Reply To: Kiriya Citta

#46977
Lal
Keymaster

Excellent! You got the main ideas/concepts.

1. I need to modify that figure a little. The “two B’s” representing “bhavanga” should be replaced with “bhavanga state.”

2. What Dosakkhayo called “Neutral kamma” (under (i)) is represented by the part of the citta vithi before the votthapana (V) citta. In the Suttas, these are “purana kamma.” That does not mean “old kamma” as some people translate, but they are “initial kamma” that do not have strong kammic consequences (like rebirth) by themselves. 

  • What he called “Akusala (or pāpa/apuñña) kamma” (under (ii)) is represented by the part of the citta vithi before the votthapana (V) citta. In the Suttas, these are “nava kamma.” Those are the “new kamma” consciously generated by actions by the mind, speech, and body (mano, vaci, kaya kamma).
  • I have not discussed that yet in the new series of posts. They will be discussed in “Sotapanna Stage via Understanding Perception (Saññā).”
  • Dosakkhayo’s statement, “#2 The first type of kamma yields results at that time only; they do not lead to “kammic consequences” in the future. Those actions do not have morally good or bad intentions,” is correct. The subsequent statement, “The second/third type can bring “bad/good results” at that time or in the future. Moral or immoral “intentions” that arise lead to the creation of an unseen “kammic energy” that remains in “viññāṇa dhātu” and can bring vipāka in the future” is also correct.

3. What Dosankkhayo stated in (iii), ” A kusala kamma is a puñña kamma done with the comprehension of the Four Noble Truths, i.e., by a Noble Person,” is also correct.

  • A kusala kamma cannot be described by a citta vithi as depicted above.

4. Next, his statement, “So the neutral kamma is made by kiriya citta, and apunna or punna kamma is made by javana citta,” is also correct. 

  • Any action without a trace of raga, dosa, or moha is a neutral kamma. 
  • Apunna kamma are done with raga, dosa, or moha. A punna kamma is done with lower levels of raga and dosa due to not comprehending the “anicca nature.” 

5. Dosakkhayo’s final question: “Can javana citta also make neutral kamma too?”

  • No. Javana citta are defined as those arising with raga, dosa, or moha.
  • Yes. The mind of a  puthujjana (average human) ALWAYS starts at the pañcupādānakkhandha state. But they generate javana citta only after the votthapana stage.

Please feel free to ask questions. These are critical concepts.

P.S. I just revised the post “Avyākata Paṭicca Samuppāda for Vipāka Viññāṇa.” It has the revised version of the above figure.