Thursday, May 26, 2011

Abhidhammattha Sangaha - The Procedure of Retention

Abhidhammattha Sangaha ( A Manual of Abhidhamma )

Translated by Narada Maha Thera
Published By the Buddhist Missionary Society

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Tadarammana Niyamo
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§9.Sabbattha’ pi pan’ ettha anitthe arammane
akusalavipakan’ eva pancavinnanasampatic-
chanasantiranatadarammanani, ittthe kusala-
vipakani, Atitthe pana somanassasahagatan’
eva santiranatadarammanani.
Tattha’ pi somanassasahagatakriyajavanava-
sane somanassasahagatan’ eva tadaram-
manani bhavanti. Upekkhasahagatakriya
javanavasane ca upekkhasahagatan’ eva honti.
Domanassasahagatajavanavasane ca pana
tadarammanani c’ eva bhavangani ca upek-
kha sahagatan’ eva bhavanti. Tasma yadi soma-
nassa-patisandhikassa domanassasahagata-
javanavasane tadarammanasambhavo natthi.
Tada yam kinci paricitapubbam parittaramma-
namarabbha upekkhasahagatasantiranam uppa-
jjati. Tamanantaritva bhavangapato; va hoti’

ti’ pi vadanti acariya. Tatha kamavacarajavana-
vasane kamavacarasattanam kamavacaradham-
mesv’ eva arammanabhutesu tadarammanam
icchanti’ ti.
§10.Kame javanasattarammananam niyame sati
Vibhutetimahante ca tadarammanamiritam.
Ayam’ ettha Tadarammana Niyamo.
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The Procedure of Retention
_______
§9.Here, under all circumstances (i.e., in both sense-
door and mind-door) when an object (12) is undesirable,
the five sense-impressions, reception, investigation, reten-
tion (that arise) are immoral resultants. If desirable, they
are moral resultants. If the object is extremely desirable,
investigation and retention are accompanied by pleasure.
In this connection, at the end of functional javanas
accompanied by pleasure, there arise retentive thought-
moments also accompanied by pleasure. At the end of func-
tional javanas, accompanied by equanimity, the retentive
thought-moments are also accompanied by equanimity.
But at the end of javanas, accompanied by displeas-
ure, the retentive thought-moments and the bhavangas
are also accompanied by indifference. Hence to one whose
rebirth-consciousness is accompanied by pleasure, at the
end of javanas, accompanied by displeasure, retentive
thought-moments do not arise. Then, there arises an inves-

tigating consciousness, accompanied by indifference,
hanging on to some sense-object with which one is familiar
before. Immediately after, the teachers say, there is subsid-
ence into the life-continuum.
Likewise they expect retention at the end of Sense-
sphere javanas to the Sense-sphere beings only when
Sense-sphere phenomena become objects.
§10.Retention occurs, they say, in connection with
‘clear’ and ‘very great’ objects when there is certainty as
regards the Sense-sphere javanas, beings, and objects.
Herein this is the procedure of retention.
_______
Notes:
12.Objects—Arammana
The desirability or undesirability of an object is deter-
mined not according to individual temperament, but
according to its intrinsic nature. The resultant conscious-
ness conditioned thereby is regarded as the effect of one’s
good or bad action.
The sight of the Buddha will perhaps be repulsive to
a staunch heretic. His javana thoughts will naturally be
unwholesome. But the passive wholesome resultant eye-
consciousness, caused by a past good kamma, is a kusala
vipaka. This vipaka is not conditioned by his will, but is an
inevitable consequence. The javana process, on the con-
trary, is conditioned by his own will.

Again, for instance, the mere sight of excreta will be
a source of delight to an ordinary dog. The object is gener-
ally undesirable and is a bad effect (akusala vipaka), but
the javana process caused thereby will be wholesome to the
dog. The accompanying feeling will also be pleasurable.
Although even an Arahant experiences an akusala
vipaka at the sight of an undesirable object, his javana
process will neither be wholesome nor unwholesome. The
accompanying feeling will be one of equanimity.
Now, when an undesirable object is presented either
through the mind-door or five sense-doors, the sense-
impressions, reception, investigation, retention that occur
in the respective thought-processes, are all bad effects
(akusala vipakas). The accompanying feeling is invariably
upekkha, except in the case of body-impression which is
dukkha. These thought-moments are the inevitable results
of past bad actions.
If the presented object is desirable, then the aforesaid
thought-moments are all good effects (kusala vipakas).
Here too the accompanying feeling is upekkha, except in
the case of body-impression which is sukha. All these
thought-moments are the results of past good actions.
When the object is extremely desirable, the feeling of
the santirana moment differs. Instead of upekkha it is
somanassa.
The tadarammanas followed by Sense-sphere func-
tional javanas, accompanied by pleasure, are also associ-
ated with a similar feeling. Likewise the upekkha javanas

