After the Buddha’s enlightenment, He taught for 45 years before passing into Parinibbanna at the age of 80. All his teachings were contained in 31 volumes of original Pali called Tipitaka which means 3 Baskets (ti=3 and pitaka = basket). The 3 Baskets are:-

1. Vinaya Pitaka (Basket of Discipline)

It contains the rules of discipline from monks and nuns of the Sangha community

2. Sutta Pitaka (Basket of Discourses)

It is a collection if discourses, stories and verses delivered by the Buddha and His disciples

3. Abhidhamma Pitaka (Basket of Higher Doctrine)

It contains the higher philosophy of the Buddha’s teaching

The word abhidhamma is a combination of 2 words, "abhi" which means higher or greater and "dhamma" which means truth or doctrine. Therefore abhidhamma means the higher doctrine of the Buddha’a teaching.

It is called higher doctrine because this actually treats the dhamma entirely in terms of ultimate reality whereby every phenomenon is analysed into its ultimate components. All relative concepts such as man, woman etc, are reduced to their ultimate elements and are then precisely defined, classified and systematically arranged. This pitaka is composed of 7 books, namely:-

1. Dhamma Sangani (Classification of Dhammas)

It contains detail explanation of all phenomenon with an analysis of citta (consciousness) and its cetasikas (mental states)

2. Vibhanga (The Book of Divisions)

It contains 18 separate sections on analysis of all phenomenon different from the Dhammasangani

3. Dhatukatha (Discussion with reference to Elements)

It discusses the Groups, bases and elements of existence and is contained in 14 chapters

4. Puggala Pannati (Description of Individuals)

It describes the various parts of individuals according to the stage of their achievement along the Path and is divided into 10 chapters

5. Kathavatthu (Points of Controversy)

It discusses the 216 points of controversy on the doctrines of other schools in order to uproot all controversies on the Buddha Dhamma

6. Yamaka (The Book of the Pairs)

A 10 chapter book on the analytical procedure which is arranged in pairs

7. Patthana (The Book of Relations)

The are two realities – apparent reality and ultimate reality. Apparent reality is ordinary conventional truth (Sammuti Sacca) while Ultimate reality is abstract truth (Paramattha Dhamma).

For instance, the smooth surface of the table as we see it is apparent reality. In an ultimate sense the apparent surface consists of forces and qualities or in other words vibrations.

For ordinary purposes, a scientist uses the term water (apparent reality) but in the laboratory he says H2O (ultimate reality). In the same way the Buddha in the Sutta Pitaka resorts to conventional usage such as man, woman, being etc, but in the Abhidhamma Pitaka He adopts a different mode of expression. Here bases (Ayatana), etc.

The Abhidhamma clarifies intricate points of the Dhamma and enables the arising of an understanding of reality, thereby setting forth in clear terms the Path of Emancipation. The realization we from the Abhidhamma with regard to our lives and the world is not in a conventional sense but absolute reality.

The Abhidhamma deals with realities existing in the ultimate, or Paramatthas in Pali. A person is made up of name and rupa. Name is the mental phenomena, rupa is the physical phenomena. Name experiences something, rupa does not experience anything. There are two kinds of conditioned nama- citta, (consciousness) and cetasika (mental factors arising together with consciousness). They are namas which arise because of conditions and fall away again. Nibbana is an unconditioned nama. Thus there 4 such realities:-

Citta, Cetasika and Rupa are conditioned realities, they arise because of conditions and will disappear when the conditions sustaining them cease to do so. They are impermanent states. Nibbana, on the other hand, is as unconditioned reality. It does not arise and therefore dose not fall away. Other than these realities, everything, be it within ourselves or without, whether in the past, present or future; whether coarse or subtle; low or lofty, far or near – is a concept and not an ultimate reality.

Citta is a state consciousness of awareness. To be conscious or aware of something (an object) means a Citta has arisen. Citta is the knowing mind that gives rise mental states (Cetasika).

