Bhavaṅga and its Function: A Brief Survey

Ven. Mahawela Rathanapala

Temporary Lecturer, Department of Pali and Buddhist Studies, University of Peradeniya

Consciousness and its functions is so rich in its various dimensions and overtones. This richness
has given birth for number of philosophical and psychological debates throughout centuries in eastern
and western philosophies. Among those debates and formulated theories Buddhist standpoint is
recognized as the most prominent one due to its self-centered process of learning for spiritual
development.

Among the Buddhist, teaching of consciousness, the concept of Bhavaṅga is considered as a very
crucial one due its representation of a higher stage of mental process. The concept of Bhavaṅga is
peculiar to the Abhidhamma psychology, and it is difficult to find its parallel in other system of thought
in eastern or western. However, the appreciation of the significance of bhavaṅga is very necessary for
understanding such mental phenomena as memory and dreaming etc, which is otherwise unintelligible
and becomes a complete mystery.

The article intend to investigate the Bhavaṅga and its function in brief

Meaning of the term Bhavaṅga

Many divergences have been generate on the concept of Bhavaṅga due to its primordial functional value
in the process of mental stream. Earliest occurrence of the term can be seen in the Paṭṭhānappakaraṇa,
known as the last of the ādbhidhammic expositions, which clearly indicates the later origin of the concept
(bhavaṅgaṃ āvajjanāya). The term Bhavaṅga in here renders a different sense than its usage in letter
period. The term bhavaṅgaṃ āvajjanāya gives the meaning of purified or crud form of mind. The Mahāniddes-
aaṭṭhakathā reifies that, Here mind itself is said as heart in its internal sense indeed that itself is known as Paṇḍara
in the sense of purity. It is said for the Bhavaṅga.1

1
ettha hadayavatthu. Idha pana cittameva abbhantaraṭṭhena ‘‘hadaya’’nti vuttaṃ. Tameva parisuddhaṭṭhena
paṇḍaraṃ, bhavaṅgaṃ sandhāyetaṃ vuttaṃ. Yathāha – ‘‘pabhassaramidaṃ, bhikkhave, cittaṃ, tañca kho
āgantukehi upakkilesehi upakkiliṭṭha’’nti. Mahāniddesa-aṭṭhakathā CSCD

1
The term Bhavaṅga has been rendered into English by western scholars as life continuum,
unconsciousness, sub consciousness, dreamless sleep, the stream of being or subliminal consciousness
etc. Etymologically the term can be separated into two parts as Bhava and Aṅga literally explains as
bhvassa anga, (part of being or becoming).

The Abhdihamma commentary states that” bhava” means existence; aṅga means foundation or
condition. Bhavaṅga means foundation of existence. As depicted in the Vibhāvinitikā it is entitled as
Bhavaṅga due to the reason of “being the factor of life by means of which the flux of continuity of mind
2
and its concomitants are maintained without a break. Abhidhammatthasanga sub commentary of
Abhidhammapitaka defines this term as “being an essential factor of existence (or life) this
consciousness is called the life continuum.”3

It is further added by Ven. Nayanatiloka that, since time immemorial, all impressions and experiences
are, as it were, stored up, or better said, are functioning, but concealed as such to- full consciousness.
However they occasionally emerge as subconscious phenomena and approach the threshold of full
consciousness, or crossing it become fully conscious. This so-called 'subconscious life-stream' or
undercurrent of life is that by which might be explained the faculty of memory, paranormal psychic
phenomena, mental and physical growth, karma and rebirth. Etc. An alternative rendering is 'life-
continuum.”4

P.T.S Pāli English dictionary annotates the term Bhavaṅga as “constituent of becoming function of
being, functional state of sub consciousness i. e subliminal consciences of sub consciences life
continuum, the vital continuation in the absence of any process (of mind or attention).”5

As denoted in encyclopedia of Buddhism, bhavaṅga means “the sine qua none of life, having the nature
of a process or a stream; the life principle by which might be explained the faculty of memory, survival
and identity of the individual through innumerable lives in saṃsāra.”6

2
Avicchedappavatti heti bhāvena bhvassa aṅgabhāvo bhavaṅgaṃ, Vibhāviniṭikā, CSCD
3
bhvassaaṅgabhāvena bhavangasantatisankhātaṃ mānasaṃ abbhocchinnaṃ nadisoto viya pavattati Bhkkhu
Bodhi, Comprehensive manual of Abhdimama, trans. (Kandy: Buddhist publication society, 2006), 228.
4
, Nānatiloka Bhikkhu, Buddhist dictionary (Colombo: Frewin co. Ltd, 1955), 29.
5
Rhys Davides Pāli English Dictionary (London:,Pāli text society, 2003),
6
G.P Malalasekara edit., Encyclopedia of Buddhism vol 3, (Colombo: Government press, 1971), 17.

