What is Mind? – First Review

121 types of Consciousness

It has already been explained the 89 types of consciousness. Before the Review it is important to illustrate how these 89 types consciousness become 121. Five types of Jhana Chiththas were explained as Rupavachara Chiththas. Each of the Supramundane consciousness would arise in categories of Five Jhanas. For example, the first Supramundane Consciousness, Sothapaththi Magga Chiththa would be divided in to five Jhanas as below;

1.      Vithakka-Vichara-Prithi-Sukha ekaggatha sahitha Patamajjana Sothapaththi Magga Chiththa

The first Jhana Sothapaththi Path-consciousness together with initial application-sustained application-joy-happiness and one-pointedness.

2.      Vichara-Prithi-Sukha ekaggatha sahitha Duthiyajjana Sothapaththi Magga Chiththa

The second Jhana Sothapaththi Path-consciousness together with sustained application-joy-happiness and one-pointedness.

3.      Prithi-Sukha ekaggatha sahitha Thathiyajjana Sothapaththi Magga Chiththa

The third Jhana Sothapaththi Path-consciousness together with joy-happiness and one-pointedness.

4.      Sukha ekaggatha sahitha Chathuththajjana Sothapaththi Magga Chiththa

The fourth Jhana Sothapaththi Path-consciousness together with happiness and one-pointedness.

5.      Upekkha ekaggatha sahitha Panchamajjana Sothapaththi Magga Chiththa

The fifth Jhana Sothapaththi Path-consciousness together with equanimity and one-pointedness.

Similarly rest of the Supramundane consciousness is divided into five types of Jhanas which expands 8 types of Supramundane consciousness into 8 × 5 = 40 thus making 89 types of Chiththas into 121.

Reviewing what mind is

The fist episode of this series was titled as “What is Mind?”. It was mentioned there that it is a difficult question to answer. Mind is not just one thing and it has many features and behaviors and it introduced “The Reality of Consciousness” (Chiththa Paramaththa) which is one of the “Four Paramaththas”.

Categorised in four as Kamavachara Chiththa, Rupavachara Chiththa, Arupavachara Chiththa and Lokuththara Chiththa many types of Chiththas were identified during last 10 episodes.

Now it should be clear at least to a certain extent that mind is not just one thing. It has many features and arises based on many conditions as explained. Even though 89/121 divisions mentioned, they do not arise at once and it is difficult to say the exact consciousness arise at a particular instance. When one is performing a certain act there would be thousands and millions of chiththas arise and in a fraction of second many chiththas arise (uppadha), exist (thithi) and decay (cease).