Reply To: About books by bhikku Katukurunde Nanananda

#41010
Lal
Keymaster

Yes. Understanding “namarupa formation” is the most critical issue.

1. That is how one starts with “nama dhamma” (vedana, sanna, sankhara, and vipaka vinnana) and CREATES future rupa: First, “namarupa” arise in mind in javana citta (with expectations for some worldly asset/activity in kamma vinnana) and then “condensed” with the repeated generation of javana citta in the “tanha paccaya upadana” and “upadana paccaya bhava” steps. See #4 of “Icchā (Cravings) Lead to Upādāna and to Eventual Suffering
– These “namarupa” generated in mind (and released to vinnana dhatu) accumulate as kamma bija and come back to the mind at the cuti-patisandhi moment. That is when the manomaya kaya (hadaya vatthu, bhava dasaka, and pasada rupa) for the next existence are created by that accumulated kammic energy.
– This is discussed in the “Nāma & Rūpa to Nāmarūpa” subsection.

2. Understanding that with an Abhidhamma analysis is ONE WAY to eliminate sakkaya ditthi.
– One can also realize the principle without going through the Abhidhamma analysis, but by realizing that there is no “soul/atman” going through the rebirth process. One creates one’s future lives with one’s mindset: “Is There a “Self”?
– Our efforts to attain Nibbana may have started a long time ago in the rebirth process, and some may have made significant progress in the past. They just need a bit of help. Venerable Culapantha is a good example. He could not even remember a gatha (verse) after days of rehearsing. But with Buddha’s help, he attained Arahanthood and abhinna powers in a day!