I want to learn more about sleepiness and laziness. Can someone tell me how the Abhidhamma explain these two things?
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Nina van gorkom
Cetasikas
> 21.1 Sloth (th¯ına), Torpor (middha)
Th¯ına and middha are two akusala cetasikas which always arise together, they form
a pair. Th¯ına can be translated as sloth or stolidity and middha as torpor or
languor. When there are sloth and torpor one has no energy for kusala. In order to
have more understanding of sloth and torpor we should study their characteristics,
functions, manifestations and their proximate cause, and we should know which
types of citta they can accompany.
The Atthas¯alin¯ı (II, Book I, Part IX, Chapter II, 255) states about sloth and
torpor: “Absence of striving, difficulty through inability, is the meaning.” We then
read the following definitions of sloth and torpor:
The compound “sloth-torpor” is sloth plus torpor; of which sloth has absence of, or opposition to striving as characteristic, destruction of energy
as function, sinking of associated states as manifestation; torpor has unwieldiness as characteristic, closing the doors of consciousness as function,
shrinking in taking the object, or drowsiness as manifestation; and both
have unsystematic thought, in not arousing oneself from discontent and
laziness (or indulgence), as proximate cause.
The Visuddhimagga (XIV, 167) gives a similar definition. The Dhammasangan.
i
calls sloth (th¯ına) indisposition and unwieldiness of mind (par1156) and torpor
(middha) indisposition and unwieldiness of cetasikas (par1157)1
. When there are
sloth and torpor there is no wieldiness of mind which is necessary for the performing of kusala. Instead there are mental stiffness and rigidity, mental sickness and
laziness.
As we have seen, the Atthas¯alin¯ı states that the characteristic of sloth is opposition to “striving”, to energy. Also akusala citta is accompanied by energy (viriya),
but this is wrong effort; it is different from right effort which accompanies kusala
citta. When there are sloth and torpor there is no energy, no vigour to perform
d¯ana, to observe s¯ıla, to listen to Dhamma, to study the Dhamma or to develop
calm, no energy to be mindful of the reality which appears now. This does not
mean that whenever there is lack of mindfulness sloth and torpor arise. As we will
see, they do not arise with all types of akusala citta.
As regards torpor, its characteristic is unwieldiness and its function is closing
the doors of consciousness. It obstructs the performing of kusala, it “oppresses. . .,
it injures by means of unwieldiness”, the Atthas¯alin¯ı (378) explains. The manifestation of sloth is “sinking of associated states”, it causes the citta and cetasikas
it accompanies to decline. The manifestation of torpor is “shrinking in taking
the object” or drowsiness. The Dhammasangan.
i (par1157) calls torpor (middha)
“drowsiness, sleep, slumbering, somnolence”. The Atthas¯alin¯ı (378) adds to drowsiness: “Drowsiness makes blinking of the eyelashes, etc.” The arahat has eradicated sloth and torpor. He can still have bodily tiredness and he may sleep, but he has
no sloth and torpor2
.
We may be inclined to think that sloth and torpor arise only when there is
sleepiness, but when we study the types of citta which can be accompanied by sloth
and torpor we will see that there can be many moments of them, also when we do
not feel sleepy.
As we have seen, the proximate cause of sloth and torpor is “unsystematic
thought, in not arousing oneself from discontent and laziness”. When there are
sloth and torpor there is “unsystematic thought”, that is, unwise attention (ayoniso
manasik¯ara) to the object which is experienced. At such moments we do not realize
that life is short and that it is urgent to develop all kinds of kusala and in particular
right understanding of realities. We all have moments that there is no energy to
read the scriptures or to consider the Dhamma. We may be overcome by boredom,
we are not interested to study and to consider the Dhamma, or we make ourselves
believe that we are too busy. Sometimes, however, we may realize that even the
reading of a few lines of the scriptures can be most beneficial, that it can remind
us to be aware of realities which appear. We should remember that when there are
sloth and torpor we are not merely standing still as to the development of kusala,
but we are “sinking”, we are going “downhill”, since there is opportunity for the
accumulation of more akusala. If we realize that the opportunity to develop right
understanding of the present moment is only at the present moment, not at some
moment in the future, there can be conditions for mindfulness and then there is
“wise attention” instead of “unwise attention”.
Sloth and torpor can arise only with akusala cittas which are “prompted”,
sasa ˙nkh¯arika. Some types of cittas are “unprompted” or not induced (asa ˙nkh¯arika)
and some types are “prompted”, instigated or induced. The inducement can be
done by someone else or by oneself. The cittas which are prompted are, according
to the Visuddhimagga (XIV, 91) “sluggish and urged on”. Thus, sloth and torpor which are lazy and sluggish with regard to the performing of kusala arise only
with the akusala cittas which are prompted3
. They can arise with the four types
of lobha-m¯ula-citta which are sasa ˙nkh¯arika and with one type of dosa-m¯ula-citta,
the type which is sasa ˙nkh¯arika4
. This does not mean that they arise every time
the akusala citta is “prompted”; they may or may not arise with these five types of
akusala citta. The two types of moha-m¯ula-citta are not “prompted”, they cannot
be accompanied by sloth and torpor.
Sloth and torpor can arise together with wrong view, dit.
t.hi, and in this case they
accompany lobha-m¯ula-citta which is associated with wrong view and prompted.
Sloth and torpor can arise together with conceit, m¯ana, and in this case they accompany lobha-m¯ula-citta which is without wrong view and prompted5
. Sloth and
torpor which arise with lobha-m¯ula-citta may be accompanied by pleasant feeling
or by indifferent feeling
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Thank you for answering. I think the reason why arahants can sleep so peacefully is because they can sleep without sloth and torpor.
I think even the thought “why should I renounce the world if I can live comfortably as a lay person and make merit to be reborn in heaven” might a subtle manifestation of sloth because it stops us from striving for something higher.
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