Birth, Existence and Cessation of a Thought

              

Birth, Existence and Cessation of a Thought

Every moment a countless number of thoughts arise and cease in the mind. This countless volume of thoughts is referred to as “ogha” (flow) in the Buddhist literature. Ogha is a continuous flow of a water body. Everything that gets caught in the ogha (flow) gets carried away with the current of the water flow. Once caught in the current of the water flow, there would be no escape from it. It would be very difficult to cross over to a shore. Once, Alavaka enquired from the Buddha on “how to cross over from the current of water flow?” – ( katham su tharati ogam).The Buddha’s reply was, “saddhaya tharati hoti…” – It is saddha (faith) that makes crossing over possible. 

The Buddha analysed the thought process in great detail. Due to the incessant nature, thoughts were considered as a phenomenon resulting from a lineage or descent as in the case of a family. Individuals inherit certain entitlements from parents, grandparents respectively. In the same way, thoughts leave behind similar entitlements for subsequent thoughts. This incessant journey of thoughts based on birth and death is known as “transmigration” (samsara).

The Buddha’s analysis of thoughts included the following

a.     Birth and death of a thought

b.     Life span of a thought

c.      Role of a thought

d.     Entitlements left behind by a thought

e.      How to identify thoughts

f.       Advantages of identifying thoughts

g.     Way to terminate thoughts and resulting advantages

In accordance with Buddha’s analysis, a birth of a thought goes through five stages; i.e. rupa (forms), vedana ( feelings), sanna (perceptions), sankara (formations) and viññana (consciousness).

Rupa means a certain type of “vibration” .[ruppana in Sinhala ; ruppati in Pali] When two objects come in to contact, a certain type of vibration takes place as a result. As result of wind coming in to contact with a tree, it begins to move (type of vibration). Water of a water body ripples due to the impact of wind. Waves in the sea are a direct outcome of wind. Similarly, when a light ray comes in to contact with eye, eye begins to “vibrate”. A sound comes in to contact with ear, it begins to “vibrate”.  

Vibration referred to in Rupa results in the formation of heat. The degree of heat generated would vary depending on the intensity of vibration. A mild vibration would generate a mild degree of heat while an intense vibration would cause an excessive amount of heat. The degree of heat resulting from vibration is classified as vedana (feeling). The heat generated by vibration could be measured in terms of “degrees”. Relevant degree of heat resulting from vibration is classified as sanna

(Perception).  At this stage the heat generates “magnetic energy”. This is classified as sankara (formations). Sankara has the quality of reacting in certain way. The reaction is its potential to cause a vibration in another group of atoms (rupa kalapa). This is known as viññana (consciousness). Accordingly, when a light ray comes in to contact with eye, a vibration (rupa) takes place in eye, generating a certain degree of heat followed by formation of magnetic energy (sankara). This, in turn, would cause the atoms located in the heart (hadaya vathtu) to vibrate (viññana). In other words, atoms located in the heart becomes aware of the original vibration occurred in the eye.

What happens next? In answering this question, the Buddha elaborated the subsequent stages of a thought process which involves classifications such as Jata, bhuta, katha, and sankatha.

Jata means a birth of a thought following the function of  viññana (consciousness).

Once a thought is born in this manner, it exists for a certain period of time. The life span of a thought (citta) is measured in terms of “thought moments” ( cittakkana). Every thought (citta) lasts for a period seventeen mind moments.

A thought (citta) which lasts for 17 mind moments performs a particular role. A thought may be associated with greed (lobha), aversion (dosa) or non-greed (alobha) , non- aversion (adosa). Based on the characteristics of a particular thought, a mental imprint is formed in the brain ( mano dhatu). Accordingly, when a greedy thought arises, it leaves an imprint in the brain so that a similar thought with the potential of greed could arise at some point in time in the future. Every thought that arises in the mind would leave an imprint in the brain with the same potential for future stimulation.   

The Buddha described this phenomenon as “sabbe atta aharattithika…”, meaning

that every attachment - prone thought has the potential to bring about similar attachment-prone thoughts with same intensity at some point in the future.

[ sabbe satta = all attachments,      ahara = that which brings about existence]

So, every greed based or aversion based thought would leave an imprint in the brain ( mano dhatu) which would  stimulate itself in a later stage to generate similar thoughts. The process of forming an imprint in the brain with potential greed or aversion is known as “bhuta”.

Then the stage of bhuta converts to the “katha” stage. Katha means a “function”.  For instance, a bhuta (mental imprint) formed in the brain (mano dhatu) following a greed-based thought would become active and stimulated to generate a similar thought at a later stage (katha stage). A thought, then, performs a certain action. This is known as sankatha stage. In short, forming an imprint in the brain following a thought, imprints becoming stimulated, and generating subsequent thoughts repetitively are elaborated under the terms, jata, bhuta, katha and sankatha.   

Then, the Buddha taught the way to identify a thought based on the basis of  kaya, vedana, citta and dhamma.  The common meaning given to “kaya” at present is “physical body”. But, when the term “kaya” is closely examined, it becomes evident that the term “kaya” has been used to represent the “action of a thought”.

A thought has been classified under the category of vedana (feelings). Vedana refers to the degree of heat, intensity associated with a thought. Thoughts associated with a high degree of intensity are identified as “sukha” (happiness) while thoughts associated with a low degree of intensity are identified as “dukkha” (suffering). For instance, angry thoughts unleash a high degree of heat which results in feelings filled with suffering. When the mind attains the state of Samadhi (concentration), the mind releases low intense heat, resulting in peaceful, happy feelings. Accordingly, thoughts could be categorised as happy, unhappy or neutral feelings.

Next classification of thoughts is “citta”. Citta is commonly translated as “mind or thought”. However, far more appropriate meaning of the term citta should be the “degree of grasping resulting from a thought”. When a desire arises in the mind, thoughts associated with grasping, attachment come in to play. When hatred arises, the mind is overwhelmed with thoughts of detachment. The degree of attachment or detachment is referred to as citta. Accordingly, citta could be lobha (greed), dosa (hatred) or moha (delusion).

A thought is also classified under the category of “dhamma” (mental objects). Realistically, the term dhamma should be treated to mean “the state of holding or bearing” of mental phenomena. When good thoughts are associated with the mind, that stage is referred to as “kusala dhamma” (wholesome mental phenomena).  When bad thoughts are associated with the mind, that stage is referred to as “akusala dhamma” (unwholesome mental phenomena).

The Buddha, who analysed the thought mind in this manner, pointed out that the underlying cause of suffering and recycle of birth and death as “thoughts”. Also, the Buddha pointed out the way to minimise the flow of thoughts gradually which would culminate in the attainment of ceto vimutti (liberation of mind). 

The way for attaining ceto mimutti and nibbana is laid down in the four contemplations, namely, kayanupassana, , vedananupassana, cittanupassana and dhammanupassana. Passana means to “observe”. Thoughts should be observed  in terms of kaya, vedana, citta and dhamma. This would ultimately lead to purity of thoughts. This is the only way to attain the full liberation of the mind.

Athula Sibera

 Compiled from an article written by Kotte Devananda Thero which appeared in Thisarana dhamma magazine.