MEDITATION INSTRUCTION 15.2
Causal Relationships in Sense-Sphere Cognitive Processes
1. Establish your concentration and review the discernment of mentality and materiality, both internally and externally.
TABLE 15.2
Past and Present Causes
2. To contemplate the causal relationships as they affect each moment of lived experience, such as in a presently occurring sense-sphere cognitive process (for example, the visual impact of a color), begin by discerning five past causes and three present causes for the occurrence of the material heart base and the material eye base. The detailed instructions require that the material base be discerned in every mind-moment. Specifically, recognize the following:
Five past causes:
(a) Because of the arising of ignorance (you will find nineteen to twenty-two mental formations), materiality arises (you will find sixty-three kinds of materiality in the eye door [see Table 12.4] and sixty-three kinds of materiality in the heart base [see Table 12.6]). Ignorance is the cause, materiality is the effect.
(b) Because of the arising of craving (you will find nineteen to twenty-two mental formations), materiality arises. Craving is the cause, materiality is the effect.
(c) Because of the arising of clinging (you will find nineteen to twenty-two mental formations), materiality arises. Clinging is the cause, materiality is the effect.
(d) Because of the arising of volitional formations (you will probably find thirty-two to thirty-five mental formations), materiality arises. Volitional formations are the cause, materiality is the effect.
(e) Because of the arising of kamma potency (you will probably find thirty-two to thirty-five mental formations), materiality arises. Kamma potency is the cause, materiality is the effect.
Three present causes:
(a) Because of the arising of temperature, materiality arises. Temperature is the cause, materiality is the effect.
(b) Because of the arising of mind, materiality arises. Mind is the cause, materiality is the effect.
(c) Because of the arising of nutriment, materiality arises. Nutriment is the cause, materiality is the effect.
Through this discernment you will see that the arising of matter can have five primary past causes (ignorance, craving, clinging, volitional formations, and kamma potency) and three primary present causes: mind, temperature, and nutriment. These forces nourish the production of the material base and object. In other words you will know through your meditative insight that:
(a) The causes of kamma-produced rūpa are ignorance, craving, clinging, volitional formations, kamma potency.
(b) The cause of mind-produced materiality is mind, which depends upon the heart base.
(c) The cause of temperature-produced materiality is the fire element.
(d) The cause of nutriment-produced materiality is nutriment.
3. To identify the causes for mentality, discern an eye-door cognitive process and contemplate the causes and effects links for each of the consciousnesses that compose that series as outlined in Table 15.2. The following examples provide clues to the systematic approach.
Five-door adverting consciousness has three present causes.
(a) Because of the arising of heart-base materiality (discern sixty-three types of rūpas in the heart-base), feeling, perception, formations, and consciousness arise. Material base is the cause; feeling, perception, formations, and consciousness are the effects.
(b) Because object arises, feeling, perception, formations, and consciousness arise. Object is the cause; feeling, perception, formations, and consciousness are the effects.
(c) Because of the arising of contact (including associated mental formations), feeling, perception, formations, and consciousness arise. Contact (including associated mental formations) is the cause; feeling, perception, formations, and consciousness are the effects.247
Sensory consciousnesses have five past causes and five present causes.
Five past causes:
(a) Because of the arising of ignorance (you will find nineteen to twenty-two mental formations), feeling, perception of color, formations (discern the associated mental factors), and eye-consciousness arise. Ignorance is the cause; feeling, perception, formations, and consciousness are the effects.
(b) Because of the arising of craving (you will find nineteen to twenty-two mental formations), feeling, perception of color, formations, and eye-consciousness arise. Craving is the cause; feeling, perception, formations, and consciousness are the effects.
(c) Because of the arising of clinging (you will find nineteen to twenty-two mental formations), feeling, perception of color, formations, and eye-consciousness arise. Clinging is the cause; feeling, perception, formations, and consciousness are the effects.
(d) Because of the arising of volitional formations (you will probably find thirty-two to thirty-five mental formations), feeling, perception of color, formations, and eye-consciousness arise. Volitional formations are the cause; feeling, perception, formations, and consciousness are the effects.
e) Because of the arising of kamma potency (you will probably find thirty-two to thirty-five mental formations), feeling, perception of color, formations, and eye-consciousness arise. Kamma potency is the cause; feeling, perception, formations, and consciousness are the effects.
Five present causes:
(a) Because of the arising of eye-base materiality (discern sixty-three types of rūpas in the eye-base), feeling, perception of color, formations, and eye-consciousness arise. Material base is the cause; feeling, perception, formations, and consciousness are the effects.
(b) Because object arises, feeling, perception of color, formations, and eye-consciousness arise. Object is the cause; feeling, perception, formations, and consciousness are the effects.
(c) Because of the arising of contact (discern eight mental formations arising with sense-door consciousness), feeling, perception of color, formations, and eye-consciousness arise. Contact (including associated mental formations) is the cause; feeling, perception, formations, and consciousness are the effects.
