikas which are hetus: lobha, the dhamma which enjoys what appears and clings to it, and moha, the dhamma which is ignorant of realities. Thus, lobha-mūla-citta is sahetuka citta, accompanied by roots.
When we take into consideration hetu and na-hetu, and also sahetuka and ahetuka, saṅkhāra dhammas can be classified as follows:
rūpa: is na-hetu and ahetuka;
citta: is na-hetu; some cittas are sahetuka and some are ahetuka;
cetasika: forty six cetasikas are na-hetu; some cetasikas are
sahetuka and some are ahetuka. Six cetasikas are hetu: lobha, dosa,
moha, alobha, adosa and paññā; the cetasikas that are themselves
hetu are sahetuka when accompanying other hetus. Moha which
accompanies moha-mūla-citta is ahetuka.
Lobha cetasika is sahetuka because every time it is accompanied by another hetu, by moha. If moha cetasika does not arise, lobha cetasika cannot arise either. Dosa cetasika is also sahetuka, since it has to be accompanied every time by moha. Moha that accompanies lobha-mūla-citta is sahetuka, because it arises in that case together with the hetu that is lobha. Moha that accompanies dosa-mūla-citta is sahetuka, because it arises in that case together with the hetu that is dosa. Moha that accompanies moha-mūla-citta is ahetuka, because moha is in that case the only root, it does not arise together with lobha or dosa.
Contact, phassa cetasika, which accompanies every citta, is not-hetu, na-hetu. Whenever citta arises together with a cetasika that is hetu, the accompanying phassa is sahetuka. Whenever ahetuka citta arises, the accompanying phassa is also ahetuka. Thus phassa, which is na-hetu, is sometimes sahetuka and sometimes ahetuka.
Our daily life consists of sahetuka cittas as well as ahetuka cittas. If one has not listened to the Dhamma and studied it, one will not know when there are sahetuka cittas and when ahetuka cittas. The Buddha explained in detail which cittas are ahetuka and which are sahetuka. He explained which types of hetus, and which types of other cetasikas are accompanied by sahetuka cittas; he also indicated the number of accompanying dhammas. For example:
Moha-mūla-citta is accompanied by one hetu, by moha; it is
eka-hetuka (eka means one).
Lobha-mūla-citta is accompanied by two hetus, by moha and lobha;
it is dvi-hetuka (dvi is two).
Dosa-mūla-citta is accompanied by the hetus of moha and dosa; it
is also dvi-hetuka.
As regards kusala citta, this must be accompanied by sobhana hetus, otherwise it would not be kusala. Kusala cittas can be differentiated as unaccompanied by paññā cetasika and as accompanied by paññā cetasika. Kusala citta which is unaccompanied by paññā arises with two hetus, with alobha, non-attachment, and adosa, non-aversion, and, thus, it is dvi-hetuka. Kusala citta that is accompanied by paññā arises with three hetus: alobha, adosa and amoha, thus, it is ti-hetuka (ti means three). Kusala citta cannot be accompanied by one hetu, it needs to be accompanied each time by at least the two hetus of alobha and adosa.
Root-condition, hetu-paccaya, is one condition among the twenty-four conditions. A conditioning factor is a dhamma which assists other dhammas and conditions their arising or maintains them, depending on the type of condition. Phassa cetasika, for example, is different from lobha cetasika, but both phassa and lobha are conditioning factors that assist other dhammas, citta, cetasika and rūpa, in conditioning their arising. However, since the characteristic and function of phassa are different from those of lobha, these two cetasikas are each a different kind of condition.
Phassa cetasika is nutrition-condition, āhāra-paccaya. This type of condition brings its own fruit or result, in this case feeling. This type of condition is different from root-condition, hetu-paccaya; a root is a firm foundation for the dhammas it conditions. As we have seen, the hetus have been
compared to the roots of a tree, which make the tree thrive and develop. However, a tree does not solely depend on the roots for its growth and development. It also needs earth and water, it needs nutrition so that it is able to bear fruit. If, on the other hand, the roots are lacking, earth and water alone will not be able to make it grow and prosper. Thus, a tree needs different conditions for its growth. Even so, there are six hetus, which are root-condition, but besides these there are also other types of conditions. Phenomena condition other phenomena in different ways.
In the seventh book of the Abhidhamma, the “Conditional Relations,” the “Paṭṭhāna”, all the different ways of conditionality have been expounded. The first condition that is mentioned is root-condition, hetu-paccaya. Thus, we can see the importance of the dhammas that are hetus. When during a cremation ceremony the monks chant texts from the Abhidhamma, they start with “hetu-paccaya,” comprising the six hetus of lobha, dosa, moha, alobha, adosa and amoha. Thus it is emphasized that the dhammas that are these hetus bring results, that they condition rebirth, and that, in this way, the cycle of birth and death goes on.
There are many kinds of conditions and all of them are important. The Buddha did not teach solely root-condition, hetu-paccaya. Nor did he teach solely object-condition, ārammaṇa-paccaya. In the case of object-condition, the object is a condition for citta to arise and to know that object. The Buddha taught all the different conditions in detail. He taught twenty-four principal conditions and also other conditions that are derived from some of the principal conditions.
