Practical Abhidhamma

A Field Guide
to the Mind:
Practical Abhidhamma
for Meditators
A Spirit Rock Online Course

By Steve Armstrong
This handbook was created by Steve Armstrong for use by students attending
the Abhidhamma retreat at Spirit Rock Meditation Center, May 18-25, 2015,
led by Steve Armstrong and Mark Nunberg, and assisted by Vance Pryor.
Published by Spirit Rock — An Insight Meditation Center

PO Box 169
5000 Sir Francis Drake Blvd.
Woodacre, CA 94973
Copyright © 2015 by Steven Armstrong
We gratefully request that if you wish to reproduce this handbook by any means
(electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise) that you first seek
permission of Steve Armstrong and Spirit Rock.
Table of Contents
3 Overview
4 Introduction to Abhidhamma
5 Soundboard of the Mind (cetasika)
6 Factors of Concentration
7 Table of Mental States/Psychology of Mental Factors/Opposing Mental Factors,
8 Table of Mental Factor Data: Characteristic, Function, Manifestation, Proximate Cause
9 The Terrain of Consciousness (citta)
11 Table of Mental Factors in Each Consciousness
12 Table of Feelings, Roots, Objects and Functions in Each Consciousness
13 Living in the Material World — Welcome to the Human Body (rūpa)
15 Table of Material Elements
16 Objects of Awareness
17 The Stream of Life through Birth and Death (citta-vīthi)
19 Creation of Relative Reality/Table of Stream of Consciousness
20 Death, Re-linking and the Stream of Consciousness
21 What Goes Around, Comes Around (kamma)
22 Table of “Who Experiences What?”
23 Table of 29 Kammas, 32 Results, Re-linking Consciousness to 31 Planes of Existence
24 “The Wheel”
25 The Wheel of Life — Dependent Origination/Escape from Samsāra (paticcsmupada)
26 Tibetan thangka of Wheel of Life/Samsāra and 12 Links of Dependent Origination
27 Key to Tibetan Thangka Icons
28 The Infinite Web of All Conditioned Things: Conditional Relations (patthāna)
29 Buddhist Personality Types: Mental Legacies of Continuity Conditioning
30 Patthana: 24 Conditional Relations
31 The Evolution of Liberating Knowledge
32 The Progress of Vipassanā Knowledges through the Stages of Purification
33 “Spiritual Goodies” — 10 Corruptions of Insight (upakkilesa: pseudo-Nibbāna)
36 Abhidhamma Texts
May the efforts to compile, write, read, understand,
practice and realize the material in this manual,
be the cause for all beings to be free of all forms of suffering.
—Steve Armstrong
2 A Field Guide to the Mind

Overview
Awakening
The Abhidhamma, or Buddhist psychology, is a detailed The dharma taught by Buddhas

compilation and analysis of the teachings of the Buddha Hinges on two truths:
that are presented in the discourses (suttas). Through a Partial [relative] truths of the world
comprehensive overview and systematic deconstruction of And [absolute] truths which are sublime.
the experiences of life — from birth to death, from ignorance Without knowing how they differ,
to liberating understanding — the Abhidhamma reveals the You cannot know the deep;
unfolding as deeply conditioned impersonal processes. When Without relying on conventions,
entangled by conditioning and personalizing by identifying You cannot disclose the sublime;
with the natural processes, life is a struggle and we suffer. Without intuiting the sublime,
Through development of awareness, the direction of the You cannot experience freedom.
unfolding gradually changes and liberation from conditioning
becomes possible. (from Verses From the Center: A Buddhist Vision of the
Sublime by Nargajuna Tr. by Stephen Batchelor)
Basic Abhidhammic knowledge of the mental and physical
building blocks of life and how they are synthesized in While awareness practice takes place on both the
each unfolding moment makes apparent the distinction conventional and sublime levels, confusion between them
between relative and absolute perspectives of reality. A poses a significant challenge to many sincere meditators.
phenomenological approach in awareness practice verifies Familiarity with the Abhidhamma, the third basket of the
the distinctions between mind, mental states, materiality and Buddha’s teaching, helps clarify the distinctions between
the unconditioned (Nibbāna). relative (conventional/conceptual) and absolute (empirical)
which makes possible realization of the unconditioned, the
The teachings in this handbook offer an overview of the liberation of Nibbāna.
Abhidhamma, exploring the dynamic nature of the stream of
consciousness by examining the synthesis of mind, mental
states and material elements in each moment of experience.
This knowledge helps with the development of mind — from
the tranquillity of jhānic absorption to liberation that realizes
Nibbāna.
A Field Guide to the Mind 3

Introduction to Abhidhamma
Notes about the Abhidhamma: Personal

• Abhidhamma is one of three baskets of Buddha’s teaching After practicing intensive meditation for about 10 years as
(w/discourses [suttas], and the monastic rules [vinaya]). layman and monk, I was given a handbook of Abhidhamma
• Reputed to have been taught to Buddha’s mother in in order to assist a Burmese Sayadaw in learning English. It
Tavatimsa heaven and later told to Sariputta, but scholars took some effort to get into and interested in the material,
believe that the Abhidhamma was compiled a couple of and I could only make sense of it by diagramming out
hundred years after Buddha’s demise. each chapter’s content in elaborate charts, graphs and
• A systematic, scholarly compilation, collation and tables. Once familiar with the material, I was amazed at
categorization of terms in the teachings of discourses. how precise, detailed and comprehensive the material was
• Detailed analytical description of four empirical realities: in identifying every experience I had known up to that
mind, mental states, materiality, Nibbāna (unconditioned). point — mundane experiences of relative reality as well as
First three are conditioned. meditation experiences of deep tranquillity and insight — and
• Itemization of mind and matter into pixels of phenomena in describing the terrain of drug induced mental states, all
showing how they are synthesized in any moment, without any reference to an inherent being to whom it was all
how they arise dependently conditioned, how they are happening.
intricately interwoven through conditional relations, and
how they dynamically unfold lawfully over time when Awareness practice after studying the Abhidhamma was much
one is unaware and when one is practicing tranquillity or more confident and clear. In teaching Dhamma, Abhidhamma
insight practices. offers a very clear map of mind to work from.
• Helps understand difference between Dhammas
(ontological ultimacy/empirically known) and conceptual I believe Abhidhamma knowledge can be useful for anyone
constructs. but particularly for those who are actively practicing
• Focuses on conscious reality, i.e., experience as a meditation and seeking to understand the mind. Much of the
phenomenological psychology. Abhidhamma can be seen when practicing, but some content
• All conditioned phenomena are identified as dukkha is so detailed that, it is said only a Buddha can see it. So, as a
characteristic. First Noble Truth of Dukkha is to be note of caution, do not expect to have seen everything you
investigated and known. read or learn about the Abhidhamma. And when practicing, it
is best to leave Abhidhamma knowledge to one side without
active reference to it during practice. Enjoy the discovery.

The Soundboard of the Mind (cetasika)
We live within a reality that is created consensually with other selecting, vivifying and attending. Rather than solidifying
beings. This consensual agreement is the result of an immense objects of attention, awareness is understood as a dynamic
amount of mental activity. Mental activity is characterized process of these activities.
as a stream of consciousness. Each moment of the stream is
a discrete event, an experience that can be analyzed or de- Vipassana meditators should pay particular note to the
constructed into its essential elements. These elements are of following mental factors:
four kinds of experienceable, empirical realities; they are:
#4 volition this is cultivated to become
1. consciousness
unwavering intention [kamma]
2. mental factors
3. materiality #7 attention the ability to confront, which is highly
4. Nibbāna developed by mindfulness
#8 connecting the aiming of the mind so as to reach

The 52 different mental factors are like a soundboard of the the intended object
mind arising in different combinations and strengths in each
moment of consciousness. Mental factors arise co-terminus #9 sustaining when aroused strongly, accounts for
with each moment of consciousness. They are the perceptual, the momentum of mindfulness
cognitive and affective qualities, attributes or capacities of the #11 energy one of the more decisive elements of
mind. [See Psychology of Mental Factors on page 7.] mundane and meditative activities
#12 joy the delight of the mind; ranges from
The following, universal, mental factors are involved in every
interest to zest to ecstasy
moment of mental life/consciousness:
#29 mindfulness not forgetting to observe the present
1. Contact the simultaneous arising of sense
moment
object, sense door and sense
consciousness, e.g., visible object + #50 compassion the ability to connect with another
eye + seeing consciousness being’s suffering
2. Feeling the pleasant, unpleasant, neutral #51 sympathetic joy the ability to connect with another
feeling of the moment being’s happiness
3. Perception the recognition of the uniqueness #52 wisdom from conventional understanding thru
of the moment insightful understandings
4. Volition the intention which may be dormant
Any mental factor can be so highly developed that it appears
or highly activated
in the mind stream quickly, more frequently and remains
5. One-pointedness the ability to select a single object at longer; for meditators particularly mindfulness (#29), non-
any one moment of time delusion/ wisdom (#52), non-attachment (#32) and non-
6. Psychic life the life force of the mind (not present aversion/loving-kindness (#33).
in a corpse)
The plasticity of the brain manifests in the dynamic flexibility
7. Attention the ability to confront the present of the mind of mature mindfulness, which is always
moment’s object accompanied by #35-46: tranquillity, lightness, pliability,
adaptability, proficiency and straightness of mind/mental
NOTE: In practice, a significant shift occurs when these mental states. (See p. 34 for descriptions of these factors’ influence on
factors are seen as mental activities, i.e., verbs rather than the mind.)
nouns, for example: contacting, feeling, perceiving, intending,

Factors of Concentration
Of significance to meditators are what are called the jhānic Jhāna: absorption or concentration
factors. These are the five factors of mind that must be As continuity and collectedness develop in samatha practice,
developed for attention to attain deep concentration or absorption in the chosen object may become possible. If one
jhāna — deep mental absorption in the conceptual object of becomes absorbed in the object, one is said to attain jhāna, “a
choice, collectedness or stability of mind in Vipassana practice. subtle state free of the hindrances and born of these five factors
These five jhānic factors each oppose one of the five major of mind.” There are five levels of jhāna, each progressively
hindrances to concentration. subtler than the previous. If one continues to practice the
1. Initial application of mind (#8), or aiming, overcomes sloth intended tranquillity meditation after obtaining first jhāna, the
(#25) and torpor (#26) by activating the mind to connect initial application of mind becomes mature and is no longer
with the intended object. When developed the mind needed. It falls away giving one access to the second jhāna.
becomes very active, lively and bright. The perceptual Without the activity of applying the mind in each moment,
field of the mind can actually appear bright, as if a light the subjective experience is much stiller and subtler. Hence
were suddenly turned on in a dark room. collectedness or unification of mind is experienced as stillness
2. Sustained application of mind (#9) overcomes doubt (#27) or tranquillity. With progressive development, which means
by steadying attention on the intended object for the increasing frequency/continuity of mindful attention of the
duration of the discrete moment of its appearance. When intended chosen object, higher jhāna develop with the falling
developed it is subjectively felt as stability, steadiness and away of the respective jhānic factors. I liken the difference
momentum in the practice. between third jhāna and fourth jhāna as the difference
3. Joy (#12) overcomes all forms of aversion (#21), e.g., anger, between mainlining pleasure and drip-feeding pleasure. Fifth
irritation, depression, fear, etc. Joy is initially aroused jhāna is the development of equanimity. At this point, the
as strong interest or zest. As the aiming and sustaining balance of mind which is present in each moment of mindful
become more continuous, the mind is able to do what it attention becomes apparent when the grosser activity of
does (to know) without impediment. With this degree of mind falls away, i.e., no more ecstasy or bliss. At fifth jhāna
continuity, delight spontaneously arises in the mind. Such one is no longer indulgent in the pleasure of joy and bliss, and
delight frequently conditions extremely pleasant physical a subtle feeling of well-being becomes predominant. [See
sensations similar to full-body orgasm and can reach the consciousness #55-59.]
level of ecstatic absorption, sometimes lasting for hours.
4. Sukha (“happy comfort of mind and body” is not a mental
state but a feeling (#2) of subtle pleasure) overcomes
restlessness (#17). When mature the subtle mental
pleasure of sukha is experienced as bliss — a very light,
refined mind. The subtle physical pleasure conditioned by
the mind is similar to soothing, post-orgasmic sensations
in the body.
5. One-pointedness (#5), the factor of collectedness,
overcomes attachment (#18). When developed the
mind is unwavering, steady and fully collected on the
intended object. The object may be very small, e.g.,
a pin prick sensation, or very large, e.g., “all beings”
as in the development of any of the divine abodes/
Brahamaviharas.

MENTAL STATES PSYCHOLOGY OF 52 MENTAL FACTORS
PERCEPTUAL COGNITIVE AFFECTIVE
1 CONTACT UNIVERSALS COMMON
7 UNIVERSALS: Contact
2 FEELING TO EACH OTHER
3 PERCEPTION (Arise With Every Feeling
4 VOLITION Consciousness) Perception
5 ONE-POINTEDNESS Volition
6 PSYCHIC LIFE One-Pointedness
7 ATTENTION Psychic Life
8 INITIAL APP./CONNECTING PARTICULARS Attention
9 SUSTAINED APPLICATION
10 DECISION/RESOLUTION 6 OCCASIONALS: Connecting Effort
11 ENERGY
(May Arise With Either Sustaining Joy-Delight
12 JOY
13 CONATION/WISH-TO-DO Wholesome or Wish-To-Do
Unwholesome Mind) Resolution
14 DELUSION UNWHOLESOME
15 MORAL SHAMELESSNESS
16 REMORSELESSNESS 14 Unwholesome: Delusion Wrong View Attachment
17 RESTLESSNESS Sloth Conceit Aversion
18 GREED/ATTACHMENT Torpor Shamelessness Envy
19 WRONG BELIEF Remorselessness Avarice
20 CONCEIT Doubt Worry
21 AVERSION Restlessness
22 ENVY
23 AVARICE
24 WORRY 25 Wholesome: Wisdom Modesty Generosity
25 SLOTH Mindfulness Conscience Loving-Kindness
26 TORPOR 2 Buoyancy 2 Rectitude Confidence
27 DOUBT 2 Pliancy Right Speech Equanimity
28 CONFIDENCE BEAUTIFUL BEAUTIFUL 2 Adaptability Right Action 2 Tranquillity
29 MINDFULNESS 2 Proficiency Right Livelihood Compassion
30 MODESTY Sympathetic Joy
31 CONSCIENCE
32 NON-ATTACHMENT
33 LOVINGKINDNESS
34 EQUANIMITY OPPOSING MENTAL FACTORS
35 TRANQUILITY OF MEN.STAT.
36 TRANQUILITY OF MIND
UNWHOLESOME WHOLESOME
37 LIGHTNESS OF MEN.STATES
38 LIGHTNESS OF MIND
39 PLIANCY OF MEN. STATES All Wisdom, Mindfulness
40 PLIANCY OF MIND Attachment Generosity, Loving-Kindness, Equanimity, Tranquillity
41 ADAPTABILITY OF MEN.STAT Aversion Loving-Kindness, Generosity, Equanimity, Tranquillity
42 ADAPTABILITY OF MIND Delusion Wisdom, Confidence, Mindfulness
43 PROFICIENCY OF MEN.STAT. Wrong View Generosity, Buoyancy, Pliancy
44 PROFICIENCY OF MIND Conceit Generosity, Buoyancy, Pliancy
45 RECTITUDE OF MEN.STATES
Envy Loving-Kindness, Generosity, Equanimity, Tranquillity
46 RECTITUDE OF MIND
Avarice Loving-Kindness, Generosity, Equanimity, Tranquillity
47 RIGHT SPEECH ABSTINENCES
Worry Loving-Kindness, Generosity, Equanimity, Tranquillity
48 RIGHT ACTION
Shamelessness Modesty, Confidence, Mindfulness
49 RIGHT LIVELIHOOD
Remorselessness Conscience, Confidence, Mindfulness
50 COMPASSION ILLIMITABLES
51 SYMPATHETIC JOY
Restlessness Confidence, Mindfulness, Equanimity, Tranquillity
Sloth, Torpor Buoyancy, Pliancy, Adaptability, Proficiency, Effort
52 WISDOM
Doubt Confidence, Equanimity, Tranquillity, Resolution
Field Guide to the Mind: Table of Mental Factors

