Chitta (चित्तम्)

Chitta (also citta, Samskrit: चित्तम्) is described as one of the states of mind, according to the texts of Vedanta. वेदान्तमते चित्तस्यावस्थाविशेषः । 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. 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.

व्युतपत्तिः ॥ Etymology

Chitta is formed from the dhatus चितीँ संज्ञाने । chiti samjnane and चितिँ स्मृत्याम्। chiti smrityam 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.

वेदान्तमते चित्तस्यावस्थाविशेषः । यथा । क्षिप्तं मूढं विक्षिप्तं एकाग्रं निरुद्धं इति पञ्चभूमयः ।

Maharshi Vyasa defines chitta as a combination of trigunas.

चित्तं हि प्रख्याप्रवृत्तिस्थितिशीलत्वात् त्रिगुणम्। (Vyas. Bhas. on Yoga. Sutr. 1.2)

Antahkarana and Chitta

While the basic functional understanding of chitta as a psychological element involved in memory, recollection or Smrti holds good in many places where this term is used, the way it is categorized either as a part of Antahkarana Chatushtaya (अन्तःकरणचतुष्टयम्) or called as Antahkarana itself is a point that requires clarification. There are slight differences in nomenclature based on the text followed, however, the psychological functionality is very similar across various ancient texts.

Citta has been translated into 'mind stuff' - unconscious mind, conscious mind, super-conscious mind, cosmic mind, individual mind and cosmic intelligence, all put together. So, citta is the consciousness that is indivisible, undivided. It is the totality of the mind, the mind-stuff, the totality of the intelligence which is indivisible, incapable of being partitioned - like space.

Chitta as a part of Antahkarana

The Absolute is characterized as sat, chit and ananda in the Upanishads. The term chitta stands for the manifestation of the chit, as pure consciousness or Purusha, in the individual Jiva. Chitta is the instrument through which the individual lives and evolves. The basic assumption of all systems of Indian thought is that the purusha (according to Samkhya), the Atman, the self in the individual, functions through the chitta or the Antahkarana.

In Vachaspatyam we find that chitta is one of the four components/vritti (or activity) of the inner organ or instrument called Antahkarana. Here it is mentioned as an agent of recollection or smriti.

अन्तःकरणभेदे - मनोबुद्धिरहङ्कारश्चित्तं करणमान्तरम् ।...तस्य च स्मरणम् अनुसन्धानात्मक वृत्तिभेदः । चिच्छब्दे दृश्यम् ।

Smarana or recollection as denoted by the word Chitta falls under the category of activity based on inquiry.

Chitta as Antahkarana

Maharshi Patanjali's Yoga darshana is founded on the philosophical paradigm of Sankhya darshana. Samkhya defines chitta as the subtlest form of Matter, and it constitutes of three components namely

• मनस् । Manas, the thought-component is the central processor which processes the sensory information received from the Indriyas. Indriyas refer to the sensory-motor apparatus.
• अहंकारम् । Ahamkara, the I-component initiates the process of individualization, gives identity to the psychophysical framework of the person.
• बुद्धिः । Buddhi, the Pure-Reason component is predominantly satvik and therefore the knowledge base of the person.

In Patanjali's Yoga Sutras, there is no explicit mention of Buddhi. Chitta mentioned here is the same as Buddhi of Samkhya philosophy. According to Kuppuswamy, Yoga differs from Samkhya in placing the three internal organs of Samkhya, under one concept, namely, chitta. In this approach, all the mental processes are due to the chitta and they are termed as chitta vrittis; here chitta is equated to the mind. When the self (Purusha) is freed from the chitta, it will resume its normal and original state of being pure consciousness, and is a mere witness. So the main task of Yoga system is chitta vritti nirodha, restriction of the modification of the mind (Yoga. Sutr. 1.2). This self can be free from the bonds of Prkriti only when it is free from mental modifications.

Perspectives of Chitta in Yoga Darshana

Citta is the individual counterpart of mahat in Samkhya philosophy, the universal consciousness. It is the seat of the intelligence that sprouts from conscience, antahkarana, the inner organ of virtue and knowledge. Chitta is that part of the mind which has knowledge of objects and can repeatedly recall the objects or subjects known in the worldly realm. Pleasure and pain are the marks of consciousness functioning in Chitta. Jnana consists in the discrimination of this difference realizing that the Chitta is the instrument and not the, Self.

चित्तं त्रिगुणम्। Chitta is trigunas

As seen earlier, Maharshi Vyasa in his Yogasutra bhashya mentions that Chitta is of the nature of a ratio of Trigunas.

