Overview
While the first Dyad isolates the roots themselves, this second Dyad categorizes consciousness based on whether or not it arises accompanied by those roots. This is a fundamental distinction in Abhidhamma, separating complex, motivated thought from bare, mechanical perception.
The List
- Sahetukā dhammā - States accompanied by roots: Any consciousness and its associated mental factors that arise together with at least one root (greed, hatred, delusion, or their opposites). This includes all active kammic thoughts and deep meditative states.
- Ahetukā dhammā - Rootless states: Any consciousness that arises without any of the six roots. This specifically refers to the 18 Rootless Consciousnesses (Ahetuka Citta), which include the bare five-sense perceptions (seeing, hearing, etc.) and basic functional/resultant mind-moments. Physical matter and Nibbāna are also rootless.
Textual References
- Abhidhamma: Dhammasaṅgaṇī (Duka 2) – Clarifies that simple sensory input (like hearing a sound) does not inherently possess greed or hate; it is biologically rootless until the mind reacts to it moments later.