Kamma is the Law of Cause and Effect.

Mind or consciousness, plays the most important part in the generation of Kamma. It is the mind that either defiles or purifies one. Mind is both the bitterest enemy and the greatest friend of oneself.

To understand Kamma, it is necessary to acquaint oneself with thought-process (cittavithi) according to Abhidhamma.

Thought Process

When a person is deep in a dreamless sleep, he experiences a kind of consciousness which is similar to the consciousness one experiences at the moment of conception and at the moment of death (cuti).

This type of consciousness is called Bhavanga which means a factor of life, or indispensable cause or condition of existence.

Arising and perishing every moment, Bhavanga flows on like a stream not remaining the same for two consecutive moments.

We experience the Bhavanga in our waking state as well. In fact, we experience the Bhavanga thought-moments more than any other type of consciousness.

The Bhavanga consciousness, which one always experiences until it is interrupted by an external stimuli, vibrates for a thought-moment and passes away when a physical or mental object enters the mind.

Suppose, for instance, the mind is presented with a physical object. Let us now trace the thought-moment process going through the mind.

1. His Bhavanga consciousness is interrupted, vibrates for a thought-moment and passes away. This gives rise to the Arrest Bhavanga.

2. The sense-door consciousness (panca dvaravajjana), which serves to turn the consciousness to the object, arises and passes away.

3. Immediately after this, there arises visual consciousness (cakkhuvinnana) which sees the object, but yet knows no more about it.

4. This sense operation is followed by a moment of the reception of the object so seen (sampaticchana).

5. Next arises the investigating thought-moment (santirana) which momentarily examines the object so seen.

6. This is followed by the determining thought-moment (vottapana) when discrimination is exercised and freewill may play its part.

7. The Javana process then runs for 7 thought-moments. It is at this stage that an action is judged, whether it be moral or immoral. Kamma is performed at this stage.

   If, for instance, one sees an enemy, anger will arise automatically creating bad kamma. A wise person might, with self-control, radiate a thought of loving kindness towards him.

   Depending on how we exercise our own freewill to overcome the external stimuli, moral or immoral thoughts will be generated by the mind.

   Javana means running. It is so called because, in the course of a thought-process, it runs consequently for 7 thought-moments, or, at the time of death, for 5 thought-moments.

   The mental states occurring in all these 7 thought-moments are similar, but the potential force differs.

   The Javana process (7 thought moments)

   The effect of the Kamma from the 1st thought-moment is the weakest in potentiality. One may reap its effect in this life itself. This is called the ‘Immediately Effective’ Kamma which becomes ineffective if it does not operate in this life.

   The effect of Kamma from the 7th thought-moment is the next weakest. One may reap its effect in the subsequent birth (Subsequently Effective Kamma), which automatically becomes ineffective if it does not operate in the second birth.

   The effect of the Kamma from the other 5 thought-moments may take place at any time in the course of one’s wandering in Samsara until one’s final liberation. This type of Kamma is termed ‘Indefinitely Effective’.

8. After the Javana process, the registering consciousness (tadalambana) lasting for two thought-moments takes over and completes the entire thought process.

Summarising the thought process………

1. His Bhavanga consciousness is interrupted, vibrates for a thought-moment and passes away.
2. The sense-door consciousness (panca dvaravajjana), which serves to turn the consciousness to the object, arises and passes away.
3. Immediately after this, there arises visual consciousness (cakkhuvinnana) which sees the object, but yet knows no more about it.
4. This sense operation is followed by a moment of the reception of the object so seen (sampaticchana).
5. Next arises the investigating thought-moment (santirana) which momentarily examines the object so seen.
6. This is followed by the determining thought-moment (vottapana) when discrimination is exercised and freewill may play its part.
7. The Javana process then runs for 7 thought-moments. It is at this stage that an action is judged, whether it be moral or immoral. Kamma is performed at this stage.
8. The registering consciousness (tadalambana) lasting for two thought-moments completes the entire thought process.

Here's a graphic explanation of how we generate our kamma. It's a power-point presentation beautifully done by Bro. Lim Chin Lah of Subang Jaya Buddhist Association. It's one of my personal favourites because this graphic presentation makes it easy to understand this difficult concept.

It opens in a new window. To come back to this page, just close the window.

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