Cetasika 52

[Custodio Groves]

Mental factors (Sanskrit: चैतसक, romanized: caitasika or chitta samskara चत्त संस्कर;[1] Pali: cetasika; Tibetan: སེམསབྱུང sems byung), in Buddhism, are identified within the teachings of the Abhidhamma (Buddhist psychology). They are defined as aspects of the mind that apprehend the quality of an object, and that have the ability to color the mind. Within the Abhidhamma, the mental factors are categorized as formations (Sanskrit: samskara) concurrent with mind (Sanskrit: citta).[2][3][4] Alternate translations for mental factors include "mental states", "mental events", and "concomitants of consciousness".

Traleg Rinpoche states that the main distinction between the mind and mental factors is that the mind apprehends an object as a whole, whereas mental factors apprehend an object in its particulars.[6][a]

Within Buddhism, there are many different systems of abhidharma (commonly referred to as Buddhist psychology), and each system contains its own list of the most significant mental factors.[b][c] These lists vary from system to system both in the number of mental factors listed, and in the definitions that are given for each mental factor. These lists are not considered to be exhaustive; rather they present significant categories and mental factors that are useful to study in order to understand how the mind functions.[d]

Note that this list is not exhaustive; there are other mental factors mentioned in the Theravada teachings. This list identifies fifty-two important factors that help to understand how the mind functions.

The seven universal mental factors (sabbacittasādhāraṇa cetasikas) are common (sādhāraṇa) to all consciousness (sabbacitta). Bhikkhu Bodhi states: "These factors perform the most rudimentary and essential cognitive functions, without which consciousness of an object would be utterly impossible."[13]

These five mental factors are referred to as universal or omnipresent because they operate in the wake of every mind situation. If any one of these factors is missing, then the experience of the object is incomplete. For example:

Cetasikas are mental factors that co exist with citta or co arise with citta. They are mind conditioners and they influence mind and condition mind to have different names. They pass away at the very same time when citta falls away. They also have to depend on the same vatthu or base and they also have to take the same object that citta takes.

Phassa is contact. As a cetasika, it arises together with citta while itself is functioning as an introducer making contact with citta and rupa. As an example let us see cakkhuvinnana citta or eye consciousness or seeing consciousness.

There is vanna or colour as rupa which is called rupayatana (colour sense base). There is cakkhu vatthu or pasada as another rupa which is cakkhayatana or eye sense base. Phassa makes introduction to vanna and cakkhu and cakkhuvinnana altogether. When an iron surface and iron rod are struck together there arise sparks. The surface is like eye. The rod is like colour. The sparks are like cakkhuvinnana citta. At the very spot of touch, there arise sparks and all are in contact. Phassa functions as contact.

Among 52 cetasika dhamma, 7 cetasikas are sabbacittasadharana cetasikas and they always arise with every citta. Phassa, vedana, sanna, cetana, ekaggata, jivitindriya, manasikara are cetasikas that always arise with each citta at each moment. Phassa is contact.

Vedana is feeling. It feels the object. Due to its arising citta has a feeling. There are three kinds of feeling according to anubhavana bheda or class of feeling. They are sukha or pleasant feeling that is agreeable feeling, dukkha or unpleasant feeling or disagreeable feeling, and adukkhamasukha or neither pleasant nor unpleasant feeling. It is known as upekkha vedana. According to indriya bheda or faculty of feeling, there are five feeling. They are physical pleasant feeling or sukha, mental pleasant feeling or somanassa, physical unpleasant feeling or dukkha, mental unpleasant feeling or domanassa and neither pleasant nor unpleasant feeling or upekkha.

Sanna is perception. It perceives marks on object. Due to its presence, citta cognizes object. Sanna arises with each arising citta. It suggests citta to cognize object through markers on the object and it registers things and records what it experiences while it is working together with citta. Sanna is one of four vipaka namakkhandha or resultant nama aggregate.

Cetana is volition. It urges citta and other co arising cetasikas to do their jobs. Cetana is the chief commiter of all actions bodily actions, verbal actions and mental actions. While it arises together with committing citta, it becomes a potential like a seed that would grow to its full resultant effects whenever conditions favour. This potential or kamma always follow along with each arising citta as if our shades follow ourselves all the time and this will be ongoing until cuti citta or arahats.

