Chapter 4 - Proximity-condition And Contiguity-condition

We may wonder why life goes on and on. Yesterday there were seeing, hearing and thinking, and today these realities occur again. Experiences occur time and again because there are conditions for them. Proximity-condition and contiguity-condition are conditions for cittas to arise again and again, in succession. Each citta with its associated cetasikas falls away and conditions the arising of the succeeding citta with its associated cetasikas. The next citta cannot arise if the preceding citta has not fallen away, there can be only one citta at a time. It is difficult to know the succession of the different cittas since they arise and fall away very rapidly. Attachment may arise in a sense-door process and then in the mind-door process^[1], but, so long as there is no clear understanding of different realities, it seems that attachment can last for a while. In reality there are different cittas arising and falling away, succeeding one another because of proximity-condition and contiguity-condition.

Anantara (proximity) means: without interval. Anantara and samanantara (contiguity) are different in name, but the same in meaning (Visuddhimagga, XVII, 74)^[2]. The preceding citta is the condition, paccaya, for the arising of the subsequent citta which is the conditioned dhamma (paccayupanna dhamma). The conditions of proximity and of contiguity do not pertain to rupa. Rupa can be produced by four factors: by kamma, by citta, by food and by temperature or heat. Rupas arise and then fall away and so long as there are conditions new rupas are produced by the four factors^[3].

The rebirth-consciousness, patisandhi-citta, which is vipakacitta, conditions the arising of the succeeding citta, the first bhavanga-citta in that life, which is of the same type of citta^[4] as the rebirth-consciousness. The bhavanga-cittas which arise throughout life, in between the sense-door and the mind-door processes of cittas, are the same type of citta. When there is birth in an unhappy plane of existence, such as the animal plane, the rebirth-consciousness is akusala vipakacitta. Because of proximity-condition and contiguity-condition bhavanga-citta succeeds the rebirth-consciousness and this citta is also akusala vipakacitta. The bhavanga-citta is in accordance with that kind of birth, it could not be changed into kusala vipakacitta. When one is born with maha-vipakacitta^[5] acccompanied by the three sobhana hetus of alobha, non-attachment, adosa, non-aversion, and amoha or panna, the succeeding bhavanga-citta is of the same type of citta as the rebirth-consciousness. The bhavanga-citta is conditioned by the rebirth-consciousness by way of proximity-condition and contiguity-condition. The person who is born with three sobhana hetus has the possibility to attain enlightenment in that life if panna is developed. Because of proximity-condition and contiguity-condition the potentialities one is born with are carried on from moment to moment.

Besides bhavanga-cittas, there are also cittas arising in sense-door processes and mind-door processes which experience objects impinging on the six doors. In the course of life we experience happiness and sorrow, but we could not have such experiences if the rebirth-consciousness had not arisen and if this citta was not succeeded by the following cittas, bhavanga-cittas and cittas arising in sense-door processes and mind-door processes. Our life is an unbroken series of cittas, succeeding one another without interval.

The cittas which perform their functions in the different processes^[6] succeed one another in a regular order. The sense-door adverting-consciousness, the first citta which arises in a sense-door process, is conditioned by the last bhavanga-citta arising before the sense-door process starts, by way of proximity-condition and contiguity-condition. The sense-door adverting-consciousness experiences an object different from the object the bhavanga-citta experiences; it adverts to the object which impinges on one of the senses and is then succeeded by the sense-cognition (dvi-panca-vinnana, seeing, hearing, etc.) which experiences that object. There is seeing and hearing time and again, also now. Thus, we know that the conditions of proximity and contiguity still continue. The sense-cognition, such as seeing or hearing does not last, it falls away and conditions the arising of the next citta, the receiving-consciousness, sampaticchana-citta, which "receives" the object. This citta is succeeded by the investigating-consciousness, santirana-citta, which investigates the object, and this again by the determining-consciousness, votthapana-citta which "determines" the object. The votthapana-citta, after it has determined the object, is, in the case of non-arahats, followed by akusala javana-cittas or kusala javana-cittas. There are usually seven types of javana-cittas in a process of cittas, performing the function of impulsion or "running through" the object. The javana-cittas may be succeeded by the registering-consciousness, tadarammana-cittas, vipakacittas which "hang on" to the object. Each of these cittas is conditioned by the preceding citta by way of proximity and contiguity, and in its turn, each of them conditions the arising of the next citta in these ways. After the sense-door process has been completed there are bhavanga-cittas again and then the object can be experienced by cittas arising in a mind-door process. The mind-door adverting-consciousness which adverts to the object through the mind-door, is the first citta of the mind-door process. It is succeeded by javana-cittas (in the case of non-arahats akusala cittas or kusala cittas), and then registering-consciousness, tadarammana-cittas may arise. The cittas arising within the different processes arise according to a particular order which is unchangeable; they succeed one another without any interval and this is conditioned by proximity-condition and contiguity-condition. The javana-cittas, for instance, cannot arise if, in the sense-door process, the determining-consciousness and, in the mind-door process, the mind-door adverting-consciousness has not arisen. This reminds us that there is no self who can cause the arising of particular cittas.

