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RE: The Early Schools of Indian Buddhism Series
Hi @reddust. I would like to make a comment about Point 14. According to the Uttarapathakas, past and future mental objects do not exist. If this statement is correct, according to the Uttarapathakas, only present mental objects exist. However, we all know that the present can be represented as an infinitesimally narrow line dividing past and future. It is so narrow, that it can be considered tending to zero (like in calculus). So if we accept all this, we could say that, according to the Uttarapathakas, the existence of mental objects tends to zero (non existence). Keep in mind that I am making a difference between tending to zero and real zero. What does the Theravada School think about this?
There is no metaphysical or tiny zero involved per Theravada view. Theravada avoids apriori metaphysics like the plague; they follow the doctrine of momentariness, which may be like a tiny zero...lolol, maybe wrong, look up how long a mind moment lasts....citta...hahaha
Most of my focus in meditation has been just letting mind moments flow and not getting involved.
Recalling the past is still a mental object happening in the present. I love your questions @marcusantoniu; you are #agoodegg!
(PDF) In Theravāda Abhidhamma sati (smṛti) is a conditioning factor that occurs only in good consciousness and is called “right mindfulness” (sammā-sati). Sati appears frequently in the depictions of religious techniques connected with four applications of mindfulness: mindfulness of the body, mindfulness of the feelings, mindfulness of the mental events and mindfulness of the factors (dhamma).
And I love your posts. I wish I had the time and energy to study them deeply. I usually get to them at the end of the day, when I am tired and ready to sleep.