1.   kamavacara-bhumi
2.   rupavacara-bhumi
3.   arupavacara-bhumi
4.   lokuttara-bhumi

 First aspect, the term "kamavacara" means citta among the kamavacara-dhamma or is in the kama level (the complete term is kamavacara but can be shortened as kama) by wandering round in kama or sight, sound, smell, taste and body sense contact.  The citta is of the kama level, kamavacara-citta.

 Every moment in our daily life is kamavacara-citta whenever it is not of a finer and more intricate level than kama.  The moment kusala-citta is developed to a more peaceful level by having rupa as arammana until the citta is more steadfast in the appana-samadhi level or the jhana-citta with rupa as arammana, it is rupavacara-bhumi or rupavacara-citta, beyond the level of kama.  And when the citta is even more peaceful and steadfast by being the citta that is deeply tranquil in the arammana that is beyond rupa, it is arupavacara-citta.  And the citta that is even finer and more intricate than arupavacara-citta is the lokuttara-citta, which fully realizes the characteristics of nibbana, and so it is of the lokuttara-bhumi.  Thus citta differ in their bhumi.  The 89 citta are categorized as follows:

54  kamavacara-citta
15 rupavacara-citta
12 arupavacara-citta
8 lokuttara-citta

Called "kama" because of the meaning what entities desire.  There are two kama: kilesa-kama and vatthu-kama.

Kilesa-kama is the chanda-raga or lobha-cetasika, a reality that is pleased with or attached to arammana.

Vatthu-kama is the reality on which pleasure and desire is based.  Therefore vatthu-kama is vatta which evolve in the 3 bhumi: kamavacara-bhumi, rupavacara-bhumi and arupavacara-bhumi, since they are not beyond the objects of kilesa-kama.  As long as lobha is not eradicated there would be vatthu-kama or realities in which kama-kilesa takes pleasure.

Kamavacara-citta that takes pleasure in sight, sound, smell, taste and body sense contact is very tenacious.  The rupa appears only for the briefest instant or only when it comes into contact with cakkhuppasada or the eye, sound appears only for the briefest moment or when it comes into contact with the sotappasada, smell, taste and body sense contact likewise.  They are all paritta-dhamma, or realities that appear only briefly and fall away, but citta is still pleased and attached to them.  Because of their rapid continuation in the arising and falling away, they appear not to fall away.

 The pleasure in kamarammana, or sight, sound, smell, taste and body sense contact, is infinite.  Even though the sight, sound, smell, taste and body sense contact has fallen away, others arise in continuation causing pleasure and clinging to the said objects continually.  When one sees any sight that is pleasing, one wishes to see it often.  When one hears a pleasing sound, one wishes to hear it again.  The same is true for smell, taste and body sense contact.  When one has tasted pleasant things, one wishes to have it again and again.  The pleasure one takes in sight, sound, smell, taste, body sense contact arise daily, repeatedly through the eye, ear, nose, tongue, body sense and mind.

  When we like something, we wish to see it all the time.  Is it possible?  No, because normally all sankhara-dhamma arise and fall away.  When deliciousness appears, pleasure through the tongue arises.  At that instant pleasure through the eye, ear, nose or body sense does not arise.  When pleasure in smell arises, at that moment pleasure through the eye, ear, tongue and body sense does not arise because citta arises one at a time only.  There cannot be two citta arising simultaneously.  Everyone is pleased with things that alternately appear through the eye, ear, nose, tongue, body sense and mind, not only in just one color, sound, smell, taste and body sense contact.  This is because pleasure in sight, sound, smell, taste and body sense contact accumulates on and on in continuation from the past through the present and to the future.

 Therefore kamavacara-citta or citta that wanders through sight, sound, smell, taste and body sense contact is the citta that is pleased in sight, sound, smell, taste and body sense contact.  It cannot emancipate beyond sight, sound, smell, taste and body sense contact.  Some said they made merit and wished to be born in heaven.  Heaven is not beyond sight, sound, smell, taste and body sense contact but with a more refined kamarammana than in the human world.