चित्तं हि प्रख्याप्रवृत्तिस्थितिशीलत्वात् त्रिगुणम्। (Vyas. Bhas. on Yoga. Sutr. 1.2) प्रकाशशीलं सत्त्वम्। क्रियाशीलं रजः स्थितिशीलं तम इति।

Chitta or mind is possessed of the three qualities (in a disproportionate combination), hence called trigunatmika, showing as it does the nature of illumination (sattva), activity (rajas) and inertia (tamas).

Prakhya (प्रख्या) - प्रख्यारूपं हि चित्तं सत्त्वम् । Prakhya is Sattva guna aspect of chitta and is characterized by wisdom and illumination.

Pravrtti (प्रवृत्ति) is Rajo guna aspect of chitta characterized by activity or action (kriyasheelatva)

Sthiti (स्थिति) is the Tamoguna aspect of chitta characterized by inertness or inaction.

The state of equilibrium (samyavastha) when all the gunas are in the right proportions (neither less nor more) it is called Prakriti. When the equilibrium of gunas is disturbed Srshti or creation is initiated. Prakrti undergoes the first major transformation resulting in Mahat tattva, also called as Buddhi or Chitta created as a result of increase in Sattva guna. Rest of the evolutes or tattvas are described as per the Samkhya philosophy.

चित्तवृत्तयः ॥ Chitta Vrttis

The state in which a human mind resides in any particular moment is called as Chitta vritti or the modification of the mind. Chitta transforms into many forms and has infinite modifications. It has no shape and takes the shape of the Vishaya or object that it comes into contact with. This Vishayakaarata (becoming like Vishaya) is called as Vrtti. In Advaita Vedanta, we find an explanation about the mind (or Antahkarana) issuing out of the sense organs, goes to the object perceived by the sense organ and is modified into the form of the object (say a pot). This very modification is called a state or Vrtti.

Vrtti (singular वृत्तिः) literally means "wave," and refers to all elements that can affect the mutable Chitta. In terms of mind, it involves thoughts and with reference to the body it refers to the diseases and changes formed by ageing. Vrttis are the transformations and modifications in response to external stimuli, in the form of waves. Vrttis are formed from Samskaras or impressions on the mind and viceversa, and this is a perpetual cycle.

वृत्तयः पञ्चतय्यः क्लिष्टाक्लिष्टाः ॥ १.५ ॥ (Yoga. Sutr. 1.5)

The gross and subtle thought patterns (Vrttis) can be classified into five categories, and can be either of Klishta (afflictive or accompanied by Pancha Kleshas and cause sufferings) or Aklishta (non-afflictive or not accompanied by Kleshas and cause happiness) nature. Both these kinds of vrttis recur in the lifetime of an individual in varying magnitudes causing sadness and happiness to a person.

प्रमाणविपर्ययविकल्पनिद्रास्मृतयः ॥ १.६ ॥ (Yoga. Sutr. 1.6)

The five vrttis of chitta are

1. प्रमाण ॥ Pramana - knowing correctly
2. विपर्यय॥ Viparyaya - incorrect knowledge
3. विकल्प॥ Vikalpa - fantasy or imagination
4. निद्रा॥ Nidra - the object of void-ness
5. स्मृतिः॥ Smrti - recollection or memory

अविद्यास्मितारागद्वेषाभिनिवेशाः क्लेशाः ॥ २.३ ॥(Yoga. Sutr. 2.3)

Maharshi Vyasa explains the five kleshas which accompany the vrttis as

1. अविद्या॥ Avidya
2. अस्मिता॥ Asmita
3. रागः॥ Raga
4. द्वेषः॥ Dvesha
5. अभिनिवेशः॥ Abhinivesha

Klistha vrttis are painful, associated with dukha, because they generate avidyayukta vasanarupa, samskaras which keep man bound in the chain of life and death.

चित्तवृत्तिनिरोधः ॥ Chittavrtti nirodha

The five vrttis as seen above are the cause of sukha, dukha and moha. Sukha leads to raga, dukha leads to dvesha, moha leads to Avidya klesha. Hence all the chittavrttis have to be dissolved. When the Chitta comes in contact with vishayas, the associated samskaras or vasanas arise in it, which creates the vrttis or waves of thoughts of various kinds in the mind. The transformed mind propels a person to react to the vishayas. When these thoughts are not able to manifest into actions in the external world, then they result into kama, krodha, lobha, moha, mada, matsarya or the shadripus in a person. They are called antahshatru (invisible internal enemies). When this flow of chittavrttis is absorbed into the chitta it is called chittavrtti nirodha; this can be achieved by vairagya (dispassion) and abhyasa (practice).

