Utilization of One Citta at a Time at Vipassana

8/3/2019 Utilization of One Citta at a Time at Vipassana

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http://onlymiddleway.co.cc

This article is basedon the guided talks of meditation teachers,

Rev. Ottamasara & Ma Chit Myat Noe

from Than_Lyin Natural Meditation Centre,Yangon, Myanmar_Burma.

Utilizationthe truth of "One Citta at a time"

for real insight andeasiness in daily life

(citta=mind or consciousness)



By Soe Win Htut


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Our intellect can understand any mind and body are not mine, yours,myself, and yourself. We understand that mind, body, life or everything issubject to change, impermanent, unsatisfactory and non-self.

But we still attach life, mind, body and the meditation method-etc;with firm likes and dislikes.

Why is our attachment to life, mind, body and the meditationmethod-etc; still being?

In our country especially in Myanmar, there are a lot of meditation

centers and people have been practicing meditation methods taught byBuddha. After some time, they can let go of some worldly attachmentsbut they become attaching firmly one's meditation method and meditationcentre. Some are even becoming in more egotism about my way, my teacher,mine, yours etc,

In 2002, a monk has appeared in Myanmar to solve the problem inMyanmar. His name is Rev. Ottamasara, Abbot of Than-lyin NaturalMedtation Center, Yangon, Myanmar(Burma). Now his teaching is becoming

well known in Myanmar_Burma.He teaches the Dhammaupassana, letting go of the idea of

something, someone, somewhere, sometime as reality and as of realimportance.

(i.e. His teaching is just trying to abandon or discard the idea(mind-action) of centering, emphasizing, and attaching upon something,someone, somewhere, sometime and dualistic knowing such as hotness-coldness, pain-pleasure, good-bad, likes-dislikes, rising-falling, tightness-

looseness etc; as reality and as of real importance).This article is based on the guided talks of meditation teachers, Rev.

Ottamasara & Ma Chit Myat Noe from Than_Lyin Natural MeditationCentre, Yangon, Myanmar_Burma.). It will enable you what is the realinsight meditation which enable us really and permanently to be liberated

from mental and physical sufferings.We should learn together with his mp3 teaching at below link

http://onlymiddleway.multiply.com/music/item/3

with loving-kindness.SoeWinHtut

Preface


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(citta=mind or consciousness)

Natural Meditation CentreThanlyin Township, (Near Tar Wa University), Yangon, Myanmar.

(95)056-22707, (95)09-5085212, Email: [email protected]

Web: http://onlymiddleway.co.cc. http://trueanswer-tmc.blogspot.com

d

(This article is based on the guided talks of meditation teachers, Rev. Ottamasara & MaChit Myat Noe from Than_Lyin Natural Meditation Centre, Yangon, Myanmar_Burma.)


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Nowadays, many meditators_yogi contemplate that mind,body, life or everything-etc; is impermanent, unsatisfactory andnon-self.

Our intellect can understand any mind and body are notmine, yours, myself, and yourself. We understand that mind,body, life or everything is subject to change, impermanent,unsatisfactory and non-self.

But we still attach life, mind, body and the meditationmethod-etc; with strong likes and dislikes.

Why is our attachment to life, mind, body and themeditation method-etc; still firm?

It is because of mistaking that life(mind & body) ourhabitual perceptions can detect is real and existing for a certain

period. In other words, we are misunderstanding that mind &body we contemplate are the Citta, Ceticeka, and Rupa theBuddha taught as original truths.

In Abhidhamma (Original truth_higher teaching of theBuddha), it says that there is only one mind or consciousness(citta) at a time for a mental process.

In reality(in original truth), one mind or consciousness can

arise after the previous one has already disappeared. This is thenatural law of mental process.

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This law is known as the citta-niyma (psychic order). Thepsychic order is that only one mind or consciousness(citta) canarise at a time.

In other words, each consciousness has to ceasebefore the next one arises. One consciousness canappear after the previous one has already gone.

