..续本文上一页a-citta: the mind when it isn”t incited or roused to irritation by its objects.

　　c. Vitamoha-citta: the mind when it isn”t deluded, intoxicated, or outwitted by its objects.

　　2. Bad mental states (akusala-citta) are also of three sorts —

　　a. Saraga-citta: the mind engrossed in its affections and desires.

　　b. Sadosa-citta: the mind irritated or aroused to anger.

　　c. Samoha-citta: the mind deluded and ignorant of the truth.

　　3. Neutral mental states, which arise from being neither pleased nor displeased, or when mental activity (kiriya) occurs without affecting the condition of awareness for good or bad — are called "avyakata": indeterminate.

　　If we classify mental states according to their range or source, there are three —

　　1. Outer mental states: thoughts that run after allusions to past or future, and may be either contented (this is termed indulgence in pleasure, kamasukhallikanuyoga) or discontented (this is termed indulgence in self-torture, attakilamathanuyoga).

　　2. Inner mental states: thoughts that arise within us with reference to the present, either right or wrong, good or bad.

　　3. Mental states in and of themselves: mental fashioning (citta-sankhara) — the act of thinking arising from awareness, the act of awareness arising from thinking, taking such forms as consciousness, intellect, mindfulness, alertness, discernment, knowledge. Whichever one of these mental states may be arising and remaining in the present moment, focus your attention exclusively on it. For example, knowledge of a certain sort may appear, either on its own or as the result of deliberation; it may or may not be intended. Whatever arises, focus your mindfulness and alertness on it until you know the stages in the workings of the mind; knowing, for instance, which mental state is the intentional act (kamma), which the result (vipaka), and which mere activity (kiriya). Keep focused exclusively on these states until you can see mental states simply as mental states, knowledge simply as knowledge, intelligence as intelligence. Be thoroughly circumspect, mindful, and discerning at each mental moment until you are able to let go of all mental states without being caught up on what they are supposed to refer to, mean, or represent. Only then can you be said to be keeping track of mental states in and of themselves as a frame of reference.

　　D. Contemplation of mental qualities as a frame of reference: Mental qualities (dhamma) that can serve as bases for mindfulness leading to peace and respite for the mind are of three kinds —

　　1. Outer mental qualities, i.e., the Hindrances, which are of five sorts —

　　(a) Kamachanda: desire for the five types of sensual objects — visual objects, sounds, smells, tastes, tactile sensations — which can cause the mind to become restless.

　　(b) Byapada: ill-will; stepping into a mood of discontent that arises from certain sorts of inpiduals or situations that, when we brood on them, cause the mind to focus on what we find displeasing until it becomes irritated and aroused.

　　(c) Thina-middha: drowsiness, torpor, dullness, giving rise to laziness, apathy, and discouragement.

　　(d) Uddhacca-kukkucca: restlessness and anxiety; thinking more than we want to or need; thoughts that go out of control, drifting further and further away until we may even lose sense of our own body. Thinking that has no order or bounds is sure to cause harm.

　　(e) Vicikiccha: doubt, hesitancy, uncertainty about issues dealing with the world or the Dhamma: doubt about certain inpiduals, about their teachings, about our own conduct and practices. This comes from not having enough mindfulness or alertness to keep the mind in check and from not knowing where the Hindrances come from. We should realize that — to put it briefly — the Hindrances come from co…

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