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Attha, Hīnattha, and Paramattha

Attha Chart

Hīnattha (Paññatti, Paṇṇatti)
├── Attha Paññatti
└── Nāma Paññatti

Paramattha
├── Saṅkhata Paramattha
│   ├── Paramatthadhammā
│   │   ├── Arūpa → Nāma
│   │   │   ├── Citta
│   │   │   │   ├── Citta
│   │   │   │   ├── Cittuppāda
│   │   │   │   ├── Cittakkhaṇa
│   │   │   │   ├── Anucittakkhaṇa
│   │   │   │   ├── Cittavīthi
│   │   │   │   ├── Cittasantati
│   │   │   │   └── Cittasantāna
│   │   │   └── Cetasika
│   │   └── Rūpa
│   │       ├── Rūpa
│   │       ├── Rūpakalāpa
│   │       ├── Ruppana
│   │       ├── Rūpasantati
│   │       ├── Rūpasarīra
│   │       └── Rūpasantāna
│   ├── Sampayogalakkhaṇa (ekuppāda, ekanirodha, ekālambana, ekavatthuka)
│   ├── Cittuppāda / Nāmakalāpa
│   ├── Nibbāna
│   ├── Paramatthajātikā
│   ├── Anuppannadhammā
│   └── Uppādino dhammā
│
└── Asaṅkhata Paramattha: Nibbāna
    ├── Sammuti Nibbāna (hīnattha)
    ├── Tadaṅga Nibbāna
    ├── Vikkhambana Nibbāna
    ├── Samuccheda Nibbāna
    ├── Nissaraṇa Nibbāna
    ├── Paṭipassaddhi Nibbāna
    └── Micchādiṭṭhi Nibbāna

What is Attha?

Any object that can be known by the mind (anything, including ultimate realities and concepts).

Two Main Ways the Mind Knows Atthas

  1. Diṭṭha Vasena: when encountering objects of the 5 senses
  2. Suta Vasena: when hearing / reading words / signs

Hīnattha

What are Hīnatthas?

  • Mind-made: realities that are created by certain types of cittas
  • Cittanimitta: mental ideas / signs
  • Subjective: do not really exist objectively but depend on the subject / observer for their existence
  • Reducible: they can be reduced into components
  • Examples: meanings, concepts, words, ideas

Parikappanā / Vikappanā

Process of production of hīnatthas by the mind.

Sesānīti pañcaviññāṇasampaṭicchana dvayato sesāni santīraṇa mahāvipākāni. Sabbathāpi kāmāvacarā lambaṇānevāti paṭisandhādīhi nānākiccehi rūpādīsu nānārammaṇesu pavattena sabba pakārenapi kāmāvacarālambaṇikāniyeva. Tāni hi sabbaññubuddhānaṃ uppannānipi vikappasattirahitattā avijjamāne paññattidhammeca sukhume mahaggatadhammeca gambhīre lokuttaradhammeca ālambituṃ na sakkontīti. (Prd. 138.)

Why are they called so?

  • Lower degree of existence: what is known by the mind is experienced as real, but among these, some are independently real (higher degree), while others are dependently real (lower degree: hīna).
  • Subjective: their existence depends on the observer.

Simile for Hīnatthas

Like a spinning firebrand that appears as a circle, though the circle does not exist.

Renderings for Hīnattha

Concepts, subjective realities, conceptual realities, ideas, conceptual natures.

Two Types of Hīnattha (Paññatti)

1. Atthapaññatti (Concepts-as-Meanings)

Meanings conveyed by names; that which is made known.

  • Saṇṭhānapaññatti (formal/structural concepts): correspond to form or configuration (land, mountain, etc.)
  • Samūhapaññatti (collective concepts): correspond to a collection or group (house, chariot, village, etc.)
  • Disāpaññatti (local concepts): correspond to locality or direction (east, west, etc.)
  • Kālapaññatti (temporal concepts): correspond to periods or units of time (morning, noon, week, month, etc.)
  • Ākāsapaññatti (spatial concepts): correspond to spatial regions void of perceptible matter (well, cave, etc.)
  • Nimittapaññatti (sign concepts): correspond to mental signs gained by meditative development.

2. Nāmappaññatti (Concepts-as-Names)

Names that convey meanings; that which makes something known.

  • Vijjamānapaññatti (concept of the real): refers to a reality such as rūpa, citta, etc.
  • Avijjamānapaññatti (concept of the unreal): refers to something unreal (e.g., land, mountain); based on ultimate entities but conveys no ultimate reality.
  • Vijjamānena Avijjamānapaññatti (unreal by means of real): “possessor of sixfold direct knowledge” (possessor is unreal, knowledge is real).
  • Avijjamānena Vijjamānapaññatti (real by means of unreal): “woman’s voice” (woman is unreal, voice is real).
  • Vijjamānena Vijjamānapaññatti (real by means of real): eye-consciousness (both real).
  • Avijjamānena Avijjamānapaññatti (unreal by means of unreal): “king’s son” (both unreal).

Kevalañhi samādhilābhino upaṭṭhānākāramattaṃ saññajametanti — Hīnatthas are all born of perception, a mere appearance (Vism).

