@upekkha100 said: “The “ultimate truth that is timeless”, is this referring to Nibbana? Is this a case of transcendent truth as opposed to mundane truth?”
There are two kinds of truth, 1. Conventional Truth (sammuti sacca), and 2. Absolute (or Ultimate) Truth.
In the suttas, the Buddha uses the language of common usage and refers to things as if they are real but do not exist in reality. Words such a “I” of “Self” or names of persons and things are used in the sense they are generally known to the people though their existence in an absolute sense are denied by the Buddha. Such statements are called Conventional Truths.
Abhidhamma teachings are worded in specific language and deal with things which possess an intrinsic nature and exist in absolute sense. Things which appear as objects in the living world are turned into phenomena in Abhidhamma. Hence Truths that deal with concepts that exist in reality in an ultimate sense eg. consciousness (citta), mental factors (cetasika). aggregates (khanda) are Ultimate or Absolute Truths (Paramattha Sacca).
In other words, the unchanging and indivisible nature of phenomena of all animate and inanimate things is called Absolute Truth.
There are four types of Ultimate Realities or Paramattha taught in Abhidhamma. They are:
1. Citta – consciousness – 01 (89/121 types)
2. Cetasika – mental factors – 52
3. Rupa – elements of matter – 28
4. Nibbana – the supreme happiness – 01
Nibbana is the only unconditioned element; it is not caused by conditions. Hence Nibbana is called Asankhata Dhatu and it is permanent. The other three are caused by conditions. They are called Sankhata and subject to change and decay.