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It really helps me a lot! I have recently been considering becoming a monk. It has been very motivating. Thank you.
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The Story of Thera Cittahattha
While residing at the Jetavana monastery, the Buddha uttered Verses (38) and (39) of this book, with reference to Thera Cittahattha.
A man from Savatthi, after looking for his lost ox in the forest, felt very hungry and went to a village monastery, where he was given the remains of the morning meal. While taking his food, it occurred to him that even though he worked hard every day he could not get such good food and that it might be a good idea to become a bhikkhu. So he asked the bhikkhus to admit him into the Order. At the monastery, he performed the duties of a bhikkhu and as there was plenty of food he soon gained weight. After some time, he got weary of going round for alms-food and returned to the life of a lay man. A few days later, he felt that life at home was too strenuous and he went back to the monastery to be admitted as a bhikkhu for a second time. For a second time, he left the Order and returned to home-life. Again, he went back to the monastery for a third time and left it. This shuttling process went on for six times, and because he acted only according to his whims he was known as Thera Cittahattha.
While he was going back and forth between his home and the monastery, his wife became pregnant. One day, during his last stay at home, he happened to enter the bedroom while his wife was asleep. She was almost naked as the clothes she was wearing had partially fallen off. She was also snoring loudly through her nose and mouth and saliva was trickling down her mouth. Thus, with her mouth open and her bloated stomach, she looked just like a corpse. Seeing her thus, he instantly came to perceive the impermanent and unpleasant nature of the body, and he reflected, “I have been a bhikkhu for several times and it is only because of this woman that I have not been able to remain as a bhikkhu.” Hence, taking the yellow robe with him he left his home for the monastery for the seventh time. As he went along he repeated the words “impermanence” and “unpleasantness” (anicca and dukkha) and thus attained Sotapatti Fruition on the way to the monastery.
On arrival at the monastery he asked the bhikkhus to admit him into the Order. They refused and said, “We cannot admit you as a bhikkhu. You have been shaving your head so often that your head is like a whetting stone.” Still, he entreated them to admit him into the Order just once more and they complied. Within a few days, the bhikkhu Cittahattha attained arahatship together with Analytical Insight. Other bhikkhus, seeing him staying on for a long time in the monastery, were surprised and they asked him the reason why. To this, he replied. “I went home when I still had attachment in me, but now that attachment has been cut off” The bhikkhus, not believing him, approached the Buddha and reported the matter. To them, the Buddha said, “Thera Cittahattha was speaking the truth; he shifted between home and monastery before because at that time, his mind was not steadfast and he did not understand the Dhamma. But at this moment, Thera Cittahattha is already an arahat; he has discarded both good and evil.”
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In this story, Ven. Cittahattha attained Sotapanna Phala even though he had not been listening to any Dhamma discourse. Does this mean that one can become a Sotapanna without listening to the teachings of another noble one (Ariya)?
I have been contemplating the concept of namarupa paricceda nana.
namarupa paricceda nana is the understanding that despite the infinite diversity of life, there is a certain common principle that applies to all life without exception.
This principle is that rupa—the mental body, physical body, and everything else—is formed through the mind (kamma vinnana).
In the process where kamma vinnana creates namarupa, it connects nama and rupa.
And this connection shows a specific pattern, which is that the quality of namarupa is according to the quality of kamma vinnana.
In this way, a sotapanna clearly sees the connection between kamma vinnana and namarupa, and naturally understands that the cessation of vinnana leads to the cessation of namarupa.
Upaya and Upādāna – Two Stages of Attachment
#9
Based on ANY sensory input and the uppatti bhavaṅga, a mind will start at a particular DEFILED STATE (pancupadanakkhandha) unless one is an Arahant. Even if an average human may not strongly attach to a sense input, “distorted saññā” is automatically generated; the reason is not realizing the anicca nature, but we will discuss that later.
Wouldn’t ‘defiled sanna’ be more appropriate in this context? Even if the anicca nature is realized, distorted sanna will still occur.
