Buddhism: A full transformation of the Mind
Buddhism is a philosophy that explores the luminosity of the mind.The Buddha has mentioned that mind is the forerunner of all states.In other words, the mind is ultimately responsible for interpreting the existence under the circumstances of duality – phenomenon arises.Therefore, what exists is defined as that which can be known.If it cannot be known by the mind, then it does not exist. And conventionally, things can exist as in fallacy or in reality i.e. subject to the discriminating activities being carried out by the mind.Furthermore, mind is dependent arising and it is a pattern of consciousness that is born from awareness.In fact, mind is known as consciousness in individuality and it is more objective and involves clear discrimination – differentiates and understands the characteristics of objects.If one refers to the cycle of Dependent Origination, manas that unfolds against the backdrop of consciousness (preliminary) is an architect that activates mind and body creations.Mind and body are simply two aspects of the same thing. Manas would vibrate in a certain unique frequency – a wave of collated high and low vibrations.This blueprint of vibrations would subsequently bring forth the conflation of mind and body. The principle in effect: the lower the frequency, the slower the vibration; the higher the frequency, the faster the vibration.Slower vibration would lead to the body and the sense bases formation and faster vibration would lead to the mind formation. Collectively, it brings about a new life existence with a unique individuality that would not allow the disruption by any kind of external interference; thus it maintains a self-identity.In other words, mind and body are present in every created thing as one integrated whole. Even an atom has a kind of mind that is unique or individualised.The nucleus of the atom, around which electrons vibrate in standing waves, constitutes the atom’s individuality.As a result, one atom distinguishes from another atom – just as one person is different from another person or as onething is different from another thing.
Nevertheless, the mind is comprised with two terms i.e. prevailing conscious and subtleconscious.Both the prevailing andsubtle mind consciousnesses would arise in the sentient beings but for other things, merely subtle mind consciousness would arise.In addition, it is the mind, the consciousness of individuality, which holds together the atoms and molecules as one integrated body in a lifetime. Scientifically, the atoms are held together by covalent chemical bonds but the synergies of it would give rise to the mind, the consciousness of individuality.
As a summary, no duality or multiplicity would arise in the non-existence of the mind.This is because there is no subject to ponder on the object or matter.When there is no mind arising, no phenomenon would arise.When there is no phenomenon arising, no dependent nature would arise.When there is no dependent nature, there would be no perception, no conception, no label, no boundary, no name, no activity, no shape, no relation, no description, no stereotyping, no beginning, no ending, etc. An ultimate reality is a truth that exists beyond mind and beyond concepts and words in the sense that it is beyond our usual ways of perceiving things.
Luminosity of the Mind
The pure nature of the mind is luminous and it is due to the presence in the waves of dependent phenomena that has clouded it from discerning the reality of circumstances i.e. ignorance arises.As such, Buddhism is a philosophy that focuses on transforming an ignorant state of mind into an enlightened one.An enlightened mind can be described as prevailing mind consciousness with liberation from the thoughts i.e. instead of being the thoughts; the perspective is shifted to watching the thoughts churned out by subtle mind consciousness.The role of prevailing conscious mind is like mind-in-command i.e. the mind that can lead, take charge, concentrate, make decision and convey action.In other words, it means prevailing conscious mind would make observation without identifying with the thoughts – the subtle conscious mind.This liberation from thought identification to thought observation is called the experience of the Buddha nature.
During the process of observation, the awakened prevailing conscious mind could also discern with the so-called memory fragments of the previous lives subdued within the subtle conscious mind.This is because within the elements of subtle consciousness one would discover the elements of subtle memory.Within the elements of subtle memory one would discover the elements of subtle information.In other words, the awakened prevailing conscious mind could see through the ‘seed treasures’ of kamma accumulated from the retained subtle information throughout the series of one’s past lives in crystal clear and without hesitation. Besides seeing through the past life events, an awakened mind could also foresee into the future events.In a layman term, it is named as a de-ja vu experience or some kind of time travelling to the future condition.This is because an awakened mind is highly luminous and vigilant to any development of circumstances and surpassing time.In Buddhism, it is mentioned that only a human can attain enlightenment as a fully enlightened Buddha.This is because humans are just one type of sentient being with both the prevailing and subtle conscious mind stream that can find balance between happiness and suffering via the meditating processes.Therefore, in the absence of the prevailing conscious mind, the attaining of full enlightenment is not possible. Basically, there are two types of meditation in Buddhism.One is samatha and the otheris vipassanā meditation. Samatha meditation is to calm or tranquil the mind by means of concentration.Whereas, vipassanā meditation is to mould the mind into seeing all things as they really are – an insight into the true nature of reality. The main focus of vipassanā meditation is to attain pure awareness via mindfulness.Vipassanā is often preceded by samatha but nonetheless, both types are inter-dependable throughout the practices in order to achieve favourable results in meditation.
Upon entering deeply into a meditative state (in full concentration), the prevailing mind consciousness would separate from the subtle mind consciousness.The main reason for engaging samatha meditation is to calm or tranquil the wilderness of the subtle mind consciousness.Thereafter, the prevailing conscious mind enters a state of pure observation (mindful) without identification on the flow of thoughts conjured up by the subtle conscious minduntil pure awareness is attained.Moreover, when one has gained enlightenment while sustaining with a living body, the mind would still exist but with a paradigm shift to seeing all the things or happenings in the ultimate perspectives without delusion or hesitation.The mind has not gained with a complete liberation yet and this circumstance is also known as cessation with remainder.The ultimate liberation or cessation without remainder can only be achieved without sustaining a living body i.e. the passing into parinibbāna.During one last time of disintegrating process, the subtle conscious mind would be absorbed into the black hole of emptiness and then followed by the prevailing conscious mind. In the absence of the mind, the dependent phenomenon would die out concurrently.Ultimately, there is no mind remaining in the infinite, unchanging, permanent and unconditional state of nibbāna and this is the ambience for an eternal bliss.
Last edited by Buddhitakso on 23-10-2013 06:06 PM
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