Mental Factor Characteristic/ salient quality Function/ task or achievement of goal Manifestation/ the way it presents itself Proximate cause/ condition it depends on
1
Mental Factor Contact touching salient
Characteristic/ quality impingement
Function/ task or achievement of goal 1 concurrence of cons, sensethe
Manifestation/ faculty,
way object
it presents objective field that
itself has come into
Proximate focus
cause/ condition it depends on
2 Feeling being felt experiencing, enjoying desirable aspect of object 2 relishing of assoc. mental st. contact
1 Contact touching impingement 1 concurrence of cons, sense faculty, object objective field that has come into focus
3 Perception perceiving qualities of object make a sign/recognizing previous perception 3 interpreting the object the object as it appears
2 4
Feeling beingVolition
felt state of willing experiencing, enjoying desirable aspect of object
to accumulate kamma 4
2 relishing of assoc. mental st.
coordination
contact
associated states
3 5 One-pointedness/ unification qualities
Perception perceiving of object
non-wandering, non-distraction make
conglomerate associatedprevious
a sign/recognizing states perception 5 3
peaceinterpreting the object happiness the object as it appears
4 6 Volition
Mental state of willing
life faculty maintaining associated mental states to accumulate kamma
making associated mental states occur 6 4 coordination
establishing associated mental states presence mental state to associated states
be maintained
5 7
One-pointedness/ Attention conduct
unification non-wandering, associated mental st. towards object conglomerate
non-distraction yoke associated mental states
associated stateswith object 7 confrontation
5 peace with object the object happiness
6 8 Mental life faculty
Initialmaintaining
application directing mind to object
associated mental states strike at object
making associated mental states occur 8 leading
6 of mind ontoassociated
establishing object the object
mental states presence mental state to be maintained
9 Sustained application examining sustained application of mental phenom. on object 9 anchoring mental phenomena in the object the object
7 Attention conduct associated mental st. towards object yoke associated mental states with object 7 confrontation with object the object
10 Decision conviction not groping 10 decisiveness a thing to be convinced about
8 11
Initial application directing mind to object
Energy supporting, exertion, marshalling
strike at object
to support associated mental states
8 leading of mind onto object
11 non-collapse
the object
sense of urgency, ground for arousing energy
9 Sustained
12 application examining
Zest/joy endearing sustained
refreshapplication
mind and bodyof mental phenom. on object 9 pervade
12 to anchoring
(to thrillmental phenomena in the object
w/rapture) elation the object
10 13 Decision conviction
Desire/ will-to-do desire to act not groping
searching for an object 13 10
need decisiveness
for an object the object a thing to be convinced about
11 14 Delusion mental
Energy supporting, blindness,
exertion, unknowing
marshalling non-penetration,
to support associatedconcealment of real nature
mental states 14 mental
11 darkness, absence of right understanding
non-collapse unwise attentionsense of urgency, ground for arousing energy
12 15 Shamelessness
Zest/joy endearing absence of disgust at misconduct doing
refresh evil and body
mind 15 12
not shrinking from evil
to pervade (to thrill w/rapture) lack of self-respect
elation
16 Fearlessness of wrong-doing absence of dread of misconduct doing evil 16 not shrinking from evil lack of respect for others
13 Desire/ will-to-do desire to act searching for an object 13 need for an object the object
17 Restlessness disquietude make mind unsteady 17 turmoil unwise attention to mental disquiet
14 18
Delusion mental blindness, unknowing
Greed grasping an object
non-penetration,
sticking
concealment of real nature 18
14 mental darkness, absence of right understanding
not giving up
unwise attention
seeing enjoyment in things leading to bondage
15 19 Shamelessness absence of unjustified
Wrong view disgust atinterpretation
misconductof things doing evil
preassume 19 15
wrongnot shrinking or
interpretation from evil
belief unwillingness tolack
see of self-respect
Noble Ones
16 Fearlessness
20 of wrong-doing absence of haughtiness
Conceit dread of misconduct doing evil
self-exaltation 20 16 not shrinking from evil
vainglory lack of
greed disassociated respect
from views for others
17 21 Hatred ferocity
Restlessness disquietude makespread
mindorunsteady
burn up own support 21 17
persecuting
turmoil ground for annoyance
unwise attention to mental disquiet
18 22 Greed grasping Envy
anbeing jealous of others' success
object dissatisfaction with others' success
sticking 22 18
aversion
nottowards others' success
giving up others' successseeing enjoyment in things leading to bondage
23 Avarice/ stinginess concealing own success not bearing sharing own success 23 shrinking away, meaning or sour feeling one's own success
19 Wrong view unjustified interpretation of things preassume 19 wrong interpretation or belief unwillingness to see Noble Ones
24 Worry regret at having done wrong sorrow over what was or was not done 24 remorse wrongs of commission and omission
20 25
Conceit haughtiness
Sloth lack of driving power
self-exaltation
dispel energy
20 vainglory
25 sinking of mind
greed disassociated from views
unwise attention to boredom, drowsiness, etc
21 26 Hatred ferocity
Torpor unwieldiness spread or burn up own support
smother 26 21 persecuting
drooping, nodding, sleepiness ground
unwise attention for annoyance
to boredom, drowsiness, etc
22 27 Envy beingDoubt
jealous of others' success
doubting dissatisfaction
to waver with others' success 27 22 aversion taking
indecisiveness, towards others' success
sides others' success
unwise attention
23 28 Avarice/ stinginess
Faith/concealing
confidence own success
placing of faith, trusting not bearing
to clarify sharing own success
or set forth 28 23 shrinkingresolution
non-fogginess, away, meaning or sour feeling one's
something to place own
faith in success
24 29 Mindfulness not wobbling/
Worry regret at having done wrong not floating away non-forgetfulness,
sorrow over what was absence
or wasofnot
confusion
done 29 24
guardianship,
remorse confronting an objective field strong perception, four foundations
wrongs of commission of mindfulness
and omission
30 Shame of wrong doing disgust at misconduct not doing evil 30 shrinking away from evil respect for self
25 Sloth lack of driving power dispel energy 25 sinking of mind unwise attention to boredom, drowsiness, etc
31 Fear of wrong doing dread at misconduct not doing evil 31 shrinking away from evil respect for others
26 Torpor unwieldiness smother 26 drooping, nodding, sleepiness unwise attention to boredom, drowsiness, etc
32 Non-greed lack of desire for an object not lay hold of object 32 detachment
27 Doubt doubting
Non-hatred lack of ferocity, non-opposing to waver
remove annoyance 27 indecisiveness, taking sides
agreeableness unwise attention
33 33
28 Faith/ confidence placing of faith,
(Lovingkindness trusting
promoting welfare of living beings to clarify
preferor set forth
welfare of living beings 28 non-fogginess,
removal of ill-will resolution something
seeing beings as lovable) to place faith in
29 34 Mindfulness not wobbling/ not floating
Neutrality of mind/ equanimity conveying away
mind and mental states evenly non-forgetfulness, absence
prevent deficiency of confusion
and excess 34 29 guardianship, confronting an objective field
neutrality strong perception, four foundations of mindfulness
30 35/36 Tranquility (2)
Shame of wrong doing disgust at misconductquieting disturbances crush disturbances
not doing evil 35/36 30
peacefulness,
shrinking coolness
away from evil consciousness respect
& mental for
states
self
37/38 Lightness (2) subsiding of heaviness crush heaviness 37/38 non-sluggishness consciousness & mental states
31 Fear of wrong doing dread at misconduct not doing evil 31 shrinking away from evil respect for others
39/40 Pliancy/ malleability (2) subsiding of rigidity crush rigidity 39/40 non-resistance consciousness & mental states
32 Non-greed lack of desire for an object not lay hold of object 32 detachment
41/42 Adaptability/ wieldiness (2) subsiding of unwieldiness crush unwieldiness 41/42 success in making something an object consciousness & mental states
43/44 Non-hatred lack of ferocity,
Proficiency non-opposing
(2) healthiness of consciousness & mental states remove
crushannoyance
unhealthiness 43/44 33 agreeableness
absence of disability consciousness & mental states
33
45/46 (Lovingkindness promoting
Rectitude/ straightness (2)welfare of living beings
uprightness prefer welfare
crush of living beings
tortuousness removal of ill-will
45/46 non-crookedness consciousness seeing
& mentalbeings
states as lovable)
34 Neutrality47of mind/ equanimity Right
conveying
speechmind and mental states evenly
non-transgression prevent
shrink deficiency
back from and
evil excess 47 34 neutrality
abstinence from evil faith, shame, fear of wrong-doing, etc.
35/36 48 Right action non-transgression
Tranquility (2) quieting disturbances crush disturbancesevil
shrink back from 48 35/36
abstinence from evil coolness
peacefulness, faith, shame, fear of wrong-doing,&etc.
consciousness mental states
49 Right livelihood non-transgression shrink back from evil 49 abstinence from evil faith, shame, fear of wrong-doing, etc.
37/38 Lightness (2) subsiding of heaviness crush heaviness 37/38 non-sluggishness consciousness & mental states
50 Compassion promoting removal of suffering in others inability to bear others' suffering 50 non-cruelty seeing helplessness in those suffering
39/40 Pliancy/
51
malleability (2) subsiding of rigidity
Appreciative joy gladness at others' success
crush rigidity
unenviousness at others' success
39/40 non-resistance
51 elimination of aversion
consciousness & mental states
seeing success of others
41/42 Adaptability/
52 wieldiness (2) subsiding ofpenetrating
Wisdom/ non-delusion unwieldiness
intrinsic nature of things crush unwieldiness
illuminate objective field 52 41/42 success in making something an object
non-bewilderment wise attention consciousness & mental states
43/44 Proficiency (2) healthiness of consciousness & mental states crush unhealthiness 43/44 absence of disability consciousness & mental states
45/46 Rectitude/ straightness (2) uprightness crush tortuousness 45/46 non-crookedness consciousness & mental states
47 Right speech non-transgression shrink back from evil 47 abstinence from evil faith, shame, fear of wrong-doing, etc.
48 Right action non-transgression shrink back from evil 48 abstinence from evil faith, shame, fear of wrong-doing, etc.
49 Right livelihood non-transgression shrink back from evil 49 abstinence from evil faith, shame, fear of wrong-doing, etc.
50 Compassion promoting removal of suffering in others inability to bear others' suffering 50 non-cruelty seeing helplessness in those suffering
51 Appreciative joy gladness at others' success unenviousness at others' success 51 elimination of aversion seeing success of others
52 Wisdom/ non-delusion penetrating intrinsic nature of things illuminate objective field 52 non-bewilderment wise attention
Abhidhamma/SRMC On-‐Line Course/ p. 8

The Terrain of Consciousness (citta)
All that is known is known by the mind, the ceaseless Awareness of cognitive processes changes conditioned
activity of consciousness. Within a single human lifetime, patterns of behavior. Knowledge, awareness practice and
consciousness operates, fluxing from conception to death. understanding of the force of consciousness effects the
The stream of consciousness carries the psychic life force of transformation by transcending the limits imposed by
the individual, contacts the environment through the sense personality.
doors perceiving sense data, cognitively massaging it into
recognizably valued objects and affectively relating to it all. Consciousness is the knowing capacity of the mind. While
many objects may be known, e.g., sights, sounds, thoughts,
Dan Goleman writes in The Meditative Mind: The Varieties of ideas, concepts, etc. (See p. 16, Objects of Awareness), the
Meditative Experience, capacity to know in each moment is of one nature. Each
“Normal consciousness is often highly unhealthy moment of consciousness arises when there is contact
with a general heaviness and unwieldiness of mental between a:
processes, where force of habit predominates and Example:
changes and adaptations are undertaken slowly and 1. Striker element sense object: match
unwillingly and to the smallest possible degree. Thought sight, sound, etc.
is rigid and inclined to dogma. It often takes a long
time to learn from experience or advice. Affections 2. Receptor element sense door: match box
and aversions are fixed and biased and in general the eye, ear, etc.
character proves more or less inaccessible.
3. Ignition element sense consciousness: fire
The ideal type of personality, (from Buddhist seeing, hearing, etc.
perspective) is without greed for sense desires, anxiety,
resentment, fear of any sort, dogmatisms, aversions to
loss, disgrace, pain, blame, lust, anger, experience of
suffering, need for approval, pleasure, praise, desire for
anything for oneself beyond the essential and necessary.
There is a prevalence of impartiality towards others
and equilibrium at all times with ongoing alertness and
calm delight in ordinary and boring experience. Strong
compassion and loving-kindness arise spontaneously.
Perceptions are quick and accurate and one maintains
composure and skill in action with openness to others
being responsive to their needs.”

The are four realms of knowing:
1. sensual reality includes the 5 physical senses and mind
2. concentrated, fine material reality absorption in a conceptual object
3. formless, mental only reality very refined mental development
4. supramundane, enlightened realizing Nibbana, stages of enlightenment
Within these realms of consciousness there are three aspects:

1. karmic actions requires active wholesome or unwholesome intention
2. resultant karma the results of karmic actions arise without active intention
3. functional actions performed without kammic intention or result
Finally, within sensual reality, karmic actions may be wholesome (beautiful) or unwholesome. All consciousness
in the other three realms are wholesome karmic actions, wholesome karmic resultants or karma-freed, i.e.,
functional consciousness.
The unwholesome sensual consciousnesses are divided into three categories:

1. rooted in attachment
2. rooted in aversion
3. rooted in delusion
[See Consciousness Table.]
The distinctions among the various types of consciousnesses are due to the:
1. Mental factors synthesized [See Table of Mental Factors in Each Consciousness]
2. Object of consciousness [See Table of Feelings, Roots, Objects, Function...]
3. Function served by this consciousness within the stream of consciousness [See Table of Feelings, Roots,
Objects, Function…]

