Citta: Mind as Primary Reality

In Abhidharma psychology, citta (consciousness) is not merely one faculty among many but the central organizing principle of experience. Patanjali's Yoga Sutras similarly emphasize vritti (mental modifications) as the core subject of yogic inquiry, treating mind as the primary locus of liberation. Abhidharma deepens this by cataloging how citta arises momentarily, conditions all perception, and serves as the gateway to transformation. Understanding citta as primary reality—not as a unified self but as a stream of conscious moments—fundamentally shifts Buddhist practice from self-improvement toward recognition of mind's emptiness and luminosity. This framework allows practitioners to observe consciousness itself as the workable material of enlightenment, making mind both the problem and the solution in Buddhist psychology in depth.