In reality, observing mind or mindful consciousness ormindfulness cant see the real arising and passing away of theprevious mind such as feeling, perception, volition or thinkingetc; which is assigned as the object of meditation in

cittanupassana and vedananupassana (contemplation of mind andfeeling).

Because observing mind or mindfulness can arise after theprevious mind or feeling or volition or thinking-etc has alreadydisappeared according to the psychic order or natural law ofmental process.

Nevertheless, our mindfulness or observing mind inmeditation, seems to be seeing the arising and passing awayof the previous mind such as thinking or feeling or perceptionor volition or desire -etc which has already gone.

Why is it becoming like that? So, why does one mind seemto see the previous one arising and passing away which hasalready gone?

In fact , it is just delusion or illusion.It is just creation, fake and fraud.

That means the mind such as thinking or feeling orperception or volition or desire etc; our mindfulness iscontemplating is not real.

Thus, our contemplation of Impermanece (Anicca, Dukkha,Anatta) concerning with the mind and body we are nowunderstanding is also untrue and fake and fraud.


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So, what we need to understand is-In reality, according to citta-niyma (psychic order or

natural law of mental process) i.e. one citta at a time and twominds cant arise at a same time; one mind is specified to ariseonly when the previous mind has already disappeared, but itseems to be seeing the previous one arising, existing and passingaway.

Why ? It is because of the deceitful actions or creationsof the momentum of the previous minds which have alreadyvanished.

In fact, one mind feels, perceives, knows or acts upononly the situation of nothing after the previous mindhas already passed away.

How meaningless, empty and unsatisfactory is its nature!But we think the action, feeling, responses and

experiencing of our mind is meaningful and worthy to be

centred, emphasized and taken as original reality or essence oflife. It is because of the deceitful actions of the momentum ofvanishing (impermanence) of previous mind.

The deceitful action(activation) of the vanishingmomentum of the previous minds which have alreadydisappeared, create the previous mind which has already passedaway as if it is arising, existing and passing away, so the mind

such as feeling or perception or volition or thinking - etc, seemsto be arising, existing and passing away in our perception.

Thus in meditation , our mindfulness/perception seemsto be seeing the previous mind such as perception, feeling,knowing, thinking or volition -etc, is arising, existing and thenpassing away.

If so, why do we develop that kind of mindfulness?

In fact, the main aim of our practising and developingmindfulness upon mind and body is to be able to accept and


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understand the truth that on account of constantvanishing_impermanent nature (deceitful actions of vanishingmomentum of the previous minds), our mindfulness seems tobe seeingas if the feeling, ascribing, seeing, hearing, smelling,tasting, sensing, and thinking _etc, seem to be alive, arising,existing for a certain time and passing away.

In this case, it is necessary to understand and accept thatour current mindfulness itself is also just created truth, in fakeseeing and even itself is also in vanishing nature, unworthy tobe attached and grasped as reality.

According to citta-niyma (psychic order or natural law ofmental process) our mindfulness (observing mind) cannotdetect or know the previous mind which has already gone.

Here we are explaining about citta-niyma (psychic orderor natural law of mental process)"only one citta at a time" whichis arising & vanishing within very short moment.

(i.e The time duration of one unit of citta__consciousness is

even less than one-trillionth part of the time occupied by a flash oflightning which lasts for a microsecond (10-6 second), The subcommentary said that the mental elements (cittta & cetasika) ariseand cease 1015 x 106 = 1021 times per second. Their extremely short

duration is also mentioned in theAnguttara Nikaya.)

In fact, one mindfeels, perceives,

knows or actsupon only the

situation ofnothing after the

previous mind

has alreadypassed away.


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So, we may misunderstand that at first we must try to seedirectly "only one citta_consciousness at a time" which is arising& vanishing in very high rate as mentioned above.

The Buddha taught the natural law of "one citta at a time"not because he want us to see that nature firstly and directlybut because he want us to accept that our current mind such asperception, thinking or feeling is unreal yet and just createdtruth or fraud or fake by sankhara dukkha_real impermanence inhigh rate as mentioned above.

(i.e. It means to accept and contemplate that until real finalenlightenment our current perception/mindfulness is unreal and

not yet seeing the real nature_Original reality).

