ABHIDHAMMA IN DAILY LIFE

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ABHIDHAMMA IN DAILY LIFE


"Namo tassa bhagvato arahato sammasambuddhassa"
"Veneration to the Exalted One, the Homage Worthy, the Perfectly Seft-Enlightened"
On paramattha, the ultimate and the mind

The Four Ultimate - Paramattha is a Pali term which means truth in the highest sense. The ultimates are those which are immutable, [Parama + attha = immutable + intrinsic]. The four (paramattha) ultimates are (citta) mind, consciousness, (cetasika) mental factors, (rupa) matter and (nibbana) the only absolute reality.

How they are immutable - The (cetasika) metal factors include (lobha) which is greed and (dosa) which is hatred or anger, Lobha never changes its intrinsic nature of greed whether it appears in the mind continuum of the wise, the virtuous, the wicked or of dog. Dosa also never changes its hard nature of hatred or ill-will in whosever beings. It should be noted that other ultimates also maintain their intrinsic natures in the same way.

The ultimates are free from bias or partiality, and they always manifest by themselves on their nature. The intrinsic nature of things should be earnestly digested and understood as explained here, so as to know the state of the other people as well as one's own.

Cittta (Mind or Consciousness)

That which is conscious of an object is mind. We are conscious of objects all the time. This nature of awareness of objects is called mind or consciousness. Here awareness does not mean comprehension by knowledge or wisdom. It means ability to take in objects through sense organs.

Six objects of senses, six form of consciousness.
1. All forms of sight = ruparammana
2. All forms of sound = saddarammana
3. All forms of smell = gandharammana
4. All forms of taste = rasarammana
5. All forms of touch = photthabbarammana
6. All other perceptible sense = dhammarammana

On seeing a visible object, consciousness of sight appears. On hearing a sound, consciousness of sound appears. On smelling a scent, consciousness of smell appears. On sampling a taste, consciousness of taste appears. On feeling a touch, consciousness of touch appears. On perceiving those five objects of sense and all other perceptible sense, consciousness of mind appears. Thus, the capability of taking in on object concerned, is called (citta) mind or consciousness.

The nature of mind. "Mind can travel afar, it wanders alone. It has no material form and it generally originates in the cardiac cavity (hadaya)" according to the Dhammapada Pali.


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How good and bad minds mingle with each other.

As consciousness appears and vanishes very quickly, the good and bad or the wholesome and unwholesome units of consciousness mingle even in a short of five minutes. Getting up early in the morning, you at homage to the Buddha and acquire a good mind. At that time when you hear someone calling you to go shopping, you develop greed, As someone comes and says something detrimental, you tend to get angry.
Even when you are involved in greed while doing some trading, if you happen to think of giving charity, that is wholesome thought of saddha (belief in beneficial effects of charity). When you are angry with someone or something, you happen to remember your teachers' advice or admonition and good mindfulness appears again.

Mind can be tamed. If someone born and brought up in the country emulates the vogue and way of living of the urbanites, trains oneself physically and mentally, one's rupa (physical appearance) will also change, become fashionable and stylish within one or two years beyond recognition by their old acquaintance. Thus if physical forms which are slow to change can be made to improve, why should not it be possible to tame their minds which will soon be able to monitor and suppress unwholesome elements in their unruly mind and develop its, wholesome nature to be point of gaining one's own esteem.


Why the mind should be reformed.

There are many reasons why we should reform our minds. We ourselves know best the weakness and foibles of our minds. Even though some wicked people attain high status worldly affairs, if they are mean or base in moral character, they will reborn in lower abodes in their next existence. For this reason they should reform their minds and become noble.


How King Milinda disciplined his mind.

Having asked Venerable Nagasena some questions, King Milinda thought of asking more questions which would be very important for Sāsana (the Teaching of the Buddha). However, he waited for seven days and disciplined his mind concentration. This is quite a good example to the virtuous to follow.


How he prepared himself.

He rose early in the morning, took a bath, attired himself in a dyed yellow dress sand put on a headdress concealing his hair to resemble a shaven head. In other words, he attired himself like a Bhikkhu though he was not one, and observed meticulously the following eight precepts for seven whole days :

1. I will not perform regal duties for seven days.
2. I will restrain myself from raga (greed).
3. I will restrain myself from dosa (hatred).
4. I will restrain myself from moha (delusion).
5. I will bee humble and modest in dealing with my subjects and countries an restrain myself from conceit.
6. I will carefully restrain my words and actions.
7. I will restrain my sense organ i.e. eyes, ears etc., to be free from unwholesome thought when seeing, hearing and experiencing sense-objects.
8. I will radiate loving-kindness to all living beings.

He observed these eight precepts for seven days, and on the eight day he rose early in the morning, and in a cheerful, cool and calm attitude he asked the Venerable Nagasena questions on profound Dhamma.

A good example: Following the example of King Milinda, good people should often practice restraining their minds even if it is for one or two days or for just one morning so that evil thought that habitually arise shall not appear.

The mind guides the world.
The mind leads the world.
All beings have to submit to the will of the mind.