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Chitta (also citta, Samskrit: चित्तम्) is described as one of the states of mind, according to the texts of Vedanta.
वेदान्तमते चित्तस्यावस्थाविशेषः ।<ref name=":0">Shabdakalpadhruma (See text [https://sa.wikisource.org/wiki/%E0%A4%B6%E0%A4%AC%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%A6%E0%A4%95%E0%A4%B2%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%AA%E0%A4%A6%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%B0%E0%A5%81%E0%A4%AE%E0%A4%83/%E0%A4%AD%E0%A5%82%E0%A4%95%E0%A4%B2%E0%A4%83 भूमिका])</ref>
Maharshi Patanjali in his Yoga Sutras uses the word "chitta" in a broad sense, that can be considered to represent the whole of psyche or mind as referred in modern psychology.<ref name=":1">Jayasheela, S. and Salagame, Kiran Kumar. ''Triguņa and chitta bhũmike in Yoga practitioners''. Indian Journal of Positive Psychology, 2018, 9(1), 33-37</ref> However, the term citta should not be understood to mean only the mind. Citta has three components: mind (manas), intelligence (buddhi) and ego (ahankara) which combine into one composite whole.<ref name=":2">Iyengar, B.K.S. (1993). ''Light on the yoga sutras of Patanjali''. London: Harper Collins Publishers London. pp.11</ref>
== Etymology ==
Chitta is formed from the dhatus चितीँ संज्ञाने । chiti samjnane and चितिँ स्मृत्याम्। chiti smrityam<ref>See citta at https://ashtadhyayi.com/dhatu/</ref> in the meanings of having knowledge and repetitive remembrance (or memory) of objects/subjects known.
According to Shabdakalpadhruma, chitta is one of the states of the mind and includes the five Chitta Bhumis namely Kshipta, Mudha, Vikshipta, Ekagra and Niruddha.<blockquote>वेदान्तमते चित्तस्यावस्थाविशेषः । यथा । क्षिप्तं मूढं विक्षिप्तं एकाग्रं निरुद्धं इति पञ्चभूमयः ।<ref name=":0" /></blockquote>Maharshi Vyasa defines chitta as a combination of [[Trigunas (त्रिगुणाः)|trigunas]].<blockquote>चित्तं हि प्रख्याप्रवृत्तिस्थितिशीलत्वात् त्रिगुणम्। (Vyas. Bhas. on Yoga. Sutr. 1.2)</blockquote>Maharshi Patanjali's Yoga darshana is founded on the philosophical paradigm of Sankhya darshana. Yoga defines chitta as the subtlest form Matter, and constituting of three vehicles namely
* the thought-vehicle (Manas)
* the I-vehicle (Ahamkara) and
* the Pure-Reason vehicle (Buddhi)
== Chitta Bhumis ==
According to Vyasa bhashya on the Yoga Sutra (1.2) of Patanjali, chitta can be in classified into five different states,<ref name=":1" /><ref>Iyengar, B.K.S. (1993). ''Light on the yoga sutras of Patanjali''. London: Harper Collins Publishers London. pp.186</ref>
क्षिप्तं मूढं विक्षिप्तम् एकाग्रं निरुद्धम् इति चित्तभूमयः।
# kshipta, a mental force which is scattered, in a state of disarray and neglect
# mũdha, a foolish, confused and dull state
# vikshipta, puzzled, agitated and distracted
# ekāgra, a state of one-pointed attention, concentrated
# niruddha, where everything is restrained, controlled
These states of mind partake of many physical and psychological characteristics and they are determined by the trigunas - satva, rajas, and tamas. The mind is possessed of the three qualities, showing as it does the nature of illumination, activity and inertia.<ref>Prasada, Rama. tran. ''Patanjali's Yoga Sutras, with the commentary of Vyasa and the gloss of Vachaspati Misra''. New Delhi: Munshiram Manoharlal Publishers Pvt. Ltd., 1998. p 5-6</ref><blockquote>चित्तं हि प्रख्याप्रवृत्तिस्थितिशीलत्वात् त्रिगुणम्। (Vyas. Bhas. on Yoga. Sutr. 1.2)</blockquote>The relation between them is as follows:
1. kshipta, is when the mind is distracted by rajasic impulses
2. mũdha, is when it remains inert, as in sleep, on account of tamas;
3. vikshipta, is when the distraction alternates with tranquility caused by satva
4. ekāgra, is when the chitta stripped of rajasic and tamasic propensities and attains to one-pointedness as a result of the sātvic trait.
5. niruddha is when all modifications remain totally restrained and abide by potencies (Iyengar, 1993<ref name=":2" />; Subramanian, 2008).
Although the concept of chitta bhumike was contributed by Vyāsa, over a period of time various philosophers, practitioners, experts and scholars have given different explanations and interpretations. They have noted that practice of Yoga system of Patanjali essentially involves a change in the chitta bhũmike, the state of mind, and it is only when a person is predominantly characterized by a vikshipta state of mind he/she will be drawn towards spirituality.
