Very good!
“First, to help me understand “distorted saññā”, I call it “bhavanga saññā” to note that it is saññā embedded in a bhava.”
- Yes, that is fine. We need to understand the concept. If that helps, it is a good way to remember that “distorted saññā” varies among different bhava.
______
Lang wrote:
Using my understanding of citta vithi in processing sense inputs, I’m thinking something like this:
(1) In processing a sense object via the five physical senses we have: 1 pañcadvāra citta vīthi + 3 manōdvāra citta vīthī.
Each citta in a citta vīthi has a saññā cetasika since it is a universal cetasika.
(2) The saññā cetasika in a pañcadvāra citta vīthi is the “distorted saññā”.
In the 3 manōdvāra citta vīthī that follow, the saññā cetasika can become saññā vipallāsa for a puthujjana, but not for an arahant.
(3) For an arahant in arahant-phala samapatti, there is only the pabhassara citta flowing, and thus there is no “distorted saññā”. The pabhassara citta is not a pañcadvāra citta nor even a manōdvāra citta.
________
- It is better to revise (2) as follows:
(2) The saññā cetasika in a pañcadvāra citta vīthi is the “distorted saññā”.
In the 3 manōdvāra citta vīthī that follow, the saññā cetasika still carries that “distorted saññā.” Because of that saññā vipallāsa other cetasika like lobha, dosa, moha will keep arising for a puthujjana, in each subsequent manōdvāra citta vithis (and also subsequent citta vithis; remember that millions of citta vithi can run within seconds and with each citta vithi defilements get stronger). Of course, this does not happen for an arahant.
- It is better to revise (3) as follows:
(3) For an arahant in arahant-phala samapatti, there is only the pabhassara citta flowing, and thus there is no “distorted saññā.” The pabhassara citta is a manōdvāra citta. (All cittas arise in mind, but these cittas do not require any of the “five doors” (pancadvara); they arise directly in mind.