are followed by upekkha tadarammanas.
As a rule the preceding javanas and the subsequent
tadarammanas possess a similar feeling. Somanassa is fol-
lowed by somanassa, and upekkha by upekkha.
What happens when the javanas are accompanied by
domanassa as there are no domanassa tadarammanas?
If the rebirth-consciousness (patisandhi-citta) of the
person is accompanied by somanassa, then there will be
no tadarammanas, as the bhavanga that immediately fol-
lows is also accompanied by somanassa. In that case an
adventitious upekkha santirana, without any special func-
tion, merely intervenes for one moment. This adventitious
thought-moment is technically termed agantukabha-
vanga. Usually the object of the javanas and that of the
tadarammanas are identical. But in this particular case the
objects differ. The object of this santirana is another kama-
vacara object with which one is familiar in the course of
one’s life. This object is termed paritta (smaller or lesser)
in comparison with the higher rupa, arupa and lokuttara
objects.
If, on the other hand, the rebirth-consciousness is not
associated with somanassa, then the tadarammanas be-
come upekkha as are the bhavangas that follow.
It should be noted that tadarammanas occur only, at
the end of kamavacara javanas, only to kamavacara
beings, and only in connection with kamavacara objects,
which are either ‘very intense’ or ‘clear’.
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Javana—Niyamo
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§11.Javanesu ca parittajavanavithiyam kamavaca-
rajavanani sattakkhattum chakkhattum’ eva
va javanti.
Mandappavattiyam pana maranakaladisu
pancavaram’eva
Bhagavato pana yamakapatihariyakaladisu
lahukappavattiyam cattari panca va
paccavekkhanacittani bhavanti’ ti pi vadanti.
âdikammikassa pana pathamakappanayam
mahaggatajavanani, abhinnajavanani ca
sabbada pi ekavaram’ eva javanti. Tato param
bhavangapato.
Cattaro pana magguppada ekacittakkhanika.
Tato param dve tini phalacittani yatharaham
uppajjanti. Tato param bhavangapato.
Nirodhasamapattikale dvikkhattum catuttha-
ruppajavanam javati. Tato param nirodham
phusati. Vutthanakale ca anagami phalam
va arahattaphalam va yatharaham’ ekavaram
uppajjitva niruddhe bhavangapato’ va hoti.
Sabbattha’ pi samapattivithiyam pana
bhavangasote viya vithiniyamo natthi’ ti katva
bahuni pi labbhanti ti. (veditabbam).

§12.Sattakkhattum parittani maggabhinna sakim
mata
Avasesani labbhanti javanani bahuni’ pi.
Ayam’ ettha Javana-Niyamo.
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Procedure of Javana (13)
_______
§11.Amongst the javanas, in a minor javana process, the
sense-sphere javanas run only for seven or six times.
But in the case of a feeble process and at the time of
dying etc. only five times.
To the Exalted One, at the time of the ‘Twin Psychic
Phenomenon’ and the like, when the procedure is alert,
only four or five reflective thought-moments arise, they say.
To the beginner, during the first ecstasy, the Sublime
javanas and super-intellect javanas, run only once at all times.
Subsequently there is subsidence into the life-continuum.
The arising of the four Paths endures only for one
thought-moment. Thereafter two or three Fruit thought-
moments arise accordingly. Then comes subsidence into
life-continuum.
At the time of Supreme Cessation (14) the fourth
arupa javana runs twice and then contacts Cessation. When
emerging (from this ecstasy) either Anagami Fruit-
consciousness or Arahatta Fruit-consciousness arises accord-
ingly. When it ceases there is subsidence into the continuum.
In the process of Attainments there is no regularity of
thought-processes, as in the stream of life-continuum.

Nevertheless, it should be understood that many (Sublime
and Supramundane) javanas take place.
§12.It should be known that minor javanas arise seven
times, the Paths and Super-intellect only once, the rest
(Sublime and Supramundane) several times.
Herein this is the procedure of javanas.
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Notes:—
13.Javana—
As it is difficult to give an adequate English rendering for
javana the Pali term has been retained here.
Both psychologically and ethically javana thought-
moments are the most important as both good and evil are
determined at this stage.
Sometimes the javanas last only for one moment. At
times they may continue for seven moments the most.
Kamavacara javanas, as a rule, last only for six or
seven moments. When one is in a senseless state or is
about to die, javanas are confined to five moments.
When the Buddha, by His psychic powers, emits fire
and water, almost simultaneously, from His body, only
four or five javana thought-moments arise so as to reflect
on the jhana factors which is a pre-requisite for the per-
formance of this ‘Twin Psychic Phenomenon’.
In the case of a Yogi who develops the first jhana for
the first time javana lasts only for one moment. So is it with

those who develop the five Abhinnas—namely, i:)Psychic
Powers (Iddhividha), ii.) Celestial Ear (Dibba Sota), Celes-
tial Eye (Dibba Cakkhu), Reading of Others’ Thoughts
(Paracittavijanana), and Reminiscence of Previous Births
(Pubbe-nivasanussati ¥ana). The four classes of supramun-
dane javana Path-consciousness also last for one moment
only. It is at this great moment that Nibbana is intuited.
14.Nirodha Samapatti—
An Anagami or an Arahant who has developed the rupa
and arupa jhanas could, by will power, temporarily arrest
the ordinary flow of consciousness even for seven days
continuously. When one attains to this state all mental
activities cease although there exist heat and life, devoid
of any breathing. The difference between a corpse and one
in this state is that the latter possesses life. Books state that
his body cannot be harmed too. The attainment to such an
ecstatic state is known as Nirodha-Samapatti. Nirodha
means cessation, and Samapatti is attainment.
Immediately prior to the attainment of this state he
experiences for two moments the fourth arupa jhana (state
of neither perception nor non-perception). The flow of
consciousness then ceases until he emerges therefrom as
determined by him. As a rule he remains in this state for
about a week. Motionless he abides in this ecstasy. Books
relate an incident of a Pacceka Buddha whose body was set
fire to while in this state. But he was not affected thereby.
Now when he emerges from this state the first thought-

moment to arise is an Anagami Fruit-consciousness in the
case of an Anagami, or an Arahant Fruit-consciousness in the
case of an Arahant. Thereafter the stream of consciousness
subsides into bhavanga.

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