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What are the Neutral States?

Cut Short:
Mental states, which neither are Advantageous, nor Disadvantageous are Neutral!

In Detail: Which states are neither Advantageous nor Disadvantageous?

1: States that are RESULTING EFFECTS of others states are themselves neutral:
There are states, which are the resulting effects of prior advantageous & disadvantageous states
of the sensuous sphere, the fine material sphere, the formless sphere, or of the Supramundane...
These states are either a feeling, a perception, a mental construction, or a moment of consciousness.
These effects are neither advantageous nor disadvantageous, but inherently neutral.

2: UNINTENTIONAL ACTIONS (kiriya kamma) are neutral states:
There are mental states, which neither are advantageous, nor disadvantageous, nor resultants.
These are unintentional inert actions, which does not cause any effects or kamma accumulation.
These states are neither advantageous nor disadvantageous, nor causes, nor effects, but neutral.
Example: Stepping on & killing an ant, not having seen it, nor wished to harm, is a neutral action.

3: All forms of MATTER, MATERIALITY, and FORM are neutral states:
Mountains, trees, food, water, air, knives, weapons, & even atomic bombs are all neutral states.
It is the intention behind utilizing these dead passive things, which can be either good or bad...

4: Nibbāna  is undecided, indeterminate, and undeterminable:
The Unconditioned Element of Nibbāna  is a neutral state, - causing nothing -, & as such neither
advantageous, nor disadvantageous, nor a resulting effect of anything else...

These are the neutral states, which are neither advantageous nor disadvantageous.

About the cause and effect of intentional states:
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/IV/What_is_Neutral.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/IV/Creating_Future.htm
http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/II/Resultants.htm


Source:
The Classification of States. Dhammasanganī. The 1st of the 7 Abhidhamma Books.
http://www.pariyatti.com/book.cgi?prod_id=130622

http://www.amazon.com/dhammasangani-Enumeration-realities-Bibliotheca-Indo-Budhica/dp/8170306108/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1204111405&sr=8-1

 What is Neutral?


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Updated: 25 October 2010 http://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/IV/What_is_Neutral.htm