Attentional Capture and Ethical Responsibility in Theravāda Abhidhamma: A Formal Reconstruction of the Cognitive Sequence
Journal of International Buddhist Studies June 15, 2026 Indrajith P. Karunanayaka
In Theravāda Abhidhamma, the cognitive sequence (citta-vīthi) describes how moments of consciousness process objects, but standard accounts leave unclear how competing or overlapping objects are resolved given the system's timing constraints. This paper introduces a typology of attentional capture based on four object-intensity categories: uninterrupted capture, delayed capture, weak capture, and mind-door capture. Using a formal reconstruction constrained by the one-consciousness-at-a-time rule and the seventeen-moment material lifespan, it examines how attention is captured, delayed, or blocked under different conditions.