Due to the movements of the gunas, the mind is said to possess the nature of changing quickly as described by Vyasa -

चलं च गुणवृत्तम् इति क्षिप्रपरिणामि चित्तम् उक्तम्। (Yoga. Sutr. 2.15 Vyas. Bhas)

Chitta is always characterized by vritti, modification, not only in the wakeful state (jagrat avastha), but also in dream (svapna) and even in deep sleep (sushupta) states. So man is aware of the modifications or the vrittis alone and not of the Self. Again it is the same chitta, being an instrument prevents man from realizing the self; it is a hinderance that can be overcome. It is also recognized that it is the only instrument through which self-realization is possible. Hence, restraining the chitta vrttis is the foremost task of a Yoga sadhaka.

चित्तभूमयः॥ Chitta Bhumis

Chitta Bhumi (चित्तभूमिः) means the different stages of Chitta during a Sadhaka's lifetime. In different people we find different aspects of Chitta. There are five Chitta Bhumis (चित्तभूमयः) or five states of the Chitta or mind as elaborated in Patanjali's Yoga Sutras. They are

1. क्षिप्तं ॥ kshipta, a mental force which is scattered, in a state of disarray and neglect
2. मूढं ॥ mũdha, a foolish, confused and dull state
3. विक्षिप्तम् ॥ vikshipta, puzzled, agitated and distracted
4. एकाग्रं ॥ ekāgra, a state of one-pointed attention, concentrated
5. निरुद्धम्॥ niruddha, where everything is restrained, controlled

चित्तविक्षेपाः ॥ Chitta Vikshepa

The nine obstacles (antarayah) in the path of attaining samadhi, as per Yoga sutras, are known as Chitta Vikshepa (चित्तविक्षेपाः).

व्याधिस्त्यानसंशयप्रमादालस्याविरतिभ्रान्तिदर्शनालब्धभूमिकत्वानवस्थितत्वानि चित्तविक्षेपास् तेऽन्तरायाः ॥ १.३० ॥ (Yoga. Sutr. 1.30)

They are

1. व्याधिः ॥ Vyadhi - Disease such as fever, due to disquilibrium of various constituent elements of the body
2. स्त्यानम् ॥ Styana - Dislike of the mind for Abhyasa of yogic elements
3. संशय ॥ Samshaya - Doubtfulness, indecisiveness
4. प्रमादः ॥ Pramada - Negligence in pursuing Abhyasa of Samadhi even after having the potential to do so
5. आलस्यम् ॥ Alasya - Desire for rest due to heaviness in the mind and body resulting in bringing about laziness
6. अविरतिः ॥ Avirati - Having a desire to indulge in worldly enjoyments
7. भ्रान्तिदर्शनम् ॥ Bhranti darshana - Erroneous perception of objects, confusion between what is truth and what is not, having wrong knowledge
8. अलब्धभूमिकत्वम् ॥ Alabdha-bhumikatva - Not achieving the state of samadhi.
9. अनवस्थितत्वम् ॥ Anavasthitva - Inability of mind to be permanently established in samadhi after attaining it.

These nine obstacles distract the mind from being one-pointed and are enemies to Sadhana. These obstacles arise with the existence of Vrttis of the mind, hence cessation of the Vrttis the obstacles disappear. While these nine obstructions prevent a Sadhaka to reach his goal of Atyantika Dukkhanivrtti, there are five more problems, called the five Sahabhuvas or associates to these nine obstacles. They can also be termed as symptoms of the obstacles. The nine vikshepas may or may not be observed but the five sahabhuvas are easily marked by a person's behaviour.

दुःखदौर्मनस्याङ्गमेजयत्वश्वासप्रश्वासा विक्षेपसहभुवः ॥ १.३१ ॥ (Yoga. Sutr. 1.31)

Maharshi Patanjali mentions the five sahabhuvas as

1. दुःखः॥ Dukha - Sufferings of three types - adhibhautika, adhyatmika and adhidaivika
2. दौर्मनस्यम्॥ Daurmanasya - Unhappiness and dejection even after obtaining worldly things
3. अङ्गमेजयत्वम् ॥ Angamejeyatva - Shivering of the body parts.
4. श्वासः ॥ Shvasa - Uncontrolled rapid inhalation
5. प्रश्वासः ॥ Prashvasa - Uncontrolled rapid exhalation

Shvasa and Prashvasa together form the disturbances in normal breathing process; uncontrolled breathing distracts a person from concentration and consequently hinders his sadhana.

For complete removal of the vikshepas and sahabhuvas, practice of devotion to Ishvara and developing vairagya are important factors.