The Five Sense organs

The Five Sense organs

Shamika SOYSA

The first five immoral resultant consciousness and moral resultant consciousness are together called as Dvipanchavinnana as they arise on five sensual organs

at the time they acquire objects related to them

Mind or consciousness is not a single entity. So far some classes and types of consciousness have been elaborated. It has already been explained that consciousness arises in six places: eye, ear, nose, tongue, body (panchindriya) and mind (mano).

When an object is captured by eye, consciousness arise and similar with other places. However, it is not that only one consciousness arises when one of these sensual faculties met with an object. There is a series of chiththas arising and that process is called “Thought Process” (Chiththa Vithi) which is to be explained in future.

Rootless Consciousness (Ahethuka Chiththas)

Out of 89 types of consciousness 2 moha mulika chiththas are caused by one root (ekahethuka) of delusion or ignorance (moha). Rest of the 69 are caused by 2 (dvihethuka) or 3 (thrihethuka) of the six roots (lobha, dwesha, moha or alobha, adwesha, amoha) and thus 71 of them arise with roots (Sahethuka). Remaining 18 chiththas are called Rootless Consciousness (Ahethuka Chiththas) by means as they arise without any of the six roots (hethu). Thorough knowledge on ahethuka chiththas is necessary in understanding the thought process as they arise during a thought process.

18 types of ahethuka chitthas are categorised into three classes:

1. Immoral Resultant Consciousness (Akusala Vipaka Chiththa) - 7

2. Moral Resultant Consciousness (Kusala Vipaka Chiththa) - 8

3. Functional Consciousness (Kriya Chiththa) - 3

An object of a visible form interacts with eyes. There is a particular piece of eye which acquires the visible object and the consciousness arise at that point is known as Eye-consciousness (Chakkhu Vinnana). Similarly when ear, nose, tongue and body met with objects of sound, odour, taste and touches the corresponding vinnana chiththas arise.

When one sees a beautiful painting, his or her mind fills with happy feelings. Conversely seeing some ugly scenery makes ones mind filled with unhappy feelings.

When five sensual organs acquire desirable objects the rootless resultant consciousness becomes moral (kusala vipaka) else they are immoral (akusala vipaka).

The first five immoral resultant consciousness and moral resultant consciousness are together called as Dvipanchavinnana as they arise on five sensual organs at the time they acquire objects related to them. When acquiring an undesirable object by the body the body-consciousness (chakkhu vinnanaya) is accompanied by pain (dhukkha sahagatha) and for a desirable object it is accompanied by happiness (sukha sahagatha). Other 4 pairs of dvipanchavinnas are accompanied by indifference (upekkha sahagatha).

Dvipanchavinna chiththas arise at the moment of sense-object interaction and then consciousness arises to receive or accept the object. That moment of consciousness is called Receiving-consciousness (Sampatijjana) which arises with indifference feeling (upekkha sahagatha). Thereafter the object received by sampatijjana is investigated and that consciousness is called Investigating-consciousness (Santhiranaya).

While immoral resultant consciousness (akusala vipaka chiththa) consists of only one investigating-consciousness accompanied by indifference feeling (upekkha sahagatha), investigating-consciousness in moral resultant consciousness (kusala vipaka chiththa) contains one more accompanied by pleasurable feeling (somanassa sahagatha).

All above 15 rootless resultant consciousnesses (akusala vipaka chiththas) arise without any of the six roots and at the early stage of a thought process. They are followed by either of the two adverting consciousness (dhvaravajjana chiththas) in the 3 types of rootless functional consciousness (ahethuka kriya chiththas).

Reference

Abhidharma Margaya by Ven. Prof. Rerukane Chandhawimala Thera,

A Manual of Abhidhamma by Ven. Narada Maha Thera