Our current mind is unreal yetand just created truth or fraud or fakeby sankhara dukkha_real impermanence in high rate

Our current mind is unreal yetand just created truth or fraud or fakeby sankhara dukkha_real impermanence in high rate


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It does not mean, by seeing the real nature of "one cittaat a time" directly, real enlightenment will appear.

But it means to accept, contemplate and understand thatwhatever our mind can now perceive is just created truth orfraud by sankhara dukkha__real impermanence (constantvanishing nature in very high rate) by understanding andremembering that natural law of "one citta at a time" that onemind cannot see the previous mind arising and existing.

By accepting and contemplating like that, we becomeable to abandon the attachment, grasping and centering

upon whatever our mind can now perceiveas reality and as of real importance.

In meditation or daily life, our perception/mindfulnessseem to be seeing the previous mind such as thinking, knowing,feeling or volition is arising, existing and passing away becauseof the deceitful action of the constant vanishing momentum

of the previous minds.But do not mind for this fake seeing.

Just try to accept and contemplate whateverconcerning with our current mind is just created truth andfake or fraud because of (sankhara dukkha)the momentumof the real impermanence (constant vanishing nature in very

high rate) of the previous minds which have alreadydisappeared.

What advantages will come out by accepting,contemplating and understanding as mentioned above?

By accepting and contemplating that the observing minditself and its observing objects such as feeling, ascribing,

hearing, smelling, tasting, sensing, and thinking -etc; seem tobe arising, existing and passing away because of the illusive


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action of constant vanishing momentum of previous mindswhich have already gone, we become able to abandon theattitude of centering, emphasizing, attaching them as realityand as of real importance.

The most important we need to understand is our maingoal is to abandon the centring, emphasizing and attaching thecreated truths such as mind and matter that we are nowunderstanding as reality and as of real importance.

Our aim is not to become a someone/something special/nothing.

In fact, the middle way is the direct stoppingthe unsatisfactory round of constant arising and vanishing

nature__Dependent Origination (Paticca Samuppada).

The more our mind can abandon the attitude of centring,emphasizing and attaching created truths such as mind andmatter that our senses can now detect as reality and as of real

importance, the less misunderstanding of the feeling good orbad (Vedena) as original reality and importance.Thus, our mind-action do not centre, emphasize and attach

upon whatever concering the mind & matter that we areexperiencing and knowing, as reality and as of real importance.

So, there will be no more arising of likes_ craving anddislikes_aversion (Tanha) concerning the mind such as feeling,

knowing, experiencing, attributing, knowing, unknowing,thinking and not-thinking -etc.

Then, the more abandoing the mind-action ofattaching, centering and emphasizing upon the createdtruths such as the mind and body with believing them asreality and as of real importance, the less attachment of

created truths and the more our mind can have theconnection with the original wisdom(right understandingof created truths and original truths.)


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The less attachment and centring of mind and matter inour current perception as original reality, the more we canunderstand the original truth and created truths correctly.

More and more understanding to original truth &created truths correctly, our mind becomes perfect andfree from defilements such as worries, aversion, craving,jealousy, sorrow, unsatisfactoriness, sorrow, lamentation,stress, agitation, doubts and attaching because of havingconnection with the Original Truth which is perfect,permanent and forever constant.

Our life and contemplation will become free, happy,peaceful and full of blessing naturally.

Just try to accept andcontemplate whateverconcerning with our currentmind is just created truth andfake or fraud because of(sankhara dukkha) themomentum of the realimpermanence (constantvanishing nature ) of theprevious minds which have

already disappeared.

Just try to accept andcontemplate whateverconcerning with our currentmind is just created truth andfake or fraud because of(sankhara dukkha) themomentum of the realimpermanence (constantvanishing nature ) of theprevious minds which have

already disappeared.


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Summary

1) The main purpose of explaining " only one citta at a time" is

not to try to see it firstly and directly. It is just giving the reasonso that we can accept, contemplate and understand easily thatwhatever mind and body in our current perception is justcreated truth and fraud by the illusive action/activation ofconstant vanishing momentum of previous minds which havealready gone.