(d) Because attention arises (discern eleven mental factors associated with the preceding five-door adverting consciousness), feeling, perception of color, formations, and eye-consciousness arise. Attention is the cause; feeling, perception, formations, and consciousness are the effects.
(e) Because light arises, feeling, perception of color, formations, and eye-consciousness arise. Light is the cause; feeling, perception, formations, and consciousness are the effects.
Receiving consciousness and investigating consciousness include five past causes and three present causes.
Five present causes:
(a) Because of the arising of ignorance (you will find nineteen to twenty-two mental formations), feeling, perception of color, formations (discern the associated mental factors), and consciousness arise. Ignorance is the cause; feeling, perception, formations, and consciousness are the effects.
(b) Because of the arising of craving (you will find nineteen to twenty-two mental formations), feeling, perception of color, formations, and consciousness arise. Craving is the cause; feeling, perception, formations, and consciousness are the effects.
(c) Because of the arising of clinging (you will find nineteen to twenty-two mental formations), feeling, perception of color, formations, and consciousness arise. Clinging is the cause; feeling, perception, formations, and consciousness are the effects.
(d) Because of the arising of volitional formations (you will probably find thirty-two to thirty-five mental formations), feeling, perception of color, formations, and consciousness arise. Volitional formations are the cause; feeling, perception, formations, and consciousness are the effects.
(e) Because of the arising of kamma potency (you will probably find thirty-two to thirty-five mental formations), feeling, perception of color, formations, and consciousness arise. Kamma potency is the cause; feeling, perception, formations, and consciousness are the e
ffects.
Three present causes:
(a) Because of the arising of heart-base materiality (discern sixty-three types of rūpas in the heart-base), feeling, perception of color, formations, and consciousness arise. Material base is the cause; feeling, perception, formations, and consciousness are the effects.
(b) Because object arises, feeling, perception of color, formation, and consciousness arise. Object is the cause; feeling, perception, formations, and consciousness are the effects.
(c) Because of the arising of contact (including associated mental formations), feeling, perception of color, formation, and consciousness arise. Contact (including associated mental formations) is the cause; feeling, perception, formations, and consciousness are the effects.248
Impulsion consciousnesses have four present causes:
(a) Because of the arising of heart-base materiality (discern sixty-three types of rūpas in the heart-base), feeling, perception of color, formations, and eye-consciousness arise. Material base is the cause; feeling, perception, formations, and consciousness are the effects.
(b) Because object arises, feeling, perception of color, formations, and eye-consciousness arise. Object is the cause; feeling, perception, formations, and consciousness are the effects.
(c) Because of the arising of contact (including associated mental formations), feeling, perception of color, formations, and eye-consciousness arise. Contact (including associated mental formations) is the cause; feeling, perception, formations, and consciousness are the effects.249
(d) Because wise or unwise attention arises (discern the twelve mental formations composing the preceding determining consciousness), feeling, perception of color, formations, and eye-consciousness arise. Wise or unwise attention is the cause; feeling, perception, formations, and consciousness are the effects.
Discern and link causes from the past and present life to the production of the five aggregates as they arise in wholesome and unwholesome eye-door cognitive processes (see Table 15.2). Thoroughly examine causes and effects related to every stage of the cognitive series including materiality, and the five-door adverting, sense-door, receiving, investigating, determining, impulsion, registration, and life-continuum mind-moments. Include subsequent mind-door adverting, impulsion, and registration consciousnesses that arise dependent upon the sense objects.250
4. When the causal forces producing an eye-door cognitive process are clear, discern the causal relationships occurring with other sense doors: ear door, nose door, tongue door, and body door.
5. Perform the meditative discernments first by applying wise attention and discerning the appropriate quantity of associated mental factors for each wholesome cognitive process. You might apply wise attention by perceiving the object as impermanent, unsatisfactory, not-self, repulsive, or as simple mental-material processes. Then perform the meditative discernment with unwise attention by applying the various unwholesome attitudes listed in Table 13.7 to the perception of the sensory phenomena. Discern the appropriate quantity of associated mental factors for each unwholesome cognitive process.
MEDITATION INSTRUCTION 15.3
Causal Relationships in Mind-Door Cognitive Processes
1. Establish your concentration and review mentality and materiality, both internally and externally.
2. To contemplate the causal relationships of the five aggregates occurring in each mind-moment of the mind-door cognitive process, focus your attention on the mind door at the heart base. Then, stimulate a mind-door cognitive series by discerning one of the twenty-eight kinds of ultimate materiality presented in chapter 12.
Mind-door adverting consciousness has three present causes:
(a) Because of the arising of heart-base materiality (discern sixty-three types of rūpas in the heart-base), feeling, perception of rūpa, formations, and mind-consciousness arise. Material base is the cause; feeling, perception, formations, and consciousness are the effects.