MENTAL STATES
ETHICALLY VARIABLE BEAUTIFUL
UNIVERSALS OCCASIONALS
UNWHOLESOME MENTAL STATES BEAUTIFUL ABST. ILL.
CONSCIOUSNESS
ETHICALLY VARIABLE BEAUTIFUL
UNWHOLESOME
OF MIND
JOY MORAL SHAMELESSNESS
OF MIND
TRANQUILITY OF MIND
OF MINDOF M.S.
OF MIND OF M.S.
CONNECTING OF MIND
# MS/CONSCIOUSNESS
UNIVERSALS OCCASIONALS BEAUTIFUL ABST. ILL.
TRANQUILITY OF M.S.
OF MIND
M.S.MIND
OF MIND
CONSCIOUSNESS
M.S.
LIGHTNESS OF M.S.
REMORSELESSNESS
LIVELIHOOD
NON-ATTACHMENT
JOY
ONE POINTEDNESS
MIND
MIND
SHAMELESSNESS
OF MIND
LOVINGKINDNESS
OFMIND
M.S.
OF M.S.
ENERGY OF MIND
# MS/CONSCIOUSNESS
OF M.S.
OF MIND
RIGHT SPEECH
MIND
OF OF
OF OF
RESTLESSNESS
WRONG BELIEF
ACTION
ADAPTABILITY
ADAPTABILITY
M.S.
RIGHTSYMPATHETIC
M.S.
PROFICIENCY
PROFICIENCY
ATTACHMENT
MINDFULNESS
RIGHTCOMPASSION
REMORSELESSNESS
LIVELIHOOD
NON-ATTACHMENT
SYMPATHETIC JOY
PSYCHIC LIFE
ONE POINTEDNESS
CONSCIENCE
RESOLUTION
CONFIDENCE
WISH-TO-DO
EQUANIMITY
PERCEPTION
OFOF
SUSTAINING
LOVINGKINDNESS
RECTITUDE
RECTITUDE
LIGHTNESS
ATTENTION
PLIANCYOF
OF M.S.
AVERSION
DELUSION
CONTACT
SPEECH
MODESTY
VOLITION
RIGHT OF
RIGHT OF
RESTLESSNESS
BELIEF
ACTION
AVARICE
PLIANCY
ADAPTABILITY
ADAPTABILITY
CONCEIT
RIGHTWISDOM
PROFICIENCY
PROFICIENCY
ATTACHMENT
MINDFULNESS
COMPASSION
FEELING
TORPOR
TRANQUILITY
TRANQUILITY
LIFE
CONNECTING
WORRY
DOUBT
CONSCIENCE
RESOLUTION
CONFIDENCE
WISH-TO-DO
ENVY SLOTH
EQUANIMITY
PERCEPTION
SUSTAINING
RECTITUDE
RECTITUDE
LIGHTNESS
LIGHTNESS
ATTENTION
ENVY
AVERSION
DELUSION
CONTACT
MODESTY
VOLITION
JOY
AVARICE
PLIANCY
PLIANCY
CONCEIT
WISDOM
PSYCHIC
FEELING
TORPOR
ENERGY
WRONG
WORRY
DOUBT
MORAL
SLOTH
# 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 47 48 49 50 51 52
accomp'd by pleasure, w/wrong view,unprompted 1 X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X 19
" " " " " " ,prompted 2 X #X X 1X 2X 3X 4X 5X 6X 7X 8X 9X 10 X 11
X 12
X 13X 14
X 15
X 16
X 17 18 19 20 21 22O23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 47 48 49 50 21 51 52
" accomp'd
" " by pleasure,
w.o./ " w/wrong view,unprompted 3
" ,unprompted X 1X X X X X X XX X X X X X X X X XX X X X X XX XX X X XX XX X X O X X 19 19
ROOTED IN " " " " "" " " " ","prompted " ,prompted 4 X 2X X X X X X XX X X X X X X X X XX X X X X XX XX X X XX XX X X O X X O O 21 21
ATTACHMENT " "
" " equanimity,w/wrong " w.o./ "
view,unprompted " ,unprompted 5 X 3 X X X X X X XX X X X X X X X X XX X X X XX XX X X XX XX XX X X O 18 19
ROOTED IN " " " " " "" " "" ,prompted ", prompted 6 X 4 X X X X X X XX X X X X X X X X XX X X X XX XX X X XX XX XX X X O O O 20 21
UNWHOLESOME
ATTACHMENT " " " " " equanimity,w/wrong
w.o./ " view,unprompted 7
",unprompted X 5 X X X X X X XX X X X X X X X X XX X XX XX X X X XX XX X X O X X 18 18
" " " "" " " " " ",prompted
" " ,prompted 8 X 6 X X X X X X XX X X X X X X X X XX X XX XX X X X XX XX X X O X X O O 20 20
UNWHOLESOME
ROOTED IN " " " " w.o./ "
" displeasure,w/ill-will,umprompted ",unprompted 9 X 7 X X X X X X XX X X X X X X X X XX X XX XX X X X XX X X X XX * O* * 20 18
AVERSION " " " "" " " " ",prompted " ",prompted 10 X 8 X X X X X X XX X X X X X X X X XX X XX XX X X X XX X X X XX * O* * O O 22 20
ROOTED IN ROOTED IN " "
" equanimity," displeasure,w/ill-will,umprompted
with doubts 11 X 9 X X X X X X XX X X X X X X X XX X X XX X XX XX X X X X * * *X 15 20
DELUSIONAVERSION " " " "" , "" restlessness
" " ,prompted 12 X 10X X XX XX XX XX XX XX XX XX X X XX X XX XX X X X X * * * O 15 22
EYE ROOTED wholesome,
IN accompanied
" by equanimity
" equanimity, with doubts 13 X 11
X X XX XX XX XX X X X X X X X X X X X 7 15
CONSCIOUSNESS DELUSIONunwholesome, " " " " " " , " restlessness 14 X 12
X X XX XX XX XX X X X X X X X X X X X 7 15
EAR EYEwholesome, wholesome," accompanied " "by equanimity 15 X 13
X X XX XX XX XX X X X 7 7
CONSCIOUSNESSCONSCIOUSNESS unwholesome,unwholesome, " "" " " " 16 X 14
NOSE EAR wholesome, wholesome," "" " " " 17 X 15
OF MINDOF MENTAL STATES
OF MIND OF MENTAL STATES

NON-AVERSION: LOVINGKINDNESS
MENTAL STATES
CONSCIOUSNESSCONSCIOUSNESS unwholesome,unwholesome, " "" " " " 18 X 16
GENEROSITY
MENTAL STATES
LIGHTNESS OF MENTAL STATES
TONGUE NOSE wholesome, wholesome," "" " " " 19 X 17
ROOTLESS RESULTANT
MENTAL STATES
STATES
SENSE SPHERE
MINDSTATES
unwholesome, " "" " " 20
LOVINGKINDNESS
CONSCIOUSNESS
OF MINDSTATES
CONSCIOUSNESS unwholesome, " X 18
X X XX XX XX XX X X X 7
MINDFULNESS, AWARENESS
7
GENEROSITY
CONSCIOUSNESS
MENTAL STATES
MIND STATES
CONSCIOUSNESS BODY TONGUE wholesome, wholesome," " " comfort " " 21 X 19
WISDOM
ROOTLESS RESULTANT
MIND
unwholesome, " " " pain " 22
STATES
CONSCIOUSNESS
OF MIND
SENSE SPHERE unwholesome, " X 20
X X XX XX XX XX X X X 7
OF MIND
CONSCIOUSNESS 7
AWARENESS
CONSCIOUSNESSRECEIVING wholesome, wholesome," " " equanimity 23
OF MENTAL
MENTAL
CONSCIOUSNESS BODY " comfort X 21
X X XX XX XX XX XX XX XX 10
NON-DELUSION: WISDOM
7
OF MENTAL
NON-ATTACHMENT:
CONFIDENCE, FAITH
LIVELIHOOD
JOY
unwholesome, " "" "" pain 24
MENTAL
CONSCIOUSNESS
MIND
unwholesome, X 22
X X XX XX XX XX XX XX XX 10
OF MENTALOF
CONSCIOUSNESS
OF MIND
7
OFMIND
TRANQUILITY OF
RIGHTNON-DELUSION:
wholesome, wholesome," "" "" equanimity 25
RIGHT SPEECH
MIND
RECEIVING X 23
X X XX XX XX XX XX XX XX X X X 10
OF OF
OF OF
10
ACTION
ADAPTABILITY
ADAPTABILITY
RIGHTSYMPATHETIC
NON-ATTACHMENT:
FAITH
PROFICIENCY
PROFICIENCY
RIGHTCOMPASSION
LIVELIHOOD
INVESTIGATING
TRANQUILITY
SYMPATHETIC JOY
unwholesome,unwholesome, " "" "" " 26 X 24
X X XX XX XX XX XX XX XX X X X
CONSCIENCE
CONSCIOUSNESS 10
EQUANIMITY
OFOF
10
RECTITUDE
RECTITUDE
LIGHTNESS
CONSCIOUSNESS
PLIANCYOF
wholesome, wholesome," " " pleasure 27
NON-AVERSION:
" " X 25
X X XX XX XX XX XX XX XX X XX X 11
SPEECH
MODESTY
10
RIGHT OF
RIGHT OF
ACTION
MINDFULNESS,
PLIANCY
ADAPTABILITY
ADAPTABILITY
PROFICIENCY
PROFICIENCY
COMPASSION
INVESTIGATING
28
TRANQUILITY
5 SENSE DOOR ADVERTING CONS. functional, w/equanimity
CONFIDENCE,
TRANQUILITY
unwholesome, " " " X 26
X X XX XX XX XX XX XX XX X X X 10
CONSCIENCE
10
EQUANIMITY
RECTITUDE
RECTITUDE
LIGHTNESS
LIGHTNESS
CONSCIOUSNESS
ROOTLESS FUNCTIONAL MIND DOOR ADVERTING CONS.,functional, wholesome, w/equanimity " " pleasure 29 X 27
X X XX XX XX XX XX XX XX XX X X X 11 11
MODESTY
PLIANCY
PLIANCY
CONSCIOUSNESS SMILE PRODUCING
5 SENSE DOOR CONS.,functional,
ADVERTING w/pleasure
CONS. functional, w/equanimity 30 X 28
X X XX XX XX XX XX XX XX XX XX X 12 10
ROOTLESS FUNCTIONAL MIND DOOR accomp'd
ADVERTING by pleasure, w/knowledge,unprompted
CONS.,functional, w/equanimity 31 X 29
X X XX XX XX XX XX XX XX XX XX XX X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X * * * O O X 38 11
CONSCIOUSNESS SMILE PRODUCING" CONS.,functional,
" " " w/pleasure
" ,prompted 32 X 30
X X X X X X XX X X X X X X X X XX X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X * * * O O X 38 12
" accomp'd
" " by w.o./
pleasure, "w/knowledge,unprompted
,unprompted 33 X 31
X X X X X X XX X X X X X X X X XX X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X XX X X X X X X XX XX X X XX XX X X XX X X XX X* X* X* O * O* * 37 O O X 38
" " "" " " " " " ,prompted " ,prompted 34 X 32X X X X X X XX X X X X X X X X XX X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X XX X X X X X X XX XX X X XX XX X X XX X X XX X* X* X* O * O* * 37 O O X 38
WHOLESOME
BEAUTIFUL SENSE " " "
" equanimity,w/ " w.o./
" "
,unprompted ,unprompted 35 X 33X X X X X X XX X X X X X X X X XX X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X XX X X X X X X XX XX X X XX XX X X XX X X XX X* X* X* O * O* *X 37O O 37
SPHERE CONSCIOUSNESS " " " "" "" "" ,prompted " ,prompted 36 X 34X X X X X X XX X X X X X X X X XX X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X XX X X X X X X XX XX X X XX XX X X XX X X XX X* X* X* O * O* *X O 37 O 37
WHOLESOME
BEAUTIFUL SENSE " " " "" equanimity,w/
w.o./ " ,unprompted " ,unprompted 37 X 35X X X X X X XX X X X X X X X X XX X X X X X X X X X X X X X X XX X X X X X X XX XX X X XX XX X X XX X X XX X* X* X* O * O* * O 36 O X 37
SPHERE CONSCIOUSNESS " " " "" " " " ",prompted " ,prompted 38 X 36X X X X X X XX X X X X X X X X XX X X X X X X X X X X X X X X XX X X X X X X XX XX X X XX XX X X XX X X XX X* X* X* O * O* * O 36 O X 37
RESULTANT same as # 31-38" above, " only resultant
" w.o./ " ,unprompted 39-46 X 37
consciousness X X XX XX XX XX X same X Xas X X X X
# 31-38 X X X X XX XX XX XX XX XX XX XX XX XX XX XX XX XX XX XX X X X * * *" O" O 36
FUNCTIONAL same as # 31-38" above, " only functional
" " consciousness
" ,prompted 47-54 X 38 X X XX XX XX XX X same X Xas X#31-38
X X X X X X X XX XX XX XX XX XX XX XX XX XX XX XX XX XX XX XX X X X *O *O *" O" O 36
RESULTANT sustaining,
first jhana w/connecting, same asjoy, # 31-38
comfort, above, only resultant consciousness
one-pointedness 55 X39-46
X X XX XX XX XX XX XX XX Xsame X asX # 31-38 X X X XX XX XX XX XX XX XX XX XX XX XX XX XX XX XX XX X X X O O X 35 " "
second jhanaFUNCTIONAL
w/ sustaining, joy, same as # 31-38
comfort above, only functional consciousness
and one-pointedness 56 X47-54
X X XX XX XX XX X XX XX Xsame X X as #31-38 X X X XX XX XX XX XX XX XX XX XX XX XX XX XX XX XX XX X X X O O X O 34 O " "
FINE MATERIAL WHOLESOME third jhana first jhana w/connecting,
consciousness with joy, sustaining,
comfort and joy, comfort, one-pointedness
one-pointedness 57 X 55
X X XX XX XX XX X X XX XX XX XX X X X X X X XX XX XX XX XX XX XX XX XX XX XX XX XX XX XX XX X X X O O X O 33 O X 35
SPHERE fourth jhana second jhana w/ sustaining,
consciousness with comfort joy,andcomfort and one-pointedness
X X XX XX XX XX X X XX X X XX X X X X X X XX XX XX XX XX XX XX XX XX XX XX XX XX XX XX XX X X X O O X O 32 O X 34
FINE MATERIAL
CONSCIOUSNESS WHOLESOME fifth jhanathird jhana consciousness
consciousness with joy,
with equanimity andcomfort and one-pointedness
X X XX XX XX XX X X XX X XX X X X X X X XX XX XX XX XX XX XX XX XX XX XX XX XX XX XX XX X X X X O 30 O X 33
SPHERE RESULTANT same as #fourth55-59, jhana
onlyconsciousness with comfort and one-pointedness
resultant consciousness 60-64 X 58X X XX XX XX XX X same X Xas #55-59X X X X X X XX XX XX XX XX XX XX XX XX XX XX XX XX XX XX XX X X X " " X O" O X 32
CONSCIOUSNESSFUNCTIONAL same as #fifth 55-59,jhana consciousness
only with equanimity and one-pointedness
functional consciousness 65-69 X 59X X XX XX XX XX X same X Xas #55-59X X X X X X XX XX XX XX XX XX XX XX XX XX XX XX XX XX XX XX X X X " " X " X 30
RESULTANTwholesome samejhana as consciousness
# 55-59, only dwelling
resultanton consciousness
the "infinity of space" 70 X60-64
X X XX XX XX XX X X XX Xsame X as #55-59 X X X XX XX XX XX XX XX XX XX XX XX XX XX XX XX XX XX X X X X 30" " X "
FUNCTIONALwholesome samejhana as cons.
# 55-59, only on
dwelling functional consciousness
the "infinity of consciousness" 71 X65-69
X X XX XX XX XX X X XX Xsame X as #55-59 X X X XX XX XX XX XX XX XX XX XX XX XX XX XX XX XX XX X X X X 30" " X "
WHOLESOME
IMMATERIAL SPHERE wholesome wholesome jhana consciousness
jhana consciousness dwelling on dwelling on the "infinity of space"
"nothingness" 72 X 70
X X XX XX XX XX X X XX X XX X X X X X XX XX XX XX XX XX XX XX XX XX XX XX XX XX XX XX X X X X 30 X 30
CONSCIOUSNESS wholesome wholesome
jhana cons. jhana cons."perception
wherein dwelling on neither
the "infinity
is norof is consciousness"
not" 73 X 71
X X XX XX XX XX X X XX X XX X X X X X XX XX XX XX XX XX XX XX XX XX XX XX XX XX XX XX X X X X 30 X 30
WHOLESOME
IMMATERIAL SPHERE RESULTANT wholesome
same as #70-73, onlyjhana consciousness
resultant consciousness dwelling on "nothingness" 74-77 X 72X X XX XX XX XX X X XX X XX X X X X X XX XX XX XX XX XX XX XX XX XX XX XX XX XX XX XX X X X X 30 X 30
CONSCIOUSNESSFUNCTIONAL wholesome
same as #70-73, onlyjhana cons. consciousness
functional wherein "perception neither is nor is not" 78-81 X 73X X XX XX XX XX X X XX X XX X X X X X XX XX XX XX XX XX XX XX XX XX XX XX XX XX XX XX X X X X 30 X 30
RESULTANTfirst stage, same
pathasof#70-73, only resultant
enlightenment throughconsciousness
jhanas1-5 82-86 X74-77
X X XX XX XX XX X same X Xas #55-59X X X X X X XX XX XX XX XX XX XX XX XX XX XX XX XX XX XX XX XX XX XX X X 30
FUNCTIONAL same as #70-73,
second stage,path only functional
of enlightenment through consciousness
jhanas 1-5 87-91 X78-81
X X XX XX XX XX X same X Xas #55-59X X X X X X XX XX XX XX XX XX XX XX XX XX XX XX XX XX XX XX XX XX XX X X 30
WHOLESOME
third stage, first stage,
path path of enlightenment
of enlightenment through
through jhanas 1-5jhanas1-5 92-96 X82-86
X X XX XX XX XX X same X Xas #55-59
same as #55-59 X X X XX XX XX XX XX XX XX XX XX XX XX XX XX XX XX XX XX XX XX X X XX X
SUPRAMUNDANE fourth stage,second pathstage,path of enlightenment
of enlightenment through jhanas through 1-5jhanas 1-5 97-101 X87-91
WHOLESOME
CONSCIOUSNESS fruition ofthird
first stage,
path ofpath of enlightenment
enlightenment, jhanasthrough
1-5 jhanas 1-5 102-106 X92-96
SUPRAMUNDANE fruition offourth
second stage,
path path of enlightenment
of enlightenment, jhanas through
1-5 jhanas 1-5 107-111 97-101
X X X XX XX XX XX X same X Xas #55-59
RESULTANT
CONSCIOUSNESS fruition offruition
third pathof first path of enlightenment,
of enlightenment, jhanas 1-5 jhanas 1-5 112-116 102-106
fruition offruition
fourth of pathsecond path of enlightenment,
of enlightenment, jhanas 1-5jhanas 1-5 117-121 107-111
RESULTANT
� 2010, Steven Armstrong fruition of third path of enlightenment, X -jhanas
Present1-5 in this consciousness. 112-116
O - MayXor X
mayXnotX arise
X X X consciousness.
in this same as #55-59 " - Same as the series above. * - One X X X three
of these X X at aXtime
X may
X X X XnotXarise
or may X inXthis
X consciousness.
X X X X X X X X
fruition of fourth path of enlightenment, jhanas 1-5 117-121 X X X X X X X same as #55-59 X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X
� 2010, Steven Armstrong X - Present in this consciousness. O - May or may not arise in this consciousness. " - Same as the series above. * - One of these three at a time may or may not arise in this consciousness.

