I was reading recently the amazing book "a Comprehensive Manual of Abhidhamma" of Acariya Anuruddha
and a question arose. In page 155 there is a table summarizing one complete eye door process. It looks
like the following:
---- Stream of Bhavanga
01) Past Bhavanga
02) Vibrational Bhavanga
03) Arrest Bhavanga
04) Five Door Adverting
05) Eye Consciousness
06) Receiving
07) Investigating
08) Determining
09) - 15) JAVANA
16) Registration
17) Registration
---- Stream of Bhavanga
On Page 124 I quote :
It seems that somewhere in the Javana cittas, volition is hiding. These are the cittas that will produce(javana) As a function of consciousness it applies to the stage of the cognitive process that immediately
follows the determining stage, and consists of a series of cittas (normally seven, all identical in kind) which
"run swiftly" over the object in the act of apprehending it. The javana stage is the most important from an
ethical standpoint, for it is at this point that wholesome or unwholesome cittas originate.
new wholesome or unwholesome kamma. Here is when Buddha declares that "Kamma is volition".
My question then is, who or what controls that volition? How can one describe the "something" that decides
this or that, wholesome or unwholesome?
Furthermore, is it here that free will is living or are decisions taken in absolute conditionality?
Thank you.
George.