Sthiti

Sthiti (P. ṭhiti; T. gnas pa གནས་པ་; C. zhu; J. jū; K. chu 住) is translated as abiding, continuance, maturation, etc. It is the characteristic of conditioned things to remain or abide for a moment before decaying and then ceasing.

Sanskrit tradition

In the Sanskrit tradition, sthiti is a characteristic of all conditioned things (saṃskṛta).

Sthiti is identified in the following contexts:

• One of the four characteristics of conditioned phenomena within the Sanskrit Abhidharma
• One of the fourteen non-concurrent formations within the Sanskrit Abhidharma

In the Abhidharma tradition of the Vaibhāṣika school, formations not concurrent with mind (aka non-concurrent formations) are understood as substantially existent entities. In the Sautrantika Abhidharma and in the Higher Abhidharma traditions, these formations are understood as imputations that arise from the mind.

Pali tradition

A Comprehensive Manual of Abhidhamma states:

Nevertheless, though seemingly infinitesimal, each mind-moment in turn consists of three sub-moments—arising (uppāda), presence (ṭhiti), and dissolution (bhanga). Within the breadth of a mind-moment, a citta arises, performs its momentary function, and then dissolves, conditioning the next citta in immediate succession. Thus, through the sequence of mind-moments, the flow of consciousness continues uninterrupted like the waters in a stream.

Sources

• Bhikkhu Bodhi, ed. (2000), A Comprehensive Manual of Abhidhamma, Pariyatti Publishing 
• Buswell, Robert E.; Lopez, Donald S. (2014), The Princeton Dictionary of Buddhism, Princeton University 
• Mipham Rinpoche (2004), Gateway to Knowledge, vol. I, translated by Kunsang, Erik Pema, Rangjung Yeshe Publications