The 89 Kinds of Consciousness

[Full title: The 89 Kinds of Consciousness—See Table III]

That same [consciousness], though one in its individual essence with the characteristic of cognizing, is threefold according to kind, namely, (I) profitable, (II) unprofitable, and (III) indeterminate.^[1]

83. I. Herein, the profitable is fourfold according to plane, namely, (A) of the sense sphere, (B) of the fine-material sphere, (C) of the immaterial sphere, and (D) supramundane.^[2]

I. A. Herein, (1)–(8) that of the sense sphere is eightfold, being classified according to joy, equanimity, knowledge, and prompting, that is to say: (1) when accompanied-by-joy it is either associated-with-knowledge and unprompted, or (2) prompted; or (3) it is dissociated-from-knowledge and likewise [unprompted, or (4) prompted]; and (5) when accompanied-by-equanimity it is either associated-with-knowledge and prompted, or (6) unprompted; or (7) it is dissociated-from-knowledge [453] and likewise [unprompted, or (8) prompted].

84. (1) When a man is happy on encountering an excellent gift to be given, or recipient, etc., or some such cause for joy, and by placing right view foremost that occurs in the way beginning “There is [merit in] giving” (M I 288), he unhesitatingly and unurged by others performs such merit as giving, etc., then his consciousness is accompanied by joy, associated with knowledge, and unprompted. (2) But when a man is happy and content in the way aforesaid, and, while placing right view foremost, yet he does it hesitantly through lack of free generosity, etc., or urged on by others, then his consciousness is of the same kind as the last but prompted; for in this sense “prompting” is a term for a prior effort exerted by himself or others

85. (3) But when young children have a natural habit due to seeing the behaviour of relatives and are joyful on seeing bhikkhus and at once give them whatever they have in their hands or pay homage, then the third kind of consciousness arises. (4) But when they behave like this on being urged by their relatives, “Give;pay homage,” then the fourth kind of consciousness arises. (5)–(8) But when the consciousnesses are devoid of joy in these four instances through encountering no excellence in the gift to be given, or in the recipient, etc., or through want of any such cause for joy, then the remaining four, which are accompanied by equanimity, arise.

So sense-sphere profitable [consciousness] should be understood as of eight kinds, being classed according to joy, equanimity, knowledge, and prompting.

86. I. B. The consciousness of the fine-material sphere is fivefold, being classed according to association with the jhāna factors. That is to say, (9) the first is associated with applied thought, sustained thought, happiness, bliss, and concentration, (10) the second leaves out applied thought from that, (11) the third leaves out sustained thought from that, (12) the fourth makes happiness fade away from that, (13) the fifth is associated with equanimity and concentration, bliss having subsided.

87. I. C. That of the immaterial sphere is fourfold by association with the four immaterial states; for (14) the first is associated with the jhāna of the base consisting of boundless space in the way aforesaid, while (15)–(17) the second, third, and fourth, are [respectively] associated with those of the base consisting of boundless consciousness, and so on.

88. I. D. The supramundane is fourfold (18)–(21) by association with the four paths.

So firstly, profitable consciousness itself is of twenty-one kinds. [454]

89. II. The unprofitable is one kind according to plane, being only of the sense sphere. It is of three kinds according to root, as (a) rooted in greed, (b) rooted in hate, and (c) rooted in delusion.

90. II. (a) Herein, (22)–(29) that rooted in greed is of eight kinds, being classed according to joy, equanimity, [false] view, and prompting, that is to say: (22) when accompanied by joy it is either associated-with-[false-]view and unprompted, or (23) prompted; or (24) it is dissociated-from-[false-]view and likewise [unprompted or (25) prompted]; and (26) when accompanied-by-equanimity it is either associatedwith-[false-]view and unprompted, or (27) prompted; or (28) it is dissociated-from[false-]view and likewise [unprompted, or (29) prompted].

91. (22) When a man is happy and content in placing wrong view foremost of the sort beginning “There is no danger in sense desires” (M I 307), and either enjoys sense desires with consciousness that in its own individual essence is eager without being urged, or believes auspicious sights, etc., have a [real substantial] core, then the first kind of unprofitable consciousness arises (23); when it is with consciousness that is sluggish and urged on, then it is the second kind (24). But when a man is happy and content only, without placing wrong view foremost, and indulges in sexual intercourse, or covets others’ good fortune, or steals others’ goods, with consciousness that in its own individual essence is eager without being urged, then it is the third kind (25). When it is with consciousness that is sluggish and urged on, then it is the fourth kind (26)–(29). But when the consciousnesses are devoid of joy in these four instances through encountering no excellence in the sense desires, or through want of any such cause for joy, then the remaining four, which are accompanied by equanimity, arise.