Thank you, Seng Kiat! Although I couldn’t understand everything, it helped me get a rough idea of the issue.
Here is what I understand.
- Only an Arahant can act with kiriya.
- Puthujjana and Sekha create defiled kamma to varying degrees and in different ways.
- We need to focus on kamma related to rebirth because that is the crux of the issue.
I see my question missed the mark. Even this helps me. At least this question clarified what purana/nava kamma covers. Also, knowing how far I can go with my questions will allow me to ask better ones in the future. Thank you for your response.
with metta
My impression of Abhidhamma is entirely based on posts from Pure Dhamma. I still haven’t grasped the overall structure of Abhidhamma. Since I thought it would be meaningless to read other works if I couldn’t judge right from wrong by myself, I haven’t read Bhikkhu Bodhi’s works. Anyway, I tried to understand Abhidhamma using only the posts from Pure Dhamma.
For various reasons, my understanding has many gaps.
1. The Abhidhamma section does not have many posts to help understand its vast content.
2. I may not have fully understood the posts that have already been published.
3. I don’t have enough knowledge to distinguish between meaningful and meaningless questions regarding Abhidhamma.
These three issues seem to be interrelated, causing me to make continuous missteps.I tried to fill in the gaps as best as I could, which seems to have led to somewhat meaningless questions. It seems I have come back to the same question in a roundabout way. But I had no intention of annoying you by repeating the same question. I was deeply focused and overlooked considering how my questions might impact you. I apologize for that oversight.
What I didn’t understand is that kiriya citta can only occur in arahants. If so, I don’t know what to call a citta of puthujjana without sancetana. I thought it would be meaningful to get an answer on this topic because it would be an example of how Abhidhamma can provide answers to ‘anything.’
The point is, I would like to know how to classify the citta of a puthujjana without sancetana.
Thank you for your response. If it’s not too much trouble, could you address this question in an upcoming post?
Q. The everyday activities that proceed with sankhara would not be nava kamma. Because nava kamma only deals with abhisankhara. There can only be mano sankhara in purana kamma, so it would not be purana kamma either. Then, where do they belong? Is there perhaps a third category? Or is it something that cannot be explained by purana kamma and nava kamma?
According to the chart of 50465, citta vithi can continuously accumulate and make the next citta vithi stronger. Then, can a sufficiently large number of citta vithi strengthened mano sankhara generate enough energy to lead to rebirth? Or, no matter how strengthened, can mano sankhara never become strong enough to lead to rebirth?
At first, I thought it would be possible. But after reading the Abhisaṅkhāra Lead to Kamma Viññāṇa post, I am a bit confused.
Mano Saṅkhāra Cannot be Abhisaṅkhāra Leading to Rebirth
7. The critical point here is that mano saṅkhāra are in vipāka viññāṇa as well as in kamma viññāṇa, i.e., in any type of viññāṇa. In fact, they are also in “pure citta” or “pabhassara citta” of an Arahant in Arahant-phala samādhi.
- Mano saṅkhāra can NEVER become abhisaṅkhāra that can lead to rebirth.
- To generate kammic power (in javana citta), we need to generate defiled thoughts CONSCIOUSLY. Those involve vaci and kāya saṅkhāra. Kamma viññāṇa (in javana citta with kammic energy) arises only in Paṭicca Samuppāda.
- It is not necessary to fully understand the above in #7. It is there for completeness.
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I would appreciate it if you would explain.
- The brain sends sensory signals to the manomaya kaya.
- The signals reach the hadaya vatthu.
- It reads the signals and make responds.
Damage to the brain alters the system in step 1.
Gati should be dealt with in step 3. Because it is a mental quality.
An Arahant does not have any defiled gati, so they will not cling to anything in step 3 despite brain damage.
However, a puthujjana might trigger different anusaya/sangati due to different sensory inputs resulting from the damage in step 1.
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