With respect to its nature, it divides itself into four class, namely Akusala Kusala Vipaka and Kiriya. Some types of consciousness are immoral (AkusaLa) because they spring from attachment (Lobha), aversion or ill-will (Patigha/dosa) and ignorance (Moha). Opposed to them are the moral types of consciousness (Kusala) because they are rooted in non-attachment of generosity (Alobha), goodwill (Adosa) and wisdom (Amoha). The former are unwholesome as they produce undesirable effects (Anittha Vipaka). The latter are wholesome as they produce undesirable effects (Anittha Vipaka). The latter are wholesome as they produce desirable effects (Ittha Vipaka). Both Kusala and Akusala Cittas constitute what are termed in Pali Kamma. Those types of consciousness that arise as the inevitable results of these Kusala and Akusala Cittas are called Vipaka (resultant) Cittas. It should be understood that both Kamma and Vipaka are purely mental. The fourth type is called Kiriya which for want of a better term is rendered by "karmically ineffective", "inoperative" or "functional".

It has been recorded that in the 4^th of the 7 weeks after the Buddha’s Enlightenment, He sat in a jewelled chamber meditating on Abhidhamma. Books state that His mind and body were so purified that 6 coloured rays emitted from His body. They were blue yellow, red, white, orange and a mixture of these 5 colours which make up the colours of a Buddhist flag today.

As a mark of gratitude the Buddha taught the Abhidhamma to His mother Queen Maha Maya who died on the 7^th day after the birth of Prince Siddhattha. She was reborn in Tusita heaven. It was during the 3 rainy months of Vassa in the 7^th year of His preaching that Abhidhamma was first preached to His mother in Tavatimsa heaven. The Buddha chose Tavatimsa because He wanted His sermon to benefit not only His mother but also gods of reaims lower as well as higher heavens. Everyday throughout this period the Buddha gave the same sermon to Venerable Sariputta who in turn taught 500 monks.

The teaching was then preserved by committing to memory and transmitted from generation to generation. It was in the 3^rd Council of Arahants that Abhidhamma was composed. Then around 83 BC it was committed in writing at Aluvihara in Sri Lanka. It was written on Ola leaves.

The Buddha’s teaching is contained in the Tipitaka which is made up of Vinaya, Sutta and Abdhidhammma. The Abhidhamma pitaka is compiled into 7 books. Of these, the Dhammasangani shall be dealt in greater details later.

History says that the Buddha meditated on Abhidhamma in the 4^th week after His Enlightenment. He subsequently taught this subject on 2 occasions : to His Mother in Tavatimsa and to Venerable Sariputta.

1. It provides a framework to develop a deeper understanding of the nature of existence i.e. the 3 universal characteristics – Anicca (impermanence), dukkha (unsatisfactoriness), anatta (non-self)
2. It enables us to understand or advise people on their meditation practice
3. It assists us to differentiate between phenomenon and reality
4. It provides us with information on mind and matter (nama and rupa)
5. It gives us the ability to develop an analytical mind

1. Sutta Pitaka and Abhidhamma Pitaka are both the teachings of Buddha
2. Basically, both the pitaka deal with the same subject, i. e. the 4 Noble Truths, the Noble Eightfold Path which leads to one’s deliverance – Nibbana.

Regarding the difference between the Sutta and the Abhidhamma, it does not really as much concern the subject but rather its arrangement and the analytical method of treatment. The subject is practically the same.

The main difference are listed as follows:-

1. Sutta Pitaka, the Book of Discourses, is the general teaching suited to various character types of being in order to free their thoughts from all manner of false views.

Whereas the Abhidhamma Pitaka, the Book of Higher Teaching, contains the teaching on science and philosophy

2. Sutta Pitaka is the basic of the Buddhist Ethics. It is written a direct and familiar or conventional language (vohara vacana) such as man, animal, being, body and mind which is easy to comprehend.

However the Abhidhamma Pitaka is written in an abstract, subtle language (paramattha vacana) which is full of technical and scientific terms such as elements (dhatu), units and relations etc.

3. In Sutta the so called being is expressed in conventional terms such as man, woman, "I" , "you" or mind and body and so on.
4. So the Sutta is referred as the conventional teaching (vohara desana) while the Abhidhamma is referred as the Ultimate or Abstract Teaching (Paramattha).

There are two realities.

1. Apparent reality (Sammuti sacca)
2. Ultimate reality (Paramattha dhamma)

1. Apparent reality is ordinary conventional or relative (sammuti sacca). This conventional truth is lso called concepts, ideas, notions, names or terms e.g. sea, land, mountain, table, man, etc….
2. Ultimate reality is abstract truth (Paramattha dhamma)

So, the concept of water is the conventional truth (sammuti sacca) while the atomic particles is the ultimate or abstract truth (paramattha dhamma).