So that rooted in greed should be understood as of eight kinds, being classed according to joy, equanimity, [false] view and prompting.

92. II. (b) That rooted in hate is of two kinds: (30)–(31) being accompanied-by-grief and associated-with-resentment, it is either prompted or unprompted. It should be understood to occur at the times when [consciousness] is either keen [if unprompted] or sluggish [if prompted] in the killing of living things, and so on.

93. II. (c) That rooted in delusion is of two kinds: (32)–(33) being accompanied-byequanimity, it is either associated-with uncertainty or associated-with-agitation. It should be understood to occur at the time of indecision or of distraction.

So unprofitable consciousness is of twelve kinds.

94. III. The indeterminate is of two kinds: (i) resultant and (ii) functional. Herein, III. i. resultant is of four kinds according to plane; namely, (A) of the sense sphere, (B) of the fine-material sphere, (C) of the immaterial sphere, and (D) supramundane. Herein, III. i. A. that of the sense sphere is of two kinds, namely, (a) profitable result and (b) unprofitable result. And III. i. A. (a) the profitable resultant is of two kinds, namely, (1) without root-cause and (2) with root-cause.

95. III. i. A. (a) i. Herein, that without root-cause is that devoid of non-greed, etc., as the cause of result. It is of eight kinds as (34) eye-consciousness (35)–(38), ear-, nose-, tongue-, and body-consciousness (39), mind-element with the function of receiving (40)–(41), the two mind-consciousness-elements with the functions of investigating, and so on. [455]

96. Herein, (34) eye-consciousness has the characteristic of being supported by the eye and cognizing visible data. Its function is to have only visible data as its object. It is manifested as occupation with visible data. Its proximate cause is the departure of (70) the functional mind-element that has visible data as its object.

(35)–(38) Ear-, nose-, tongue-, and body-consciousness [respectively] have the characteristic of being supported by the ear, etc., and of cognizing sounds, and so on. Their functions are to have only sounds, etc., as their [respective] objects. They are manifested as occupation with [respectively] sounds, and so on. Their proximate cause is the departure of (70) the functional mind-element that has [respectively] sounds, etc., as its object.

97. (39) [The resultant] mind-element has the characteristic of cognizing [respectively] visible data, etc., immediately next to (34)–(38) eye-consciousness, and so on. Its function is to receive visible data, and so on. It is manifested as the state [of receiving] corresponding to that [last-mentioned function].^[3] Its proximate cause is the departure of eye-consciousness, and so on.

(40)–(41) Also the twofold resultant mind-consciousness-element without rootcause with the function of investigating, etc., has as its characteristic the cognizing of the six kinds of objects. Its function is that of investigating, and so on. It is manifested as the state [of investigating] corresponding to that [lastmentioned function]. Its proximate cause is the heart-basis.

98. But it is classed according to its association with joy or with equanimity, and according to its being divisible into that with two positions and that with five positions [in the cognitive series]. For of these, (40) one is associated-withjoy because of its presence when entirely desirable objects occur; and it has two positions [in the cognitive series] because it occurs as investigating at the five doors and as registration at the end of impulsion. (41) The other kind is associated-with-equanimity because of its presence when desirable-neutral objects occur, and it has five positions since it occurs as investigation, registration, rebirth-linking, life-continuum, and death.

99. And this eightfold resultant consciousness without root-cause is of two kinds as well because of having an invariable object and a variable object. It is of three kinds as classed according to [bodily] pleasure, [mental] joy, and equanimity. For (34)–(38) the five consciousnesses have each an invariable object since they occur respectively only with respect to visible data, and so on. The others (39)–(41) have a variable object. For here (39) the mind-element occurs with respect to the five beginning with visible data, and (40)–(41) the two mind-consciousness-elements occur with respect to [all] six. Here, however, body-consciousness is associated with [bodily] pleasure. The mind-consciousness-element (40) with two positions is associated with [mental] joy; the other (41) is associated with equanimity.

So firstly, the profitable resultant without root-cause should be understood as of eight kinds.

