These 17 designations made in sutta are given only as regards the
citta, no other proper noun is given such status. Nothing but the
citta itself is lauded in so many proprietary and
im****tant ways as is the citta below. There is no higher acclaim in
Buddhism than these 16 which are said only of the citta.
You will not find this list anywhere on the internet, and sad to
say, also in no book on Buddhism either in print or out. Many
thousands of hours were spent compiling even this
small list of irrefutable facts about the most im****tant word, the
citta (will) to Gotama the Buddha as reflected in his teachings. This
list is quite possibly the most im****tant list here
on attan.com
What is the meaning of the most im****tant word in Buddhism, the
Citta, in short?
The Citta is the ontological will, or metaphorically in the
scriptural context of Buddhist doctrine (as well as the Upanishads too
for that matter, which translates citta as "Pure-Consciousness"), is
the "Light" which is
unmanifest. "The light (joti) within one's mind/will (citta) is the
very Soul (attano)" [DN2-Att. 2.479]. The metaphysical nexus of
purification in Buddhism is the non-empirical and pre-cor****eal citta.
As per Buddhism, the inchoate
(self-nescient) will (citta) is manifest as an attribution and self-
sublimated, as the empirical consciousness (vinnana), the finest
attribute of samsaric and empirical existence. In short, this 'white-
light' Will (citta), when manifest upon
'blue' form is blue-vinnana (consciousness), or when manifest upon
'red' form, is red-vinnana (consciousness). The sati (recollection)
and samadhi (assimilation) methodology of Buddhism is to make this
primordially pure but
inchoate Will (citta), choate (self-Knowing) such that further
identification with its phenomenal attributes has been forever cut
(bhavanirodha nibbanam).
Just as there is no Light (citta) in what is merely illumined
(vinnana/consciousness) from afar, but merely En-lumined by this non-
empirical Light, so to is the apex of Buddhism the disidentification
with this causal nexus
beginning with phenomenal consciousness (vinnana) by making the will
(citta) self-choate by the erasure of nescience (avijja/avidya) thru
means of gnosis and sati and samadhi methodologies. [12-1 Upadisa]
"Just as a man
(erroneously) looks upon his body placed in the sun as having the
property of light (citta) in it, so, he looks upon the intellect
(vinnana) pervaded by the reflection of Citta as the Self (inner-
nature of the Citta)."
In summation, the Citta is nowhere as pertains the body, and
certainly not the brain (as erroneously presumed by pseudo-buddhist
researchers), but is the unmanifest Light which constantly feeds
light, or rather life, into this
dead form of many constituents. We are to see our True-Selves
(svabhava) as this unmanifest Light, rather than its petty cor****eal
reflection/manifestation, being consciousness and its lower
superstructure (the body).
1. Citta is the only thing which is said to obtain the state of "non-
clinging" (anupada) "This is immortality, that being the liberated
mind (citta) which does not cling (anupada) after anything" [MN
2.265].
2. Citta is the only thing which is said to obtain the state of being
"taintless" (anasava) [DN 2.35, MN 1.501, MN 3.20, SN 3.45...etc etc].
3. Citta is the only thing which is said to obtain/is gathered in
"the realm of immortality": "he gathers his mind within the realm of
Immortality (amataya dhatuya). This is tranquility; this is that which
is most excellent!" [MN 1.436].
"This is immortality, that being the liberated citta" [MN 2.265]. [AN
1.282] "He gathers the mind inside the immortal realm".
4. Citta is the only thing which is said to be the basis (arammana)
for Parinibbana. Said immediately after Gotama's physical death: [DN
2.157] "No longer with (subsists by) in-breath nor out-breath, so is
him (Gotama) who is
steadfast in mind (citta), inherently quelled from all desires the
mighty sage has passed beyond. With mind (citta) limitless (Brahma) he
no longer bears sensations; illumined and unbound (Nibbana), his mind
(citta) is definitely
(ahu) liberated." The taintless (anasava) mind (citta) being =3D
parinirvana: [SN 3.45] "The mind (citta) being so liberated and arisen
from defilements, one is fixed in the Soul as liberation, one is
quelled in fixation upon the Soul.
Quelled in the Soul one is unshakable. So being unshakable, the very
Soul is thoroughly unbound Parinirvana)." "This said: 'the liberated
mind (citta) which does not cling' means Nibbana" [MN2-Att. 4.68].
5. Citta is the only thing which is differentiated from the five
aggregates (rupa/vedana/sanna/sankhara/vinnana): "Whatever form,
feelings, perceptions, experiences, or consciousness there is (the
five aggregates), these he sees
to be without permanence, as suffering, as ill, as a plague, a boil,
a sting, a pain, an affliction, as foreign, as otherness, as empty
(su=F1=F1ato), as Selfless (anattato). So he turns his mind (citta, Non-
aggregate) away from these; therein
he gathers his mind within the realm of Immortality (amataya
dhatuya). This is tranquility; this is that which is most
excellent!" [MN 1.436, AN 4.422]. [SN 3.234] The Aggregate Sutra. At
Savatthi "Followers, the desire and lust for
formations is a defilement of the citta, the desire and lust for
feelings is a defilement of the citta, the desire and lust for
cognition is a defilement of the citta, the desire and lust for
experiences is a defilement of the citta, the desire
and lust for vinnana is a defilement of the citta. But, followers,
when one abandons the defilements of the citta regarding these five
stations (aggregates), then ones citta inclines towards renunciation.
Ones citta is made pliable and
firm in renunciation by direct gnosis." [MN 1.511] "For a long time I
have been cheated, tricked and hoodwinked by my citta. For when
grasping, I have been grasping onto form, for when grasping, I have
been grasping onto
feelings, , for when grasping, I have been grasping onto perceptions,
for when grasping, I have been grasping onto experiences, for when
grasping, I have been grasping onto consciousness."