2
All aforementioned discussions complies the idea that, the bhavaṅgacitta indicates the factor or
indispensable basis of existence. Shew zan Anung in his introduction to compendium of philosophy
gives an extensive description to bhavaṅgacitta.

“The stream of being then is an indispensable condition or factor, the sine qua non of present conscious
existence; it is the raison d’ere of individual life, and is as it were the background of which thought
picture are drawn- but the bhavaṅga is not a sub – plane form which thoughts arise to the surface; there
is superposition of various states resulting in an act of consciousness.”7

This term has been illustrated by ven. Piyadassi thero in his article of Buddhist psychological aspects as
an essential condition for continuous existence. He has further added that Life continuum’ is the closest
English equivalent for the Pali word Bhavaṅga. By reason of the existence of the Bhavaṅgacitta, the
stream of consciousness is kept going without interruption.”8

Origin of the Bhavaṅga Concept.

Bhavaṅga which is rendered into English as unconsciousness, sub consciousness or life continuum is a
core concept of Buddhist psychology. Nevertheless, the term cannot be traced in early Buddhist
teachings. The earliest occurrence of the term can be traced in the Paṭṭhāna then in the Milindapañha
But interestingly the first P.T. S edition of Anguttaranikāya indicates an occurrence of this term as.

“ cattāri imāni bhikkave angāni katamāni cattāri? rūpangaṅgaṃ, vedanaṅgaṃ, saññaṅgaṃ

bhavaṅgaṃ, imāni kho bhikkave cattāri aṅgāni”

On this contrary E.R Sarathcandara states thus "The occurrence of the word Bhavaṅga in the
Aṅguttaranikāya is evidently a wrong reading”.9 Moreover Prof. Wijesekara points out that “it may be
mentioned at the outset that in the more recent second P.T.S edition of the text the regarding with - aṅga
has been rejected and the passage reprinted with agga ( sīlagga, rupagga, bhavagga etc.) the reason for
this emendation is obviously the fact that in Buddhagosa’s commentary of the Manorathapurani”.10

7
Gunarathna, V. F. Rebirth Explained (Kandy: Buddhist publication society,1980), 18.
8
Ibid,11p
9
E.R. Sarachchandra Buddhist psychology and perception, (Colombo: Ceylon university press, 1958), 75.
10
O.H de Wijesekara, “Canonical references of Bhavaṅga," Malalasekara commemoration volume (Colombo:
Government press, 1976), 350.

3
Following quotations in the Paṭṭhāna underpin technical sense of the term Bhavaṅga which became
prominent in later theory of Abhidhamma.

“An indeterminate (psychical) phenomena is related to and (other) indeterminate (psychical)

phenomena by way of immediate condition; (for instance) the Bhavaṅga to (awareness of) attention.11

A similar use of Bhavaṅga and āvajjana are seen in the following passage too.

“The Bhavaṅga associated with a pleasant feeling is related to (awareness of) attention by way
of immediate condition.”12

Here the term Bhavaṅgaṃ āvajjanāya indicates pristine form of mind which has a totally different
meaning than it's latter application.

Prof. Wijesekara opines on this “…it becomes clear that the term Bhavaṅga had by the time of the
Paṭṭhāna already acquired a technical meaning, and more specifically, a distinct role in the analysis of
the perceptual process. The context also shows without a shadow of doubt that attention (āvajjana) arises
following Bhavaṅga by way of a particular mode of conditionality, an idea that is distinctly characteristic
of the description of the perceptual process in the latter Abhidhamma literature such as the
Visuddhimagga, Atthasālini. It may be noted that in some places these texts employ synonymously the
terms āvattana and āvajjana. In view of such unmistakable evidence for the existence of not only the
term but also a concept of Bhavaṅga in the canonical Pali Abhdamma, it seems totally unnecessary to
seek for its Provence elsewhere.”13

In the Milindpañha, the notion of Bhavaṅga appears in the chapter where king Milinda questions
Nāgasena on the psychology of dreams and sleep. Nāgasena's reply was when a man is in a deep sleep
his mind ceased from function although this body remains alive. Only psychological process function,
in this condition his mind is described as having “ gone into Bhavaṅga (cittaṃ bhavangagataṃ)

This connotation can be taken as the first attempt of sorting out problem that had been left unsolved in
the earlier phases of the Buddhist philosophy. "At the life time of the Buddha the matter was of no
consequence. The Buddha intent to show the evilness of empirical consciousness and how should it be
stopped and how constitutional consciousness should be cultivated. So the condition of a man in deep

11
Abyākato dhammo abyākatassa dhammassa anantarapaccayena paccayo… Bhavaṅgaṃ āvajjanāya, Paṭṭhāna
I, CSCD
12
Sukhāya vedanāya sampayuttaṃ bhavaṅgaṃ āvajjanāya anantarapaccayena paccayo. , Paṭṭhāna I, CSCD
13
O.H de Wijesekara, “Canonical references of Bhavaṅga," 349.

