[palistudy] meanings of citta

Dear Amara,

>> Is it citta because of its intricateness or because of its
>picture-nature?
>> Is is citta because of its nature of making intricate or because of
>its
>> nature of creating a picture?
>> <snip (for Amara)>
>
>Dear Jim
>
>I am almost certain the first motivations to paint or create any art
>was man's attachment to his experiences: ie through the intricacy of
>his citta he first perceives and then becomes attached to all the
>arammana. Then in his attachment to the self, and therefore all that
>the self experiences as something pertaining to the self, as 'this is
>what I see,' etc. there probably comes the idea of 'keeping this for
>later, too' and therefore attempt at duplication.  Without first
>seeing an object, would one even know what it is like, much less
>become attached to it enough to make a souvenir of it, not trusting
>one's memory?  Or perhaps to show others what one had seen?  In any
>case the seeing comes first, the noting of all the different details
>to be captured to keep, or to share, or even to show off.  (Although
>in its creating other arts as well as itself as anantara paccaya it
>might increase its creative accumulations as well.  The first quality
>doesn't exclude the second, though not vice-versa)  As in an ancient
>quote, 'citta leads the world…'

Thanks for your response. I don't quite follow you here and would rather not
pursue it any further as I think it's moving away from the study of Pali.
Yesterday, I looked at the Summary, Part II for the so-called five
characteristics of citta. Are there just these five? Do you know what  Pali
word 'characteristics' is representing? I usually think of lakkha.na for
characteristic but I hardly think it applies here. I know that these five
so-called characteristics are discussed in the Atthasalini passage on citta
(63ff) and they can be traced back to the three roots (cint, ci, citt) that
I mentioned earlier. Out of the five characteristics, one belongs to cint, 2
to ci, and 2 to citt. The last 2 (citt) are: 1. citta because of its
intricateness or picture-nature (cittataaya) and 2. because of its
picture-creating nature (or your 'because it renders (things) intricate')
(cittakara.nataaya). The PED has a 'cittataa' entry that applies here but
strangely does not give a meaning. I think it comes down to determining
whether the 'citta' in these compounds is an adjective (intricate,
variegated, etc.) or a noun (picture or perhaps another word). I'm still
undecided about which. I prefer to use the word 'picture' instead of
'painting' because it can be applied to both the mind and paintings.
>
>Am I being graded, sir?

Not at all, ma'am.

Jim