When engaging with Meritorious Deeds

In a previous article it was mentioned that there are 10 kinds of evil acts committed by Deed (Kaya), Word (Vachanaya) and Thought (Sitha). It was also mentioned that at the time of committing any of these evil acts one or more of the 12 types off immoral consciousness arises (akusala chiththas).

There are also 10 kinds of “Meritorious Deeds” described in Buddhism. One engages with any of these 10 deeds with non-attachment or generosity (Alobha), goodwill (Adwesha) and wisdom (Amoha).

There are 8 types of consciousness arising at the time of engaging in any good deed caused by moral causes (kusala hethu). Those 8 types of “Moral Consciousness” (Kusala Chiththa) are as follows;

(1)   Somanassa sahagatha Nana samprayuktha Asankharika Chiththa

Consciousness accompanied by pleasure associated with knowledge and unprompted

(2)   Somanassa sahagatha Nana samprayuktha Sasankharika Chiththa

Consciousness accompanied by pleasure associated with knowledge and prompted

(3)   Somanassa sahagatha Nana viprayuktha Asasankharika Chiththa

Consciousness accompanied by pleasure dissociated with knowledge and unprompted

(4)   Somanassa sahagatha Nana viprayuktha Sasankharika Chiththa

Consciousness accompanied by pleasure dissociated with knowledge and prompted

(5)   Upekkha sahagatha Nana samprayuktha Asankharika Chiththa

Consciousness accompanied by indifference associated with knowledge and unprompted

(6)   Upekkha sahagatha Nana samprayuktha Sasankharika Chiththa

Consciousness accompanied by indifference associated with knowledge and prompted

(7)   Upekkha sahagatha Nana viprayuktha Asasankharika Chiththa

Consciousness accompanied by indifference dissociated with knowledge and unprompted

(8)   Upekkha sahagatha Nana viprayuktha Sasankharika Chiththa

Consciousness accompanied by indifference dissociated with knowledge and prompted

Moral consciousness are accompanied either by pleasure (somanassa) or indifference (upekkha) and either prompted (sasankharika) or unprompted (asankharika) as in 8 types of lobha mulika chiththas. The difference is that they are either associated or dissociated with Knowledge (Nana). When a particular meritorious deed is done with the knowledge of its merit and virtuous effect, the consciousness is associated with knowledge (Nana samprayuktha). Otherwise if it is just done without knowing the meritorious nature it is dissociated with knowledge (Nana viprayuktha).

Moral Resultant Consciousness (Kusala Vipaka Chiththas)

There are 8 types of Moral Resultant Consciousness (Kusala Vipaka Chiththas) arise as the corresponding results of the above 8 types of moral consciousness. They also have the same terminology. For examples, the corresponding resultant consciousness of “Somanassa sahagatha Nana samprayuktha Asankharika Kusala Chiththa” is “Somanassa sahagatha Nana samprayuktha Asankharika Vipaka Chiththa” and so on.

These are moral resultant consciousness with roots (sahethuka kusala vipaka chiththas) and together with 8 types of moral resultant consciousness without roots (ahethuka kusala vipaka chiththas) there are 16 types of moral resultant consciousness (kusala vipaka chiththas) corresponding to 8 types of moral consciousness (kusala chiththas).

In case of 12 types of immoral consciousness (akusala chiththas), there are only 7 types of immoral resultant consciousness without roots (ahethuka vipaka chiththas).

Functional Consciousness (Kriya Chiththas)

Though there is no resultant effect, Arhaths are also engaging in meritorious act. In such instances for them also moral consciousness arises but they do not have any karmic effect. As they have only functional nature, they are called Functional Consciousness (Kriya Chiththas). The eight type of functional consciousness arising for Arhaths also takes the similar terminology as above. That is the first functional consciousness is “Somanassa sahagatha Nana samprayuktha Asankharika Kriya Chiththa” and so on.

Above explained three categories of consciousness yield good qualities and connected with three moral roots. When ever one is engaged in any good deed those consciousness would arise accordingly. Therefore 24 of them are together known as “Beautiful Consciousness” (Sobhana Chiththas).

Summary

54 types of kamavachara chiththas are 3 fold as Akusala chiththas (12), Ahethuka chiththas (18) and Sobhana chiththas (24).

·        12 types of akusala chiththas further divided into

o       Lobha mulika chiththas (8),

o       Dwesha mulika chiththas (2),

o       Moha mulika chiththas (2). 

·        18 types of ahethuka chiththas are two fold as

o       Vipaka chiththas (15) and they are further divided as

§         Akusala vipaka chiththas (7) and

§         Kusala vipaka chiththas (8)

o       Kriya chiththas (3).

·        24 types of sobhana chiththas are 3 fold as

o       Kusala chiththas (8),

o       Vipaka chiththas (8) and

o       Kriya chiththas (8).

Thus concludes the 54 types of consciousness pertaining to sensuous-sphere (Kamavachara Chiththas). Next to be explained are;

2. Consciousness pertaining to the Form-Sphere (Rupavachara Chiththa)
3. Consciousness pertaining to the Formless-Sphere (Arupavachara Chiththa)
4. Supramundane consciousness (Lochuththara Chiththa)