Other types of consciousness (viññāṇa) in Theravada?
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Are there any other types of consciousness (viññāṇa) in Theravada outside the six sense media consciousnesses?
According to Theravada perspective, there are only six types of consciousness (which you've already mentioned). This is a categorization of consciousness based on its sense base. Every consciousness falls into one of these six. In Abhidhamma, there are many categorizations [based on wholesomeness, sphere of the being (kāma-loka, rūpa-loka, arūpa-loka), worldliness, etc...] can be seen of same consciousness which mentioned in Suttanta desana.
In Abhidhamma,
- Considering all the consciousness, there are 89 consciousness in brief and 121 consciousness in detail.
- By considering wholesomeness and unwholesomeness, there are 12 unwholesome consciousness and 21 wholesome consciousness in brief (37 in detail).
- By considering worldliness, there are 81 mundane consciousness and 8 super-mundane consciousness in brief (40 in detail).
- By considering the sphere, there are 54 sense-sphere consciousness, 15 form-sphere consciousness, and 12 formless-sphere consciousness.
- There are 20 functional consciousness and 36 resultant consciousness in brief (52 in detail). [Note: These consciousness won't make kamma.]
What about rebirth linking consciousness? Is that a type of consciousness outside the six sense media?
No, it falls under mind consciousness and we can say it also falls under resultant consciousness more precisely according to Abhidhamma.
There are 10 consciousness (*) arise in eye, ear, nose, tongue, and body sense bases (2 consciousness in each with the division of wholesome resultant and unwholesome resultant). All the other consciousness arise in mind base.
Note 1: (*) :-
- Rootless Wholesome resultant eye consciousness with neutral feeling.
- Rootless Unwholesome resultant eye consciousness with neutral feeling.
- Rootless Wholesome resultant ear consciousness with neutral feeling.
- Rootless Unwholesome resultant ear consciousness with neutral feeling.
- Rootless Wholesome resultant nose consciousness with neutral feeling.
- Rootless Unwholesome resultant nose consciousness with neutral feeling.
- Rootless Wholesome resultant tongue consciousness with neutral feeling.
- Rootless Unwholesome resultant tongue consciousness with neutral feeling.
- Rootless Wholesome resultant body consciousness with pleasant feeling.
- Rootless Unwholesome resultant body consciousness with painful feeling.
Hence,
- Eye consciousness = 2
- Ear consciousness = 2
- Nose consciousness = 2
- Tongue consciousness = 2
- Body consciousness = 2
- Mind consciousness = 79 in brief (111 in detail)
Note 2:
- One consciousness may fall into more than one category above mentioned.
- In abhidhamma, the word citta used instead of viññāṇa to mention consciousness.
- This Dhamma is well preached. So there's no contradiction between Suttanta desana and Abhidhamma desana. Hence every sutta can be explained with Abhidhamma.
Note: This is what I understood. I may be wrong but not Dhamma.
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Both, Abhidhamma and Suttanta traditions, trying to follow the Buddha, are informed about 7 kinds of "knowing", while the 7th does not relay on a (of the six) sensual surface, does not grasp after being touch.
Bhante Thanissaro elaborated well on the topic "consciousness without surface".
Consciousness without feature,
without end,
luminous all around:
Here water, earth, fire, & wind have no footing.
Here long & short
coarse & fine
fair & foul
name & form
are, without remnant,
brought to an end.
of (the activity of) consciousness,
each is here brought to an end.— DN 11
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