The Occasional Mind Conditioners

Continuing the review of the 52 cetasikas, those factors that condition the formations of personality, the focus of this talk is on what are termed the Occasional or Particular Cetasikas.  These mind conditioning functions appear in most moments of self-organization, but may be absent or “disabled” when associated with certain unwholesome mind conditioning functions.  During the review, the interactions between the Occasional Cetasikas and the Universal Cetasikas is described, as these provide a foundational condition that can be aligned with either wholesome or unwholesome mind conditioning functions.  This talk was accompanied by a “Guided Mind Conditioner Contemplation”, recorded the same night and posted in the archives.

Here are the notes prepared for this talk:  THE OCCASIONAL MIND CONDITIONERS

For further review of the entire listing of the cetasikas, this document is:  CETASIKAS POSTER

Next week’s talk will review the Unwholesome cetasikas.

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Occasional Cetasikas Review August 12, 2020

This talk reviews the section of the cetasikas (categories of mind conditioning factors) that are termed “occasional” or “particular”, in that they may or may not accompany other mind conditioning factors in the transient formation of a self.  As with the preceding talk on August 5 on the Universal Cetasikas, these mind conditioning factors are ethically malleable, that is, they can accompany either wholesome or unwholesome cetasikas in the process of self-formation.  The factors are moving attention to an object, sustaining that attention (The topic of the guided meditation that immediately preceded this talk and which can be found in the archives as “Guided Aiming And Sustaining Attention Meditation), determination, energy, enthusiasm and will-to-do.  Each of these factors were reviewed as to their characteristics and how they interact with other cetasikas.  The talk was followed by a question and answer discussion.

Here are the notes prepared for this talk: THE OCCASIONAL CETASIKAS

As an added resource, here is the chart that includes the entire 2 cetasikas:  CETASIKAS POSTER

Next week the topic will begin a review of the unwholesome cetasikas.

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The Universal and Occasional Mind Conditioners Notes

HOW MIND CONDITIONERS WORK
THE UNIVERSAL AND OCCASIONAL CETASIKAS

In exploring the section of the Anapanasati Sutta related to training oneself to be “…sensitive to mental fabrication…calming mental fabrication”, there’s benefit in understanding the nature of the factors that fabricate each moment of self-awareness. These fabrications emerge from the categories of conditioning factors called cetasikas. The meaning of the term is “that which is associated with the mind”. This term is a kind of categorical listing of what are called sankharas, a term synonymous with karma. Both are derived from the word karoti, which means “to do”. If you imagine the cetasikas to be just the conditioners, then the “action potential” is karma. For me, the basic value of the cetasika “system” is to “deconstruct” the notion of a separate, enduring self.

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