The Four Right Efforts
Cattāro sammappadhānāEffort in four directions — prevent, abandon, develop and maintain. It covers both guarding what you have and …
Going deeper
Paṭṭhāna: The Mind That Looks Back to the Past and Ahead to the Future
Atītārammaṇattikaṃ
The past-object triplet sorts states by the time of the object the mind takes: past, future or present. The text's examples show that one and the same past can be the object of seeing impermanence, or the object of delight and grief; and seeing impermanence in one time frame supports seeing it in the others.
6 points
In the Paṭṭhāna of the Abhidhamma Piṭaka, volume 41, there is a triplet called the past-object triplet (atītārammaṇa-tika). It sorts states by their object: states with a past object, states with a future object, and states with a present object. It does not ask when the mind itself arises, since every mind arises in the present; it asks which time the mind at that moment is dealing with.
In the Investigation Chapter, under the object and predominance conditions, the text repeats a set of examples: a person contemplates past aggregates as impermanent, suffering and not-self, or delights in and relishes them until lust, view, doubt, restlessness and grief arise; the noble ones review defilements they have abandoned; and a person knows another's mind by the knowledge of others' minds. Under the decisive-support condition the text gives contemplation of impermanence, of suffering and of not-self as supports that cross all three times.
Many examples in this triplet concern higher knowledges and attainments, such as recollection of past lives, knowledge of the future and the base of infinite consciousness. This page picks only what is close to daily life. The modern examples are illustrations only; they are not from the text.
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1
Three times of the object Atītārammaṇo dhammo
This triplet applies to states that have an object, that is, mind and mental factors. A state that takes what has passed is called past-object; one that takes what has not yet come is future-object; one that takes what is present is present-object. The text runs these three groups through the conditions one by one. This point is for overall understanding.
Applying it in daily lifePause three times a day and notice whether your mind is on yesterday, tomorrow or what is in front of you. Just label it silently, without trying to fix anything.
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2
One past, two directions Atīte khandhe aniccato dukkhato anattato vipassanti
Under the object condition the text sets two paths side by side: a person contemplates past aggregates as impermanent, suffering and not-self; or delights in and relishes them, and with those aggregates as object, lust, view, doubt, restlessness and grief arise. The same memory can be an object for wisdom or for defilement.
Applying it in daily lifeWhen you recall good times in the past, notice whether your mind feels lighter afterwards or starts to long for them. If longing begins, remember that that period has passed like every other.
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3
When an old matter becomes the centre of the mind Atīte khandhe garuṃ katvā assādeti
Under predominance by way of object, the text says a person makes past aggregates a weighty object, delights in and relishes them, and because of making them weighty, lust and view arise. A past event the mind gives great weight to also pulls defilement along with more force.
Applying it in daily lifeIf one old matter keeps coming back until it becomes the centre of your day, write it all down once on paper and set it aside, instead of going over it again and again in your head.
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4
The future can be an object in the same way Anāgate khandhe aniccato
The text uses wording parallel to the past side: a person contemplates future aggregates as impermanent, suffering and not-self, or delights in and relishes them until lust or grief arises. The mind that thinks ahead can go two ways, just like the mind that looks back.
Applying it in daily lifeWhen you worry about tomorrow, separate the part that is planning you can act on from the part that is just circling. Do the first part, and remember that what has not yet come is impermanent too.
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5
Looking back to see what has gone Pahīne kilese paccavekkhanti
Looking back is not only regret or relish. The text says the noble ones review defilements they have abandoned, review defilements they have suppressed, and know defilements that arose before. This kind of review looks at the past to see what has changed, not to sink into it.
Applying it in daily lifeAt the end of each month, review which habits used to arise often and have now lessened. Note them briefly, without blaming yourself for what still remains.
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6
Seeing impermanence in one thing supports seeing it in others Atītārammaṇā aniccānupassanā
Under natural decisive support, the text says that contemplation of impermanence, of suffering and of not-self with a past object is a condition for the same contemplation with a past, future or present object, and so in every direction. Seeing trained in one time frame is not wasted; it passes strength to the others.
Applying it in daily lifeIf you cannot yet catch impermanence in the present, start with something already past where it is clearer, such as yesterday's anger that faded on its own, then bring that view to what is happening now.
Try it in daily life
Most people spend more time in their heads with what has passed and what has not yet come than they realise. This triplet does not say that thinking of the past or future is wrong. The text's examples show that the same object can go two ways: towards seeing impermanence, or towards relish, longing and grief.
What you can use at once is to notice which time your mind is in right now, then ask whether you are contemplating or relishing. That one question is often enough to see where a thought about the past is taking you.
Another useful point: seeing impermanence in things already gone is usually easier than seeing it in what is happening now. The text says such seeing supports seeing across time, so you can start practising with old events.
Sources in the Tipiṭaka
Tap to read the actual passage on the page cited.
- Paṭṭhāna, Past-object Triplet, Investigation Chapter: object and predominance conditions Thai Royal Edition · Volume 41 · page 576 Contemplating past and future aggregates by the three characteristics, or delighting until lust and grief arise; the noble ones reviewing abandoned defilements
- Paṭṭhāna, Past-object Triplet, Investigation Chapter: proximity and decisive-support conditions Thai Royal Edition · Volume 41 · page 584 Contemplation of impermanence, suffering and not-self as natural decisive support across all three times
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