Why moha-mula cittas are neither prompted nor unprompted?

Abhidhamma
1

Unlike cittas 1-10, the last two akusala cittas do not have prompted/unprompted
quality. Why is that?

The commentary in CMA offers two different points of view.

The Vibhāvinì-ṭìkā and the Mahā-ṭìkā to the Visuddhimagga maintain that the distinction in terms of prompting is omitted because neither alternative is applicable. They state that since these two cittas lack natural acuteness, they cannot be described as unprompted; and since there is no occasion when one deliberately tries to arouse them, they cannot be described as prompted.

Ledi Sayadaw, however, rejects this position, holding these cittas to be exclusively unprompted. He contends: “Since these two cittas occur in beings naturally, by their own intrinsic nature, they need not be aroused by any inducement or expedient means. They always occur without … trouble or difficulty. Therefore they are exclusively unprompted, and this should be seen as the reason the > distinction by way of prompting is not mentioned here.”

How to reconcile them? What do you think is the right answer and why?

1 Like
2

That is what I know and have learned myself (by book). The goal is to remove moha. It is naturally there. It is like prompting you not to forget your right hand (assuming you have one already).

Thanks for the reference… It saved me time for looking it up for you. It seems you have your answer.

1 Like