Field Guide to the Mind: Consciousness and Mental Factors in Each, 11
Field Guide to the Mind: Consciousness and Mental Factors in Each, 11

Field Guide to the Mind: Feelings, Roots, Objects, Functions of All Consciousness, 12
FEELING ROOTS OBJECTS FUNCTION

vedana hetu alambana kicca
Immoral Moral Cognizable objects Five-fold sense
7- Relinking, rebirth consciousness

impressions
Neither pain nor pleasure, equan.

akusala kusala
Mental displeasure, domanassa
Pasada, sensitive part of organ

Non-aversion, lovingkindness
8- Life continuum, bhavanga

Non-attachment, generosity
CONSCIOUSNESS
Supramundane, nibbana
Physical comfort, sukha
Non-delusion, wisdom
Physical pain, dukkha
Sound, audible object
Odor, odorous object

Mental pleasure, joy
16- Decease, death

Form, visible object
Taste, sapid object
9- Apprehending
No roots, Amoral
12- Investigating
13- Determining
Consciousness
Tangible object
11- Receiving
15- Retention
Subtle matter
Mental states
10- Touching
10- Smelling
10- Hearing
Attachment
14- Javana
10- Tasting
10- Seeing
Concepts
Delusion
Aversion
joy, x-view, unprmt'd 1
joy, x-view, prmt'd 2
joy, unprompted 3
joy, prompted 4
ATTACHMENT
eq., x-view, unprmt'd 5
eq., x-view, prmt'd 6
UNWHOLESOME eq., unprompted 7
eq., prompted 8
AVERSION unprompted 9
prompted 10
doubt 11
DELUSION
restlessness 12
wholesome 13
EYE
unwholesome 14
wholesome 15
EAR
unwholesome 16
wholesome 17
NOSE
unwholesome 18
wholesome 19
ROOTLESS TONGUE
unwholesome 20
RESULTANT
wholesome, comfort 21
BODY
unwholesome, pain 22
wholesome, eq. 23
RECEIVING
unwholesome, eq. 24
wholesome, eq. 25 1
INVESTIGATING unwholesome, eq. 26 1
SENSE SPHERE wholesome, joy 27 2
CONSCIOUSNESS FIVE SENSE DOOR ADVERTING 28
ROOTLESS
MIND DOOR ADVERTING 29
FUNCTIONAL
SMILE PRODUCING 30
joy, knowledge, unp'd 31 3
joy, knowledge, prm'd 32 3
joy, unprompted 33
joy, prompted 34
WHOLESOME
eq., knowledge, unp'd 35 3
eq., knowledge, prm'd 36 3
eq., unprompted 37
eq., prompted 38
joy, knowledge, unp'd 39
joy, knowledge, prm'd 40
joy, unprompted 41
BEAUTIFUL joy, prompted 42
SENSE SPHERE RESULTANT
eq., knowledge, unp'd 43
CONSCIOUSNESS eq., knowledge, prm'd 44
eq., unprompted 45
eq., prompted 46
joy, knowledge, unp'd 47
joy, knowledge, prm'd 48
joy, unprompted 49
joy, prompted 50
FUNCTIONAL
eq., knowledge, unp'd 51
eq., knowledge, prm'd 52
eq., unprompted 53
eq., prompted 54
Field Guide to the Mind: Feelings, Roots, Objects, Functions of All Consciousness, 12
1ST JHANA
2ND JHANA
55
56
WHOLESOME 3RD JHANA 57
4TH JHANA 58
5TH JHANA 59 3
1ST JHANA 60 4
FINE MATERIAL 2ND JHANA 61 4
SPHERE
SPHERE RESULTANT 3RD JHANA 62 4
CONSCIOUSNESS
CONSCIOUSNESS 4TH JHANA 63 4
5TH JHANA 64 4
1ST JHANA 65
2ND JHANA 66
FUNCTIONAL 3RD JHANA 67
4TH JHANA 68
5TH JHANA 69
INFINITE SPACE 70
INFINITE CONSCIOUSNESS 71 5
WHOLESOME
NOTHINGNESS 72
NEITHER PERCEPTION NOR NON-PER. 73 5
INFINITE SPACE 74 6
IMMATERIAL
INFINITE CONSCIOUSNESS 75 5 6
SPHERE RESULTANT
NOTHINGNESS 76 6
CONSCIOUSNESS NEITHER PERCEPTION NOR NON-PER. 77 5 6
INFINITE SPACE 78
INFINITE CONSCIOUSNESS 79 5
FUNCTIONAL
NOTHINGNESS 80
NEITHER PERCEPTION NOR NON-PER. 81 5
1st jhana 82
2nd jhana 83
FIRST STAGE 3rd jhana 84
ENLIGHTENMENT
4th jhana 85
5th jhana 86
1st jhana 87
2nd jhana 88
SECOND STAGE
ENLIGHTENMENT
3rd jhana 89
4th jhana 90
5th jhana 91
WHOLESOME
1st jhana 92
2nd jhana 93
THIRD STAGE 3rd jhana 94
ENLIGHTENMENT
4th jhana 95
5th jhana 96
1st jhana 97
2nd jhana 98
FOURTH STAGE
3rd jhana 99
ENLIGHTENMENT
4th jhana 100
SUPRAMUNDANE 5th jhana 101
CONSCIOUSNESS 1st jhana 102
2nd jhana 103
FIRST STAGE 3rd jhana 104
ENLIGHTENMENT
4th jhana 105
5th jhana 106
1st jhana 107
2nd jhana 108
SECOND STAGE
ENLIGHTENMENT
3rd jhana 109
4th jhana 110
5th jhana 111
RESULTANT
1st jhana 112
2nd jhana 113
THIRD STAGE 3rd jhana 114
ENLIGHTENMENT
4th jhana 115
5th jhana 116
1st jhana 117
2nd jhana 118
FOURTH STAGE 3rd jhana 119
ENLIGHTENMENT
4th jhana 120
5th jhana 121
1- There is no investigation at the moment of re-linking #25, #26. 7- Re-linking (patisandhi) serves the function of re-linking a past life with a current life. Often called rebirth consciousness.
2- Functions as retention when the object is desireable #27. 8- Life-continuum (bhavanga) preserves the continuity of individuality from birth to death. It passively carries individual existence
3- All objects except the fourth stage (arahatta) enlightenment wholesome and resultant consciousness. from moment to moment unless there is an active cognitive process of the sense or mind doors operating.
4- Perform the function of death in the fine material sphere. 9- Adverting (āvajjana) is the function of the turning of the mind toward an object that impinges at one of the sense or mind doors.
5- The 2nd and 4th immaterial jhanas have the 1st and 3rd immaterial jhanas as their objects respectively. 10- The cognition of the bare sense data at a sense door, ie. 'seeing', 'hearing', 'smelling', 'tasting', 'touching'.
6- Perform the function of death in the immaterial sphere. 11- Receiving (sampaticchana) is the function in a cognitive process of receiving the sense object.
12- Investigating (santīrana) is the function in a cognitive process of investigating the sense object.
13- Determining (votthapana) is the function in a cognitive process of determining the sense object.
14- Impulsion (javana) is the function of kammic response to an object in a cognitive process in beings not fully enlightened .
In fully enlightened beings, no kamma is created.
15- Retention (tadārammana) is the function of 'taking as object' a prominent sense object or a very clear mind object.
16- Death (cuti) performs the function of the passing away of an individual existence.

Living in the Material World:
Welcome to the Human Body (rūpa)
In the Buddha’s teaching, right relationship to the body With greater continuity of attention and strength of
plays an important even significant role. The Buddha offered awareness, we begin to “see” or experience the movement,
instruction and guidance on how to care for the body wisely inflation, deflation, etc., of the abdomen. This is knowing the
without pampering by attachment or neglecting and harming manner or mode of the rising-falling abdomen.
by aversion. Monastic rules guide monks on how, when,
how much and why to eat. Instruction in developing the Finally, with sufficient steadiness of attention (samādhi),
“perception of the unbeautiful” aspect of the body was offered awareness penetrates through the conceptual veils and
as an antidote to excessive lusting. Daily reflection on the experiences the pushing, stretching, tightness, tingling, heat,
facts of ageing, illness and inevitable death of the body was pressure, etc., of the rising-falling. This is knowing the inherent
encouraged. All these teachings deal with the relative reality nature (sabhāva) of the body at that time and location. At this
of living skillfully with a body. point true Vipassanā begins!
Yet, the Buddha was also insistent on pointing out wrong view Only gradually are we able to sustain continuity of awareness
of the body, e.g., “…he regards material form as self, or self as and penetrate the veils of delusion, thereby strengthening the
possessed of material form, or material form as in self, or self as realization of the nature of the body. In time, the anatomical
in material form…” overlay of what is being experienced recedes into the
background of the mind. It can be rather unsettling to be
To arrive at right view of body requires that one practice fully aware of the direct experience of the body without an
awareness of the body and development of penetrating understanding of what is occurring anatomically. With further
insight into the individual as well as universal characteristics practice, strength of equanimity grows and insight becomes
of material elements of the body. Empirical knowledge of the possible.
body is challenging in part because of the massive layers of
delusion in the form of concepts about the body, beginning
but not limited to our anatomical map of the body, our
identification with appearance, size, functioning, etc. While
these conceptual understandings are useful for maintaining
health, beauty, etc., they are less useful in realizing right view
of the body. Right view here means an understanding that
leads to the end of suffering, particularly the dis-identification
of body with self, in self, etc.
The Buddha’s instruction for developing insightful

understanding of the true nature of the body is to pay
attention to the phenomenological experience of the body,
i.e., what the body actually feels like. So, for example, we
direct our attention to the rise and fall of the abdomen
as we breathe in and out. Initially, because attention is
weak, mindfulness is discontinuous and delusion is thick,
an anatomical map of what is happening in the abdomen
predominates in our mind. What we see (or imagine) is the
size, shape, location, etc., of organs as known through study of
anatomy. This is knowledge of form.

When no longer limited by the conceptual view of the body, A glimpse of what to expect when one develops steady
true knowledge arises. It is here, now that the fleeting, mindful observation of the body is revealed by Fritjof Capra in
impermanent (anicca) nature of all physical experience The Turning Point. He states,
is known. Dukkha, the painful or unreliable nature of the
body is also vividly apparent. The conditional nature or “Subatomic particles are not made of any material
uncontrollability (anatta) of the body is also realized. These substance. They have a certain mass but this mass is a
three are known as the universal characteristics of all form of energy. Energy however is always associated
conditioned, mental and physical phenomenon. with processes, with activity; it is a measure of activity.
Subatomic particles, then, are bundles of energy,
Through study and reflection we may know that things or patterns of activity. The energy patterns of the
are impermanent, etc., but this is conceptual knowledge. subatomic world form stable atomic and molecular
Useful for getting by in our ordinary lives, but insufficient for structures, which build up matter and give it its
liberating the mind from the attachment and identification macroscopic solid appearance thus making us believe
with the body that causes suffering. The insightful that it is made of some material substance. At the
understandings of anicca, dukkha, anatta are not common everyday, macroscopic level, the notion of a substance
empirical knowledge unless one practices awareness and is quite useful, but at the atomic level it no longer makes
insight. sense. Atoms consist of particles and these particles
are not made of any material stuff. When we observe
Through the practice of awareness, one comes to know the them, we never see any substance; what we observe
body as the Buddha revealed in the Abhidhamma. Actual are dynamic patterns continually changing into one
empirical sensations within the body are metaphorically another — a continuous dance of energy.”
expressed as elements of earth (hardness, softness, etc.), air
(pulsing, pressing, vibrating, etc.), fire (heat, coolness, etc.), This journey of discovery is the practice of awareness and
and water (stickiness, cohesion, etc.). The sources or causes of unfolding process of insight.
these material elements are discovered to be kamma (inborn
or due to being born), environmental, nutritional or mental.
Additional knowledge of materiality is gradually acquired
through awareness.
A comprehensive empirical knowledge of the body (and other

material experience) allows dis-identification and letting go
of ownership of the body in a way that frees one from the
suffering of attachment.

KAMMA BORN MIND BORN HEAT BORN FOOD
VOCAL COMMUNICATION-10
BODILY COMMUNICATION-9
mat'l w/basis or w.o./basis
mat'l w/controlling faculty
inseparable or separable
kamma born,grasped at
BODILY INTIMATION-12
VOCAL INTIMATION-13
Born of Consciousness
MATERIALITY
personal or external
visible or invisible
MASCULINITY-10
Born of Kamma
gross; S:subtle
LIGHTNESS-11
LIGHTNESS-11
LIGHTNESS-11
mat'l w/door
Born of Food
Born of Heat
FEMINITY-10
TONGUE-10
take object
SOUND-12
SOUND-9
BODY-10
NOSE-10
BASE-10
VITAL-9
EAR-10
PURE-8
PURE-8
PURE-8
EYE-10
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 1 2 3 4 5 6 1 2 3 4 1 2 P: B: D: CF: G: GR: V: O: I: K: C: H: F:
EARTH 1 X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X G GR I K C H F
WATER 2 X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X S GR I K C H F
4 PRIMARY ELEMENTS
FIRE 3 X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X G GR I K C H F
AIR 4 X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X G GR I K C H F
EYE 5 X P B D CF G GR O K
EAR 6 X P B D CF G GR O K
SENSITIVE
NOSE 7 X P B D CF G GR O K
ELEMENTS
TONGUE 8 X P B D CF G GR O K
BODY 9 X P B D CF G GR O K
FORM/COLOR 10 X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X G GR V I K C H F
24 SECONDARY
STIMULATING SOUND 11 X X X X G C H
ELEMENTS (directly
conditioned)
ELEMENTS ODOUR 12 X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X G GR I K C H F
TASTE 13 X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X G GR I K C H F
GENDER FEMININITY 14 X CF S GR K
ELEMENTS MASCULINITY 15 X CF S GR K
MIND BASE ELEMENT-HEART 16 X B S GR K
LIFE ELEMENT-VITAL PRINCIPLE 17 X X X X X X X X X CF S GR K
NUTRIMENT ELEMENT-FOOD 18 X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X S GR I K C H F
SPACE ELEMENT 19 S GR K C H F
COMMUNICATIVE BODY 20 X X D S C
ELEMENTS SPEECH 21 X X D S C
LIGHTNESS 22 X X X X X X S C H F
ALTERABLE
(indirectly conditioned)
SOFTNESS 23 X X X X X X S C H F
ELEMENTS
ADAPTABILITY 24 X X X X X X S C H F
PRODUCTIVITY 25 S
PHASIC CONTINUITY 26 S
ELEMENTS DECAY 27 S
IMPERMANENCE 28 S
10 10 10 10 10 10 10 10 9 8 9 10 11 12 13 8 9 11 12 8 11 5 6 7 8 12 18 1 5 8 18 15 13 12
External, inanimate material world Y Y* R: re-linking
Sense sphere beings L L L L L L L L L+ L+ L+ L+ L+ L+ L L L L L L O: when gender is missing
Sense sphere - womb born L L L L L/C L/C/O L/C L L+ L+ L+ L+ L+ L+ X L L L L# L# C: arises at conception
Sense sphere: (moisture born & (max.) L/C L/C L/C L/C L/C L/C L/C L L+ L+ L+ L+ L+ L+ X L L L L* L* L*: when one swallows saliva
spontaneous births at conception) (min.) L/C L/C L/C L L+ L+ L+ L+ L+ L+ X L L L L* L* L#: begins with mother's nutriment
Fine material sphere R R R R L+ L+ L+ L+ L+ L+ X L L L Y* :. non-vocal sound, eg. wind, rain,...
Mindless sphere R L L: arises during life dependent on circumstances
Immaterial sphere X: begins at static phase of re-linking consciousness
L+: arises with the 1st consciousness after conception
Field Guide to the MInd: Table of Material Elements, Page 15