The rūpa that is eyesense, cakkhuppasāda rūpa, does not arise from hetu-paccaya, but from other conditions. In its turn it is a condition for other dhammas as faculty-condition, indriya-paccaya. It is leader in its own function: it is the faculty that conditions seeing-consciousness to arise and to see the visible object that appears. Thus, it conditions seeing-consciousness by way of faculty-condition, indriya-paccaya. If there were no rūpas of eyesense, earsense, smelling-sense, tasting-sense and bodysense, the body would be like a log of wood. One would not be able to see, to hear or to experience the other sense objects. The five pasāda rūpas, the senses, are faculty-condition, they are leaders in performing their function, each in their own field. Eyesense is the leader as to its own function of receiving visible object, it is the condition for seeing-consciousness to arise and to see visible object. The other rūpas could not perform this function. It depends on the keenness of the eyesense whether what appears through it is clear or vague. This has nothing to do with someone’s will or wish; it depends on the eyesense, which is faculty-condition for seeing.
Each kind of dhamma is a condition for the arising of other dhammas and there are different ways of conditionality. Lobha, dosa, moha, alobha, adosa and paññā condition other dhammas by being their roots. Many times a day akusala hetus arise, they arise more often than kusala hetus. At times there are kusala hetus and when these gradually develop and become more powerful, akusala hetus will dwindle. Paññā should be developed so that the characteristics of realities can be known as they are. It is paññā, the hetu of amoha, which understands realities as they are. So long as paññā does not clearly know the characteristics of realities, the akusala hetus of lobha, dosa and moha are bound to thrive and develop. There is no reality other than paññā, amoha, which can eradicate the akusala hetus. When one studies the Dhamma, understands the characteristics of the realities appearing through the six doors and develops satipaṭṭhāna, the kusala cetasika amoha, or paññā, will gradually grow. When one realizes the four noble Truths at the attainment of the first stage of enlightenment, the stage of the sotāpanna, different kinds of defilements are eradicated in conformity with that stage. It is at the attainment of arahatship that all defilements are eradicated.
The noble persons of the stages of the sotāpanna, the sakadāgāmī and the anāgāmī are called “learners,” sekha puggala. They have to continue to develop paññā until, at the attainment of arahatship, akusala hetus as well as kusala hetus do not arise anymore. The arahat who has eradicated all defilements and has reached the end of rebirth, does not have kusala hetus, because these would be a condition for the arising of kusala vipāka in the future, endlessly. The arahat has cittas accompanied by alobha, adosa and amoha, but these are indeterminate roots, avyākata hetus, which do not condition vipāka in the future.
One may wonder whether one will ever reach that stage. We shall reach that stage one day if we are patient and persevere with the development of right understanding, day in day out. There were many people in the past who attained arahatship and if it were impossible to attain this result, there would not have been anybody who attained it. However, it cannot be attained as quickly as one would hope, the result is in conformity with the cause. If paññā does not arise yet, if it does not develop, defilements cannot be eradicated. Paññā can be gradually developed, stage by stage, and then it will be able to penetrate the true characteristics of realities. In this way, defilements can be eradicated.
We should never forget the aim of the study of citta, cetasika and rūpa. The aim is the development of satipaṭṭhāna, thus, the understanding of the true characteristics of citta, cetasika and rūpa, just as they naturally appear; one at a time. This is the truth the Buddha realized through his enlightenment and taught to others. It may happen that one has studied the Dhamma but does not practise in conformity with what one has learnt. That is an inconsistency. When one has studied the realities from the texts but one does not learn to directly understand them as they are when they appear, it is impossible to eradicate defilements.
The akusala hetus of lobha, dosa and moha that arise are of the jāti that is akusala, they cannot be of another jāti. The akusala hetus condition the arising of akusala citta and they are accumulated evermore and carried on to the future. The three sobhana hetus of alobha, adosa and paññā can be of the jātis that are kusala, vipāka and kiriya, as they accompany kusala citta, kusala vipākacitta or kiriyacitta. As we have seen, sobhana comprises more dhammas than kusala. Sobhana dhammas comprise realities which are kusala, kusala vipāka and sobhana kiriya.
When all dhammas are classified as three groups, namely as kusala dhammas, akusala dhammas and indeterminate dhammas, avyākata dhammas, the six cetasikas which are hetus are classified as nine in the following way:
three akusala hetus, namely, lobha, dosa and moha;
three kusala hetus, namely, alobha, adosa and paññā;
three avyākata hetus, namely, alobha, adosa and paññā.
Questions
What is root-condition, hetu-paccaya, and which paramattha dhammas are root-condition?
What is indeterminate root, avyākata hetu, and which are the indeterminate roots?
What is avyākata dhamma and which realities are avyākata dhammas?
What is the difference between kusala hetus and sobhana hetus?
Which realities are na-hetu, not-root?
What is sahetuka and which realities are sahetuka?
Which of the hetu cetasikas are ahetuka and which are sahetuka?
Which akusala cittas are accompanied by one root, eka-hetuka, and which are accompanied by two roots, dvi-hetuka?
Can kusala citta be eka-hetuka? Explain this.
Is contact, phassa cetasika, hetu or na-hetu? Can it be ahetuka or sahetuka? Can it be eka-hetuka, dvi-hetuka or ti-hetuka, thus, accompanied by one root, two roots or three roots?
When hetus are classified as nine, which are they?
Last updated