Ahetuka Cittas which are Unknown in Daily Life - Santirana-citta

After the sampaticchana-citta has arisen and fallen away, the process of

cittas experiencing an object is not yet over. The sampaticchana-citta is

succeeded by another ahetuka vipākacitta which is still the result of kamma.

This type of citta is called investigating-consciousness, santīrana-citta.

Santīrana-citta investigates or considers the object which was experienced

by one of the dvi-pañca viññānas (''the five pairs''), and which was ''received''

by the sampaticchana-citta. Santīrana-citta succeeds sampaticchana-citta in a

process of cittas experiencing an object through one of the five sense-doors;

sampaticchana-citta is a condition for the arising of santīrana-citta. When

seeing has arisen, sampaticchana-citta succeeds the seeing-consciousness,

and santīrana-citta succeeds the sampaticchana-citta in the process of cittas

which experience visible object. It is the same with the santīrana-citta which

arises in the process of cittas experiencing an object through one of the other

sense-doors; tt succeeds the sampaticchana-citta. We cannot choose whether

santīrana-citta should arise or not; cittas arise because of conditions, they are

beyond control.

  Santīrana-citta is also an ahetuka vipākacitta. When the object is unpleasant, the santīrana-citta is akusala vipāka and it is accompanied by upekkhā (indifferent feeling). As regards santīrana-citta which is kusala vipāka, there are two kinds. When the object is pleasant but not extraordinarily pleasant, santīrana-citta is accompanied by upekkhā. When the object is extraordinarily pleasant, the santīrana-citta is accompanied by somanassa, pleasant feeling. Thus, there are three kinds of santīrana- citta in all. It depends on conditions which kind of santīrana-citta arises.