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Tatramajjhattata is part of 19 sobhana universals, hence it cannot arise singly. It arise always with other 18 sobhana universals in a kusala citta.
I would like to mention that upekkha is not a cetasika. There are 6 pakinnaka (vitakka, vicara, viriya, piti, chanda and adhimokkha). Out of 25 sobhana cetasika 19 always arise in every kusala citta (hence no question of them arising singly or only some of them). Remaining 6 sobhana cetasika are samma vaca, samma kammanta, samma ajiva, karuna, mudita and panna. There is no upekkha cetasika. Upekkha is actually a state of mind and need to be cultivated and it is not neutral in true sense. I think we can say that when a citta have only 7 universal cetasika with or without one or more of particulars (pakinnaka) can be said to be cultivating upekkha.
Regarding Phabhassara citta of arahants I have to think and look for reference. I think Lal can clarify this point.
With METTA to ALL beingsThanks for your complement upekkha100
I do have some basic knowledge about abhidhamma. I have been reading puredhamma website (and the pdf ebook) since 2015 and I have already read pdf ebook a few times. Hence, I developed some understanding and knowledge.
I do visit this forum and comment whenever I feel I can add something to a topic. However, I restrain myself sometimes, because I feel there are many topics where participants write about things that I consider of not much value/use in progressing/following the PATH. I will certainly comment on topics that I feel I should add.
In this regard, I would like to point out one thing for Tobias G. In his comment he said: “And such neutral citta do not have javana”
I beg to differ in this point. There can not be any citta vithi without javana citta in it, as a citta vithi always have the 17 cittas in it (or 10-12 in manodvara citta vithi and if it is not a citta vithi it is bhabhanga citta or in case of jhanas, it can be jhana citta). It is in the javana citta (within a citta vithi) that produce rupa, in the case of doing dishes, it is the javana cittas in citta vithi that produce rupa, kaya vinnati rupa in this case that lead to movement of hands for washing dishes (to be precise mind produce kaya vinnati rupa and that instructs brain to move the muscles in hand to do the work, in this case wash dishes). However, washing dishes may not produce any kamma beeja although it produce rupa. Because all rupa produced by javana citta are not kamma beeja.
This is my understanding and hope Lal will clarify if something is wrong.
With METTA to all beingsI think by “functional citta”, you wanted to mean neutral citta. In case of neutral citta, i.e. neither kusala nor akusala, such as doing dishes, only 7 universal cetasika arise. No asobhana, no sobhana, or pakinnaka (particulars citta that can be there in kusala or akusala citta/thought) citta arise in neutral thought/citta. A neutral citta do not produce kamma beeja. Whatever rupa that is produced by neutral citta are duds and do not have any energy/potential in them, unlike kamma beeja, that have potential or energy embedded in them, which can change over time.
This is my understanding, if I am wrong, please someone point out the mistakes.
Metta to allYes, mind needs only a few citta vithis to comprehend something, but there are billions of cittas (mostly Bhabhanga cittas) in between these few citta vithis. Mind cannot comprehend anything in single cittas, it always uses citta vithis (pancadvara and/or manodvara).
The missing billions are the Bhabhanga cittas. If you remember the citta vithi process, 1 pancadvara citta vithi is followed by 3 manodvara citta vithis and wne the third manodvara citta vithi ends….Bhavanga citta starts and these billions are Bhabhanga cittas. In fact even in busiest of time when all senses are used, our mind is in bhabhanga most of the time (more than 99% of time). Just deduct 31800 (taken from your calculation) cittas from few billion cittas a second and you get the number of Bhabanga cittas per second, which is much more than 99%.
I hope I could answer your question.
With Metta
This question is to Lal and actually I thought about it prior to this too.
Out of 4 antakkappas a living being spend 3 anatakkappas (i.e. 75% time of a mahakappa) in Brahma realm (Abhassara) and enjoy jhanic pleasure. However, Buddha told this sansara is full of suffering (dukha and dukkha). So, a being even if it spent rest of the mahakappa in apayas, the being still spends 75% of time in Good realm (abhassara realm). So, theoretically a being enjoys more than it suffers.
I am not writing this out of ignorance or asaddha (opposite of saddha), but asking this, because if someone points out this point, how do we answer or counter his/her point/question.
I know suffering in apaya (especially niraya for even a short duration is beyond comprehension, beyond explanation in words) is too much to endure even for short duration of time.
I hope I could put my question properly. I do not want to discourage anybody (because you can enjoy 75% of time), but trying to make picture clear.Metta to all and may all beings attain a magga phala.