 Therefore, from birth to death, when the citta is not as peaceful as in the appana-samadhi level or when it is not jhana-citta and not lokuttara-citta, it is kamavacara-citta.  Asleep or awake, seeing, hearing, smelling, tasting, knowing body sense contact and thinking, all these intelligence are not entities, people or the selves but citta of the kama-vacara level or the kama-vacara-citta.

 Those who are not an Anagami or an Arahanta would still take pleasure in sight, sound, smell, taste and body sense contact, which shows how difficult it is to abandon pleasure in kamarammana that appears through the eye, ear, nose, tongue, body sense and mind.  Even though tranquility is developed to the level of jhana-citta and one is born in the Brahma world, one cannot be able to eradicate pleasure in sight, sound, smell, taste and body sense contact completely.  While one is not yet an Anagami, one must return to being as such, pleased by sight, sound, smell, taste and body sense contact through the eye, ear, nose, tongue, body sense and mind.  Therefore one should not be careless about kilesa and must understand realities as they really are and with reason, to be able to develop panna that could really eradicate kilesa completely.

 The term "kamavacara" means citta among the kamavacara-dhamma.  A passage in the Atthasalini states that the planes of kamavacara-dhamma, from avici, the lowest hell, to the highest deva plane of Paranimmita-vasavatti, are all kamarammana planes.

 The word "vatthu-kama" has a broader meaning than sight, sound, smell, taste and body sense contact because no matter the reality if it is the basis of pleasure then it is vatthu-kama.  When one is born as a brahma-puggala in the brahma-bhumi, the brahma world is vatthu-kama, or basis of pleasure for the rupa-brahma-puggala.  For those born in the arupa-brahma world, the arupa-brahma-bhumi could be their vatthu-kama, or basis of pleasure for the arupa-brahma-puggala.  Lobha-cetasika is the reality that takes pleasure in and is attached to all arammana except lokuttara-dhamma.  Therefore except for lokuttara-dhamma, all dhamma can be vatthu-kama, or basis, the object of pleasure of lobha.

 The first aspect of kamavacara-citta is that it is the citta of the kama level, not beyond kama.

The second aspect is that the citta wanders around in the 11 kama-bhumi of which there are 4 apaya-bhumi, 1 manussa-bhumi (human plane) and the 6 deva-bhumi.

The third aspect is that it is called kamavacara-citta because it wanders around with the efficiency of rendering [objects] arammana or that sight, sound, smell, taste and body sense contact would travel through the citta with the efficiency of [the citta in] rendering [objects] arammana.  Thus it is called kamavacara.

To facilitate comprehension one might say that any citta involved with kama or sight, sound, smell, taste and body sense contact as arammana is a kamavacara-citta.

Question:  Does the arahanta have kamavacara-citta?
Answer:  Yes.  When the arahanta sees ruparammana through the eyes, that ruparammana is kamarammana.  The citta that sees is therefore kamavacara-citta whether it were the citta of the Sammasambuddha, of the arahanta disciples or anyone else's citta.  Any instant there is kama or sight, sound, smell, taste and body sense contact as arammana, the citta is kamavacara-citta.

 The fourth aspect, in addition any citta renders the patisandhi to wander through kama or the kama plane (the four apaya-bhumi, one human and six heaven or deva planes) that citta is called kamavacara.

Everyone is in this human world because kamavacara-citta caused kama-patisandhi-citta to arise in the manussa-bhumi, which is a kama-bhumi.

If the jhana-citta in one who develops samatha-bhavana until the citta reaches the level of appana-samadhi of peacefulness as rupa-jhana-citta or arupa-jhana-citta does not decline, and it arises before the cuti-citta, the jhana-kusala-citta would not be paccaya for birth in this world but in the rupa-brahma or arupa-brahma world according to the level of the distinct jhana.  To be born a human is the result of kamavacara-kusala such as dana, sila, samatha-bhavana and the development of sati-patthana that is not beyond kama, therefore causing patisandhi in kama-bhumi.

