Thinking in Buddhism - Abhidhamma

Discussion of Abhidhamma and related Commentaries
Post Reply
Konstantin Sol
Posts: 65
Joined: Thu Aug 04, 2022 10:51 pm

Thinking in Buddhism - Abhidhamma

Post by Konstantin Sol »

Good afternoon!

I read the Abhidhamma (Comprehensive Guide to the Abhidhamma by Ven. Bhikhu Bodhi), the comments and watched the course posted on Youtube.
But I didn’t quite understand how thinking happens in Buddhism, how is it described? The act of thinking itself is often mentioned, and some cittas may arise as a result of thinking, but the specific description is not seen or understood. Where is it?
Is it the mental process described in chapter IV, including the mind-door?
But I understand that this is only a process of knowing an idea or remembering a feeling, and receiving an assessment and intention. This is not thinking.

Thanks for your participation
User avatar
cappuccino
Posts: 12836
Joined: Thu Feb 11, 2016 1:45 am
Contact:

Re: Thinking in Buddhism - Abhidhamma

Post by cappuccino »

Merely imagination
User avatar
robertk
Posts: 5603
Joined: Sat Jan 03, 2009 2:08 am

Re: Thinking in Buddhism - Abhidhamma

Post by robertk »

A good example from Nyanponika Abhidhamma Studies: Researches in Buddhist Psychology, of the basic processes of regognising is below.
In order to understand
how “remembering” or “recognizing”, too, is implied
in every act of perception we should mention that
according to the deeply penetrative analysis of the
Abhidhamma the apparently simple act, for example,
of seeing a rose, is in reality a very complex
process composed of different phases, each consisting of numerous smaller combinations of conscious
processes (citta-vãthi) which again are made
up of several single moments of consciousness (cittakkhana)
following each other in a definite sequence
of diverse functions. Among these phases there is
one that connects the present perception of a rose
with a previous one, and there is another that
attaches to the present perception the name “rose”,
remembered from previous experience. Not only in
relation to similar experiences in a relatively distant
past, but also between those infinitesimally brief
single phases and successive processes the connecting
function of rudimentary “memory” must be
assumed to operate, because each phase and each
lesser successive state has to “remember” the previous
one — a process called by the later Abhidhammikas
“grasping the past” (atãta-ggahana). Finally,
the individual contributions of all those different
perceptual processes have to be remembered and
co-ordinated in order to form the final and complete
perception of a rose.
SteRo
Posts: 5950
Joined: Fri Oct 11, 2019 10:27 am
Location: Εὐρώπη Eurṓpē

Re: Thinking in Buddhism - Abhidhamma

Post by SteRo »

Konstantin Sol wrote: Sat Aug 06, 2022 1:46 pm Good afternoon!

I read the Abhidhamma (Comprehensive Guide to the Abhidhamma by Ven. Bhikhu Bodhi), the comments and watched the course posted on Youtube.
But I didn’t quite understand how thinking happens in Buddhism, how is it described? The act of thinking itself is often mentioned, and some cittas may arise as a result of thinking, but the specific description is not seen or understood. Where is it?
Is it the mental process described in chapter IV, including the mind-door?
But I understand that this is only a process of knowing an idea or remembering a feeling, and receiving an assessment and intention. This is not thinking.

Thanks for your participation
In Comprehensive Guide to the Abhidhamma by Ven. Bhikhu Bodhi there is this comment:
(2) An independent mind-door process occurs when any of the six objects enter
the range of cognition entirely on its own, not as a consequence of an immediately
preceding sense-door process. The question may be raised how an object can enter the
range of the mind door independently of a proximate sensory impingement. Ledi
Sayādaw cites various sources: through what was directly perceived earlier, or by
inference from what was learned by oral report; on account of belief, opinion, reasoning,
or reflective acceptance of a view; by the power of kamma, psychic power, disturbance of
the bodily humours, the influence of a celestial being, comprehension, realization, etc.
He explains that, if one has clearly experienced an object even once, at a later time —
even after a hundred years or in a future life —, dependent on that object, a condition
may be set for the vibration of the bhavanga. The mind that has been nurtured on such
an input of prior experiences is extremely susceptible to their influence. When it
encounters any sense object, that object may trigger off, in a single moment, waves
extending to many thousands of objects previously perceived.
The mental continuum, constantly being excited by these causal influences, is
always seeking an opportunity to emerge from the bhavanga and acquire a clear
cognition of an object. Therefore, the mental factor of attention present in the bhavanga
repeatedly causes the bhavanga to vibrate, and it directs consciousness again and again to
advert to objects that have gained conditions to appear. Even though the bhavanga citta
has its own object, Ledi Sayādaw explains, it occurs in the mode of inclining towards
some other object. As a result of this constant “buzz” of activity in the bhavanga, when
an object acquires sufficient prominence through other operative conditions, it draws the
continuum of consciousness out of the bhavanga, and then that object comes into the
range of cognition at the mind door.
The independent process is analyzed as sixfold: (1) the process based on what
was directly perceived; (2) the process based on inference from what was directly
perceived; (3) the process based on oral report; (4) the process based on inference from
oral report; (5) the process based on the cognized; and (6) the process based on inference
from the cognized. “The cognized” here includes belief, opinion, comprehension, and
realization; “inference from the cognized” includes judgments arrived at by inductive and
deductive reasoning.
Cleared. αδόξαστος.
Konstantin Sol
Posts: 65
Joined: Thu Aug 04, 2022 10:51 pm

Re: Thinking in Buddhism - Abhidhamma

Post by Konstantin Sol »

Thank you for your participation!
Konstantin Sol
Posts: 65
Joined: Thu Aug 04, 2022 10:51 pm

Re: Thinking in Buddhism - Abhidhamma

Post by Konstantin Sol »

And yet this is not thinking, but cognition. That is, thinking is several mental processes?
timeline
Posts: 3
Joined: Thu Sep 08, 2022 8:26 am

Re: Thinking in Buddhism - Abhidhamma

Post by timeline »

Wheel spinner is a game that I am sure that anyone who loves spins of fortune will be addicted to sitting in front of the computer playing this game for hours on end. The game has no age limit for players, suitable for those who want healthy entertainment and improved hand reflexes.
wheel spinner free tool
Post Reply