When the object which is experienced is rupa, such as visible object or sound, it lasts as long as seventeen moments of citta^[7]. Seventeen moments is still extremely short. The experience of visible object and sound seem to occur at the same time, but in reality several processes of cittas which experience these different objects have occurred. If insight has not been developed one does not realize the falling away of citta and the arising of the succeeding citta. We find the experience of sense objects very important, but we should remember that these experiences are fleeting, insignificant. Only through satipatthana the understanding can be developed which realizes the arising and falling away of realities. We are so absorbed in sense objects that we neglect the development of satipatthana although we have opportunity for it, since we are born in the human plane where we can hear the Dhamma.

The relations of proximity-condition and contiguity-condition prevail throughout the cycle of birth and death with unbroken continuity. Because of the uninterrupted succession of cittas past lives condition the present life and evenso the present life will condition future lives. Each citta falls away completely, but it conditions the succeeding citta. Tendencies and inclinations we had in former lives have been accumulated from moment to moment up to the present. Since each citta which falls away conditions the succeeding citta we can accumulate skills, knowledge and wisdom. It is because of proximity-condition and contiguity-condition that we can remember past experiences, events which occurred many years ago.

Kammas, good and bad deeds, committed in the past are accumulated from moment to moment, from life to life, and they can produce their appropriate results later on, when it is the right time. Because of kamma which produces results, pleasant or unpleasant objects are experienced through the senses by cittas which arise within processes. We see pleasant and unpleasant objects. Seeing is vipakacitta, produced by kamma, but the eye-door adverting-consciousness which precedes seeing in the eye-door process conditions seeing by way of proximity-condition and contiguity-condition. If there were no eye-door adverting-consciousness, seeing could not arise. Cittas arise and fall away succeeding one another continuously because of conditions and we never know what the next moment will bring. We may be surprised that we quite suddenly have to suffer great pain or an accident. We are surprised, because we do not see proximity-condition and contiguity-condition which occur all the time within the cycle of birth and death.

The rebirth-consciousness, patisandhi-citta, is vipakacitta produced by kamma. Kamma causes us to be born in particular circumstances, in a particular family, where there will be favourable conditions or unfavourable conditions to do good deeds and to develop right understanding. The rebirth-consciousness is preceded by the dying-consciousness, the last citta of the preceding life. Because of proximity-condition the dying-consciousness is succeeded without any interval by the rebirth-consciousness. If we understand the proximity-condition occurring now, at this moment, we will also see that the last citta of this life conditions the first citta of the following life. We read in the "Patthana" (Feeling Triplet, Vedana-ttika, VII, Investigation Chapter, Conditions: Positive. Classification Chapter, Proximity 7, §45, 2):

State associated with pleasant feeling is related to state associated with neither painful nor pleasant feeling by proximity-condition.

Death-consciousness associated with pleasant feeling is related to rebirth-consciousness associated with neither painful nor pleasant feeling by proximity-condition.

When rebirth-consciousness is accompanied by indifferent feeling, it may be kusala vipakacitta, but it can also be akusala vipakacitta and in that case there is rebirth in an unhappy plane. This passage of the "Patthana" reminds us that we are in the cycle of birth and death. After this life there will be another life, until one has attained arahatship. The dying-consciousness of the arahat is not proximity-condition for rebirth-consciousness. So long as we are in the cycle of birth and death and we have not attained the state of the sotapanna (who has realized the first stage of enlightenment), we can still be subject to an unhappy rebirth.

