Overview
While wholesome and unwholesome actions are driven by roots (greed, non-greed, etc.), much of our daily mental life consists of automated, mechanical cognition. These eighteen consciousnesses (Ahetuka Citta) operate entirely without roots. They are primarily the passive results of past kamma (seeing, hearing) or mere functional processes.
The List
7 Unwholesome-Resultant Consciousnesses (Akusala Vipāka): 1-5. Eye, Ear, Nose, Tongue, and Body consciousness experiencing unpleasant objects.
- Receiving consciousness experiencing an unpleasant object.
- Investigating consciousness experiencing an unpleasant object.
8 Wholesome-Resultant Rootless Consciousnesses (Kusala Vipāka): 8-12. Eye, Ear, Nose, Tongue, and Body consciousness experiencing pleasant objects.
- Receiving consciousness experiencing a pleasant object.
- Investigating consciousness experiencing a pleasant object (with neutral feeling).
- Investigating consciousness experiencing an exceptionally pleasant object (with joy).
3 Rootless Functional Consciousnesses (Ahetuka Kiriya):
- Five-sense-door adverting consciousness (turning attention to a physical object).
- Mind-door adverting consciousness (turning attention to a mental object).
- The Smile-producing consciousness of an Arahat (a purely functional joy).
Textual References
- Commentary: Abhidhammattha Saṅgaha (Chapter I) – Outlines the essential, robotic functions of the mind that do not generate new kamma.