4
sleep might have a mere physical state. “But was not possible for his adherents to maintain silence in
the face of persistent questioning, particularly when all other system were developing an elaborate
metaphysic of their own. Hence it is that Nāgasena hazards the suggestion of an anoetic consciousness
to explain the state of sleep.”14

Anyhow, the fountainhead of this concept runs into the early discourses. The question raised by King
Milinda has been raised even before but in a slightly different form by Ven. Mahākoṭṭhita. In the
Mahāvedallasutta of the Majjhimaniākaya, Ven. Mahākotthita askes Ven. Sariputta that, what does he
think about the difference between a man in deep trance and a man who was dead. Then the Sariputta’s
answer was "a man in a condition of a trance known as nirodhasamāpatti had neither empirical
consciousness for feelings (saññāvedaita) and would appear to an ordinary observer, as though he were
in a state of coma, with all his senses dulled, and in a condition very similar to that of death. Sāriputta
replies by saying that in deep trance there remind in the body life (āyu) and breath (usmā) both of which
were absent in death. It is used a little earlier in the same connection, that when life, breath and
consciousness leave the body, it lies rigid and motionless like a log of wood.”15

Obviously, Nāgasena's reply echoes this view. But S. Collins states on this regard that, "the relevant
section of Milindapañha cannot be dated with certainly much prior to the fifth century. This persuade
us to assume that form the time of the Milindapañha onwards the attempt was made to explain
personality as a continuation of mental states, and an expression like bhavaṅgasota became part of the
common phraseology of the Abhidhamma."

But Sarathchandra takes rather a different approach in his study of the theory of the citta-vīthi. He writes,
“The word bhvaṅga, borrowed from the Sarvastivāda Abhidharama, meant originally a link in the casual
chain or Pratityasamuppāda, the twelve factors of beginning with Avidyā, Saṃskhāra, and viññāna
were called the twelve factors of becoming (dvādasabhavaṅgāni) in the sense of Bhavassya aṅgāni.16
"They were primarily psychological, that is they described the origin of the microcosm and transferred

14
E.R. Sarachchandra Buddhist psychology and perception, 78.
15
Yvāyaṃ, āvuso, mato kālaṅkato, yo cāyaṃ bhikkhu saññāvedayitanirodhaṃ samāpanno – imesaṃ kiṃ
nānākaraṇa’’nti? ‘‘Yvāyaṃ, āvuso, mato kālaṅkato tassa kāyasaṅkhārā niruddhā paṭippassaddhā, vacīsaṅkhārā
niruddhā paṭippassaddhā, cittasaṅkhārā niruddhā paṭippassaddhā, āyu parikkhīṇo, usmā vūpasantā, indriyāni
paribhinnāni. Yo cāyaṃ bhikkhu saññāvedayitanirodhaṃ samāpanno tassapi kāyasaṅkhārā niruddhā paṭippassaddhā,
vacīsaṅkhārā niruddhā paṭippassaddhā, cittasaṅkhārā niruddhā paṭippassaddhā, āyu na parikkhīṇo, usmā avūpasantā,
indriyāni vippasannāni. Yvāyaṃ, āvuso, mato kālaṅkato, yo cāyaṃ bhikkhu saññāvedayitanirodhaṃ samāpanno –
idaṃ nesaṃ nānākaraṇa’’nti. Majjhimanikāya, I. p.295
16
Kileśat kleśah kriyā caiva tato vastu tatah punah vasatu kleśāś ca jāyante bhavaṅgānaṃ ayaṃ nayāyah.
Abhidharmakośa 3.p.27

5
the explanation to the microcosm, as was the habit with Indian thought. The twelve Bhavaṅga are
described as flowing on, unbroken, form eternity, in continuous stream, like the flow of river.”17 Further
it has been added by him that, "The concept of Bhavaṅga has adapted into the Theravāda psychology to
explain the states of the deep sleep, dream, and trance and also give a satisfactory theory of personality
and survival without introducing a permanent and unchanging entity like a soul."18

The usage of the term is in fact not known to the pāli literature. The formula of dependent origination
is known as the wheel of existence (bhava). So it is quite natural for its parts to be referred to as factors
of existence. On this regard L.S Cousins points out that "Such a usage is explicit in the Nettippakarana,
which lists the various terms which make up dependent origination and concludes,”19

“When these factors of existence are conjointly produced, this is existence; Existence is the
proximate cause of saṃsāra.”20

The term also occurs once in the Petakopadesa, apparently in the same sense. This supports that the
usage of term Bhavṅga in this two works designate the links of dependent origination is as old as its use
in Sarvāstivāda and Mahāyānist literature.

