Can lokuttara citta's be defined as the true knowing essence (yathabhuta nana dassana)?
asked Jan 10, 2015 at 21:33
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See also a good definition of consciousness and What is the difference between Vijñāna, Manas and Citta?– ChrisW ♦Commented Jan 10, 2015 at 21:40
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1 Answer
No, yathābhūtañāṇadassana is said to refer to early stages of Vipassana insight:
yathābhūtañāṇadassananti yathāsabhāvajānanasaṅkhātaṃ dassanaṃ. etena taruṇavipassanaṃ dasseti. taruṇavipassanā hi balavavipassanāya paccayo hoti.
yathābhūtañāṇadassana refers to that which is understood as knowing things according to existential characteristics (sabhāva). By this is meant weak (taruṇa) vipassana. And weak vipassana is a requisite for strong (balava) vipassana.
-- SN-a 2.1.3.3
The commentary here is explaining a passage showing the following progression:
avijjūpanisā saṅkhārā - formations have ignorance as a cause
saṅkhārūpanisaṃ viññāṇaṃ - consciousness has formations as a cause
viññāṇūpanisaṃ nāmarūpaṃ - mind and body have consciousness as a cause
nāmarūpūpanisaṃ saḷāyatanaṃ - the senses have mind and body as a cause
saḷāyatanūpaniso phasso - contact has the senses as a cause
phassūpanisā vedanā - sensations have contact as a cause
vedanūpanisā taṇhā - craving has sensations as a cause
taṇhūpanisaṃ upādānaṃ - clinging has craving as a cause
upādānūpaniso bhavo - becoming has clinging as a cause
bhavūpanisā jāti - birth has becoming as a cause
jātūpanisaṃ dukkhaṃ - suffering has birth as a cause
dukkhūpanisā saddhā - confidence has suffering as a cause
saddhūpanisaṃ pāmojjaṃ - delight has confidence as a cause
pāmojjūpanisā pīti - rapture has delight as a cause
pītūpanisā passaddhi - tranquillity has rapture as a cause
passaddhūpanisaṃ sukhaṃ - happiness has tranquillity as a cause
sukhūpaniso samādhi - concentration has happiness as a cause
samādhūpanisaṃ yathābhūtañāṇadassanaṃ - knowledge and vision of things as they are has concentration as a cause
yathābhūtañāṇadassanūpanisā nibbidā - disenchantment has knowledge and vision of things as they are as a cause
nibbidūpaniso virāgo - dispassion has disenchantment as a cause
virāgūpanisā vimutti - freedom has dispassion as a cause
vimuttūpanisaṃ khayeñāṇaṃ - knowledge of destruction (of the taints) has freedom as a cause.
-- Upanisa Sutta (SN 12.23)
Balava vipassana refers to nibbida. The lokuttara magga and phala cittas are equated with viraaga and vimutti respectively.
answered Feb 20, 2015 at 7:38
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1Bhante, how does confidence have suffering as a cause? Does it mean the understanding of the 1st noble truth causing Sadda in the 3rd and the 4th noble truths or in the Buddha himself who preached about suffering and the end of suffering? Commented Feb 22, 2015 at 4:58
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1@SankhaKulathantille it causes saddha in the triple gem; suffering shows that the Buddha was right. Without seeing suffering, beings tend to ignore/trivialize the Buddha's teaching. Commented Feb 24, 2015 at 5:13