(b) Because object arises, feeling, perception of rūpa, formations, and mind-consciousness arise. Object is the cause; feeling, perception, formations, and consciousness are the effects.
(c) Because of the arising of contact (including associated mental formations), feeling, perception of rūpa, formations, and mind-consciousness arise. Contact (including associated mental formations) is the cause; feeling, perception, formations, and consciousness are the effects.251
Impulsion consciousness has four present causes:
(a) Because of the arising of heart-base materiality (discern sixty-three types of rūpas in the heart-base), feeling, perception of rūpa, formations, and mind-consciousness arise. Material base is the cause; feeling, perception, formations, and consciousness are the effects.
(b) Because object arises, feeling, perception of rūpa, formations, and mind-consciousness arise. Object is the cause; feeling, perception, formations, and consciousness are the effects. (c) Because of the arising of contact (including associated mental formations), feeling, perception of rūpa, formations, and mind-consciousness arise. Contact (including associated mental formations) is the cause; feeling, perception, formations, and consciousness are the effects.252
(d) Because of the arising of attention (discern twelve associated mental formations in the preceding mind-adverting moment), feeling, perception of rūpa, formations, and mind-consciousness arise. Attention is the cause; feeling, perception, formations, and consciousness are the effects.
Stimulate mind-door processes by perceiving each of the twenty-eight kinds of ultimate materiality with wise attention. Recognize the appropriate quantity of mental factors that are associated with wholesome states. Thoroughly examine causes and effects related to every aspect of the cognitive series including materiality, and the life-continuum, mind-door adverting, impulsion, and registration consciousnesses.
3. Then, perceive the twenty-eight kinds of materiality with unwise attention according to the unwholesome states listed in Table 13.7, and recognize the appropriate quantity of mental factors that are associated with each unwholesome state. Also discern causes and effects related to wholesome practices such as recollection of Buddha’s qualities or death; the cultivation of loving-kindness, compassion, appreciative joy, and equanimity; virtuous action such as generosity, truthful speaking, right livelihood; and any mediation practice.
4. Next, discern the causes and effects for materiality, and the life-continuum, mind-door adverting, impulsions, and registration consciousnesses that arise with wholesome (nonjhāna) states. This would include practices such as recollection of the Buddha, recollection of death, compassion, appreciative joy, right speech, right action, and right livelihood.
5. If you have attained jhāna, also discern the causal relationships of the five aggregates that occur in each jhāna cognitive series. This exercise expands the discernment of meditation instruction 13.3 beyond the analysis of the components of the cognitive process that occurs in jhāna and examines the causal relationships of those components and processes. The basic procedure will be similar to the above discernments, but the quantity of associated mental factors and the number of impulsion consciousnesses will reflect the relevant level and strength of jhāna.
MEDITATION INSTRUCTION 15.4
Further Back in Time
Once you have successfully discerned the past causes (ignorance, craving, clinging, volitional formations, and kamma potency) that brought forth this lifetime, continue the examination of causes and effects as they occurred further into the past.
1. Discern the mental and material formations that arose shortly before the death of your previous life; then, discern the formations that occurred one hour before death, two hours before death, one day before death, one week before death, one month before death, one year before death, and so on. Gradually work your way back throughout the course of the life span observing wholesome and unwholesome states, feelings, contacts, and mental factors in those moments. Empasize wholesome states, such as generousity, restraint, concentration, and insight
.
You may see images related to the life, concerns, or activities of that being; you may gain an impression of lifestyle, values, character, attachments, and social role; you might perceive aspirations, actions, or events. Be careful not to become entranced with concepts. Continue to discern the mental and material realities that occurred at various ages. By discerning the sex-determining kalāpa you will know the gender. By discerning mental formations you will know the frequency of wholesome or unwholesome states.
2. Gradually continue back to the moment of conception of this nearest past life. Discern the materiality in that being’s heart base (human beings will have sixty-three rūpas) and discern the cognitive process that is occurring in that being’s mind door. Repeat the same methodical procedure practiced in meditation instruction 15.1 to determine the precise unwholesome formations of ignorance, craving, and clinging, and the wholesome volitional formations associated with the meritorious action and kamma potency that were performed in your second past life and were responsible for the production of the first past life. Try to discern the object of consciousness at the near-death moment of the second past life or in the first moment of conception of the first past life. Check that the near-death moment, conception, and the life-continuum process share the same subtle object. Check and link the cause-and-effect relationships across the threshold from the second past life to the conception of your nearest past life.
3. Discern cognitive processes as they appear at periodic intervals by moving backward and forward throughout the course of this first past life. You may discern any sense-door or mind-door cognitive processes but give emphasis to the seeds of virtue, meditation, and wisdom by searching specifically for experiences such as generosity, restraint, concentration, and insight. Carefully link causes and effects between your second and first past lives to see how past causes from the second past life, combined with present causes in the first past life, produced mentality and materiality in each mind-moment of cognitive processes during that first past life.
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