Discrete States »


The Quantum of Empirical Existence: Discrete States (Dhammā)!

Any being bound for awakening, fixed in destiny, knows & understands:
Mere discrete states alone exist, devoid of any self and of any substance!
These states arise and terminate in accordance with their inherent nature and
the conditions that caused them to emerge.. They do not come from anywhere,
they do not go anywhere, they are not established anywhere!
There is no agency in anything, in any phenomena whatsoever!

Imprints empty of self, agency and substance...
Perceived Phenomena without real noumena!

The fundamental Axioms on Discrete Dhammā-States, whether mental or material:
A: Dhammā-States bear their particular characteristic essence.
B: These states are effects born and conditioned by their specific causes.
C: They are not fully separable entities, but fully distinguishable qualities.
D: They come into being not having been, & vanish without trace going nowhere.
E: Dhammā-States  are totally still and does not change or vary during time.
F: Apparent change of a quality are rather a series of altered momentary states. 
G: Mental and Material states do neither move from nor to different locations.
H: Illusory 'movement' are states, that arises & ceases in adjacent locations.  
I: When state A is present, then state B can come into being.
J: When state A is absent, then state B cannot come into being.
K: When state A arises, then state B necessarily also emerges.
L: When state A ceases, then state B necessarily also vanish.
M: Causally conditioned states have thus no power or autonomy over themselves.
N: There is no distinct agency or instrumentality apart from the state itself.
O: Thinking itself thinks. Knowing itself knows. Consciousness itself is aware.
P: There is no function, agent, doer, or actor separate from the state itself.
Q: Dhammā-States cannot emerge from or be caused by a state of opposite nature.
R: Dhammā-States cannot ever transfer any essential nature to another state.
S: Not state is solitary. States always emerge as a multiple group of states.
T: All states are positionally inseparable like salt & sugar mixed in the same solution.
U: All states can be distinguished by their different quality, just like unlike flavors.
V: One cannot ever identify an absolute origin or first cause of a chain of Dhammā-States.
W: All states are caused. No state arises randomly by chance, spontaneously, or fortuitously.  
X: No state arises from a single cause. All states arise from a multiplicity of causes.
Y: No state has a single effect. All states cause and condition a plurality of effects.
Z: A network matrix of multiple mutually dependent states produce a new network of states. 
@: States have no substance & can only be discerned by applying both analysis & synthesis.

A chain of discrete non-identical events.

Related Philosophical issues:
The Dhamma Theory: The Philosophical Cornerstone of the Abhidhamma

Objective States is an always changing network matrix of qualities perceived by mind

Further resources on the 'Atom' of Experienced Existence:

The Theory of Discrete States (Dhammā) for the Beginner:
The Dhamma Theory: The Philosophical Cornerstone of the Abhidhamma
Y. Karunadasa. Wheel 412/413 Buddhist Publication Society http://www.bps.lk/

For the Moderate:
Introduction to: A Comprehensive Manual of Abhidhamma. B. Bodhi

For the Advanced:

An introduction toTherāvada Abhidhamma.  G.D. Sumanapala, Singapore 1998.

The Theory of Discrete States (Dhammā) for the Expert:

Summary of the Topics of Abhidhamma by R. Gethin & R.P. Wijeratne

In Time: Multiple causes turn into multiple effects.

The Atoms of Experience: Discrete Dhammā-States: A-Z+@

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