Do Hīnatthas Perform the Function of Being an Object due to their own ability?

No, hīnatthas do not have kiccarasa.

Paramattha

What are Paramatthas?

  • Objective: realities that exist without depending on a subject
  • Verifiable: their actual state can be verified by intellectual investigation
  • Irreducible: cannot be reduced into components
  • Intrinsic nature: possess their own intrinsic nature (sabhāva)
  • Functions: able to perform tasks/actions/functions (energies/forces)
  • Examples: cittas, cetasikas, rūpas, Nibbāna, khandhas, dhātus, āyatanas, etc.

Renderings for Paramattha

Actualities, realities, ultimate realities, phenomena, dhammas, objective realities, natures, entities, dhātus, āyatanas, khandhas.

  • Sārattha (essential realities): the real core of observed objects.
  • Mūlattha (root realities): root ingredients of things.

What is an Objective Reality?

A reality that does not depend on a subject/observer (mind) for its existence. Note: this does not mean they exist without causes; they depend on other paramatthas.

Two Types of Paramattha

1. Saṅkhata (Formed)

Citta, cetasikas, rūpas.

Four types:

  • Paramatthadhammā (ultimate realities)
  • Paramatthajātikā (underlying defilements)
  • Anuppannadhammā (unarisen realities)
  • Uppādino dhammā (arisen realities): realities set to arise in the future as result of kamma.

2. Asaṅkhata (Unformed)

Nibbāna.

Note: Paramatthas, by themselves, are neither 3D nor 2D. There is no dichotomy between reality and its intrinsic nature.

Methods for Differentiating Hīnatthas from Paramatthas

1. Reduction / Reductionism

  • Hīnattha: can be reduced into components
  • Paramattha: cannot

2. Functions towards the Noble Truths

Pariññā (Full Knowledge)

Knowing a reality with its specific and general characteristics.

  • Hīnattha: cannot be known with pariññā
  • Paramattha: can

Two types:

  • Abhiññā (higher knowledge): knowing specific characteristics (intrinsic nature)
  • Pariññā (full knowledge): knowing general characteristics (anicca, dukkha, anatta)
  • Note: Nibbāna can be pariññā in the sense of seeing santilakkhaṇa.

Pahāna (Abandoning/Eradicating)

  • Hīnattha: cannot be abandoned
  • Paramattha: can (only realities can be eradicated)

Sacchikaraṇa (Knowing/Obtaining/Attaining)

  • Hīnattha: cannot be attained
  • Paramattha: can

Three types:

  • Ārammaṇakaraṇa Sacchikaraṇa: experiencing as knowing directly
  • Paṭilabha Sacchikaraṇa: experiencing as obtaining (equal to bhāvanā, e.g., making magga arise)
  • Adhigama Sacchikaraṇa: experiencing as attaining (attainment of Nibbāna)

Bhāvanā (Developing)

  • Hīnattha: cannot be developed
  • Paramattha: can

3. Productive Force (Ability to produce a result)

  • Hīnattha: cannot
  • Paramattha: some can

4. Possessing Lakkhaṇa, Rasa, Phalapaccupaṭṭhāna, and Padaṭṭhāna

  • Hīnattha: only possess upaṭṭhānākārapaccupaṭṭhāna (their cause is given as the 4 mahābhūtā or citta)
  • Paramattha: possess all (except Nibbāna lacks padaṭṭhāna)

5. Sabhāva (Intrinsic Nature)

  • Hīnattha: do not possess it
  • Paramattha: do

Jātaṁ rūpaṁ sabhāvena suññāṁ — rūpa which has arisen is empty of sabhāva (here meaning a self).

Two Types of Bhāva

  • Ekattabhāva (unity, oneness)
  • Nānattabhāva (plurality)

Question: Are they the same as ekattanaya and nānattanaya?

Five Dhammatās (Universal Laws) with Examples

  1. Bīja Niyāma (natural law of plants/seeds): mango seed produces mango tree, sunflower faces sun, coconut has three eyes.
  2. Utu Niyāma (natural law of seasons/weather): buds, flowers, and fruits appear in specific plants during the same season.
  3. Kamma Niyāma (natural law of actions and results): results manifest according to the nature of actions.
  4. Dhamma Niyāma (natural law of dhammas): includes earthquakes during significant moments (conception, birth, enlightenment, first sermon).
    • Yoni Niyāma: influences appearance; kamma influences destination. (Citta → Kamma → Gati → Yoni → Appearance)
  5. Citta Niyāma (natural law of consciousness): successive generations of consciousness arise in sequence without external intervention when objects impact the senses.

Realities, Collective Realities, and Concepts

  • A group of realities taken as one thing is a concept: person, tree, house, etc.
  • A group of realities taken as a group is collective realities (paramattha): rūpakkhandha, a group of nāmas as “nāma”, cittuppāda, etc.
  • Note: in some cases, “hair”, etc. can be a concept (if taken as one) or collective realities (if taken as a group of rūpas).

Two Saccas

  1. Paramattha Sacca
  2. Sammuti Sacca