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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