Objects of Awareness
A meditator’s (partial) lexicon of unique characteristics (sabhāva)
PHYSICAL, MATERIALITY, Attitudes of mind:

QUALITIES OF SENSATIONS (rūpa) Grappling with, struggling with, reacting to, resistance to,
expecting, anticipating, wishing for
Earth Element:
Hoping, searching for, indecisive, doubtful, disturbed,
Hardness, prickly, softness, velvety, lightness, rigidity,
yearning, dreading, skirting around
gentleness, harshness, tenderness, stinging, floating, pin-
Frustrated, disappointed, apprehensive, fearful, questioning,
pricks, itching, piercing, stabbing, cracking, crunchy, gritty
defensive, enduring, waiting for
Air Element:
Allowing, receiving, opening, accepting, acknowledging,
Stiffness, tension, pushing, pulling, relaxation, bending,
bearing with, putting up with, persevering
stretching, pulsation, vibration, movement, tightness,
Balanced, attentive, focusing, willing, indulging, calm,
releasing, tautness, throbbing, vibrating, pulsating, quivering,
collected, non-reactive, tolerating, patient
tingling, pressure, aching, expanding, squeezing, twisting,
stretching, simmering, numbness, smoothness
Feelings:
Fire Element:
Relief, struggle, confused, dull, disgusted, deprived, annoyed,
Heat, warmth, cold, coolness, lightness, gentleness, subtlety,
angry, averse, sad, vulnerable, perplexed,
levitation, floating, chills, hot
Anxious, agitated, restless, stressed, tired, depleted, drained,
Water Element:
numb, fearful, fatigued, disinterested, Ashamed, self-
Wetness, stickiness, solidity, heaviness, cohesion, flowing,
conscious, loss,
melting, bubbling, gurgling, sinking, mushy
Exhilarated, excited, ecstatic, blissed out, gratified, creative,
refreshed, energized, balanced, at ease OK, kindly, grateful,
OTHER SENSE DOORS
joyful, awe, generous, confident, clear, bright, light, insightful,
Seeing, Hearing, Smelling, Tasting (salty, sour, sweet, bitter, crisp, concise, Faithful, relaxed, comfortable, content, calm,
spicy, umami, succulent) peaceful, joyful, rapturous, erotic, happy, delighted.
MIND AND MENTAL STATES (citta, cetasika) UNCONDITIONED (Nibbāna) [from Manual of Insight by
Mahasi Sayadaw]
Cognitive processes:
Thinking, planning, remembering, scheming, strategizing, Nibbāna is said to be the non-arising of conditioned mental
fantasizing, embellishing, imagining, and physical phenomena, that is, the cessation of the objects
Narrating, rehearsing, preparing, commenting, recalling, and the noting mind, i.e., phenomena that perceive or are
calculating, acknowledging, recognizing being perceived. However, one perceives Nibbāna that
Knowing, explaining, figuring-out, analyzing, justifying, story- becomes manifest as the signless. As an unconditioned
telling, interpreting, perceiving reality, the nature of Nibbāna is cessation with the unique
Comparing, evaluating, preferring, condemning, listing, characteristic of peacefulness.
counting, enumerating
Projecting, wishing for, approving, criticizing, denying,
assuming, speculating

The Stream of Life through Birth and Death (citta-vīthi)
Mental life, the flowing stream of consciousness is an The fundamental understanding of the mind is that this
extremely rapid fluxing of the arising and passing away of stream of consciousness, generally speaking, carries the life
successive moments of consciousness with attendant mental force of an individual from birth (conception) to death. The
states. The particular sequence of moments of consciousness energy of the life force without reference to any sense object
is conditioned by kamma, the elements of material reality, in the present moment is called the bhavanga, the life force.
intention, development of mind (concentration and insight), (I am not aware that there is anything like this in Western
etc. understanding of mind.) It is the fluxing of raw consciousness.
It is what occurs when one is in a deep dreamless sleep. It is
A brief description of the stream during sense door activation, what the mind falls into when it is not activated by a current
mind door activation and the successive streams necessary for sense object, e.g., sight, sound, thought, etc. In fact, it is
mentally constructing ordinary, consensual reality is helpful. understood that the mind falls into bhavanga (life continuum
Within the stream of consciousness, individual moments or LC) for an indefinite length of time between each active
of consciousness perform different functions resulting in a cognitive mental process.
particular sequence of activity. A brief description follows of
the functions as they are revealed in analyzing a particular H1: So, along horizontal line #1, notated as H1, we see the
sequence of the stream. fluxing of continuous LC: the dormant life force in the mind
not being activated for the period of time necessary to run a
[See Table of Stream of Consciousness.] cognitive process, i.e., 17 moments of consciousness.
This chart shows the sequence of the arising of different

functions performed by individual moments of consciousness
to create a stream of consecutive cognitive processes that
eventually result in the creation of a consensual reality. I will
be referring to horizontal sequences numbered along the left
hand column. The key to each moment of consciousness is on
the right. Each square represents a single moment of arising of
an individual consciousness. For these purposes we are most
interested in the function performed within the stream rather
than which of the 121 types of consciousness can serve the
particular function.

H2 is the cognitive process in the mind when a visible object H3 shows the cognitive process in the mind stream if the
calls our attention. The sequence of 17 mind moments object is (just) a great object without the two (2) moments of
emerging out of continuous fluxing of the life continuum is as retention/registration rather than a very great object.
follows:
1: Plc: a moment of the life continuum passes H4 and H5 show the stream for weaker objects. Weaker
2: Vlc: the life continuum vibrates (with the arising objects do not result in clearly recognizing the object;
of the visible object) therefore, ethical impulsions do not arise.
3: Alc: the life continuum is arrested, it stops
fluxing. H6 shows the stream when the mind door is activated (by
4: 5A: is the moment of adverting the mind to the a thought, idea, image, etc.). Notice that the mind stream
sense door being stimulated is quicker than a sense door stream due to the fact that
5: eye: seeing consciousness happens mental content is already in the mind; it does not have to
6: Rc: the seen object is received into the mind be received, investigated and determined. Nevertheless, the
7: I: the object is investigated by the mind to… ethical impulsions follow upon the mind turning to the mental
8: D: determine whether it is familiar or not, object. A clear mental object will be retained by the mind;
painful or pleasant, etc. an obscure object (H7) will not be retained by the mind even
9-15: J: 7 javana are the ethical impulsions in relation though there has been an ethical relationship to it.
to the object. All 7 are alike in any particular
cognitive process. If the mind is untrained, During dreaming without knowing (H8), the mind merely
the ethical impulsion will be habitual, turns to the mental object but does not take it in, so there is
i.e., attachment to pleasurable stimulus, no ethical relationship to it. During dreams where knowing
aversion to unpleasant stimulus or ignorance happens (H9), ethical impulsions will follow, but since the
of neutral stimulus. If one is mindfully intention is weak, the kammic consequences will be minimal.
aware, the mind will respond with clarity,
understanding, non-attachment and non-
aversion to all objects. It is said the ethical
impulsions are the very strong reactions (if
unwholesome) or responses (if wholesome)
to the object. It is where new kamma is
created. Dependant on the quality of ethical
impulsion, the result will be pleasant if
wholesome, unpleasant if unwholesome. The
result will be experienced both immediately
and at an indefinite number of unpredictable
moments in the future.
16,17: R: The object is registered or retained in the
mind when the object is very great, i.e.,
noticeable.
LC The mind falls again into fluxing of the life
continuum.

Creation of Relative Reality
The 8 cognitive processes, stream sequences between H10 and H17, show
STREAM OF CONSCIOUSNESS KEY
the mental activity needed to construct a piece of ordinary reality and have
a recognized affective relationship to it. Between each of these cognitive … … 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 … … number of thought moments Ad Adaptation/ conformity
processes, the mind once again lapses into life continuum for an indefinite, 1 … LC LC LC LC LC LC LC LC LC LC LC LC LC LC LC LC LC LC LC … deep, dreamless sleep Alc Arresting life continuum
though brief, period of time.
2 … LC Plc Vlc Alc 5A eye Rc I D J J J J J J J R R LC … eye door stream, very great object Chg Change of lineage
3 … LC Plc Plc Vlc Alc 5A ear Rc I D J J J J J J J LC LC … ear door stream, great object D Determining
H10: the sense door (eye) is activated by the sense object (sight) giving rise
to “seeing” 4 … LC Plc Plc Plc Plc Vlc Alc 5A nose Rc I D D D LC LC LC LC LC … nose door stream, slight object Dth Death
H11: the seen object is imprinted on the mind 5 … LC Plc Plc Plc Plc Plc Plc Plc Plc Plc Plc Plc Plc Plc Plc Plc Vlc Vlc LC … body door stream, very slight object ear Ear consciousness
H12: the mind synthesizes the various sense data that has come in through 6 … LC Plc Vlc Alc M J J J J J J J R R LC LC LC LC LC … mind door stream, clear object eye Eye consciousness
the door
7 … LC Plc Vlc Alc M J J J J J J J LC LC LC LC LC LC LC … mind door stream, obscure object F Fruition
H13: the mind recognizes the color and/or shape of the object, i.e., sabhāva
H14: the mind grasps the concept of what is seen, e.g., “food” 8 … LC Vlc Vlc M M M LC LC LC LC LC LC LC LC LC LC LC LC LC … dreaming, not knowing I Investigating
H15: the mind recognizes the concept of what is seen, e.g., “fruit” 9 … LC Vlc Vlc M J J J J J J J R R LC LC LC LC LC LC … dreaming, knowing J Javana, ethical impulsion
H16: the mind grasps the name of what is seen, e.g., “banana” 10 … LC Plc Vlc Alc 5A eye Rc I D J J J J J J J R R LC … sense door avenue stream Jh Jhāna, ecstatic concentration
H17: the mind recognizes the name “banana” and relates to it with desire,
11 … LC Plc Vlc Alc M J J J J J J J R R LC LC LC LC LC … conformational mind door process LC Life continuum/ bhavanga
aversion or clear understanding and equanimity.
12 … LC Plc Vlc Alc M J J J J J J J R R LC LC LC LC LC … synthesizing mind door stream M Mind door adverting cons.
Note that only in H10 is the mind in contact with ordinary sensual reality, i.e., 13 … LC Plc Vlc Alc M J J J J J J J R R LC LC LC LC LC … recognizing the color nose Nose consciousness
the eye is in contact with a visible object; “seeing” is happening. Subsequent 14 … LC Plc Vlc Alc M J J J J J J J R R LC LC LC LC LC … grasping the entity (meaning) Path Enlightenment
to that, the mind is massaging mental data only, i.e., colors, shapes, 15 … LC Plc Vlc Alc M J J J J J J J R R LC LC LC LC LC … Plc Passed life continuum
recognizing the entity (meaning)
perceptions, concepts, names, liking, disliking, etc. The ethical impulsions
16 … LC Plc Vlc Alc M J J J J J J J R R LC LC LC LC LC … grasping the name Pr Purification, prior to higher enlight.
(7 Javanas) of H10-H16 are toward the mental content of the process rather
than toward a “banana.” Liking or disliking the “banana” occurs only in H17. 17 … LC Plc Vlc Alc M J J J J J J J R R LC LC LC LC LC … recognizing the name, judgment Prp Preparation for higher cons.
18 … LC Vlc Alc M Prp Px Ad Chg Jh LC LC LC LC LC LC LC LC LC LC … first time attaining jhāna Px Proximate to higher cons./ access
Now, imagine that every sense door is constantly being bombarded by 19 … LC Vlc Alc M Prp Px Ad Chg any # jhāna consciousness LC LC LC LC … developed jhāna R Retention/ registration
sense stimulation and the mind is incessantly processing everything that is
20 … LC Vlc Alc M Prp Px Ad Chg Path F F LC LC LC LC LC LC LC LC … stream at first stage enlightenment Rc Receiving consciousness
coming in as well as reflecting on it all in order to create the “ordinary reality”
21 … LC Vlc Alc M Prp Px Ad Pr Path F F LC LC LC LC LC LC LC LC … stream at higher stage enlightenment R-L Re-linking, rebirth cons.
that we all take for granted as being how we think it is. Hey, no wonder
we’re tired! The amazing thing is, this all happens automatically for most of 22 … LC Vlc Alc M Ad Ad Ad Ad any # fruition consciousness LC LC LC LC … developed fruition Vlc Vibrating life continuum
us, unseen by our untrained attention and not understood by our heavily 23 … LC Vlc Alc M Prp Px Ad Chg Jh Jh (cessation…) F LC LC LC LC … nirodhasamapatti stream X Nothing arising onwards
deluded mind. 24 … LC Vlc Alc M J J J J J R R Dth R-L LC LC LC LC LC LC 5A Five sense door adverting cons.
stream at death
LC LC LC LC LC LC LC LC LC LC M J J J J J J J LC … ( ) An indefinite amount.
When we begin to train attention to stabilize more continuously on the
intended object, the habits of mind exert a tremendous conditioning effect, 25 … LC Vlc Alc M J J J J J Dth X X X X X X X X X X usual stream at death of arahat
making it difficult to stay just with the intended object. The processes of 26 … LC Vlc Alc M Prp Px Ad Chg any # of jhāna consciousness Dth X X X death of arahat after jhāna
creating ordinary reality still try to run, but the strength of the intention 27 … LC Vlc Alc M Prp Px Ad Pr Path F F LC LC LC LC Vlc Alc M J attaining full enlightenment at death
to stay on the object slowly develops to prevent it. In order to stay
J J J J J J LC LC LC Vlc Alc M J J J J J Dth X X
continuously with an intended object, some degree of processing ordinary
reality must be sacrificed. This accounts for many of the dramatic effects
experienced by meditators as they begin to train attention not to process
Field Guide to the Mind: Stream of Consciousness, Page 19
ordinary reality.
H 18-27 offer a view of fluxing of consciousness when developing jhāna, at

the stages of enlightenment, at sustained cessation of mind & body, at death
and when an arahat dies or upon attaining full enlightenment at death.
Death, Re-Linking and the Stream of Consciousness
….……..………………….…..Passing Life } {Fresh existence…..…………………………………………………………………………….
Arresting Life Continuum

Vibrating Life Continuum
Re-Linking to New Life

Death Consciousness
Mind Door Adverting
Mind Door Adverting

Ethical Impulsion
Ethical Impulsion
Ethical Impulsion
Ethical Impulsion
Ethical Impulsion
Ethical Impulsion
Life Continuum
Life Continuum
Life Continuum
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Retention
Retention
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..Lc Lc VL AL M Im Im Im Im Im Rt Rt D RL Lc Lc Lc Lc Lc Lc Lc Lc Lc Lc Lc Lc Lc Lc Lc Lc M Im Im Im Im Im Im Im Lc ...
1 1 2 3 4 5 5 5 5 5 6 6 7 8 9 9 9 9 9 9 9 9 9 9 9 9 9 9 9 9 10 11 11 11 11 11 11 11 12 12
1 Life continuum of passing life flowing toward death.