100. III. i. A. (a) 2. But that with root-cause is (42)–(49) that associated with non-greed, etc., as the cause of the result. It is of eight kinds because it is classed according to joy, etc., like the profitable of the sense sphere (1)–(8). But it does not occur with respect to the six objects^[4] through giving, etc., as the profitable does; for it occurs only with respect to the six objects that are included among limited states,^[5] as rebirth-linking, life-continuum, death, and registration. But the prompted and unprompted states should be understood here as due to the source it has come from, and so on.^[6] [456] And while there is no difference in the associated states, the resultant should be understood as passive like the reflection of a face in a looking-glass while the profitable is active like the face.

101. III. i. A. (b) Unprofitable resultant, though, is without root-cause only. It is of seven kinds as (50) eye-consciousness, (51)–(54) ear-, nose-, tongue-, and body-consciousness, (55) mind-element with the function of receiving, and (56) mind-consciousness-element with the function of investigating, etc., and having five positions. It should be understood as to characteristic, etc., in the same way as the profitable resultant without root-cause (34)–(41).

102. Profitable resultant, though, has desirable or desirable-neutral objects only, while these have undesirable or undesirable-neutral objects only. The former are of three kinds, being classed according to equanimity, bodily pleasure, and mental joy, while these are of two kinds, being classed according to bodily pain and equanimity. For here it is only body-consciousness that is accompanied by bodily pain; the rest are accompanied by equanimity. And the equanimity in these is inferior, and not very sharp as the pain is; while in the former it is superior, and not very sharp as the pleasure is.

So with these seven kinds of unprofitable resultant and the previous sixteen kinds of profitable resultant, sense-sphere resultant consciousness is of twentythree kinds.

103. III. i. B. That of the fine-material sphere, however, is of five kinds (57)–(61) like the profitable (9)–(13). But the profitable occurs in a cognitive series with the impulsions as an attainment [of jhāna], while this occurs in an existence [in the fine-material sphere] as rebirth-linking, life-continuum, and death.

104. III. i. C. And as that of the fine-material sphere [was like the profitable of that sphere] so that of the immaterial sphere (62)–(65) is of four kinds like the profitable too (14)–(17). And its occurrence is classed in the same way as that of the fine-material sphere.

105. III. i. D. The supramundane resultant is of four kinds (66)–(69) because it is [respectively] the fruitions of the consciousnesses associated with the four paths (18)–(21). It occurs in two ways, that is to say, as [fruition in] the cognitive series of the path and as fruition attainment (see Ch. XXII).

So resultant consciousness in all the four planes is of thirty-six kinds.

106. III. ii. The functional, however, is of three kinds according to plane: (A) of the sense sphere, (B) of the fine-material sphere, (C) of the immaterial sphere. Herein, III. ii. A., that of the sense sphere, is of two kinds, namely, (1) without rootcause, and (2) with root-cause.

III. ii. A. 1. Herein, that without root-cause is that devoid of non-greed, etc., asthe cause of result. That is of two kinds, being classed as (70) mind-element, and (71)–(72) mind-consciousness-element.

107. Herein, (70) the mind-element has the characteristics of being the forerunner of eye-consciousness, etc., and of cognizing visible data and so on. Its function is to advert. It is manifested as confrontation of visible data, and so on. Its proximate cause is the interruption of [the continued occurrence of consciousness as] lifecontinuum. It is associated with equanimity only.

108. But the mind-consciousness-element is of two kinds, namely, shared by all and not shared by all. [457] Herein, (71) that shared by all is the functional [mindconsciousness-element] accompanied by equanimity without root-cause. It has the characteristic of cognizing the six kinds of objects. Its function is to determine at the five doors and to advert at the mind door. It is manifested as the states [of determining and adverting] corresponding to those [last-mentioned two functions]. Its proximate cause is the departure either of the resultant mind-consciousness-element without root-cause (40)–(41) [in the first case], or of one among the kinds of life-continuum [in the second]. (72) That not shared by all is the functional [mind-consciousnesselement] accompanied by joy without root-cause. It has the characteristic of cognizing the six kinds of objects. Its function is to cause smiling^[7] in Arahants about things that are not sublime. It is manifested as the state corresponding to that [last-mentioned function]. Its proximate cause is always the heart-basis.

So the sense-sphere functional without root-cause is of three kinds.

109. III. ii. A. 2. That, however, with root cause is of eight kinds (73)–(80), like the profitable (1)–(8), being classed according to joy and so on. While the profitable arises in trainers and ordinary men only, this arises in Arahants only. This is the difference here.

So firstly, that of the sense sphere is of eleven kinds.