2) The main purpose is to become able to abandon the mind-aciton of centring, emphazing and attaching upon the mind andbody with believing them as reality and a real existence, byaccepting and contemplating as mentioned above.

3) The more we can abandon the attitude of centring,

emphasizing and thinkingupon mind and body as original reality,the more detachment of our mind and body.

4) The more detachment of our mind and body, the more insightleading to real enlightenment.

5) Then, our mind will be free and it will also give rise to the

ability of right utilization of created truths and thus our actionwill become "doing only ", "experiencing only" and"understanding only" upon the various kinds of "events,""actions and inactions," or "understanding and not-understanding" which enables us a real happy and easy life.

6) Priority is to abandon the attitude of centring, emphasizing,attaching with likes & dislikes upon mind and body as Priorityand Original Reality.


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One unit of citta or consciousness or mind consists of three

phases arising or genesis (uppada) static or development (thiti), and

cessation or dissolution (bhanga).

The time duration ofone unit of citta or consciousness or mind

consisting of three phases is even less than one-trillionth part of the

time occupied by a flash of lightning which lasts for a microsecond

(10-6 second),The subcommentary said that the mental elements (cittta

& cetasika) arise and cease 1015

x 106

= 1021

times per second. Theirextremely short duration is also mentioned in the Anguttara Nikaya.

Immediately after the cessation stage of a thought-moment

(mind or consciousness) there occurs the genesis stage of the

subsequent thought-moment(mind or consciousness). Each

momentary thought (each consciousness) of this ever-changing life-

process, on passing away, transmits its whole energy, all the indelibly

recorded impressions to its successor.

Every fresh consciousness consists of the potentialities of its

predecessors together with something more. There is therefore, a

continuous flow of consciousness like a stream without any

interruption.

Only One Citta at a time

APPENDIX I


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The subsequent thought-moment(consciousness or mind) is

neither absolutely the same as its predecessor since that which goes

to make it up is not identical nor entirely another being the samecontinuity ofKamma energy. Here there is no identical being but

there is an identity in process.

Every moment there is birth, every moment there is death. The

arising of one thought-moment(consciousness or mind) means the

passing away of another thought moment and vice versa. In thecourse of one life time, there are actually momentary rebirths and

disappearances again and again.

Here we find a juxtaposition of such fleeting mental states of

consciousness opposed to a superposition of such states as some appear

to believe. (i.e.There is only one consciousness_citta at a time).

No state once gone ever recurs nor is identical with what goes

before. But we worldlings, veiled by the web of illusion, mistake

this apparent continuity to be something eternal and go to the extent

of introducing an unchanging soul, an Atta, the supposed doer/

someone and receptacle of all actions to this ever-changing

consciousness.


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Thought-process

(Mind_process/ Consciousness process)

When a material object is presented to the mind through oneof the five sense-doors, a thought-process(mind process) occurs,consisting of a series of separate thought-moments leading one tothe other in a particular, uniform order. This order is known as the

citta-niyma (psychic order). As a rule for a complete perception ofa physical object through one of the sense-doors precisely 17thought-moments (consciousnesses or minds) must pass.

Hence the thought-process runs as follows:Suppose a visible object which has passed one instant (i) enters

the avenue of eye. Then the bhavanga1 consciousness(subconsciousness) vibrates for one moment and perishes, (ii, iii)

arresting the bhavanga stream. Subsequently the five-doorapprehending consciousness (iv) arises and ceases apprehending thatvery visible object.

1. Bhavanga-citta (subconsciousness) is a karma-resultant state ofconsciousness (vipka, ), and that, in birth as a human or in higherforms of existence, it is always the result of good, or wholesome

karma (kusala-kamma-vipka), though in varying degrees ofstrength(padisandhi). The same holds true for rebirth consciousness(padisandhi) and death consciousness (cuti), which are only particularmanifestations of subconsciousness. As long as no other consciousnessarises to interrupt the continuity of the consciousness-stream, so longthe consciousness-stream, like the flow of a river, bhavanga-citta(subconsciousness) arises in the same way again and again, even duringdreamless sleep and at other times. In this way one has to understandthe continuous arising of those nature of subconsciousness andconsciousness in the mind-stream.