2 Life continuum vibrates with last mind object.
3 Life continuum of passing life is arrested.
4 Mind Door Adverting Consciousness: At the moment of death, by the power of kamma, one of the following presents itself
through the appropriate door: 1) kamma - mind door, 2) kamma nimitta: a sense object at the time of performing kamma
appears at anyone of the six sense doors, or 3) gati nimitta- sign of destiny and the life continuum vibrates.
5 This psychologically important process of five ethical impulsions lacks all reproductive power. Its function is the regulation of the
new existence, ie. The thought/object during this process conditions re-linking consciousnes.
6 These two moments of retention of the perceived object may or may not occur.
7 Death consciousness is the last moment of the passing life. It is the same as all the other life continuum moments of this life. This
moment serves the death function. At this point, no further material qualities born of the mind and food are produced. Only a
series of material qualities born of heat goes on until the corpse is reduced to dust. The advent of death may be timely by
1) expiration of age limit, 2) expiration of reproductive kammic force, or 3) simultaneous 1 & 2; or untimely by 4) intervention of
destructive kamma. Death is the temporary end of a temporary phenomenon, not the complete annihilation of a being. Death in
one place means birth in another place.
8 Re-linking consciousness in a fresh existence. This moment takes the same object as the last object taken in the previous life.
All of the life continuum moments of the fresh existence will be of the same quality as this re-linking consciousness.
9 A series of 16 life continuum moments with the same object and mental concomitants as the re-linking consciousness.
10 The mind takes an object from the fresh existence.
11 A series of 7 ethical impulsions develops a liking to the fresh existence.
12 Life continuum flows on in the absence of a thought process uninterruptedly like a stream until the arising of the death
consciousness. Just as here, so again in the subsequent existence there arise re-linking consciousness, life continuum, thought
processes and death consciousness revolving according to circumstances like a wheel.
The enlightened, disciplining themselves long, understanding the impermanence of life,

will realize the deathless state- nibbana, and completely cutting off the fetters of attachment, attain peace.
[Material from this section referenced from Manual of Abhidhamma by Narada Maha Thera.]
Field Guide to the Mind: Death, Re-linking and the Stream of Consciousness, 20

What Goes Around Comes Around (kamma)
Kamma, the law of cause-effect, is one of the operant Insight practice gradually transforms the mind, eliminating
relationships conditioning the stream of consciousness. It some consciousness and strengthening others. The table of
operates at all times, whether one is aware of it or believes it Who Experiences What? reveals what to expect on the path
or not. Within the Abhidhamma, kamma is spoken about with ahead (p. 22).
some detail usually omitted from discourses.
“And what is kamma that is neither dark nor bright with
The understanding of kamma from the Abhidhamma offers neither dark nor bright result, leading to the ending of
support for practice and a way of understanding the vast kamma? Right view, Right intention, Right speech, Right
range of known experiences without personalizing them to action, Right livelihood, Right effort, Right mindfulness,
one’s self. Right view of the vastness of time and space and the Right concentration. This is called kamma that is neither
planes of existence that constitute samsāra offers a sobering dark nor bright with neither dark nor bright result,
assessment and inspiration for diligence in practice. As much leading to the ending of kamma.” — Buddha in AN
as the law of kamma offers a lesson from the past, it also offers 4.235
an opportunity for the future. It is through practice that one
takes the maximum benefit from the lessons offered.
Refer to the Chart of Flowing Kamma (p. 23) to observe the

following:
• 29 types of consciousness are active kamma creation #1-
12, 31-38, 55-59, 70-73.
• 32 types of consciousness serve as kamma result #13-27,
39-46, 60-64, 74-77.
• 19 types of consciousness serve as re-linking (rebirth)
consciousness for beings taking birth in the 31 planes of
existence #25, 26, 39-46, 60-64, 74-77.
While the re-linking consciousness carries the underlying

personality structure of beings (See p. 29, Buddhist Personality
Types: Mental Legacies via Continuity Conditioning), prior
kamma lays dormant until supportive conditions give rise to it
appearing as:
The four functions kamma may play in a being’s life are:

1. Reproductive kamma
2. Supportive kamma
3. Obstructive kamma
4. Destructive kamma
The order of kamma giving rise to effects is observable to

meditators:
1. Weighty kamma
2. Proximate kamma
3. Habitual kamma
4. Reserve kamma

INDIVIDUALS
INDIVIDUALS PLANES OF OF
PLANES
Unenlightened Enlightened EXISTENCE
Unenlightened Enlightened EXISTENCE
Rootless w/ Roots Trainees
Rootless w/ Roots Trainees
Unhappy states
enterer
Sphere
returner
Happy states
Material
Non-returner
Unhappy states
roots
Onceenterer
FineImmaterial
FineSphere
returner
Two roots
Happy states
Material
Non-returner
Streamroots
CONSCIOUSNESS
Arahat
Immaterial
roots
CONSCIOUSNESS
Arahat
Three
Sense
Three
Stream
Two
Sense
Once
with wrong view 1,2,5,6
ATTACHMENT
withoutwith wrong
wrong view 3,4,7,8
view 1,2,5,6
ATTACHMENT
UNWHOLESOME AVERSION without wrong view 9,103,4,7,8
UNWHOLESOME AVERSIONdoubt 11 9,10
DELUSION
restlessness
doubt 12 11
DELUSION
EYE restlessness 13,14 12
EAREYE 15,1613,14
NOSE EAR 17,1815,16
ROOTLESS
SENSE RESULTANT
TONGUE NOSE 19,2017,18
ROOTLESS
SENSE
SPHERE RESULTANT
BODYTONGUE 21,2219,20
RECEIVINGBODY 23,2421,22
SPHERE
CONSCIOUSNESS
INVESTIGATING 25,26,27
RECEIVING 23,24
CONSCIOUSNESS FIVE SENSEINVESTIGATING
DOOR ADVERTING 2825,26,27
ROOTLESS
MIND DOOR ADVERTING
FIVE SENSE DOOR ADVERTING 29 28
FUNCTIONAL
ROOTLESS SMILE PRODUCING
MIND DOOR ADVERTING 30 29
FUNCTIONAL WHOLESOME 31-38 30
SMILE PRODUCING
with knowledge 39,40,43,44
BEAUTIFUL RESULTANT WHOLESOME 31-38
without knowledge 41,42,45,46
with knowledge 39,40,43,44
BEAUTIFUL RESULTANT
FUNCTIONAL 47-54
without knowledge 41,42,45,46
WHOLESOME 55-59
FINE MATERIAL FUNCTIONAL 47-54
RESULTANT 60-64 1
CONSCIOUSNESS WHOLESOME 55-59
FINE MATERIAL FUNCTIONAL 65-69
RESULTANT 60-64 1
CONSCIOUSNESS
IMMATERIAL WHOLESOME 70-73
FUNCTIONAL 65-69
SPHERE RESULTANT 74-77 1
IMMATERIAL
CONSCIOUSNESS WHOLESOME
FUNCTIONAL 78-8170-73
SPHERE RESULTANT
Stream-enterer 82-8674-77 2 1
CONSCIOUSNESS FUNCTIONAL
Once returner 87-9178-81 2
WHOLESOME Stream-enterer 2
Non-returner 92-9682-86 2
SUPRAMUNDANE Once returner
Arahat 97-10187-91 2 2
WHOLESOME
CONSCIOUSNESS Non-returner
Stream-enterer 102-10692-96 2
SUPRAMUNDANE Arahat
Once returner 107-11197-101 2
CONSCIOUSNESS RESULTANT Stream-enterer 102-106
Non-returner 112-116
Once returner
Arahat 107-111
117-121
RESULTANT
1Non-returner
Relinking,life-cont., death only112-116 37 41 41 54 59 59 57 48 112 96 70
Arahat
2 For one moment only. 117-121
1 Relinking,life-cont., death only 37 41 41 54 59 59 57 48 112 96 70
2 For one moment only.
Field Guide to the Mind: Who Experiences What? Page 22

Field Guide to the Mind: Who Experiences What? Page 22
SAMSARA : 31 PLANES OF EXISTENCE
# length time plane sphere
CONSCIOUSNESS
1 indeterm. Woeful States - 8 Major Hells
2 " Animal Kingdom
SAMSARA : 31Spirits
PLANES OF EXISTENCE
UNHAPPY
3 " Hungry Ghosts and Unhappy STATES
OF WHICH 19 4 " Demons (Non-Radiant Ones)
29 KAMMA CONDITION
32 RESULTS =
ARE RE-
LINKING
5 #
" lengthHuman
time
Realm
1 indeterm. Woeful States - 8 Major Hells
plane sphere
SENSE
CONSCIOUS- 6 500CY Realm of the Four Kings H SPHERE
# CONSCIOUS. # CONSCIOUS. NESS 2 " Animal Kingdom UNHAPPY
7 1000CY
3 "Realm of theGhosts
Hungry 33 Gods and Unhappy Spirits E STATES
Greed 1,..8 UNPLEASANT: HAPPY
UNWHOLE- 8 2000CY
Hatred 9,10 5 sense: eye, ear,...:14,16,18,20,22 4 "Realm of the Yama
Demons Gods Ones)
(Non-Radiant A STATES
SOME 9 4000CY
SENSE Delusion
Rooted in 11,12 2 mental: 24,26 26 5 "Delightful
Human Realm
Realm V
10 8000CY RealmRealm
of Gods Who SENSE
SPHERE
generosity, PLEASANT:5 sense:eye,... 13,15,17,19,21 6 500CY of the FourEnjoy
KingsTheir Own Creations HE SPHERE
WHOLE- 16,000CY RealmRealm
of Gods Who Enjoy Others' Creations
love & 31-38 3 mental: 23,25,27 27 11 7 1000CY of the 33 Gods EN
SOME HAPPY
wisdom 8 BEAUTIFUL 39-46 39-46 12 8 AK2000CY
1/3 RealmRealm of the Yama
of Brahma's Gods
Retinue A STATES
9 AK4000CY 1st
13 1/2 RealmDelightful RealmMinisters
of Brahma's V
minor 60 10 JHĀNA
1st Jhāna medium 55 RESULTANT 60 60 14 1 AK 8000CY Realm of Gods Who Enjoy Their Own Creations
MahaBrahma E
11 16,000CY Realm of Gods Who Enjoy Others' Creations N
high 60 15 2 MK Realm of Minor Lustre
12 1/3 AK Realm of Brahma's Retinue 2nd/3rd
minor 61,62 16 4
13
MK 1/2 Realm of Infinite Lustre
AK Realm of Brahma's Ministers
1st
FINE 2nd & 3rd JHĀNA
JHĀNA
MATERIAL Jhāna
medium 56, 57 RESULTANT 61, 62 61,62 17 8
14MK 1 AK RealmMahaBrahma
of Radiant Lustre
high 61,62 18 16
SPHERE 15 MK 2 MK RealmRealm
of Minor AuraLustre
of Minor FINE
minor 63 4th
2nd/3rd
19 32
16 MK 4 MK RealmRealm
of Infinite AuraLustre
of Infinite
4th Jhāna medium 58 RESULTANT 63 63 JHĀNA
JHĀNA MATERIAL
20 64
17 MK 8 MK RealmRealm
of Steady AuraLustre
of Radiant
high 63 REALMS
21 18 MK16 MK
500 RealmRealm of Minor
of Great Aura
Reward
5th Jhāna equanimity 59 RESULTANT 64 64 4th FINE
22 19 MK32 MK
500 RealmRealm of InfiniteBeings
of Mindless Aura
JHĀNA MATERIAL
Supramundane conscious. 1st & 2nd stage enlightened beings who develop 5th jhāna 64 20 64 MK Realm of Steady Aura
23 1000 MK Durable Realm REALMS
(wisdom is predominant) 5 faculties developed equally 64 21 500 MK Realm of Great Reward 5th
24 2000 MK Serene Realm
are not regarded kamma with confidence predominant 64 22 500 MK Realm of Mindless Beings PURE JHĀNA
(where volition is predom.)
3rd stage enlightened
with energy predominant 64
25 4000 MK Beautiful Realm
23 1000 MK Durable Realm ABODES
beings who develop 26 8000 5th
because they eradicate with mindfulness predominant 64 24 MK 2000Clear Sighted
MK Serene Realm
Realm JHĀNA
5th jhāna. 16,000 PURE
the roots of kamma that with concentration predominant 64 27 25 MK 4000Highest RealmRealm
MK Beautiful
ABODES
condition rebirth. with wisdom predominant 64 28 20000
26 MK 8000Realm of Infinite
MK Clear SightedSpace
Realm
(i.e. ignorance, craving) 1st & 2nd stage enlightened beings who develop immaterial jhāna 74-77 29 27 16,000
40,000MK MK Highest
Realm Realm
of Infinite Consciousness FORMLESS
30 28 20000Realm
60,000MK MK Realm of Infinite Space
of Nothingness REALMS
Infinite space 70 RESULTANT 74 74
31 29 40,000MK
84,000MK RealmRealm of Infinite
of Neither Consciousness
Perception Nor Non-Perception FORMLESS
IMMATERIAL Infinite consciousness 71 RESULTANT 75 75
30 60,000MK Realm of Nothingness REALMS
SPHERE Nothingness 72 RESULTANT 76 76 500 CY = 9,000,000 human years © 1994 Steven Armstrong
31 84,000MK Realm of Neither Perception Nor Non-Perception
Perception neither is nor is not 73 RESULTANT 77 77 16,000 CY = 9,216,000,000 human years
500 CY = 9,000,000 human years © 1994 Steven Armstrong
© 1994 Steven Armstrong AK (ASANKHEYYAKAPPA): incalculable cycle
16,000 CY = 9,216,000,000 human years
MK (MAHAKAPPA) = 4 AK
AK (ASANKHEYYAKAPPA): incalculable cycle
MK (MAHAKAPPA) = 4 AK
Field Guide to the Mind

Kamma - Results Field GuideConsciousness
- Re-Linking to the Mind to 31 Planes of Existence, Page 23
Kamma - Results - Re-Linking Consciousness to 31 Planes of Existence, Page 23

The Wheel
The wheel is turning and you can’t slow down.

You can’t let go and you can’t hold on.
You can’t go back and you can’t stand still.
If the thunder don’t get you then the lightning will.
Chorus:
Won’t you try just a little bit harder?
Couldn’t you try just a little bit more?
Won’t you try just a little bit harder?
Couldn’t you try just a little but more?
Round, round, robin run around

gotta get back where you belong.
Little bit harder, just a little bit more
little bit farther than you’ve gone before.

Small wheel turn by the fire and rod.

Big wheel turn by the grace of God.
Every time that wheel turn round
bound to cover just a little more ground.

© Words by Robert Hunter

Music by Jerry Garcia and Bill Kreutzmann

The Wheel of Life:
Dependent Origination/Escape from Samsāra (paticcsamupāda)
Sam sāra means “flowing on.” Conditions arise to keep life Four aspects of dependent origination to be recognized:
flowing on, first here, then there; all the while, one is looking 1. The individual characteristic of each psycho-physical
for happiness, stability, security and peace. Whatever the mind process. Are we each an autonomous, on-flowing stream
can conceive as a source of happiness, it will crave and seek, of cause and effect, each in our own universe? Or are we
grasping the idea and pursuing it until it is experienced and all connected, interrelated somehow?
enjoyed or until with wisdom it is seen as being unable to 2. The relationship between links is cause and effect. Results
provide what is sought. While wandering in samsāra, looking are not happenstance, accidents, chaotic, even though we
for happiness in all the wrong places one covers the vast may not understand them.
terrain of the mind in all 31 planes of existence. While there 3. The unfolding, or on-flowing is automatic, without an
are a vast variety of pleasant and unpleasant experiences to agent who is responsible for keeping it all going. It is a
be sought and known, no enduring happiness is to be found natural law of unfolding of the mind.
within them. It is a painful lesson to be learned again and 4. Each link is the necessary and sufficient cause for the
again until awakening to the truths the Buddha realized. subsequent link.
The Buddha’s teaching on dependent origination analytically

deconstructs the dynamic synthesis of all experience into
its component parts, the varieties of mental and material
phenomena while revealing the conditional relationships
between them. It is a teaching on the law of kamma from an
empirical perspective detailing the anatta characteristic of the
five aggregates.
The Buddha said, “Inconceivable is the beginning of this

wandering on in birth and death; not to be discovered is a first
beginning of beings who, obstructed by ignorance and ensnared
by craving, are hurrying and hastening through this round of
rebirths.”
He then asked:
“Which is greater, the tears you have shed while transmigrating
and wandering this long time — crying and weeping from being
joined with what is displeasing; from being separated from what
is pleasing — or the water in the four great oceans?”
He answered his own question with:

“The tears you have shed.”
…and explained:
“Why is that? From an inconstruable beginning…beings
hindered by ignorance and fettered by craving are transmigrating
and wandering on… long enough to become disenchanted with
all conditioned things, enough to become dispassionate, enough
to be released.”