III. ii. B., III. ii. C. That, however, of the fine-material sphere (81)–(85), and that of the immaterial sphere (86)–(89) are [respectively] of five kinds and of four kinds like the profitable. But they should be understood to differ from the profitable in that they arise only in Arahants.

So functional consciousness in the three planes is of twenty kinds in all.

110. So the 21 kinds of profitable, the 12 kinds of unprofitable, the 36 kinds of resultant, and the 20 kinds of functional, amount in all to 89 kinds of consciousness. And these occur in the fourteen modes of (a) rebirth-linking, (b) life-continuum, (c) adverting, (d) seeing, (e) hearing, (f) smelling, (g) tasting, (h) touching, (i) receiving, (j) investigating, (k) determining, (l) impulsion, (m) registration, and (n) death.

Footnotes and references:

[1]:

Profitable in the sense of health, blamelessness, and pleasant result (see Vismmhṭ 463). Unprofitable in the opposite sense. Indeterminate because not describable as either profitable or unprofitable (see Vism-mhṭ 464). This is the first of the twentytwo triads in the Abhidhamma Mātikā (Dhs 1).

Pali has five principal words, nāma, viññāṇa, mano, citta, and ceto, against the normal English consciousness and mind. While their etymology can be looked up in the dictionary, one or two points need noting here. Nāma (rendered by “mentality” when not used to refer to a name) is almost confined in the sense considered to the expression nāma-rūpa (“mentality-materiality”) as the fourth member of the dependent origination, where it comprises the three mental aggregates of feeling, perception and formations, but not that of consciousness (viññāṇa). Viññāṇa (rendered by “consciousness”) is, loosely, more or less a synonym for mano and citta; technically, it is bare cognition considered apart from feeling, perception or formations. Mano (rendered by “mind”), when used technically, is confined to the sixth internal base for contact (Ch. XV). Citta (rendered by “mind” and “consciousness” or “[manner of] consciousness”), when used technically, refers to a momentary type-situation considered as viññāṇa in relation to the tone of its concomitant feeling, perception and formations. Possibly, a better rendering would have been “cognizance” throughout. It carries a flavour of its etymological relative, cetanā (“volition”). Ceto (another etymological relative, rendered by “heart”—i.e. “seat of the emotions,”—“will” or “mind”), when used loosely is very near to citta; but technically it is restricted to one or two such expressions as cetovimutti (“mind-deliverance” or “heart-deliverance”).

[2]:

“‘Sense sphere’ (kāmāvacara): here there are the two kinds of sense desire (kāma), sense desire as basis (vatthu-kāma) and sense desire as defilement (kilesakāma). Of these, sense desire as [objective] basis particularized as the five cords of sense desire (pañca-kāma-guṇa = dimensions of sensual desires), is desired (kāmiyati). Sense desire as defilement, which is craving, desires (kāmeti). The sense sphere (kāmāvacara) is where these two operate (avacaranti) together. But what is that? It is the elevenfold sense-desire becoming, i.e. hell, asura demons, ghosts, animals, human beings, and six sensual-sphere heavens. So too with the fine-material sphere and the immaterial sphere, taking “fine-material” as craving for the fine-material too, and “immaterial” as craving for the immaterial too. It crosses over (uttarati) from the world (loka), thus it is supramundane (lokuttara)” (Vism-mhṭ 464).

[3]:

The meaning of the expression tathābhāva-paccupaṭṭhāna appears more clearly where it is used again at §108. In this definition (sādhana) the function (kicca-rasa) in fact describes the verb action (kicca) while the manifestation (paccupaṭṭhāna) describes the relevant nounal state (bhāva). So “tathābhāva” means that what has just been taken as a function (e.g. “receiving”) is to be taken also as a state (“reception”).

[4]:

“To the six kinds of objects all classed as limited, etc., past, etc., internal, etc” (Vism-mhṭ 474).

[5]:

Registration consciousness does not, it is stated, occur with an object of exalted consciousness—see Vibh-a 154.

[6]:

“‘The source it has come from, and so on’ means the source it has come from and its condition. Here, in the opinion of certain teachers the result of the unprompted profitable is unprompted and the result of the prompted is prompted, like the movement of the face’s reflection in a looking-glass when the face moves; thus it is due to the source it has come from. But in the opinion of other teachers the unprompted arises due to powerful kamma as condition and the prompted does so due to weak kamma; thus it is due to its condition” (Vism-mhṭ 474).

[7]:

“With respect to such unsublime objects as the forms of skeletons or ghosts” (Vism-mhṭ 476). See e.g. Vin III 104.