Ahetuka Cittas - All realities are conditioned
Once the venerable Kaccāna the Great was staying among the folk of Avanti,
at Osprey's Haunt, on a sheer mountain crag. Then the housefather
Hāliddakani came to the venerable Kaccāna the Great. Seated at one side he
said this:
'It has been said by the Exalted One, sir,
"Owing to diversity in elements arises diversity of contact.
Owing to diversity of contact arises diversity of feeling.
" Pray, sir, how far is this so?'
Herein, housefather, after having seen with the eye a pleasant object,
a monk comes to know as such eye-consciousness
that is a pleasant experience.
Owing to contact that is pleasant to experience arises happy feeling.
After having seen with the eye an unpleasant object,
a monk comes to know as such eye-consciousness
that is an unpleasant experience.
Owing to contact that is unpleasant to experience arises unpleasant feeling.
After having seen with the eye an object that is of indifferent effect,
a monk comes to know as such eye-consciousness
that experiences an object which is of indifferent effect.
Owing to contact that is indifferent
to experience arises feeling that is indifferent.
So also, housefather, after having heard a sound with the ear,
smelt a scent with the nose,
tasted a savour with the tongue,
experienced tangible object with the body,
cognized with the mind a mental object that is pleasant...
Owing to contact that is pleasant to experience arises happy feeling.
But after having cognized a mental object which is unpleasant...
owing to contact that is unpleasant to experience arises unhappy feeling.
Again, after having cognized with the mind
a mental object that is indifferent in effect,
he comes to know as such mind-consciousness
that experiences an object which is of indifferent effect.
Owing to contact that is indifferent arises feeling that is indifferent.
Thus, housefather, owing to diversity in elements arises diversity of contact.
Owing to diversity of contact arises diversity of feeling.''
If we are mindful of realities which appear through the different doorways we will come to know from direct experience different characteristics of nāmas and rūpas; we will know different types of citta and different kinds of feeling. We will understand that all these realities are only conditioned elements and not self. We will know from direct experience that there are not only cittas accompanied by lobha, dosa and moha, and cittas accompanied by ''beautiful'' roots, but also cittas which are ahetuka, cittas without roots. One may not find it useful and interesting to know more about seeing, hearing and the other realities appearing through the different doorways. However, in order to see things as they are, it is essential to know that the citta which, for example hears sound, has a characteristic which is different from the citta which likes or dislikes the sound and that these cittas arise because of different conditions. What the Buddha taught can be proved by being mindful of realities.