The word "bhumi" has 2 meanings: 1) the citta as bhumi of sampayutta-dhamma or cetasika-dhamma that arise concurrently, and 2) the "okasa" (place, occasion) or the birth place of worldly creatures.  The human world is one of 31 birth places [planes or bhumi].

Since the citta differ in kinds and each kind greatly varies in intricacy, the bhumi where worldly creatures were born would be distinct.  There is not only the human plane, or this world alone.  And even for the kamavacara-kusala, the strength of saddha, panna and other sampayutta-dhamma or concurrent cetasika of the instant, would be diversely intricate and would organize the result or birth in different bhumi, not only in the human one.

The same applies to akusala-kamma.  While any kind of akusala-kamma is being done, if one takes note, one would see the difference in the gravity of the akusala-dhamma of the action.  Sometimes it is composed of much vengeance; others not.  Sometimes it lacks endeavor, with no diligence or effort to hurt or harm, only an action composed of little intention yet resulting in the death of some small creatures.  Since each past kamma was composed of sampayutta-dhamma or cetasika of different levels, the said akusala-kamma would be paccaya organizing akusala-vipaka-citta to perform patisandhi-kicca, or birth, in the four distinct bhumi.

Since kusala-kamma and akusala-kamma, which are causes for future results, differ intricately, the birth bhumi, which are appropriate to the diverse kamma, would be numerous, not only the manussa-bhumi.

The word "bhumi" means "okasa-loka", which is the birthplace of worldly creatures of which there are 31 bhumi, respective to the levels of citta, comprising 11 kama-bhumi, 16 rupa-brahma-bhumi and 4 arupa-brahma-bhumi.  Altogether there are 31 bhumi or levels of okasa-loka.  Each level has a number of birthplaces, for example, even the human plane is not unique, there are other human worlds.

 The 11 kama-bhumi comprise 4 apaya-bhumi, 1 manussa and 6 deva summarized as:

 The 4 apaya-bhumi comprise hell, animals, peta and asurakaya.

 There is not only one hell or netherworld.  There are many major hell-worlds such as sanjiva, kal??asutta, sanghata, roruva, maharoruva, tapana, mahatapana and avici.  Besides these major hells there are minor ones about which not much is mentioned in the Tipitaka because the intention of the Buddha was to manifest the causes and results of kusala-kamma and akusala-kamma through various births and planes.  Whatever cannot be seen clearly and realized fully with one's own eyes would not merit so much attention as realities that can be proven by the development of panna.

 Birth in the 4 apaya-bhumi is the result of akusala-kamma.  When the akusala-kamma is great, one is born in hell.  If the akusala-kamma is very great, one is born in avici hell where the torture is unbearable.  And when that term is over, one would be born in smaller hells since the results of the akusala-kamma are still effective.  While one is performing akusala-kamma, one does not consider that hell is waiting that one has not arrived there only because one is still in this world.  As long as we are still this person in this world, we would not yet leave for the next even though the cause or the akusala-kamma is there. Past performed akusala-kamma is paccaya to make one go to one apaya-bhumi or another when one has died.

 The results of lesser akusala-kamma are paccaya for birth in other apaya-bhumi such as birth as an animal.  One can see that animals have various curious shapes and features.  Some have many legs, some few, others none.  Some have wings, some none.  Some live in water, some on land.  The numerous variation of shapes and features are according to the intricacies of the citta.  All humans have eyes, ears, noses, tongues and bodies but they still are different in complexion and height no matter how numerous people are in this world, in the past, present and future.  Animals are more distinctly intricate than humans.  There are aquatic, land and aerial animals that vary according to their kamma, which are the causes of different complex shapes.

The results of lesser akusala-kamma are paccaya for birth in the plane of peta.  The peta suffers from perpetual hunger and their plane is of diverse complexities.

