English
It IS like a gold smith knowing the amount of gold in the sovereign and what amount of alloy there is in it, how it can be dissolved and utilized for making rings, earrings and so on. It is this insight that IS described under the factors pertaining to Enhghtenment such as Iddhi-Potency of Investigation (S®o8£eK veemansiddhipada), faculty of reason (0£^2S:goe. pannindriyan), the force of reason (CC^ ©(5^ P^^^^^J;^!,^^"); enhghtenment factor of searching the truth ( Os^SOce asln)DC^2;s:o dhamma vicaya samboj)hangan ) and right views (00®® 3 ^03 samma ditthi). In the highest possible degree it is omniscient. This faculty of reason has the power of controlling all other mental concomitants associated with the state of conscioiisness of any of the Paths or their fruition. It may be compared to a sharp piercing arrow that is capable of piercing a thick tree, lust as a clever man can send a sharp piercing arrow right through a thick tree, even so could this faculty of reason realise all pheno- mena that are existent in the three worlds as such and such in reality and in the ultimate and highest sense. Again just as any existing object in darkness could only be seen by lighting a lamp, so could the faculty of reason realise the three salient 114 features of all phenomena, analyse mind and body with reference to their features, essential properties, resulting phenomena and proximate causes, comprehend the law of dependent origination and so on, all of which had been concealed by the darkness named ignorance. These 25 mental properties beginning from faith and ending in reason or insight are known as morally beautiful mental properties, as they exist only in such classes of consciousness. These 52 properties though included in one chapter were classi- fied by Anuruddha Thera under 9 classes. The reason for doing so could easily be understood by the reader without a description in detail when the specific functions each class performed are grasped. HOW CLASSES OF CONSCIOUSNESS ROOTED IN LUST ARISE According to the teaching in sub-commentary " yadahi natthi kamesu admavottyadma " ( cO^^fi TS^zS 8553®®^ C|p0^a3®6tS>3^5O3), when one is under the erroneous impression that no harm arises from gratifying the five senses, or **SOSi3 QtO© S<55S55®0c t®€)OK) ©(5 8C9®8/' (Natthi sukata dukkatanan kammanan phalan vipako) under the more heinous erroneous belief in that there are no fruits or results from good or bad actions, and automatically of his own accord, without being determined by a second person or without being impelled by a previous consciousness, accompanied by joy indulges in gratifying the senses from the five sense objects, viz, any visual object, sound, smell, taste and touch, or thinks that success or failure depends on seeing good or bad objects such as confrontmg milk cows and funerals respectively, or hearing pleasant or unpleasant sounds early morning, or smelling a fragrant flower or perfume, or dressmg a new suit of clothes, or eating milk rice with ghee and so on, (none of which comes under the ^8 actions in Mangala Sutta), or, as taught in the vedas, going in a particular kind of conveyance, or without paying attention to the law of cause and effect, erroneously believing that fortune depends on the performance of rites and rituals such as bali ceremonies, offering of food, flowers, incense and so on to the planets and devas, then the first class of consciousness called automatic consciousness accompanied by joy and connected with error arises. 115 THOUGHT PROCESS When that consciousness arises a thought process consisting of seven apperceptions (c5©20 javana) results. In one mental act of sense-perception indicated by the words ** I see a flower " four processes have to be distinguished, viz. (1) vision (chakkhudvara vlthi 8';-:3>^€)3d ©©). (2) Reproductive sequel (tStSSfiQ^'tXcata ©®2aa£)3d SS tattanuvattaka ma nod vara vlthi). (3) Conceiving the name Jiama paiiiiatti vlthi 2S33®3^1^tS?9 ©S). (4) Discerning the meaning of the name (attha pafiiiatti vithi CffS^ C.S^e5^05t9 8S). Of these four processes the first three contain apperceptions which are only kamma (actions) and the fourth which discerns the meaning of the name contain apperceptions which are kamma patha (strong enough to cause rebirth in any plane of existence). The first apperceptional volition in the fourth process, having been accompanied by the first three and related to them by the correlations of contiguity, immediate contiguity, absence and abeyance, called kamma or volitional activity, only produces results during the span of life in this existence. The seventh can produce results in the next existence both as rebirth consciousness and as resultant effect during the span of life. The remaining five apperceptions between the two are capable of giving effect, as opportunity occurs, both rebirth and resultant effects during the span of life or only resultant effects during the span of life, according to circumstances, in the wheel of Sansara or machine of existence. In the manner in which the ist class of immoral consciousness is described, the remaining 10 classes of immoral consciousness with the exception of the one associated with distraction, and the 8 classes of moral consciousness should be adjusted. ii6 HOW CLASSES OF CONSCIOUSNESS ROOTED IN AVERSION OR HATE ARISE According to sub-commentary " dvinnan pana nesan cittanan panatipatadlsti tikkha mandappavatti kale iippatti veditabbd " ^^Oi^€)tSitQ 803®C C^^O^^ (5©$03C: Sa): ), when an unpleasant object is seen, and the immoral act of kilhng is done automatically without being determined by a second person or without bemg impelled by a previous consciousness, or when harsh or abusive words are spoken, or immoral ideas arise such as hatred and doing harm to others, the first class of automatic immoral consciousness accompanied by grief and rooted in aversion or hate arises. Similarly, the second volitional class accompanied by grief and rooted m aversion or hate arises, when it is determined by another person or when stimulated by a preceding state of consciousness. As the sub-commentary states " yan kinci anitthalambanan navavidha aghata vatthuni ca domanassassa karanan patighassa karanancati datthabban " (cO.S^ <^5§50d:)J(g^)2ro 5eeQ €)af9 ^^cc^fc^o) confronting an unpleasant object and the nine types of hate bases, are the causes of origination of the two states of grief and hate. If grief and hate were to arise from one cause, then would it not be sufficient when either grief or hate is shown ? The reason for stating grief is because in the other classes too feeling differentiated them and the same rule was followed here in giying both grief and hate. This class of consciousness arises in committing the immoral acts of killing, using harsh and abusive language, hate, stealings speaking falsehood, gossiping, and indulging in idle talk. If immoral acts like killing, using harsh and abusive language, and hate are caused by hate bases which are unpleasant, when one desires to kill and eat the flesh of a fowl, how does a fowl become an unpleasant object ? Of the nine hate bases, which base is obtained in killing and eating the flesh of a fowl is a question that should be asked. When a thought arises to eat the flesh of a fowl, the enemy that opposes the realisation of 117 that idea is the psychic life of the fowl. Therefore the psychic life becomes an unpleasant object. It is obtained m that hate base called " anatthan me acari " (<?253'!5e>o ®® <f^S). There- fore the consciousness that arises in a person who kills animals for the purpose of eating the flesh is one rooted in hate or aversion supplemented by greed (lobha paccaya d5sa moolika cittan How do the immoral acts of stealing, speaking falsehood, carrying tales and indulgence in idle and unprofitable talk originate in consciousness rooted in hate or aversion? When a thought arises that by taking what is not given from an enemy he could be harmed then it is one rooted in hate or aversion. Similarly, giving false evidence in Law Courts against an enemy, carrying tales with a view to breaking the friendship which exists with an enemy, indulging in such talk as would be causing either a loss or insult to an enemy arise from the root cause of hate or aversion.