In the "Kindred Sayings" (I, Sagatha-vagga, Ch VII, Brahmin Suttas, 2, The Lay Adherents, §2, Udaya) we are reminded of rebirth with its toils and sufferings, again and again, until arahatship has been attained. We read that the Buddha, on three consecutive days, came with his bowl to Udaya who filled it with rice. After the third time Udaya criticized the Buddha for coming again and again. The Buddha answered:

Again, again is seed in furrow sown,
Again, again the cloud-king sends down rain,
Again, again the ploughmen plough the fields,
Again, again comes corn into the realm,
Again, again do beggars go their round,
Again, again do generous donors give,
Again, again when many gifts are given,
Again, again the donors find their heaven.
Again, again the dairy-folk draw milk,
Again, again the calf its mother seeks,
Again, again we tire and toil anew,
Again, again the slow wits seek rebirth,
Again, again comes birth, and dying comes,
Again, again men bear us to the grave.

When once the man of broad insight that path
Which brings no new becoming does attain,
Then is he no more born again, again.

We then read that Udaya expressed his appreciation of the Buddha's words and took refuge in the Triple Gem. He wanted to become a layfollower of the Buddha.

Footnotes and references:

[1]:

See Appendix 1.

[2]:

"Sam" in samanantara can mean right or proper. Citta conditions, after it has ceased, the arising of the subsequent citta, without interval; citta is anantara-paccaya. Moreover, citta is samanantara-paccaya; cittas follow upon one another in the proper way, in accordance with a fixed order in their subsequent arising. The rebirth-consciousness, for example, is not followed by seeing, but by the first bhavanga-citta in that life. The relation of samanantara-paccaya has been taught in addition to anantara paccaya for the benefit of the listeners who might have misunderstandings. Samanantara is sometimes translated as immediate contiguity.

[3]:

In some cases there can be temporary suspension of citta, and then only rupas arise and fall away. Those who have developed samatha up to the fourth stage of arupa-jhana, the "Sphere of Neither Perception Nor Non-Perception" and who have also realized the stage of enlightenment of the anagami, non-returner, and of the arahat, can attain "cessation", nirodha-samapatti. This is the temporary suspension of citta, cetasikas and mind-produced rupa. Rupas produced by kamma, temperature and nutriment, in the case of human beings, and rupas produced by kamma and temperature, in the case of beings in the Brahma plane, continue to arise. When they emerge from cessation, the first citta which arises is the phala-citta, fruition-consciousness (lokuttara vipakacitta), which has nibbana as its object. For the anagami it is the phala-citta of the anagami and for the arahat it is the phala-citta of the arahat. This citta is conditioned by the preceding citta, the arupa-jhanacitta of the fourth stage which occurred prior to cessation. Thus, the force of proximity is not destroyed by the temporary suspension of citta. It is the same in the case of rebirth in the asanna-satta plane, the plane where there is only rupa. When the lifespan in that plane is over and there is rebirth in the sensuous plane, the rebirth-consciousness is conditioned by the dying-consciousness which occurred prior to rebirth in the asanna-satta-plane. Thus, the force of proximity is not destroyed.

[4]:

Bhavanga-cittas do not experience the objects which impinge on the six doors and which are experienced by the cittas arising within processes. Bhavanga-cittas experience the same object as the rebirth-consciousness, and this object is the same as experienced shortly before the dying-consciousness in the previous life. The object which the bhavanga-citta experiences does not appear to us, we do not know it.

[5]:

Kusala vipakacitta of the sense sphere, accompanied by two or three sobhana hetus, beautiful roots.

[6]:

See Appendix 1 for these processes. One cannot understand the conditions of proximity and contiguity if one does not know about the processes of citta.

[7]:

See Ch 2. When that rupa arises at the moment the past bhavanga arises, it still lasts sixteen moments more and then the process of cittas which experience it can run its full course. A process, however, can be interrupted earlier. For details see Appendix 1.