Questions tagged [consciousness]
The consciousness tag has no usage guidance.
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If consciousness arises from mental formations is it correct to say that consciousness has a specific tone or opinions with it?
Example:
I see something moving, there's contact.
Then there's an unpleasant feeling and perception recognize it as a spider.
Mental formations on how to deal with the "threat" of a spider arises.
A ...
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2answers
65 views
Harmlessness to non-sentient nature and can consciousness (pure awareness) exist?
Buddhism teaches us to practice harmlessness. Would it be considered harmless to go around destroying non-'sentient' parts of nature? Can consciousness, particularly the pure awareness aspect, reside ...
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Vijñāna and Śūnyatā… How are they seen as different?
Consciousness is often used to describe Śūnyatā by some teachers but in Buddhism consciousness is one of the aggregates.
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6answers
124 views
Does the Consciousness vanish when the objects of consciousness are removed?
In the following excerpt from the book Yoga Sutras by Edwin Bryant, the author is arguing that the fundamental difference between Buddhist and Hindu philosophy is that Buddhists believe that when 'all ...
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2answers
124 views
Meditation, sleep paralysis, spinal vibration
I have meditated off and on since childhood, before I knew what it was, and since my 30s I have been interested in the spiritual concepts of Buddhism. I had an experience in 2010 wherein I awoke from ...
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2answers
54 views
Is Vinanna a Reification of Recognition?
I read on the Internet that Experience (Vijnana) which is really nothing but reification of Recognition (or Interpretation) of new observations in terms of internalized old observations.
Is this ...
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3answers
85 views
Seeing there is no subject experiencing subject and object?
I'm energetically trying to uproot the view of self, meaning, the sense that there is a subject of experience.
I have read/heard authors such as Sam Harris and Joseph Goldstein say that the self as a ...
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8answers
265 views
What is the substantial cause of an instance of consciousness?
Context: I'm considered a skeptic of rebirth in my tradition which is the Gelug branch of Tibetan Buddhism. I'm asking this question to help me understand what other traditions think. In my tradition ...
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2answers
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Are there any detail exposition of Consciousness without surface (viññanam anidassanam)?
I asked this question recently to understand why consciousness is different from the intellect itself and considering the answer given I now think that Consciousness is not something higher than ...
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2answers
108 views
What is intellect-consciousness and why is it different from intellect itself?
In SN 35.93 quoted below, it reads intellect-consciousness arises in dependence on the intellect and ideas, but if this consciousness is also a thinking about the work of intellect on ideas then it in ...
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2answers
177 views
Is the new “Spread Mind” philosophy actually Buddhism?
I recently stumbled upon a fascinating series of conversations on consciousness in the New York Review of Books by an MIT Fulbright scholar named Riccardo Manzotti. That series led me to his The ...
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8answers
345 views
Hesitation between Buddhism and Advaita Vedanta
I hesitate between Buddhism and Advaita Vedanta.
Buddhism pleases me very much for its willingness to seek an end to suffering, being depressed it speaks to me a lot.
But intellectually, ...
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8answers
360 views
After samadhi what?
Last year I experienced samadhi, full state of awareness. Mind's
thoughts stopped for days and I can't describe with feelings and words
the complete experience.
It was like the wheels of my mind ...
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3answers
108 views
Which consciousness/es are involved in meta-congnition (thinking about thinking)?
Which consciousness/es are involved in meta-congnition (thinking about thinking)? And can the skandhas exist without them?
I'm asking because I'm interested in whether animals without metacognition ...
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1answer
35 views
Ideal Experience in Buddhism
Sometimes, I tell myself that a moment wherein I'm devoid of craving, ignorance and aversion is a moment inherently good. I tell myself that if I remove the addictive (and aversive) states within ...
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2answers
112 views
What is life-continuum?
In the book Path Of Purification It talks about
The explanation of the meaning here( " talking about the five jhana mastery mostly mastety if Adverting " ) is this. When he emerges from the first ...
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4answers
124 views
Once ignorance is removed ,is the cessation of suffering automatic?
As per my understanding the only effort I have to make for the cessation of suffering is to realize the Truth as it removes the ignorance. Once I have removed the ignorance rest of the things happen ...
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3answers
332 views
Insight in Buddhism
What is "insight" the "knowing that I know" in Buddhism?
I understand the concept of consciousness a bit better but what about having Insight.
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2answers
41 views
Sutta Reference - Sound and musical instruments metaphors in the Suttas
I am looking for a specific sutta wherein the conditionality and insubstantiality of the existential process of a sentient being, or consciousness, is made plain by use of the simile of a resonating ...
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4answers
556 views
What are the similarities between quantum physics and buddism?
What are the similarities between modern physics/quantum physics and Buddism?
Although i know little about this, like Budha said that conciousness creates everything, emptyness and dependent ...
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4answers
122 views
why can't the spirtual experience explained from logic
I have heard that when a meditators do a very deep meditation and experiences supernatural phonomenon that experience can't be expressed with words and logic. What does that mean. I remember Albert ...
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4answers
94 views
do you know consciousness?
Language can be a confuser here so feel free to switch consciousness with knowing or awareness. I just ask because many of the texts I read speak early on the path to realization that knowing the Self ...
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6answers
145 views
Why do i look sad, while doing things consciously?
I have started doing things consciously, i don't want to laugh anymore, i just want to maintain that inner peace felt in doing things meditatively.
But people have started asking that "i am looking ...
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5answers
400 views
Is consciousness immaterial?
I've been doing a lot of scripture reading on consciousness (vijnana, mana, citta, etc) in the pali canon and Mahayana doctrines. Buddha never seemed to accept materialism, or that mind was material, ...
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3answers
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How is rebirth to be understood?