 All humans suffer from a chronic illness: hunger.  One cannot deny that hunger is indeed a disease.  Acute hunger would make itself felt.  When one feels slightly hungry and takes food, if the food is good, one would forget that hunger is not the feeling of well being.  Rather it is to be attenuated and remedied.  Those who are very hungry but do not receive nutrition would know the suffering of hunger and how it could be in worst cases.

 One day a certain popular person received so many telephone calls from morning till evening and did not have time for meals.  By evening he had learned the torture of intense hunger but was unable to quickly take food to satisfy his hunger because that would have caused fainting spells.  He had to slowly and gradually remedy his hunger but nonetheless fainted.  This shows how hunger is a major disease, a common everyday disease among nameless others.  Imagine then how hungry a peta must be.  In the peta plane there is no commerce, no agriculture so there can be no rice production, no cooking or trading with others for food.  To be born a peta is the result of akusala-kamma.  Whenever a peta anumodhana (appreciates someone else's kusala) others that had done kusala and dedicated it to him, the kusala-citta of that anumodhana would be paccaya for him to receive appropriate food for his plane of existence, or even allow him to escape from being a peta by leaving that life and being born in another plane, having expiated the results of the kamma that made him a peta.

 Another apaya-bhumi is the asurakaya.  Birth as asurakaya is the result of akusala-kamma that is lighter than other akusala-kamma.  The asurakaya does not have any entertainment, unlike in the human and heavenly planes.  In the human plane there are newspapers, cinemas and theaters, music and such.  But in the asurakaya-bhumi there are no pleasant entertainments like those found in the worlds of the sugati-bhumi.

 Since the akusala-kamma are varied, the bhumi or the birth planes would vary according to the causes or the individual akusala-kamma.

There are 7 bhumi which are the results of kamavacara-kusala, comprising 1 human and 6 heavenly bhumi.

 The Tipitaka explains the human bhumi: the manussa-bhumi where humans are born, comprises 4 dipa (human planets, continents, islands, refuges) as follows:

1. Pubbavideha-dipa to the east of Mount Sineru [the hill-shaped center of the galaxy].
2. Amaragoyana-dipa to the west of Mount Sineru.
3. Jambu-dipa (this world) to the south of Mount Sineru.
4. Uttarakuru-dipa to the north of Mount Sineru.

 Those of this world, which is the Jambu-dipa, would only see arammana of Jambu-dipa no matter where they wander.  They are unable to reach other dipa which are the other three human worlds.

 There are 6 heavenly bhumi in the following order:

 Firstly the Catummaharajika with four principal deva namely

 Dhatarattha is the chief deva of the east, also known as Inda, the ruler of gandhabba-deva.

 Virulhaka is the chief deva of the south, also known as yama the ruler of  kumbhand?a-deva.

 Virupakkha is the chief deva of the west, also known as Varuna, the ruler of naga-deva.

 Kuvera is the chief deva of the north, also known as Vessavana, the ruler of yakkha-deva.

 The Catummaharajika is the closest heavenly level to the human plane.  Those heavenly bhumi are of increasingly higher levels, respectively to the refinement of the heavens.

 Secondly the Tavatimsa, which is of a higher level than the Catummaharajika, with Indra as ruling deva.  We might have heard of the heavenly Tavatimsa gardens of which there are four, namely: Nandana-vana in the east, Cittalata-vana in the west, Missaka-vana in the north and Pharusaka-vana in the south.

 Thirdly the Yama is higher than the Tavatimsa.

 Fourthly the Tusita is higher than the Yama.

 Fifthly the Nimmanarati is higher than the Tusita.

 Sixthly the Paranimmita-vasavatti is higher than the Nimmanarati.

 Where does one wish to be born?  While one is not yet an arahanta, one must be reborn, but where?  Probably not the brahma-bhumi because to be born a brahma-puggala in a brahma-bhumi must be the result of very steadfast jhana-kusala as formerly mentioned.  Therefore one would probably be born in one kama-bhumi or another, either the apaya-bhumi or sugati-bhumi according to the causes or the past kamma in the samsara-vatta.