Abhidhamma deals with ultimate realities in Buddhism.

Paramattha is of great significance in Abhidhamma. It is made up of w words. Parama means abstract. Attha means things. Therefore paramattha means abstract things.

There are 4 such paramattha dhamma (abstract realities) in Abhidhamma. They are:-

1. Citta (Consciousness)
2. Cetasika (Mental States)
3. Rupa (Matter)
4. Nibbana

Citta, cetasikas (with he exception of 8 Lokunara cittas) and rupa are mundane and conditioned dhamma (sankhara dhamma).

1. Citta (consciousness) – It is defined the awareness of an object. It is mental phenomenon. To be aware of something means that a citta has risen. There are 89 or 121 types of cittas.
2. Cetasikas (meantal states) – Cetasika is that mental state which is associated with citta. It is mental phenomenon. It arises and then ceases together with a citta. There are 52 such cetasikas (mental states).
3. Rupa (matter) – Rupa is know as matter or the meterial qualities or physical phenomenon of all material substances. There are altogether 28 classes of Rupa (matter). Out of these 28 rupas, there are 4 great elements called Mahabhutas because they are found in all material substances. They are:-

1. "Element of earth or solidity" (Pathavi) – to be experienced as hardness or softness
2. "Element of water or cohesion" (Apo) – It is the element that makes scattered particles of matter cohere or give rise to the idea of body.
3. "Element of fire or heat" (Tejo) – to be experienced as heat or cold.
4. "Element of wind or motion" (Vaya) – to be experienced as motion or pressure.

1. Nibbana – It is the perpetual happiness of mental bliss. It is the end of all defilement. It is absolutely free from all kinds of suffering and not subject to forces of birth, decay and death. It is unconditioned dhamma (visankhara dhamma) because it does not arise and it dose not pass away. It is permanent and eternal.

Subha (desirable), Sukha (happiness) and dhuva (eternal).

Citta (consciousness) is the first of the 4 paramattha dhammas.

Definition : It is defined as that which knows or experiences the object. It is a conditioned (sankhara) dhamma. It arises when there are right conditions and it falls away again when the conditions have ceased. It never arises alone, it is always accompanied by cetasikas (mental factors) which condition it. Citta experience different object through the six sense-doors of eye, ear, nose, tongue, body sense and mind.

E.g. seeing is the citta which experiences visible object through the eye-door. The right conditions are that there should be an eye-base a visual object and light and attention. So when we close our eyes, there is no longer seeing because there is no condition for seeing.

Other examples: hearing experience sound through the ear-door. There to be the right condition for we smell through the ears or taste with the eyes.

There is only one citta at a time. Every citta which occurs falls away immediately and condition the next citta to arise. Our life is a continuous series of citta which succeed one another. We may think we can see or hear at the same moment but in reality cittas arise at different moment.

There are many types of cittas. On the whole there are ultimately 89 types of cittas of which the wise divide into 121.

These 89 or 121 types can further be classified by 2 main ways as follows:-

1. By ways of their nature (jati)
2. By the spheres (planes of existence) where these cittas are experienced

1. THE NATURE (JATI) OF CITTA

1. Akusala (immoral) cittas – those which spring from attachment (lobha), illwill (patigha/dosa) and ignorance (moha).
2. Kusala (moral) cittas – those which are rooted in non-attachment or generosity (alobha), goodwill (adosa) and wisdom (amoha).
3. Vipaka (resultant) cittas – those which arise as a result of kusala or akusala cittas called vipaka.
4. Kiriya (functional) cittas – those cittas which are inoperative or karmically ineffective or functional.

1. THE DIVISION BY SPERES

There are 4 main divisions of cittas according to the spheres. They are:-

1. Kamavacara cittas (consciousness pertaining to the sensual sphere).
2. Rupavacara cittas (consciousness pertaining to the form sphere).
3. Arupavacara cittas (consciousness pertaining to the formless sphere).
4. Lokuttara cittas (supramundane cittas).

1. KAMAVACARA (SENSUAL SPHERE CITTAS)

Kama means either sensual craving or sensuous object such as forms, sound, odour, taste and contact. Avacara means sphere of activity, realm or place. So kamavacara means sensuous sphere or that which moves about in the sentient realm (kamaloka). The four states of misery (apaya), human realm (manussa) and the six celestial realms (devaloka) constitute the kamaloka. It is so called because sense desire plays a predominant part in this sphere. The four states of misery are called Dugati (evil states). Evil doers are born in these states. The remaining states are called Sugati (good states). The good are born in these states of sensuous bliss.