Ekaggata is one pointedness. It fixes citta to the object when it arises together with a citta. It stabilizes citta and other co arising cetasikas at a specific object that is taken by the citta. It is concentration. Ekaggata always arises with each arising citta and help all to be fixed at a point that is the object that is taken by the citta.

Jivitindriya is a mental life. it supports citta to stay alive and to be able to function well. It also supports other co arising cetasikas and all mental activities are supported by jivitindriya cetasika without which citta and cetasikas will never arise. It maintains mental life and it arises with each arising citta.

Manasikara is attention. It makes citta and other co arising cetasikas to attend at the object concerned. It acts like a steerer and it directs citta and other cetasikas to the right object. Manasikara always arises with each arising citta.

These 7 cetasikas namely phassa or contact, vedana or feeling, sanna or perception, cetana or volition, ekaggata or one pointedness, jivitindriya or mental life, manasikara or attention always arise with each arising citta. They can arise with all kinds of citta, kusala or akusala or abyakata, lokiya or lokuttara, kama or jhana and any citta possible arises along with these 7 cetasikas. So these 7 cetasikas are called sabbacittasadharana cetasikas.

There are 6 pakinnaka cetasikas or particular cetasikas. They sound like flexible to citta they arise together. When they arise with kusala cittas they behave as if they are kusala cetasikas and when they arise together with akusala cittas they will behave as if they are akusala cetasika. If co arising cittas are abyakata cetrasikas again they will do the job of abyakata.

Abyakata do not have kamma potential or kammic force. Examples of abyakata dhamma are kiriya cittas, vipaka cittas, rupa dhamma and all these do not have kamma effect. Pakinnaka cetasikas agree with the citta they accompanied. There are 6 pakinnaka cetasikas or 6 particular cetasikas. They are:

Vitakka is a mental factor that helps citta to take object. This taking object is initial application. Vittakka applies citta with the object. There are different froms of vitakka like kama vitakka or sensual thought, byapada vitakka aversive thought, jhana vitakka or jhanic factor vitakka, samma sankappa etc etc are all vitakka. Vitakka puts citta on to the object. It applies the citta to the object.

Vicara is also a mental factor. It works together with vitakka most of the time. While vitakka applies to the object, vicara helps citta not to depart from the object so that citta is sustained to be in the object. Vicara reviews the object. Vicara is sustained application.

Viriya is effort. Viriya helps citta not to withdraw from the object and it exert an effort to take the object. In the presence of viriya all other cetasikas and citta work energetically with full effort.

Piti is likeness. It helps citta like the object. Piti also energizes citta. In the presence of piti, citta and accompanying cetasikas become less tired and they become inexhaustible and can work much more effectively than without piti as they are stick to the object as they like it. There are different degrees of piti. Somanassa is associated with piti.

Chanda is wish. It is mere desire. It is a will. When chanda becomes the heading dhamma it becomes adhipati dhamma or leading dhamma. It is also one of 4 iddhipada or foot of success or root of success.

Adhimokkha is a mental factor that help citta decides on the object clearly. In the presence of adhimokkha there cannot be delusion or illusion or suspicion. It is a determination. It is a decision maker.

These 6 cetasikas along with 7 universal cetasikas are collectively called annasamana cetasikas. Anna means dealing with or treating . Samana means agree. So they both class agree with any citta. When they arise with kusala citta they behave as kusala cetasika and when akusala, they become akusala cetasikas.

Moha is ignorance. It is delusion. It covers true nature of dhamma and it veils citta not to see realities and truths. It prevents pannas arising. Moha and panna are mutually exclusive in a citta. When moha arises, panna cannot arise and when panna arises moha has gone away.

Ahirika is a kind of disinhibition. It is shamelessness. It advises citta not to be shameful to do bad things or unwholesome things. When it becomes dominent, it behaves as if it is a chief commender. It can be akusala bala or a leader. It can commit anything wicked.

Anottappa is another kind of disinhibition. It is a close friend of ahirika and they both always work together. Unlike ahirika, the characteristic of anotappa is fearlessness. Disinhibition here is in the form of fearlessness not forseeing possible unwholesome kamma and its resultant effects.

Uddhacca is a close friend to moha and it also works together with ahirika and anotappa. Uddhacca is restlessness. It spreads and disperses and wanders around. It is said to be like throwing of a stone into a heap of ash. In its presence, citta becomes restless and upset. These 4 akusala cetasikas always arise in all akusala citta. So they are called sabbākusalasadharana cetasikas.

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