Key to Tibetan Thangka Icons
Tibetan thangka, a depiction of all of samsāra held within the grip of Yama (Tibetan) or
Mara (Theravada), the Fierce Lord of Death.
Four (4) iconographic concentric circles
1st innermost circle: Roots of Samsāra.

Chicken: Greed
Pig: Ignorance
Snake: Aversion
2nd ring
Guardian of hell leading beings toward the dark
Renunciate leading pious beings toward light of an enlightened being
3rd ring of 5 realms

12-2 o’clock: human: domestic, commercial, agricultural, monastic activities
2-4 o’clock: hungry ghost realm (beings born here as a result of craving)
4-7 o’clock: hell realms: hot, icy, sharp, cutting, boiling, piercing (aversion)
7-10 o’clock: animal realm (born here as a result of delusion)
10-12 o’clock: 2 heaven realms: Inferior heavenly beings warring with superiors
4th outer ring of 12 links of dependent origination (starting at 12 o’clock)

Past actions:
1st link: ignorance: blind person
2nd link: kammic activities: potter making clay pots
Present kammic resultants
3rd link: re-linking plus stream of consciousness: monkey swinging
4th link: body-mind: two beings carried in a boat
5th link: 6 sense doors: building with 6 openings
6th link: sense contact: two lovers embracing
7th link: feeling: sticking a thorn into an eye
Present kammic creation
8th link: craving: a thirsty being drinking a cup of tea
9th link: grasping: monkey reaching for and grasping a piece of fruit
10th link: activity of becoming: pregnant woman
Future resultants
11th link: birth: woman giving birth
12th link: suffering of old age, sickness, death: corpse carried on back
Outside samsāra
Buddha pointing to admonition and bright disc
Admonition to take up the Buddha’s path and leave all samsāra behind and
escape the lord of death
The bright disc represents wholesome kammic deeds and Nibbāna

The Infinite Web of All Conditioned Things:
Conditional Relations (patthāna)
The legend has it that on the night of his full awakening, Then when we look at the nature of what is actually
when the Buddha-to-be initially realized and reflected on the happening here (the conditioned phenomena) we again can
12 causal links of dependent origination and the 24 kinds expand the results to include on-site, off-site, momentary as
of conditioning relationships between them all, that rays well as long-range, contemporary as well as future, physical
of every color light streamed from his body — so profound and mental, mundane as well as exalted (and hopefully
(extensive, comprehensive, detailed…) was the depth of his supra-mundane at some point!) beneficial effects. The list is
understanding! impossible to enumerate!
Like all things, the availability of the Buddha’s teaching will at The nature of the relationships between and among all these
some indeterminate time in the future no longer be available conditions would also be infinite. Just to take the varieties of
to humans on the face of the earth. It is rumored that the first natural interpersonal relationships. Friends-strangers, student-
teaching of the Buddha that will no longer be understood and teacher, companions, related by blood, related by law. Same
realized will be the teaching on conditional relations. gender, different gender, same ethnic identity-different ethnic
heritage, etc. Again, the variety of relationships are nearly
That may be why groups of monks in Burma will frequently infinite.
spend several days and nights reciting the complete Patthāna
over loud speakers for the entire neighborhood to hear. This It is easy to see how everything is all woven into an intricate,
may be their way of insuring that these teachings continue infinitely expanding web of life. Many see this and exclaim,
to be available to humans who are interested. Given the “We are all one!”
pedigree of these teachings, we should at least try to become
familiar with the basic understanding within them. However, the Buddha saw things differently. In the Lokayatika
Sutta, Discourse to the Cosmologist, he emphatically denies
All things are conditioned except Nibbāna. This involves the we are all one and dispels that illusion with a teaching on
conditioned factor, the conditioning factor and the mode of dependent origination.
conditioning.
The teachings on dependent arising and conditional
The phenomena involved in conditioning are mental relations enumerate the nature or mode of the conditioning
phenomena (nāma), physical phenomena (rūpa) and relationship between various mental and physical
conceptual phenomena, such as time, location, mode, phenomena. For example where you live has a conditioning
manner, form, shape, etc. (paññatti). effect on what environmental experiences will arise (object
or fascination conditioning). So too, the past conditions
Finally, conditioning means producing, supporting or the present when our response to a familiar phenomena is
maintaining an effect so that it continues to arise. habitual (pre-nascent conditioning). In addition, the more
often an action (wholesome or unwholesome) is repeated, the
Imagine if we were to investigate all the conditions involved in easier it becomes to do it again (repetition conditioning). And
bringing this retreat into being, we’d consider the retreatants, in a counter-intuitive twist (the Buddha was comprehensive!),
teachers, on-site staff, off-site funders, Board of Directors, the future conditions the present, e.g., when consideration of
as well as everyone who enabled each one of us to be here, a future event conditions how we prepare for it or feel anxious
along with the sources of our income to pay for it, along or fearful or excited long before the event actually happens
with all the work we did to earn the funds, including all the (post-nascent conditioning).
education we received that allowed us the job we have, etc.
It doesn’t take long to realize that everything and everyone The Buddha identified 24 modes of conditioning (See p.
throughout all of history, including the Buddha whose 30) Many are similar or overlapping. Taken together, they
teachings we are here to study, are woven into the web of serve to reveal how the arising of the present moment is
causal conditioning phenomena for this single retreat to an appearance due to the intricate weaving together of an
happen. infinite variety of impersonal causes and conditions. There is
no “one” to whom it is happening. No “one” who is making it past. The flip side is that the unpleasantness of experience
happen. No “one” inextricably responsible or to blame for what is the kammic result of unskillful or unwholesome volitional
is happening. No “one” who needs to suffer with anything actions in the past. One extremely pleasant mental result is
that happens if the present moment is known correctly. These the opportunity to hear the Dhamma and teachings of the
teachings are an element of “right view,” the understanding Buddha.
of phenomena that leads to the lessening or end of personal
suffering. Seven kinds of latent torments:
1. Attachment to sensual pleasure, e.g., sights, sounds,
Buddhist Personality Types tastes, touch
Mental Legacies of Continuity Conditioning 2. Attachment to life in any plane of existence, e.g.,
human, animal, heavenly, Brahman,
The idea of Buddhist personality types appears in the 3. Aversion, e.g., rage/hatred, anger, fear/anxiety,
Abhidhamma teachings on conditional relations. One of the depression/despair, irritation/impatience, frustration/
modes of conditioning is via continuity conditioning (#4, disappointment
p.30). Our mental states and subsequent physical actions arise 4. Conceit, i.e., comparing as greater than (entitlement);
and pass away moment by moment with preceding ones less than (victimized); equal to.
vacating their position for the succeeding ones to occupy. 5. Wrong view, e.g., kamma, self, Dhamma, Nibbāna,
In this process, they relay the following mental legacies. We “spiritual goodies” (jhāna, joy)
can see the strength of conditioning in this way during one 6. Skeptical doubt, e.g., self, kamma, Dhamma
lifetime and it is said that these mental legacies carry over to 7. Delusion, e.g., not-knowing, understanding wrongly,
subsequent lifetimes, i.e., we are born with a default baseline restlessness
mentality of the following six different kinds of mental legacy
via continuity conditioning. Ten kinds of wholesome energies:
1. Kamma: The mental legacy left by the volition The third kind of mental legacy is called pārami, which is
that was involved in good or bad actions that we normally translated as “perfection,” but literally means “deed of
performed in past lives. noble people” or “noble deed.” When we do noble deeds like
2. Anusaya kilesa: The mental legacy left by acts of generosity, morality, etc., our wholesome minds and
unwholesome mental states, such as greed, anger, wholesome actions arise and pass away moment by moment.
etc., that motivated such immoral deeds as killing, However, the dormant form of their wholesome mental
stealing, etc., in our past lives energy is passed from one mind-moment to another and
3. Pārami: The mental legacy left by wholesome mental from one life to another by the force of Continuity Condition.
states that got involved in generosity, morality, etc., Such dormant forms of wholesome mental energy are called
that we did in our past lives pārami, which comprise ten kinds as follows:
4. Carita: mentality that we cultivated in our past lives. 1. Acts of generosity
5. Ajjhasaya: liking and disliking that are related to our 2. Acts of morality
experiences in past lives 3. Acts of renunciation
6. Vesana: tendencies that are associated with our 4. Acts of wisdom
habits in our past lives 5. Acts of effort
6. Acts of forbearance/patience
Kamma 7. Acts of truthfulness
In the Tibetan tradition of Buddhist teachings, there is 8. Acts of resolve/decisiveness
great emphasis on recognizing the preciousness of human 9. Acts of loving-kindness
birth. The reason is that humans experience a great deal 10. Acts of equanimity/equilibrium
of pleasurable experience that tends to be a source of
happiness. The pleasantness of experiences is the result of (continued)
prior wholesome/skillful volitional action (kamma) in the
Patthana: 24 Conditional Relations Six kinds of mentality:
Condition Relationship Description Abhidhamma Ex. Mundane Ex. Dhamma Principle/ Teaching Three pairs of baseline mentality appear due
1 Root Mind conditions mind & materiality imparts firmness & fixity greed, hatred & delusion or non-greed, non-hatred & non- political party affiliation conditions watch carefully for the roots of intentions, don't 1
delusion predisposition to candidate look down on defilements to continuity conditioning:
2 Fascination (object) Mind & materiality condition mind something enjoyable or fascinating causes it to be taken as object sights, sounds, etc. condition seeing, hearing, etc. 2
3 Predominance: 3 Greed characterized by seeking pleasure/
3A
A Fascination (object) predominance Mind & materiality condition m & m esteemed, cherished, desired object dominates consciousness Fatal Attraction, addictions Dalai Lama conditions faith
Faith characterized by seeking the good
B Conascent predominance Mind & materiality condition m & m four means to accomplishment willfulness, effort, mind, knowledge/investigation ambition can achieve a lot 3B
4 Continuity (proximity) Mind conditions mind sequential in time without intervening event ceasing consciousness & mental states condition subsequent when President dies in office, VP takes recognition of wandering mind stops it; 6 kinds 4 Aversive characterized by criticism/
consciousness & mental states over immediately of mental legacy: kamma, parami, personality
type, dormant defilements, Discerning wisdom characterized by clarity
5 Absolute continuity (contiguity) Mind conditions mind sequential in time without intervening event ceasing consciousness & mental states condition subsequent preferences of likes and dislikes, past life 5 Deluded characterized by doubt /
consciousness & mental states tendencies continue to next existence
6 Conascent Mind & materiality condition m & m causes simultaneous arising mind & mental states arise together, mental states condition flame conditions light, heat, color when mindfulness is present, all other 6 Speculative characterized by equanimity
arising of materiality, 4 essential material elements condition wholesome factors are nearby
other material elements
7 Mutuality Mind & materiality condition m & m each are mutually related to the other mind and menatl states, 4 great essential material elements tripod legs support each other, hands teacher & students mutually support each other 7
wash each other Likes/Dislikes, Tendencies:
8 Dependence (support): 8
A Conascent dependence Mind & materiality condition m & m serve as support or the foundation depended on, causes simultaneous mind & mental states arise together, mental states condition canvas supports painting suitable locations for practice support practice; 8A In addition to kamma, torments, pārami
arising arising of materiality, 4 essential material elements condition find a teacher you resonate with and practice
other material elements under their guidance and mentality, there are two more mental
B Prenascent dependence: 8B
C Base prenascent dependence Mind & materiality condition m & m same as base prenascent support 8C legacies that are left by our mental states
D Base-Fascination prenascent dep. Mind & materiality condition m & m special case 8D
9 Strong (decisive) dependence: 9
of previous lives. Our likes/ dislikes and
A Fascination strong dependence Mind & materiality condition mind exceptionally desireable or important object drugs condition strong desire 9A tendencies are often different from others.
B Continuity strong dependence Mind & materiality condition mind arising due to strong dependence on ceasing of prior phenomena feeling relief moving painful body wisdom arises when defilements and the 9B
delusion they are rooted in cease, In many cases, these can be attributed to our
C Natural strong dependence Mind & materiality condition mind all past mental or physical that strongly condition subsequent arising sickness for sorrow & torpor 9C
10 Prenascence: 10 past life. These unique functions are carried
A Base prenascence Matter conditions mind causes something to arise later sense bases condition mind and 7 universal mental states "If you build it, they will come." guard your sense doors, especially the mind 10A
door out by the mind by the force of Continuity
B Fascination prenascence Matter conditions mind causes something to arise later sense objects condition sense door stream of consciousness advertising and catalogues work to avoid unwholesome people, places & things 10B
stimulate sales Condition, but not by the brain that will
11 Postnascence Mind conditions materiality support & strengthen prior material phenomena mind supports prior materiality rain supports prior (and continued) the body dies when the mind stops and only 11
growth of plant gradually disappears stop its functions once and for all upon our
12 Repetition Mind conditions mind subsequent with greater power & efficiency javana: moral impulsions run strongly in sequence of 6 or 7 email virus activity, physical habits mindfulness builds momentum, prior moment of 12
similar consciousness clear perception conditions continuity of demise. Given this fact, it is obvious that
mindfulness
13 Kamma: 13
we can reshape our lives in a better way by
A Conascent Mind conditions mind & materiality ability of volition to generate resultant consciousness and mental
states
volition conditions mind and mental states law of gravity some kammic results arise immediately, eg.
frustration with practice is painful
13A developing mindful awareness to guide our
B Asynchronous Mind conditions mind & materiality ability of volition to generate resultant consciousness and mental volition (kamma) conditions kamma-born mind & mental states law of plant propagation some kammic results arise in the future as re- 13B minds and mind generated actions in a more
states linking consciousness and pleasant and
unpleasant experiences of new existence wholesome manner.
14 Resultant Mind conditions mind & materiality passive, effortless & quiescent resultants life-continuum and operation of senses in subsequent existences growth of tree as result of nurturing body & mind function automatically as result of 14
is due to prior kammic acts conditions for growth prior kamma
15 Nutriment: 15
A Material nutriment Mind & materiality condition m & m maintains existence, supports growth & development food conditions materiality prop prevents old house from falling eat moderately for opportunity to practice not for 15A
Right View
down pleasure or enjoyment only When asked, Sariputta (the Buddha’s right
B Mental nutriment Mind & materiality condition m & m maintains existence, supports growth & development contact, volition, consciousness are the nutriments of mental life medicine prolongs life associate with the wise; renunciation & restraint 15B
starve mind of contact hand monk, second only to the Buddha
16 Faculty: 16
A Base prenascent faculty Mind & materiality condition m & m exercises control in particular function 5 sensitivities condition sense consciousness and mental states Presidents' cabinet members are the 16A in wisdom) said in the Mahavedalla Sutta,
director of their domain
B Physical life faculty Mind & materiality condition m & m maintains vitality of conascent materiality 16B Discourse on the Greater Set of Questions
C Mental faculty Mind & materiality condition m & m condition conascent mental states and materiality; psychic life,
consciousness, feeling, faith, energy, mindfulness,
5 controlling faculties operate sequentially in
cause-effect relatinship gradually increasing with
16C and Answers, “Friend, there are two conditions
concentration, wisdom continued practice. for the arising of right view: the voice of another
17 Jhana Mind conditions mind & materiality jhana factors enable close contemplation connect, sustain, joy, comfort, one-pointedness 17
18 Path Mind conditions mind & materiality means for reaching goal 8 right + 4 wrong path factors (view, attention, effort, sun ripens fruit there is a path to follow to reach nibbana 18
and appropriate attention.”
concentration
19 Association Mind conditions mind common arising & ending hindrances always arise with delusion, 18 wholesome mental "Birds of a feather, flock together." 19
factors arise with mindfulness Let this teaching fulfill the first requirement
20 Dissociation: 20
A Conascence Mind & materiality condition m & m at re-linking : heart base conditions mental aggreagates, mind and mind conditions materiality or vice versa water & oil mixture remain separate 20A and may your practice fulfill the second.
mental states condition materiality
B Prenascence Mind & materiality condition m & m 6 sense bases condition the arising of the 7 universal mental factors 20B
C Postnascence Mind & materiality condition m & m postnascent consciousness and mental states condition pre-nascent prior physical fitness maintained by 20C
materiality subsequent mental activity.
21 Presence Mind & materiality condition m & m support during time of overlap inc. con., pre. & postnascence 21
22 Absence Mind conditions mind sequential in time without intervening event ceasing consciousness & mental states condition subsequent 22
consciuosness & mental states
23 Disappearance Mind conditions mind same as #22 ceasing consciousness & mental states condition subsequent 23
consciuosness & mental states
24 Non-disappearance Mind & materiality condition m & m same as #21 24