Buddhagosa also has used the same term in his commentaries to describe the unbroken flow of the
unconsciousness life within the individual mind. In the Vidsuddhimagga this particular term has been
used very much while describing the death and rebirth.

“paṭisandhiviññāne pana nirudde taṃ taṃ patisandiviññānaṃ anubaddhamānaṃ tassa tasseva

kammassa vipākabhutaṃ tasmiṃ yeva āraṃmanaṃ tādisaṃ eva bhavaṅga viññānaṃ nāma
pavatati”21

Prof. Sarathchandra remarks on this that, “ in the commentarial literature Bhavaṅga is explained as
meaning cause (hetu) of existence, this is perhaps simply to say that the twelve aṅga-s of dependent
origination are identical to the twelve paccaya-s (condition) or twelve nidāna-s (origins) and are hence
in fact causes. Probably he knew the original meaning of this term, for he Calles it Bhavaṅgaviññāna

17
E.R. Sarachchandra Buddhist psychology and perception,.79.
18
Ibid, p. 81
19
L.S.Cousins, “ The Patthāna and the development of Theravāda Abhidhamma,” Journal of Pāli text society,
(London: Pali Text Society 1981), 24.
20
Imāni bhavṅgāni yadā samaggāni nibbattāni bhavanti , so bhavo taṃ saṃsārassa padaṭṭhānaṃ, Nettippakaraṇa,
CSCD
21
Visuddhimagga, CSCD

6
and equated it with Patisandiviññāna.”22 L.S Cousins opines that, “The commentarial usage of
Bhavaṅga, which covers all kinds of resultant mentality except resultant mind element and causeless
mind consciousness element with pleasant feeling, would seem exactly suitable.” 23

Actually in early periods such as in Paṭṭhāna and Milindapañha this term occur to indicate the perceptual
process, but latter on the term has been used to indicate the cause of existence. On the other hand terms
such as Bhavaṅgaviññāna and Bhavaṅgacitta have been used to specify consciousness. The function of
the life continuum or the Bhavaṅga is said to be caused whenever consciousness does not perceive any
sense impression through the five doors or conceive of an idea or concept through the mind door. The
process can be exemplified as “a spider that remains stationary in the middle of a web consisting of may
threads. When an insect alights on any thread, the spider instantaneously runs in that directions to get
hold of the insect, and at other times remains stationary, that the life continuum is similar to this should
be understood. This consciousness of life continuum too perceives objects, which are free from doors.
The objects that are free from doors are Kamma, sign of Kamma, and sign of destiny resembling that
which occasioned rebirth by way of plane, class, associated states, volitional activities and objects, life
continuum in the absence of any process of cognition goes on in an unbroken flux like the stream of a
river of flame of a life. ”24

In this mind door process, there are four fold functions of consciousness. Bhavaṅga, āvajjana, Javana
and Tadāraṃana. Among them function of Bhavaṅga normally perform throughout the life of a given
individual. According to the Abhadhammatthasaṅga, Bhavaṅga is the function of consciousness by
which the continuity of the individual is preserved through the duration of any single existence, from
conception to death. After the Patisandicitta has arisen and fallen away, it is then followed by the
bhavṅgacitta, which is a resultant consciousness of the same type as the patisandicitta but which
perform a different function, namely the function of preserving the continuity of the individual existence.
Bhavangacitta arises and passes away every moment during the life whenever there is no active
cognitive process-taking place. This type of consciousness is most evident during deep dreamless sleep,
but it also occurs momentarily during waking life countless times between occasions of active cognition.
When an object impinges on a sense door, the bhavaṅga is arrested and an active cognitive process

22
E.R. Sarachchandra Buddhist psychology and perception,.81
23
L.S.Cousins, “ The Patthāna and the development of Theravāda Abhidhamma,” Journal of Pāli text society,
(London: Pali Text Society 1981), 24.
24
C.L.A, Da Silva, Buddhist philosophy, of Abhidhamma, (India: Sri Satguru publication, 1988), 164.

