[Buddha-l] Does 'momentariness' remove emotion from citta?

[Dharmachari Mahabodhi]

Thanks for replying Dan,

> A cetasika, the momentary content of the apperceptive vector, is distinct from the citta. So 
> greed, hatred, etc. are not intrinsic to citta, but rather are the parade it 
> witnesses and the modalities with which it perceives. Citta is "accompanied" 
> by caittas, but not reducible to them.

I think you are missing my point.  Isn't it the case that in the Pali Suttas there is just citta, there is no 'cetasika, the momentary content of the apperceptive vector.'  And citta could be emotional or mental.  It is just descriptive of ones state of mind.  Only later did the Abhidhamma create a theory about it, creating a distinction between citta and cetasikas.  Everything you have said in the above quote is a theoretical development that goes beyond the kind of simple description needed for awareness.
> 
> The horrible indecision of the term "heart-mind" is useful as a reminder 
> that the ubiquitous dichotomy constantly being drilled into Western minds, 
> viz. the heart trumps the mind/brain every time (compelling those who buy 
> that nonsense to vote for seeming idiots like W. Bush, because he ain't 
> smart, but he's a "compassionate" [=heart] conservative), is a bogus 
> dichotomy.

I don't think there is any indecision in using the term 'heart-mind,' if you understand that both heart and mind are components of citta.  
> 
> Think of it this way. Citta is like a mirror -- the surface is simply what 
> it is, and reflects whatever colors, shapes, etc. appear before it. 

This isn't the view in the Suttas.  How is a 'mind with lust' a mirror?  Isn't this a later view?

> Citta apperceives emotions, thoughts, ideas, mental activities of all sorts. In 
> itself, it is dispassionate --- hence those who translate it without "heart" 
> are more faithful to the traditional understanding.

I disagree with this interpretation of citta because it leads to inaction, and the Buddha criticized views that led to inaction.  And that would be a valid reason to criticize the Abhidhamma - if the theory of momentariness led to inaction.



Mahabodhi
Triratna Buddhist 
Order
07973 699750

www.mahabodhi.org.uk



> From: vasubandhu at earthlink.net
> To: buddha-l at mailman.swcp.com
> Date: Thu, 3 Feb 2011 05:33:16 -0500
> Subject: Re: [Buddha-l] Does 'momentariness' remove emotion from citta?
> 
> > I was wondering if an unfortunate consequence of Abhidhamma 
> > over-theorizing, in turning citta into a series of 'thought-moments,' is 
> > that emotion ends up  being removed from citta.
> > Mahabodhi
> 
> You seem to be confusing citta with its caittas (cetasika). Citta is, if 
> strictly rendered, a momentary apperceptive vector. It can have a variety of 
> "felt textures", such as lobha (greed), dosa (hate), moha (dullness), mana 
> (conceit), issa (envy), macchariya (selfishness), etc. -- which may have 
> emotional or affective resonance -- but also phassa (sense contact), vedana 
> (pleasure/pain/neutral), sañña (associative-thinking), cetana (volition), 
> ekaggata (single-pointedness of mind), jivita (life-force), manasikara 
> (focus, attention), vitakka (initial analysis), vicara (sustained analysis), 
> viriya (effort), etc., which involve more than emotion. A cetasika, the 
> momentary content of the apperceptive vector, is distinct from the citta. So 
> greed, hatred, etc. are not intrinsic to citta, but rather are the parade it 
> witnesses and the modalities with which it perceives. Citta is "accompanied" 
> by caittas, but not reducible to them.
> 
> A list of the full Theravada cetasika list is at
> http://www.palikanon.com/english/intro-abhidhamma/appendix_ii.htm
> 
> The Yogacara (mahayana) list of 100 dharmas (which includes citta dharmas 
> and caitasika dharmas, as well as rupa, asamskrta, etc.) is at
> http://www.acmuller.net/yogacara/outlines/100dharmas-utf8.htm
> 
> The horrible indecision of the term "heart-mind" is useful as a reminder 
> that the ubiquitous dichotomy constantly being drilled into Western minds, 
> viz. the heart trumps the mind/brain every time (compelling those who buy 
> that nonsense to vote for seeming idiots like W. Bush, because he ain't 
> smart, but he's a "compassionate" [=heart] conservative), is a bogus 
> dichotomy.
> 
> Think of it this way. Citta is like a mirror -- the surface is simply what 
> it is, and reflects whatever colors, shapes, etc. appear before it. Citta 
> apperceives emotions, thoughts, ideas, mental activities of all sorts. In 
> itself, it is dispassionate --- hence those who translate it without "heart" 
> are more faithful to the traditional understanding.
> 
> Dan 
> 
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