In the sensuous sphere there are moral (kusala), immoral (akusala) consciousness or the functional (kiriya). There are 54 cittas experienced in this sphere. These cittas are further classified as follows:-

1. 12 akusala (immoral) cittas – They are 8 rooted in loba

2 rooted in patigha

2 rooted in moha

2. 18 ahetuka (rootless) cittas – they are 7 akusala vipaka

8 kusala vipaka

3 kiriya vipaka

3. 24 sobhana (beautiful) cittas – they are 8 kusala

8 vipaka

8 kiriya

Rupavacara means that which moves about in the form realm. There are 6 planes in these rupaloka where those who have developed rupajhana are born through meditation based mainly upon rupa kasinas (material object of concentration such as earth, fire, water etc.). beings born here are supposed to possess very subtle material forms.

1. 5 kusala (moral) cittas
2. 5 vipaka (resultant) cittas
3. 5 kiriya (functional) cittas

Arupavacara means that which moves about in the formless realm. There are 4 in this sphere where there is no body but only mind exists by power of meditation (by attaining arupajhana).

There are 12 cittas which are all wholesome (kusala). They divided as follows:-

1. 4 kusala (moral) cittas
2. 4 vipaka (resultant) cittas
3. 4 kiriya (functional) cittas

1. LOKUTTARA (SUPRAMUNDANE) CITTAS

Loka means world or the five aggregates. Uttara means above beyond or transcend. Therefore lokuttara citta is the supramundane consciousness that enables us to transcend this world of mind and body. There are 8 lokuttara cittas. They are divided as follows:- .

1. 4 kusala cittas or magga (path) cittas
2. 4 vipaka cittas or phala (fruit) cittas

these 8 cittas are expanded by dividing each citta into 5 kinds according to the 5 jhana factors. Therefore 8 supramundane cittas become 40 as follows:-

1. 4 magga cittas x 5 = 20 cittas
2. 4 phala cittas x 5 = 20 cittas

Note: AK – Akusala, K – Kusala, V – Vipaka, Ki – Kiriya.

Summary There are ultimately 89 types of cittas which can be further expanded into 121 types.

These 89 or 121 cittas can be classified by 2 main ways, namely:-

1. by their nature (jati)
2. by the sphere where the cittas are experienced.

There are 4 classes of Citta:-

1. Consciousness pertaining to the Sensual Sphere (Kamavacara – Cittani) 54
2. Consciousness pertaining to the Form Sphere (Rupavacara – Cittani) 15
3. Consciousness pertaining to the Formless Sphere (Arupavacara – Cittani) 12
4. Supramundane Consciousness (Lokuttara – Cittani) The citta which directly experiences Nibbana 8 or 20

There are altogether 89 or 121 types of Citta

(Kamavacara – Cittani) (Consciousness Pertaining To Sensual Sphere)

These types of Citta arise in the Sensual Sphere (Kamavacaram). They are Akusala-Cittani (Immoral Consciousness), Ahetuka-Cittani (Rootless Consciousness) and Sobhana-Cittani (Beautiful Consciousness).

Grouped under Akusala-Cittani (Immoral Conciousness) are 12 consciousness i.e. 8 Lobha Mula Cittas (Consciousness rooted in in attachment), and 2 Dosa Mula Cittas (Consciousness rooted in ill-will or aversion) and 2 Moha Mula Cittas (Consciousness rooted in delusion or ignorance)

In the case of Ahetuka Cittani (Rootless Consciousness), there are 7 Akusala Vipaka Cittani (Immoral Resultant Consciousness Without Roots), 8 Kusala Vipakahetuka Cittani (Moral Resultant Consciousness Without Roots) and 3 Ahetuka Kiriya Cittani (Functional Consciousness Without Roots).

In the case of Sobhana Cittani (beautiful Consciousness), there are 8 Kusala Cittani (Moral Consciousness), 8 Vipaka Cittani (Resultant Consciousness) and 8 Kiriya Cittani (Functional Consciousness).

To summarise, altogether 54 Cittas can arise in the Sensual Sphere, categorised under Akusala-Cittani, Ahetuka Cittani and Sobhana-Cittani.