 There are 16 rupa-vacara-bhumi which are the birthplace of rupa-brahma-puggala namely

The 3 Pathama-jhana-bhumi [the first jhana plane] comprise

1  Parisajja-bhumi is the birth place of those who have attained the first jhana with a weaker type of kusala-citta.

2  Purohita-bhumi is the birth place of those who have attained the first jhana with an intermediate type of kusala-citta.

 3  Mahabrahma-bhumi is the birth place of those who have attained the first jhana with kusala-citta of refined strength.

The Dutiya-jhana-bhumi [the second jhana plane] has 3 planes.  The birthplace of those who have attained dutiya-jhana by catuttha-naya (the division of four) or tatiya-jhana by pancaka-naya (the division of five) comprises

1  Parittabha-bhumi
2  Appamana-bhumi
3  Abhassara-bhumi

The Tatiya-jhana-bhumi [the third jhana plane] has 3 planes.  The birthplace of those who have attained tatiya-jhana by catuttha-naya or catuttha -jhana by pancaka-naya comprises

1  Parittasubha-bhumi
2  Appamanasubha-bhumi
3  Subhakinha-bhumi

The Catuttha-jhana-bhumi [the fourth jhana plane] has 7 planes, comprising

1  Vehapphala-bhumi (the birthplace of those who have attained catuttha-jhana by catuttha-naya or pancama-jhana by pancaka-naya.)

2  Asannisatta-bhumi (the birthplace of those who have attained pancama-jhana, where no citta or cetasika arises.)

3  Aviha-bhumi                    are the 5 suddhavasa bhumi, the birth
4  Atappa-bhumi                 places of the Anagami-puggala who had
5  Sudassa-bhumi        -    attained catuttha-jhana by catuttha-naya
6  Sudassi-bhumi               or pancama-jhana by pancaka-naya.
7  Akanittha-bhumi

There are 4 arupa-brahma-bhumi, the birthplaces of those who have attained arupa-jhana (the pancama-jhana where rupa is eliminated and there are only arupa as arammana) respectively

1  Akasanancayatana-bhumi
2  Vinnan?ancayatana-bhumi
3  Akincannayatana-bhumi
4  Nevasannanasannayatana-bhumi

In these 4 there are only nama-khandha or citta and cetasika, with no rupa arising at all.

In the Anguttaranikaya Tikanipata Culanisutta the Buddha manifested the dhamma about the world and the universe, although not as much in detail as some might wish, but one can see his panna-parami, which is that of a lokavidu or one enlightened about the whole world.
 

 The fourth characteristic of citta is every citta is called "citta" because of its complex and intricate nature according to the efficiency of the sampayutta-dhamma (cetasika arising concurrently), which makes it possible to categorize citta into different kinds according to several perspectives.  For example, into 4 jati comprising kusala, akusala, vipaka and kiriya; into 4 bhumi comprising kama-vacara-citta, rupa-vacara-citta, arupa-vacara-citta and lokuttara-citta.

There are all 4 jati of kama-vacara-citta being akusala, kusala, vipaka and kiriya.  Other higher levels of citta do not have citta that are akusala.  There are no rupa-vacara-citta that are akusala.  Nor are there akusala arupa-vacara-citta.  There are no lokuttara-citta that are akusala (nor akusala kiriya-citta).

Therefore there are 3 jati of rupa-vacara-citta, kusala, vipaka and kiriya.  The rupa-vacara-citta is cause for rupa-vacara-vipaka-citta to perform patisandhi-kicca as brahma-puggala in one of the 15 rupa-brahma worlds.  The rupa-vacara-pancama-jhana is paccaya for the patisandhi of rupa as Asannisatta-brahma-puggala in the Asannisatta-brahma-bhumi.  The rupa-vacara-kiriya is the kiriya-citta of the arahanta while there is rupa-jhana-citta of different levels.

There are also 3 jati of the arupa-vacara-citta, kusala, vipaka and kiriya for the same reason.