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Thereafter the following thought-moments (consciousnesses)arise and cease in order(v) eye-consciousness seeing that very form,

(vi) recipient consciousness receiving it,(vii) investigating consciousness investigating it,

(viii) determining consciousness determining it.

Then any one of the 29 kinds of Sense-sphere javanas, thus

causally conditioned, runs mostly for seven moments (ixxv).

Following the javanas, two retentive resultants (xvi, xvii) arise

accordingly. Finally comes the subsidence into the bhavanga.

In shortly, 17 steps_

1. Past bhavanga2. Vibrating bhavanga (the present life object - a photon - "knocks" on

the eye door)

3. Arresting bhavanga (the bhavanga stream _unconsciousness stream,

is cut off to give way to the new sense object)

4. Five door adverting consciousness

5. Eye consciousness

6. Receiving consciousness

7. Investigating consciousness

8. Javana , 9. Javana , 10. Javana

11. Javana, 12. Javana, 13. Javana14. Javana 2

15. Registering consciousness

16. Registering consciousness

17. Bhavanga .

2. Javana - impulsion in a mind-process (thought-process) where

karma(volition) is produced; i.e. wholesome and unwholesome volitionconcerning the perception. They are normally 7 times(impulsive

moments) in a mind-process.


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Thus far seventeen thought-moments are complete namely,

fourteen thought-arisings (cittuppda)

two vibrations of bhavanga, and

one thought-moment that passed at the inception.

Then the object ceases. Such an object is termed very prominent.

The wholesome and unwholesome kamma are performed at

the javana stage. The visible object & eye sensitivity perish with the

registering consciousness.

The more we can abandon the attitude of

centring, emphasizing and thinking upon mind andbody as original reality. the more detachment of

our mind and body.

Ref: A Manual of Abhidhamma by Narada Maha Thera

The more we can abandon the attitude of

centring, emphasizing and thinking upon mind andbody as original reality, the more detachment of

our mind and body.


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In Dhatukatha of Pali Text Society, the Discourse on

Energies, Buddha said The Energies are Void of Beings orsomething. The energies do not possess the characteristic functions

of living beings.

They arise and cease within an exceedingly short period of time.

In the wink of an eye or a flash of lightning, which lasts for a

microsecond (10-6 second), the mental elements (cittta & cetasika)

arise and cease a trillion (1012) times. (1,000,000,000,000 times). This

is just an estimate.The subcommentary takes the higher figure of 1015. Thus the

mental elements arise and cease 1015 x 106 = 1021 times per second.

Their extremely short duration is also mentioned in the Anguttara

Nikaya.

As regards the material energies, since they endure for

17 thought-moments (consciousness). they arise and

cease 1021/17 (app= 58,823,530, 000,000, 000,000)

times per second.

But because the functions of the energies give rise to the concepts of

continuity, collection and form the ideas arise of (1) the initial effort

that has to be exerted when a deed is about to be performed and (2)

the care that has to be taken while the deed is being performed to its

completion. And this leads to the subsequent ideas (3) I can performand (4) I can feel,

APPENDIX II

The time duration and rate of vanishing of

citta, cetasikaand rupa(mind and matter)


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Natural Meditation Centre

Thanlyin Township,(Near Tar Wa University),

Yangon, Myanmar.

(95)056-22707, (95)09-5085212,

Email: [email protected]

web: http://onlymiddleway.co.cc,

http://trueanswer-tmc.blogspot.com.

(This article is based on the guided talks of meditation teachers,Rev. Ottamasara & Ma Chit Myat Noe from Than_Lyin Natural

Meditation Centre, Yangon, Myanmar_Burma.)presented bySoe Win Htut; http://onlymiddleway.co.cc

Utilization

The Truth of"One Citta at a time"

for

Real insight

&Easiness in daily life

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