I agree. Petas can benefit from dana of not only food, but things such as cloths.
In one story (or sutta, I do not remebre clearly), king Bimbisara gave food (dana) to bhikkhus and his former relative (relatives from several mahakappas back) got that food and appeared in front of the king. But they were naked. When king narrated to story next day to Buddha, He said that they were naked because he did not donate cloths. So, king Bimbisara donated cloths the next day all his former relatives were clothed when they appeared in front of him again.
From this story it can be said that petas can accept/get things of dana, other than food.I think the best way (in my opinion) to handle such situation in office (where you will have to go regularly) is to cultivate metta toward all beings and in particular, metta toward the person(s) with whom you are not in good terms. Do Ariya (even anariya) metta bhavana daily. And if possible, do metta bhavana saying person such and such be happy and healthy. In due course of time, the situation and relation with those persons will improve and you will be surprised.
In office it is not possible to avoid people working in same office. Hence, the best is to cultivate metta. My personal experience is that it definitely help, although may take some time.With my limited understanding of Abhidhamma, I would like to say few things:
1) There can be approximately 600 citta vithi per second if all six senses are actively working, followed by 1800 manodvara citta vithi (3 mind door citta vithi follows every sense door citta vithi). Because human brain takes approximately 10 millisecond to process a sense input. And once brain send the signal (sanna) to mind (hadaya vattu), mind receives and instruct brain practically within billionth of a second or we can say that min do not need any time for processing a signal sent by brain.
2) While brain processes the sense input, mind is in bhavanga state and bhavanga citta arise at that time (i.e. bhavanga citta arise in the tune of billions per second).
So, we can say that per second (when mind is very active) 600 pancadvara citta vithi, 1800 manodvara citta vithi and billions of bhavanga citta flows. OR something close to this.@Lal and others who may be interested
First of all thanks for the reply.
I read the story of Alavaka Yakkha (Yaksha) in a book about Jayamangala gatha, which is commonly recited by monks in my place.
When searching internet I found two references to Jayamangala gatha (eight verses, hence known as atthagatha or asthagatha) and Alavaka Yakkha, here are they: http://www.aimwell.org/Jayamangala%20Gatha.pdf
and http://www.aimwell.org/Jayamangala%20Gatha.pdfBoth these stories say Alvaka Yakkha was ferocious and Buddha subdued him.
Hope the above links can make you familiar with the story. If Catumaharajika Yakkhas are (some of them) capable of killing and they live in close proximity with humans, one should be aware of this possibility.May blessing of Triple Gem be with us always.
I would like to point out one thing. As Lal mentioned in his first answer, that this “teacher” is generating “Somanassa sahagata ditthi sampayutta citta”, which is very potent immoral citta and in fact an apaygami citta, during his “teaching” of breath meditation as anapana sati and anicca as impermannece. Both these are not completely wrong, but only minute fraction of actual meanings.
It has potential to bring very severe consequences in future, especially if it becomes part of his gathi. Especially if he is not even ready to consider the actual meanings of anapana sati and anicca (a niyata micca ditthi).
However, I think this is unlikely, but probability cannot be ruled out.
If I am wrong, please correct me.
May the blessings of Triple gem be with all of us, always. Sadhu, sadhu, sadhuHi Saket
With my little understanding of Buddha Dhamma from this website (I have been born Buddhist, but hardly had any true idea about what really is Buddhism), here is my explanation to your question/doubt.
You (and we all, the sentient beings) have been born and exposed to Buddha and Buddha Dhamma, infinite number of times, even we all got exposed to true Tilakkhana. However, none of us, who are still in sansara could attain Nibbana, because whenever we were born during Buddha Sasana or even during time when Buddha was alive, because
(a) we all (including you) most likely had dihetuka birth and could not grasp the meaning of Talakkhana and we did not put enough effort to change our gathi to be born tihetuka in next life.
(b) When we had Tihetuka birth and was also exposed to pure Buddha Dhamma and true Tilakkhana, we did not put adequate effort in this.
I have a small advice too that might be beneficial. You should not worry about this problem and concentrate on niramisha sukha or cooling the mind and getting to peace of mind and give your best possible effort in practicing and learning pure Dhamma.Thanks for replying and clarifying that learning (reading) true and pure Dhamma and listening to an Ariya is enough to get to Sotapanna stage. Whatever small doubt I had has been cleared with your comment.
And, it is really encouraging to know about the progress you have made in the Path.
May you go higher in the Path and till the Arahant stage in this life itself. I am also making progress, however, I am not yet there, although strongly hope to be there in future.