Rupa-vacara-citta and arupa-vacara-citta are mahaggata-citta.  In the Atthasalini Cittupadakandha there is an explanation of the term "mahaggata" as follows.  Called "mahaggata" because it has attained eminence in its ability to dominate kilesa and because of its comprehensive results.

Kilesa is not an easy thing to suppress because when we see, we take pleasure or are displeased.  But when there is appana-samadhi, the citta is a jhana-citta established steadfastly in the arammana through the mind-door.  There is no seeing, hearing, smelling, tasting, knowing body sense contact.  While there is jhana-citta over any period of time, the bhavanga-citta does not arise in between at all unlike when there is kama-vacara-citta, which are very few and short, being paritta-dhamma.  The moments of seeing are short, as hearing, thinking etc.  At the level of kama-vacara-citta one knows arammana during very short processes.  As soon as cakkhu-dvara-vithi-citta arises to know ruparammana, or that which appears through the eyes, and then falls away immediately, bhavanga-citta follows before mano-dvara-vithi-citta could receive and perceive that which appears through the eyes in sequence to the cakkhu-dvara-vithi-citta.  Kama-vacara-dhamma, or sight, sound, smell, taste, body sense contact, and the citta that knows them are only paritta-dhamma.  But the mahaggata-citta, namely the rupa-vacara-citta and arupa-vacara-citta have attained eminence because they are able to repress kilesa and are therefore mahaggata-citta.

When there is appana-samadhi, or jhana-citta, arising and falling in sequence, then there is no seeing, hearing, smelling, tasting, knowing body sense contact through the eye, ear, nose, tongue or body sense, nor is there thinking about sight, sound, smell, taste, body sense contact of any kind, it is called repressing kilesa.  But when the jhana-citta ends, the kama-vacara-citta arises in continuation.  When the vithi-citta arise through different dvara, akusala-javana-vithi can also arise when there is no kusala.  Because kilesa has not been eradicated completely, after seeing akusala-citta would arise, after hearing akusala-citta would arise, after experiencing body sense contact akusala-citta would arise.  Does anyone realize that akusala-citta arises all the time?  If no one does, none would repress it, and would not develop ways of eradicating kilesa.

Before the enlightenment of the Sammasambuddha the Arahanta those who saw the harm of akusala-citta that arise in continuation after seeing, hearing, smelling, tasting, knowing body sense contact, had tried to find ways to repress kilesa.  They knew that the only way to do so is not to see, hear, smell, taste, know body sense contact because if they did they could not block kilesa.  Knowing that they developed kusala-citta that rendered them peaceful from lobha, dosa, moha up to the level of appana-samadhi, which does not see, hear, smell, taste, know body sense contact of any kind other than the uniquely mental arammana that makes the citta absolutely steadfast with peaceful kusala.  Appana-samadhi, which is a jhana-citta, is not the way to eradicate kilesa because when jhana-citta does not arise, kilesa does.  The moments of rupa-vacara-citta and arupa-vacara-citta are great realities, being mahaggata, because they can repress kilesa by not seeing, hearing, smelling, tasting, knowing body sense contact.  Unlike the anagami-puggala who still saw but had eradicated pleasure in sight, heard but had eradicated pleasure in sound, smelt but had eradicated pleasure in smell, tasted but had eradicated pleasure in taste, knew but had eradicated pleasure in cold and heat, softness and hardness, tension and motion that appeared.  Therefore citta are categorized into 4 bhumi or 4 levels.

 Rupa-vacara-citta and arupa-vacara-citta are of 3 jati, comprising kusala, vipaka and kiriya.

 There are 2 jati of lokuttara-cittta, namely lokuttara-kusala and lokuttara-vipaka.  There are no lokuttara-kiriya-citta. There are 8 lokuttara-citta as follows.

Sotapatti-magga-citta is lokuttara-kusala.
Sotapatti-phala-citta  is lokuttara-vipaka.

Sakadagami-magga-citta is lokuttara-kusala.
Sakadagami-phala-citta is lokuttara-vipaka.

Anagami-magga-citta is lokuttara-kusala.
Anagami-phala-citta  is lokuttara-vipaka.