The Evolution of Liberating Knowledge
The Buddha’s prescription for realizing the liberated mind is unreliable and insubstantial nature of all conditioned things,
encoded in the Fourth Noble Truth: The Path to the End of one enters the terrain of exalted joy, bliss, ecstasy, pseudo-
Dukkha. The eight factors of the Noble Path are divided into Nibbāna, the dukkha-ñānas (progressive knowledge of
three trainings: dukkha/unsatisfactoriness), the “rolling-up-the-mat” stages
1. Sīla (ethical training), purifying speech and behavior of practice, the emptiness of suññata, the Vipassana jhānas,
of transgressive defilements. the distinction between tranquillity, joy, bliss, equanimity,
2. Samādhi (stability of mind), purifying the mind of boundless love, space, infinite consciousness and peace, as
obsessive defilements. well as the evolving understanding of the conditioned and
3. Pañña (wisdom), purifying understanding of latent or the unconditioned. By experiencing all of the above, the
dormant defilements. knowledge of their place on the path becomes clear and one
develops the path of liberation.
The development of wisdom is through the practice of insight
(Vipassana), which unfolds naturally with the development of [Mahasi Sayadaw’s Manual of Insight, presenting the theory,
continuous awareness or mindfulness. practice and evolution of liberating insightful knowledge and
including all of the topics covered in this course has recently
Of the many maps of the Dhamma journey, the map of the been translated into English and accepted for publication by
progressive stages of insight knowledge is one of the most Wisdom Publications with availability expected to be in Spring
refined and comprehensive. Insight knowledge begins 2016.]
with the most elementary direct empirical knowledge of
experiences being known and matures with the realization
of Nibbāna, the unconditioned, upon stream-entry and
successive stages of enlightenment.
Mahasi Sayadaw, a pre-eminent scholar-practitioner of the 20th

century in Burma, has written extensively about the progress
of insight — the experiences to be expected, the challenges
to be faced and surmounted and the knowledge to be gained
— clearly articulating the gradual development of liberating
wisdom. He is considered one of the grandfathers of the
Vipassana tradition in the West since he taught Munindra and
Sayadaw U Pandita whose influence upon Western Dhamma
students is unmistakable. He established a meditation center
in Rangoon for lay people and taught a method clearly rooted
in the Buddha’s discourses and further illuminated in the Pali
commentaries and sub-commentaries.
His well-defined map, refined and re-affirmed by generations

of meditators, inspires confidence, imparts knowledge, guides
right effort and clarifies awareness. A rudimentary knowledge
of the map of the journey supports self-correction of practice.
Distinguishing relative and absolute/empirical perspectives

of reality is an essential pre-requisite for true Vipassana to
arise as is an understanding of the conditionality or cause-
effect relationship of the mental and material conditions.
With the unfolding of insight knowledge of the impermanent,
The Progress of Vipassanā Knowledges
through the Stages of Purification
Purification of Conduct (practice of precepts) Purification by Knowledge and Vision of the Way
(i.e., mature A & PA: 3rd Vipassanā jhāna)
Purification of Mind (initial concentration by temporarily 5. Vipassanā Knowledge of Dissolution (begin dukkha
overcoming hindrances) ñānas, 2nd “rolling-up-the-mat” stage, suññata:
emptiness of object and observer)
Purification of View 6. Vipassanā Knowledge of Fear
1. Knowledge of Discerning Mental and Physical 7. Vipassanā Knowledge of Danger
Phenomena (awareness of each object’s unique 8. Vipassanā Knowledge of Disenchantment
characteristic, i.e., sabhāva) 9. Vipassanā Knowledge of Desire for Deliverance
10. Vipassanā Knowledge of Re-observation
Purification by Overcoming Doubt (3rd “rolling-up-the-mat” stage)
2. Knowledge of Discerning Conditionality 11. Vipassanā Knowledge of Equanimity toward
(awareness of intentions) Phenomena (4th Vipassanā jhāna)
3. Vipassanā Knowledge by Comprehension (awareness 12. Vipassanā Knowledge Leading to Emergence
of three universal characteristics, immature: 13. Vipassanā Knowledge of Adaptation
1st “rolling-up-the-mat” stage, mature: 14. Change of Lineage Knowledge
1st Vipassanā jhāna)
4. Vipassanā Knowledge of Arising and Passing Away Purification by Knowledge and Vision
(immature: 2nd Vipassanā jhāna) 15. Path Knowledge (1st stage of enlightenment with
10 Corruptions of Insight (pseudo-Nibbāna, i.e., realization of Nibbāna)
“spiritual goodies”) 16. Fruition Knowledge
Brilliant lights (see following pages for full 17. Knowledge of Reviewing
descriptions) 18. Attainment of Fruition
Rapture 19. The Higher Paths and Fruitions (2nd, 3rd, 4th stages
Tranquillity of enlightenment)
Resolution
Energy
Happiness
Knowledge
Mindfulness
Equanimity
Delight
Purification by Knowledge and Vision of What is Path and Not

Path

“Spiritual Goodies”
10 Corruptions of Insight (upakkilesa: pseudo-Nibbāna) Ñāna (insight): Here, ñāna (insight) means the clear and
prompt awareness of mental and physical phenomena
Obhāsa (lights): You can see light simply because of moment to moment every time they occur through the six
concentration. Sometimes Vipassana insight also makes you sense doors. Through this insight, you can clearly see the
see it. For example, it may be seen as a result of concentration phenomena arising and passing away segment by segment.
when practicing samatha, tranquillity meditation like the While observing them that way, you will realize anicca, dukkha
contemplation on the virtues of the Buddha, etc., or in and anatta so clearly that you realize them without making
Vipassanā when not mindful enough to observe phenomena any effort. You may mistake this insight for magga-phala
moment to moment. The yogi may report experience of very (path and fruition) enlightenment. Thus, you take delight in it,
bright lights, or as if the whole room is illuminated with light spoiling the practice.
radiating from his/her eyes, nose and mouth; or as if the moon
was radiating light on his/her body; some see bright lights in
their eyes. Pīti (joy/rapture): Pīti is of five kinds:
1. Khuddikā-Pīti (momentary joy): This is the rapture

At the level of knowledge of discerning mental and material that is obvious to you in the form of rapid goose-
phenomena, you cannot see light and images arising and flesh, sudden movement of skin and flesh, tear rolling
passing away; at the level of knowledge of discerning down, rapid excitement, rapid pleasure. This normally
conditionality, you can see them arising, but not passing away, takes place rapidly and lasts a moment only.
and often miss the objects following new ones coming in; at 2. Khanikā-pīti (flashing joy): This is the rapture that
the level of Vipassanā knowledge of comprehension, you can is obvious to you in the form of rapid and repeated
see them arising, existing obviously, moving somewhere else, gooseflesh, etc., like lightening striking repeatedly in
turning smaller and smaller and finally fading away; at the the sky. This takes place repeatedly.
level of Vipassanā knowledge of arising and passing away, you 3. Okkantikā-pīti (showering, overwhelming joy):
can see them disappearing every time they are observed, or Pleasant and excited feeling overspreading the whole
vanishing with every simple awareness without labeling them, body, undulating in the mind like the waves in the
or arising suddenly and passing away on the spot without sea rolling into the shore and disappearing.
moving anywhere else, or without turning smaller and smaller 4. Ubbegā-pīti (uplifting joy): Unmentionably pleasant
until fading away. At this level, you can only find them arising feeling in the mind making one so excited that the
and passing away, but not existing. limbs or the whole body are moved. Some meditators
find their limbs or parts of the body rise, vibrate or
Some meditators find the light to be small and last a while. shake suddenly on their own.
Sometimes, they find it similar to a torchlight, or ball- 5. Pharanā-pīti (pervading, suffusing joy): Extremely
shaped, or a circle turning round and round like a tray. Some pleasant feeling, suffusing the whole body with
meditators see it on a big scale brightening the whole room or comfort. This kind of rapture is so pleasant that you
wider. It often lasts a long time without disappearing, in spite do not want to move at all, even to blink or open your
of observation or other thoughts. You can find it in several eyes. This is the most common rapture at the mature
forms, like a car headlight, a lit lantern, the moon or the sun level of this insight.
shining. You can find it coming out of your body, or in front,
behind, above or beneath. You can also see things around as
clearly as if in the daytime, even at night. You can also see it
strangely and clearly in daylight. You can see it as clearly as if
in front of you, even if it is too far to see.

Plasticity factors of Mind:
Passaddhi: being tranquil mentally and physically without any  Pāguññatā (proficiency): Your mind and body feel
agitation and worry. Experienced as soothing, cool feelings. very strong. As the body, the mind is strong enough
This passaddhi is necessarily accompanied by lahutā, mudutā, to observe one object after another, moment to
kammaññatā, pāguññātā and ujukatā. You will experience moment, without hesitation, procrastination or
these factors as follows: stagnancy, just like reciting prayers you have learnt
by heart.
 Lahutā (lightness): Your mind and body are very light  Ujukatā (rectitude/straightness): Your mind is very
or lively. Your awareness is lively. If you think about
straightforward and honest. Hypocrisy and deceit
anything, you will find your ideas very lively. If you
no longer take place in your mind. You may even
walk somewhere, you will feel so light as if you have
plan to be truthful for the rest of life. Thanks to
no feet. When you sit down, bend or stretch you
these six factors, you will feel happy all the time and
limbs, you will feel so lively as if you have no limbs.
comfortable whatever bodily posture you are in, i.e.,
You think you can reach somewhere in no time,
sitting, standing, walking, lying down, bending or
although it is quite far. Sometimes, you may even
stretching limbs or practicing.
want to run. Be careful not to yield to the temptation.
 Mudutā (pliancy): Both mind and body become
gentle and tender without being rough or rigid. You
become respectful to others. Your mind become
flexible and adaptable to any object you want to
observe. You practice quietly and calmly rather than
meeting with rough objects or people.
 Kammaññatā (adaptability): Your mind and body
are very healthy, enough to sit practicing for one or
two hours continuously and comfortably without
stiffness, heat, pain and tiredness. Your practice is
going well for long periods of time without being
disturbed by wandering thoughts.

Sukha: very strong happiness and comfort. Even symptoms Upekkhā: Vipassana equilibrium is the mind unit that inspects
of disease tend to stop. Moreover, every thought makes you sense objects. In the mature state of insight knowledge of
so happy that you cannot help revealing your experience to arising and passing away, you can inspect objects directly
fellow meditators. With sukha (happiness and comfort), pīti and perceive them concurrently without much effort, as if the
(rapture) and passaddhi (traquillity), a meditator can enjoy mind rushes into them on its own accord perceiving them
pleasure that is superior to human or divine pleasure without making much effort.
Adhimokkha: faith or confidence. Due to this faith, the mind Nikanti: delight in the other corruptions of insight. This delight
becomes very clear every time you observe the objects. The is so soft and subtle that it is mistaken for meditation delight,
mind even remains clear during practice breaks. The faith enlightenment, or its sign. Actually, this delight is the real
in Vipassana and the light, insight, etc., strengthen the faith obstacle to Vipassanā. This delight alone can spoil Vipassanā,
in kamma and its result, and virtues of the triple gems. As a even more so if it is accompanied by attachment, conceit and
result, you tend to plan mentally to practice longer by yourself ego-belief.
and to encourage others to do so. You come to admire fellow
meditators and teachers.
Paggaha: energy or effort that is balanced between too much

care and lack of care to observe present phenomena. Your
practice goes with such energy in equilibrium. Then it seems
to you that the awareness of meditative objects is going very
well on its own accord without your intentional, effortful
energy.
Upatthāna: the mindfulness that manifests to you in such

a way that current mind and body seem to come into your
noting mind spontaneously or the noting mind seems to go
into the phenomena. When the mindfulness gets that strong,
even very subtle phenomena become obvious to you. You will
find one object after another appearing for you to observe.
At this time, past memories become so vivid it is as if they are
really occurring to you.

Abhidhamma Texts
• Abhidhamma in Daily Life by Ashin Janakābhivamsa (Revised by U Sīlānanda)
• Abhidhamma in Daily Life by Nina van Gorkom
• Abhidhamma Studies by Venerable Nyannaponika Thera
• A Comprehensive Manual of Abhidhamma by Bhikkhu Bodhi, ed.
• A Discourse on Paticcasamuppada by Mahasi Sayadaw
• Buddhist Images of Human Perfection by Nathan Katz
• Dependent Origination: The Buddhist Law of Conditionality by P. A. Payutto
• Dependent Orgination: The Wheel of Life by Sayadaw U Sīlananda
• In This Very Life by Sayadaw U Pandita
• Manual of Insight by Mahasi Sayadaw
• Paticcasamuppada: Dependent Origination by Buddhadasa Bhikkhu
• Patthāna in Daily Life by U Hla Myint
• Philosophy and Psychology in the Abhidhamma by Herbert V. Guenther
• Progress of Insight by Mahasi Sayadaw
• The Art of Happiness, Teachings of Buddhist Psychology by Mirko Fryba
• The Buddha’s Explanation of the Universe by C.P. Ranasinghe
• The Great Discourse on Causation by Bhikkhu Bodhi
• The Psychology and Philosophy of Buddhism: An Introduction to the Abhidhamma by Dr. W.F. Jayasuriya
• Transformations of Consciousness by Wilber, Engler & Brown
• World as Lover, World as Self by Joanna Macy

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A Field Guide

A Spirit Rock Online Course

Published by Spirit Rock — An Insight Meditation Center

Copyright © 2015 by Steven Armstrong

2 A Field Guide to the Mind

The Abhidhamma, or Buddhist psychology, is a detailed The dharma taught by Buddhas

A Field Guide to the Mind 3

Notes about the Abhidhamma: Personal

4 A Field Guide to the Mind

#8 connecting the aiming of the mind so as to reach

A Field Guide to the Mind 5

6 A Field Guide to the Mind

Field Guide to the Mind: Table of Mental Factors

Abhidhamma/SRMC On-­‐Line Course/ p. 8

8 A Field Guide to the Mind

A Field Guide to the Mind 9

Within these realms of consciousness there are three aspects:

The unwholesome sensual consciousnesses are divided into three categories:

[See Consciousness Table.]

10 A Field Guide to the Mind

OF MINDOF MENTAL STATES

OF MIND OF MENTAL STATES

A Field Guide to the Mind 11

Field Guide to the Mind: Consciousness and Mental Factors in Each, 11

FEELING ROOTS OBJECTS FUNCTION

7- Relinking, rebirth consciousness

Neither pain nor pleasure, equan.

Mental displeasure, domanassa

Pasada, sensitive part of organ

8- Life continuum, bhavanga

Sound, audible object

Odor, odorous object

16- Decease, death

Taste, sapid object

12 A Field Guide to the Mind

The Buddha’s instruction for developing insightful

A Field Guide to the Mind 13

A comprehensive empirical knowledge of the body (and other

14 A Field Guide to the Mind

mat'l w/basis or w.o./basis

mat'l w/controlling faculty

Field Guide to the MInd: Table of Material Elements, Page 15

A Field Guide to the Mind 15

PHYSICAL, MATERIALITY, Attitudes of mind:

16 A Field Guide to the Mind

This chart shows the sequence of the arising of different

A Field Guide to the Mind 17

18 A Field Guide to the Mind

H 18-27 offer a view of fluxing of consciousness when developing jhāna, at

Arresting Life Continuum

Re-Linking to New Life

Mind Door Adverting

1 Life continuum of passing life flowing toward death.

The enlightened, disciplining themselves long, understanding the impermanence of life,

20 A Field Guide to the Mind

Refer to the Chart of Flowing Kamma (p. 23) to observe the

While the re-linking consciousness carries the underlying

The four functions kamma may play in a being’s life are:

The order of kamma giving rise to effects is observable to

A Field Guide to the Mind 21

Field Guide to the Mind: Who Experiences What? Page 22

Field Guide to the Mind

A Field Guide to the Mind 23

The wheel is turning and you can’t slow down.

Abhidhamma/SRMC On-‐Line Course/ p. 8