Journal of the Centre for Buddhist Studies Sri Lanka, Volume V, 2007 by Bhikkhu K.L. Dhammajoti - 2007

Centre for Buddhist Studies, 2007. First edition. Softcover. New. 15 x 23 cm. The Abhidhamma theory of cognition is based on two basic principles of early Buddhist psychology. One is that mind is a process without an enduring substance. The other is that all psychological experience is a continnum of mental events. Accordingly cognition is not the immediate result of the contact between the sense organ and the sense object. Rather it‰Ûªs the cumulative result of a continuum of cognitive events. The process begins from a simple sensory contact and proceeds gradually to the apprehension of the object. There is no self or subject behind or an agent directing the various mental activities. They take place naturally according to the principles of psychological order (citta-niyama), each stage in the continuum being conditioned by the immediately Buddhaghosa, after describing the process of cognition, makes this interesting observation: ‰Û÷There is no agent or director who, after the object has impinged on the sense-organ says: ‰ÛÏYou perform the function of attention or you perform the function according to their own law and the whole process is recognized as the law of the operation of the mind (citta-niyama). The momentary mental events themselves perform all the functions leading to cognition and their unity and coordination is entirely due to the laws of conditional relations. Printed Pages: 258.