1.2.4 Consciousness | Nigredo | Spiritual Alchemy Course | Dr Simon Robinson1.2.4 Consciousness
“The spirit of man is the candle of the Lord, searching all the inward parts of the belly”
Consciousness lies at the heart of alchemical transformation. This chapter explores the intricate nature of awareness through both Western alchemical and Eastern Buddhist frameworks. We examine how consciousness manifests across different realms of existence, from ordinary sensory experience to the most subtle spiritual states. Understanding these classifications provides the aspiring alchemist with a detailed map for navigating inner transformation while revealing how different states of consciousness relate to spiritual development.
Traditionally, in alchemy, subjective experience is made of three parts: salt, sulphur and mercury. Due to my limited familiarity with traditional approaches, I cannot definitively say but it is not too hard to suggest that salt is matter, sulphur the mental factors and mercury, consciousness. I will leave it up to those who have a deeper understanding to rate the accuracy of this. The vast majority of our model of consciousness I have gleaned from Buddhism.
The Sūtra classifications
The sūtras divide consciousness into eight types. Five are the respective sense consciousnesses, then the sixth is called discriminative mind and it’s what most of us regard as our mind. The seventh is a space within our subjective experience that we come to know as self. The eighth type is called Ālaya, and is a kind of atomic consciousness out of which the others are created.
The Eight Consciousnesses and Their Elements
| Element | Manifestation | Consciousness |
|---|
| Earth | tangibility | touching |
| Water | cohesion | tasting |
| Fire | maturation | seeing |
| Air | movement | smelling |
| Space | limiting nature | hearing |
| Mind | choice | thinking |
| Being | realness | perceiving |
| Ālaya | existence | ground of Being |
Spheres or Planes of Consciousness
- Sensory sphere realm — where most normal awareness occurs
- Form or fine-material realm — where thinking, dreams, imagination occurs
- Formless realm — very subtle, abstract mind beyond form
- Transcendental awareness or Nirvāṇa — the path of liberation
Realms of Consciousness
| Realm | Types | Characteristics | Purpose |
|---|
| Sensory | 54 cittas | Normal awareness | Daily experience |
| Form | 15 cittas | Subtle awareness | Meditation states |
| Formless | 12 cittas | Abstract awareness | Deep meditation |
| Path | 40 cittas | Path consciousness | Liberation |
The Citta Classification
| Type of Citta | Number | Notes |
|---|
| Unwholesome | 12 | 8 Greed, 2 Hate and 2 Ignorance rooted |
| Wholesome | 8 | Two or three rooted karmically wholesome consciousness |
| Resultant | 23 | 7 unwholesome + 8 wholesome rootless + 8 wholesome with roots |
| Functional | 11 | 8 Functional wholesome + 3 Functional rootless |
Fine-Material Realm (Form Jhāna)
| Type of Citta | Number | Notes |
|---|
| Wholesome | 5 | One wholesome citta for each grade of jhāna |
| Resultant | 5 | Resultant rebirth linking citta |
| Functional | 5 | Arahant functional cittas |
Formless Realm
| Type of Citta | Number | Notes |
|---|
| Wholesome | 4 | One for each formless jhāna |
| Resultant | 4 | Resultant rebirth linking citta |
| Functional | 4 | Functional citta of Arahants |
Transcendental (Path and Fruit)
| Type of Citta | Number | Notes |
|---|
| Path Consciousness | 4 | Single moment per level of realisation |
| Fruit Consciousness | 4 | Resultant after Path moment |
Complete Summary Table of Citta Types
Mundane Citta (81 types)
| Sense-Sphere Consciousness (54) |
|---|
| Unwholesome Cittas (12) | |
| Greed-rooted | 8 types |
| Hatred-rooted | 2 types |
| Delusion-rooted | 2 types |
| Rootless Cittas (18) | |
| Unwholesome-resultant | 7 types |
| Wholesome-resultant | 8 types |
| Rootless functional | 3 types |
| Beautiful Cittas (24) | |
| Wholesome | 8 types |
| Resultant | 8 types |
| Functional | 8 types |
| Fine-Material-Sphere Consciousness (15) |
|---|
| Wholesome | 5 types |
| Resultant | 5 types |
| Functional | 5 types |
| Immaterial-Sphere Consciousness (12) |
|---|
| Wholesome | 4 types |
| Resultant | 4 types |
| Functional | 4 types |
Supramundane Citta (40 types)
| Path Consciousness (20) |
|---|
| Stream-entry | 5 types |
| Once-returning | 5 types |
| Non-returning | 5 types |
| Arahantship | 5 types |
| Fruition Consciousness (20) |
|---|
| Stream-entry | 5 types |
| Once-returning | 5 types |
| Non-returning | 5 types |
| Arahantship | 5 types |
The point of realisation of each of the stages of Sotāpanna, Sakadāgāmi, Anāgāmi and Arahant is the arising of a single citta called the Path Consciousness. This is followed immediately by 2 or 3 fruition cittas. The type of path and fruit citta depends on the prior maximum depth of jhanic experience.
“Number is the ruler of forms and ideas, and the cause of gods and daemons.”