6. Citta is the only thing which, when perfected by samadhi and
panna, is =3D Soul (attan): "Steadfast-in-the-Soul (thitattoti) means
one is supremely-fixed within the mind (citta)" [Silakkhandhavagga-
Att. 1.168]. "'The purification of
one's own mind', this means the light (joti) within one's mind
(citta) is the very Soul (attano)" [DN2-Att. 2.479]. [AN 2.6] "Him who
is Lord of the mind (citta) possessed with supernormal faculties and
quelled, that One is called
'fixed-in-the-Soul' (thitattoti)". [AN 1.196] "With mind (citta)
emancipated from ignorance...this designates the Soul has become
Brahma". [MN 1.213] "The collected and quelled mind is the Supreme
Soul". "Steadfast-in-the-Soul
(thitattoti) means steadfast in ones True-nature
(thitasabha'vo)" [Tikanipa'ta-Att. 3.4].
7. Citta is the only thing which is said to be the basis/medium for
the recollection of past lives: "directs his mind (citta) to the
recollection of past lives" [DN 1.81].
8. Citta is the only thing which is said to be "its own foundation/
not based in anything" (anarammana), therein philosophically anything
which is "a thing in itself", i.e. "without a foundation of its own"
is hence the basis for
marking the mind as the Absolute (when wisdom and samadhi are
culminated): [Pati-A 2.478] "The sovereign-mind which is its own
sup****t (an-without + a'rammana=3Dsup****t) means the sovereign-mind is
the foundation". [Dh-A
4.26] "Ones own mind is the foundation of the Soul". [MN-A 2.297]
"Nibbana is the foundation, that being the emancipated-mind (citta)".
[Sn-A 2.583] "Emancipation is meant the foundation, that being the
establishment of the
emancipated mind".[Theragatha-A 1.138] "Supramundane samadhi is the
foundation of Nibbana, that being the exceedingly quelled mind
(citta)"
9. Citta is the only thing which is compared to the "indestructible"
diamond: [AN 1.124] "What, followers, is a being who has a diamond-
mind (vajiru'pamacitto)? That one who has destroyed the taints
(asavas) and has both a
liberated mind (citta) and is liberated by wisdom. Just as there is
nothing which a diamond cannot cut, be it stone or gem; so to is one
with a diamond-mind who has destroyed the taints and has both a
liberated mind (citta) and is
liberated by wisdom. This is one who possesses a diamond-mind."
10. The entire Aryan path itself is said to both being and end with
the citta (mind) as its basis: [MN 1.197] "Followers, the Brahma life
is not lived for sake of gains, honors, or acclaim; nor is it lived
for virtuousness, nor for
absorptions, nor for gnosis and insight. This Brahma life is lived
for the sole preeminent purpose of emancipation of the mind alone,
which is the quintessential final core". [MN 1.301] "What is samadhi
(the culmination of the
entire Aryan path) for? Samadhi, friend, is for making the mind
(citta) sovereign".
11. The citta is the only thing which is said to go to the light/
heaven realm: [SN 5.370] "His mind goes heaven-bound to
auspiciousness."
12. Most im****tantly, the citta is the only thing which is said to
obtain freedom from nescience/ignorance/agnosis (avijja): [MN 1.279]
"When his steadfast mind was perfectly purified, perfectly illumined,
stainless, utterly perfect,
pliable, sturdy, fixed, and everlastingly determinate then he directs
his mind towards the gnosis of the destruction of defilements. Knowing
thus and seeing thus his mind is emancipated from sensual desires, his
mind is
emancipated from becoming, his mind is emancipated from ignorance."
13. The only proper noun which is said to obtain the state of
emancipation (vimutta) is the citta (cittavimutta)- common pali term.
14. As per the 'superior' path VS. the 'inferior' path, the mind is
the sole basis for the 'superior' path: "ariyacittassa anasavacittassa
ariyamaggasamangino" [MN 3.72] "The Aryan citta, the taintless citta;
this is that with which
the Aryan path is endowed with".
15. The citta is the only thing which is deemed "the highest
absolute": [MN 1.298] "Emancipation of the mind is the highest
absolute." [MN 1.298] "Of all types of unmanifest emancipations of
mind, the fixed unshakable
emancipation of the mind is the highest supernal."
16. The entire basis for Buddhism itself is said to be for/ as
regards the citta: "The purification of one's own mind (citta); this
is the Doctrine of the Buddha" [DN 2.49]."How is it that one is called
a 'Buddha'?...gnosis that the
mind (citta) is purified (visuddham)...such is how one is deemed a
'Buddha'." [MN 2.144] [AN 1.6] "I do not have, followers, insight into
anything or any dharma which, when made to become and made to expand
that brings
greater bliss than the mind (citta). The mind, followers, when made
to become and made to expand, brings the greatest bliss." [SN 1.26]
Those followers absorbed, their minds (citta) flawless having
assimilated the Soul; a charioteer
(Soul) in control of the reigns, sages like them guard this
supranormal-power!
17. The citta is the only thing which is deemed to achieve 'freedom
from becoming (bhava)'. All thing "as become must pass. The borne, the
become, the made, the create has no other fate than to pass just as
they have arises".
The philosophical implication that the citta can transcend causation/
becoming cannot be denied. "My mind (citta) is emancipated from desire
(kama), emancipated from becoming (bhava), emancipated from nescience/
ignorance
(avijja), 'Emancipation! Emancipation alas!'...there exists no fruit
more exquisite and perfect that this." [DN 1.84]
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