Arahatta-magga-citta is lokuttara-kusala.
Arahatta phala-citta  is lokuttara-vipaka.

 Lokuttara-kusala-citta is paccaya for lokuttara-vipaka-citta to arise in consequence immediately with no other citta in between.  All other kusala cannot bring immediate results, that is they cannot make vipaka-citta arise right after the kusala-citta but the lokuttara-kusala is paccaya for lokuttara-vipaka-citta to arise in continuation immediately, with no other citta interposing between the lokuttara-kusala-citta as the cause and lokuttara-vipaka-citta as the result.  As soon as the sotapatti-magga-citta, which is the lokuttara-kusala, falls away, the sotapatti-phala-citta, which is the lokuttara-vipaka, would arise sequentially immediately.  As soon as the Sakadagami-magga-citta, which is the lokuttara-kusala, falls away, the Sakadagami-phala-citta, which is the lokuttara-vipaka, would arise sequentially immediately.  As soon as the Anagami-magga-citta, which is the lokuttara-kusala, falls away, the Anagami-phala-citta, which is the lokuttara-vipaka, would arise sequentially immediately.  As soon as the Arahatta-magga-citta, which is the lokuttara-kusala, falls away, the Arahatta-phala-citta, which is the lokuttara-vipaka, would arise sequentially immediately.

 Therefore the 4 lokuttara-vipaka-citta do not perform patisandhi-kicca, bhavanga-kicca and cuti-kicca unlike lokiya-kusala-vipaka and akusala-vipaka.  When lokuttara-kusala-citta falls away, the lokuttara-vipaka-citta would arise with nibbana as arammana immediately following the lokuttara-kusala.  Therefore phala-citta, which is a lokuttara-vipaka-citta, is javana-vithi like the lokuttara-kusala-citta.  Phala-citta is the only kind of vipaka-citta that is javana-vithi-citta performing the javana-kicca with nibbana as arammana.  The lokuttara-kusala-citta arises only once in a samsara-vatta, eradicating kilesa completely according to the level of the respective lokuttara-kusala-citta.  But the lokuttara-vipaka-citta that arises in sequence after the lokuttara-kusala-citta arises with nibbana as arammana in a series of two or three citta depending on the type of the puggala.

 The sotapanna-puggala would be born again no more than seven lifetimes but the patisandhi-citta of the sotapanna is not a sotapatti-phala-citta.  Depending on where the sotapanna-puggala is born, the vipaka-citta of the level of the bhumi would perform the patisandhi-kicca in that world.  If the sotapanna-puggala is born in heaven, the kama-vacara-citta would perform the patisandhi-kicca.  If the sotapanna-puggala is born in a brahma-bhumi, either the rupa-vacara-vipaka-citta or the arupa-vacara-vipaka-citta would perform the patisandhi-kicca in that world accordingly.

 Therefore the word ' bhumi' has 2 meanings: 1) the level of the citta and 2) the world or plane where the entity is born.

 There are 4 bhumi levels of the citta, namely

1 kamavacara-citta
2 rupa-vacara-citta
3 arupa-vacara-citta
4 lokuttara-citta

1 The 11 kama-bhumi,
2 The 16 rupa-brahma-bhumi
3 The  4 arupa-brahma-bhumi.

 
 

QUESTIONS

1.  How are kilesa-kama and vatthu-kama different?
2.  What is paritta-dhamma?
3.  Does the Buddha have kama-vacara-citta?
4.  What does the word "bhumi" mean?
5.  What bhumi is the suddhavasa-bhumi?  Who could be born in the suddhavasa-bhumi?
6.  How many jati are the rupa-vacara-citta?  The arupa-vacara-citta?
7.  How many jati are the lokuttara-citta?
8.  What kinds of citta are the mahaggata-citta?
9.  What vithi-citta is the lokuttara-citta?
10. What is the function of lokuttara-vipaka-citta?
 
 

Dec. 19, 1999
Revised May 7, 2001