According to Vedanta, the various chitta bhumis are as follows
: आसुरसम्पल्लोकशास्त्रदेहवासनासु वर्त्तमानं चित्तं क्षिप्तभूमिका । १ ।
: निद्रातन्द्रादिग्रस्तं चित्तं मूढभूमिका । २ ।
: कदाचिद्ध्यानयुक्तं चित्तं क्षिप्ताद्विशिष्टतया विक्षिप्तभूमिका । ३ ।<ref name=":0" />
== References ==
[[Category:Yoga]]
[[Category:Vedanta]]
वेदान्तमते चित्तस्यावस्थाविशेषः ।<ref name=":0">Shabdakalpadhruma (See text [https://sa.wikisource.org/wiki/%E0%A4%B6%E0%A4%AC%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%A6%E0%A4%95%E0%A4%B2%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%AA%E0%A4%A6%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%B0%E0%A5%81%E0%A4%AE%E0%A4%83/%E0%A4%AD%E0%A5%82%E0%A4%95%E0%A4%B2%E0%A4%83 भूमिका])</ref>
Maharshi Patanjali in his Yoga Sutras uses the word "chitta" in a broad sense, that can be considered to represent the whole of psyche or mind as referred in modern psychology.<ref name=":1">Jayasheela, S. and Salagame, Kiran Kumar. ''Triguņa and chitta bhũmike in Yoga practitioners''. Indian Journal of Positive Psychology, 2018, 9(1), 33-37</ref> However, the term citta should not be understood to mean only the mind. Citta has three components: mind (manas), intelligence (buddhi) and ego (ahankara) which combine into one composite whole.<ref name=":2">Iyengar, B.K.S. (1993). ''Light on the yoga sutras of Patanjali''. London: Harper Collins Publishers London. pp.11</ref>
== Etymology ==
Chitta is formed from the dhatus चितीँ संज्ञाने । chiti samjnane and चितिँ स्मृत्याम्। chiti smrityam<ref>See citta at https://ashtadhyayi.com/dhatu/</ref> in the meanings of having knowledge and repetitive remembrance (or memory) of objects/subjects known.
According to Shabdakalpadhruma, chitta is one of the states of the mind and includes the five Chitta Bhumis namely Kshipta, Mudha, Vikshipta, Ekagra and Niruddha.<blockquote>वेदान्तमते चित्तस्यावस्थाविशेषः । यथा । क्षिप्तं मूढं विक्षिप्तं एकाग्रं निरुद्धं इति पञ्चभूमयः ।<ref name=":0" /></blockquote>Maharshi Vyasa defines chitta as a combination of [[Trigunas (त्रिगुणाः)|trigunas]].<blockquote>चित्तं हि प्रख्याप्रवृत्तिस्थितिशीलत्वात् त्रिगुणम्। (Vyas. Bhas. on Yoga. Sutr. 1.2)</blockquote>Maharshi Patanjali's Yoga darshana is founded on the philosophical paradigm of Sankhya darshana. Yoga defines chitta as the subtlest form Matter, and constituting of three vehicles namely
* the thought-vehicle (Manas)
* the I-vehicle (Ahamkara) and
* the Pure-Reason vehicle (Buddhi)
== Chitta Bhumis ==
According to Vyasa bhashya on the Yoga Sutra (1.2) of Patanjali, chitta can be in classified into five different states,<ref name=":1" /><ref>Iyengar, B.K.S. (1993). ''Light on the yoga sutras of Patanjali''. London: Harper Collins Publishers London. pp.186</ref>
क्षिप्तं मूढं विक्षिप्तम् एकाग्रं निरुद्धम् इति चित्तभूमयः।
# kshipta, a mental force which is scattered, in a state of disarray and neglect
# mũdha, a foolish, confused and dull state
# vikshipta, puzzled, agitated and distracted
# ekāgra, a state of one-pointed attention, concentrated
# niruddha, where everything is restrained, controlled
These states of mind partake of many physical and psychological characteristics and they are determined by the trigunas - satva, rajas, and tamas. The mind is possessed of the three qualities, showing as it does the nature of illumination, activity and inertia.<ref>Prasada, Rama. tran. ''Patanjali's Yoga Sutras, with the commentary of Vyasa and the gloss of Vachaspati Misra''. New Delhi: Munshiram Manoharlal Publishers Pvt. Ltd., 1998. p 5-6</ref><blockquote>चित्तं हि प्रख्याप्रवृत्तिस्थितिशीलत्वात् त्रिगुणम्। (Vyas. Bhas. on Yoga. Sutr. 1.2)</blockquote>The relation between them is as follows:
1. kshipta, is when the mind is distracted by rajasic impulses
2. mũdha, is when it remains inert, as in sleep, on account of tamas;
3. vikshipta, is when the distraction alternates with tranquility caused by satva
4. ekāgra, is when the chitta stripped of rajasic and tamasic propensities and attains to one-pointedness as a result of the sātvic trait.
5. niruddha is when all modifications remain totally restrained and abide by potencies (Iyengar, 1993<ref name=":2" />; Subramanian, 2008).
Although the concept of chitta bhumike was contributed by Vyāsa, over a period of time various philosophers, practitioners, experts and scholars have given different explanations and interpretations. They have noted that practice of Yoga system of Patanjali essentially involves a change in the chitta bhũmike, the state of mind, and it is only when a person is predominantly characterized by a vikshipta state of mind he/she will be drawn towards spirituality.
According to Vedanta, the various chitta bhumis are as follows
: आसुरसम्पल्लोकशास्त्रदेहवासनासु वर्त्तमानं चित्तं क्षिप्तभूमिका । १ ।
: निद्रातन्द्रादिग्रस्तं चित्तं मूढभूमिका । २ ।
: कदाचिद्ध्यानयुक्तं चित्तं क्षिप्ताद्विशिष्टतया विक्षिप्तभूमिका । ३ ।<ref name=":0" />
== References ==
[[Category:Yoga]]
[[Category:Vedanta]]