Functions of Citta in the Sense-Door Process and in the Mind-Door Process

In the process of citta, the pañca-viññāna is succeeded by sampaticchana- citta. This citta, which performs the function of sampaticchana (receiving the object), receives the object after the pañca-viññāna has fallen away. Sampaticchana-citta is ahetuka vipāka. Two kinds of citta can perform this function: one is akusala vipāka and one is kusala vipāka.

Kamma does not only produce the dvi-pañca-viññānas (the five pairs) and

sampaticchana-citta, it also produces santirana-citta (investigating-

consciousness) which succeeds sampaticchana-citta. Santīrana-citta performs

in the sense-door process the function of santīrana (investigating the

object) ; it is ahetuka vipākacitta.

As we have seen (Ch. 9), there are three kinds of santīrana-citta which can

perform the function of investigating:

1. Santīrana-citta which is akusala vipāka, accompanied

by upekkhā.

2. Santīrana-citta which is kusala vipāka, accompanied

by upekkhā.

3. Santīrana-citta which is kusala vipāka, accompanied

by somanassa (in case the object is extraordinarily

pleasant).

Santīrana-citta is succeeded by votthapana-citta (determining-

consciousness). Votthapana is another function of citta; the votthapana-

citta determines the object in the sense-door process. After it has

determined the object it is succeeded by kusala cittas or by akusala cittas.

The conditions through which it arises are different from the conditions for

santīrana-citta which is produced by kamma. Votthapana-citta is not vipāka

and it is not kusala or akusala but it is an ahetuka kiriyācitta. As we have

seen, the votthapana-citta is actually the mano-dvārāvajjana-citta which

performs the function of votthapana in the sense-door process and is then

called votthapana-citta. The mano-dvārāvajjana-citta performs two

function in the mind-door process it performs the function of adverting to

an object through the mind-door, and in the sense-door process it

performs the function of votthapana.

Functions of Citta in the Sense-Door Process and in the Mind-Door Process - Votthapana-citta