7
ensues for the purpose of cognizing the object. Immediately after the cognitive process is completed,
again the bhavaṅga supervenes and continues until the next cognitive process arises. Arising and
perishing at every moment during this passive phase of consciousness, the Bhavaṅga flows on life a
stream, without remaining static for two consecutive moments.”25

There are nineteen classes of Bhavaṅga consciousness, among the classes of resultant consciousness –
of these, only ten are said to be potentiality possible in the kāmaloka, five in the Rupaloka and four in
the Arupaloka but only one or other of these is actually possible for each individual life, according to
circumstances. These nineteen types of Bhavaṅga consciousness perform the function of rebirth linking,
life continuum and death. They are

 Two types of investigating consciousness accompanied by equanimity perform five

functions rebirth linking, life continuum, death, registration, and investing.26
 Eight great resultants perform five functions rebirth linking, life continuum, death,
registration, and investing.27
 Nine fine material sphere and immaterial sphere resultants perform five functions rebirth
linking, life continuum, death, registration, and investing.28

Dying thoughts of man can be three types as, Kamma, Kammanimiatta, Gatinimitta. Prof. Sarathchandra
explains thus "When a man is to be born, his consciousness at birth takes for its object one of these dying
thoughts, and being to function in the new life. The consciousness of the new borne child therefore, the
result of the consciousness of the dead man. Its moral character is also, determined by the moral
character of the dying thought.”29

It is explained through an analogy in the Abhidhammatthasangha. "A man is sleeping under a mango
tree. A mango falls and he wakes up. Picking up the fruit, the man examines it. He smells it and, knowing
that it is ripe, he eats it. Then he thinks about its taste and falls asleep again. Here, the sub consciousness
with kamma, kammanimitta or gatinimitta as object is like the state of being asleep. Waking up due to

25
Bhkkhu Bodhi, Comprehensive manual of Abhdimama, trans. (Kandy: Buddhist publication society, 2006),
122-123.
26
Tesu pana santirana cittāni patisandi bhaṅga cuti, tādāraṃmana santiranavasena paṅcakiccāni nāma.
Abhidhammatthasanga – ibid, 128.
27
Mahāvipākāni attha patisandi bhaṅga cuti, tādāraṃmana santiranavasena paṅcakiccāni nāma. Ibid, 128.
28
Mahaggata vipākāni navapatisandi bhaṅga cuti, tādāraṃmana santiranavasena paṅcakiccāni nāma.
Abhidhammatthasanga ibid, 128.
29
E.R. Sarachchandra Buddhist psychology and perception,.81

8
the fall of the mango is like the rising and passing away of sub consciousness. Picking up the fruit is
adverting. Seeing the visual object is like seeing the fruit. Investigation is like the man examining the
fruit. To conclude that the fruit is ripe is decision. Impulsion is like eating the fruit, and registering is
like thinking about its taste. Reverting to sub consciousness is like falling asleep again."30

It can be eventuated that, in the Theravāda Abhidhamma the Bhavaṅga was identified as result of last
consciousness which functioned in earlier lives, and as a fully account of individual behavior.
Pabassarasutta in the Anguttraniākya and the Mahavedallasutta in the Majjhimanikāya clearly imply
the root of this concept. Obviously this concept came into usage at the time of Patthāna and
Milindapañha became popular with writings of Buddhagosa and his successors in the process of
expressing the life continuum of person.

Bibliography
Anguttanikāya I, London:,Pāli text society, 1989
Majjhimanikāya III, London:,Pāli text society, 1994
Bhkkhu Bodhi, Comprehensive manual of Abhdimama, trans. Kandy: Buddhist publication
society, 2006.
Nānatiloka Bhikkhu, Buddhist dictionary. Colombo: Frewin co. Ltd, 1955.
Rhys Davides Pāli English Dictionary. London:,Pāli text society, 2003.
G.P Malalasekara edit., Encyclopedia of Buddhism vol 3, Colombo: Government press,
1971.
Gunarathna, V. F. Rebirth Explained . Kandy: Buddhist publication society,1980.
E.R. Sarachchandra Buddhist psychology and perception, Colombo: Ceylon university press,
1958.
O.H de Wijesekara, “Canonical references of Bhavaṅga," Malalasekara commemoration volume.
Colombo: Government press, 1976
L.S Cousins, “ The Patthāna and the development of Theravāda Abhidhamma,”Journal of
Pāli text society, London: Pali Text Society 1981.
C.L.A, Da Silva, Buddhist philosophy, of Abhidhamma, India: Sri Satguru publication, 1988.

30
Abhidhammatthasanga – ibid, 128.

9
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