I have some questions regarding this Buddhadhasa text saying there is no rebirth in Buddhism.
Is rebirth not what enlightenment is supposed to bring an end to? Is there no rebirth because rebirth is ...
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6answers
482 views
Consciousness and Name-Form
In the twelve nidanas in the dependent origination it is said that through ignorance arises constructive activities (Sankskara). I do understand that. But the fact that I am still having trouble ...
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1answer
154 views
What is difference (Vedic) Consciousness versus Pali Text terms “Deathless”, “Awakened Awareness”?
Would you kindly give your input on these Pali text quotes and comments?
They are derived from "Questions on the Five Skhandas", specifically Dhammadhatu's answer regarding the common reference "...
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10answers
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How does Buddhism explain consciousness if there is no self?
One major differing point between Hinduism and Buddhism is the understanding of the self. Buddhist reject the Brahminical notion of an eternal, non-material soul substance that is distinct from the ...
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2answers
110 views
the Pair of Knowing and Object
I am searching for a precise understanding of what Buddhist authors mean by the "pair" of "knowing" and "object". For example
...we see that what we call "self" is simply the pairwise progression ...
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3answers
369 views
Are the formless jhanas without any consciouness of form at all?
I don't understand the formless jhanas.
Does this meditator completely lose consciousness of form, or are they meditating on something formless and, apart from that, as before?
I've read the ...
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3answers
93 views
Doubt in being mindful when two tasks are going to happen?
When we are doing some work(eating food--first task).. we hear something important or some noise(second task), which might require us to pay attention to it(to second task)..
(means if we want to be ...
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3answers
212 views
Mindfullness or Self Consciousness (Introvert's Struggle)
I am trying to achieve consciousness and that is my target to achieve it,...
I am struck in Strange State .. as Bruce lee said, in Enter The Dragon:
Its like a finger pointing away to the moon. ...
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1answer
67 views
Is hate meant to be useful in any way?
I am pretty confident that the act of hating is bad, no matter the situation/problem you are facing.
Now, does hate have any intrinsic purpose? I am thinking that maybe it was useful to hate in some ...
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4answers
131 views
What is a phenomenological perspective?
I have seen in answers on this site (about consciousness in connection with rebirth) that Theravada adhere to a phenomenological perspective on consciousness. Can anyone explain for me what it means ...
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1answer
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What is a “sentient being” in Tibetan Buddhism?
The answer to this question seems to depend on what school one talks about. So my question is about Mahayana Buddhism, more specifically Tibetan Madhyamaka Buddhist schools.
I kind of wonder where ...
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3answers
129 views
Can consciousness exist externally?
Sometimes I feel that my consciousness is separate from my body. How can this be explained in Buddhism? What is this state ? Can consciousness exist externally without physical body?
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0answers
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What are the differences between the mind and consciousness? [duplicate]
I have some understanding regarding consciousness as related to the six senses, but I'm less clear on the mind itself?
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2answers
87 views
Has any Buddhist meditator claimed that the mano-vijnana has a base to differentiate it from the other consciousnesses?
Has any Buddhist meditator claimed that the mano-vijnana has a base (I don't mean that in any technical sense) to differentiate it from the other consciousnesses?
If so, what is it called, and when ...
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2answers
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Can rebirth-linking conciousness (patisandhi-citta) actually be rooted in knowledge?
With dependent origination (paṭiccasamuppāda) underlying much of the doctrinal aspects of the Buddha's teaching - and all formation having concomitance to avijja as condition, is it correct to assume ...
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7answers
602 views
mind-body relationship
“finding a place for the mind in a world that is fundamentally physical”
—has been puzzled over for centuries, and is unlikely to be resolved any time soon. The reason is that apparently every ...
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3answers
1k views
What is the different between Yogacara Buddhism and Idealism?
I've often heard the Yogacara school of Buddhism being described as 'Mind Only'. To my untutored mind this seems reminiscent of the western philosophy of Idealism.
So there is a description of ...
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1answer
557 views
Can you reach the substrate consciousness through visualization practices
You mentioned that one can enter the substrate consciousness through the shamatha practice of cultivating awareness or during sleep, death and such. Can you realize the substrate consciousness and the ...
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3answers
387 views
Consciousness in Nibbana
In the Abhidhamma, it makes mention to 89 and 121 states of consciousness. It says there are four ultimate realities namely
Consciousness
Mental Factors
Matter
Nibbana.
The first three are ...
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4answers
317 views
Dispelling anger
When anger swells up and rears its head I wish to be rid of it quickly.
For a moment of anger is said to burn a mountain of merit.
In my personal practice I have gotten quite adapt at controlling ...
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6answers
994 views
Questions on the five Skandhas
I find that the five Skandhas can be very confusing at times, as the Western idea of mind and perception is very different to the Buddhist idea of mind and perception. On top of that, many ...
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3answers
355 views
Why does Mara, the Evil One one comes looking for consciousness at death?
Is this explained in the Pali Canon?
Then the Blessed One went with a large number of monks to the Black Rock on the slope of Isigili. From afar he saw Ven. Vakkali lying dead on a couch. Now at ...
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2answers
269 views
Can you be aware but not conscious? [duplicate]
According to Buddhist teaching (of any school) is it possible to be aware but not conscious?
I'm reading the book Seeing that Frees at the moment and Rob Burbea hints that although in the book he is ...
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2answers
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The 12 links and the womb
I think I remember reading that the an unborn child or fetus exemplifies the nidanas in a different way to children and adults.
Am I right that for Buddhists life begins at conception, but this "life"...
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5answers
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Is there a “good” consciousness?
I wondered if there was a consciousness that underwent nirvana? Is there a consciousness of nirvana? Is there a consciousness that creates either of these consciousnesses?
I would call that the "good"...
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2answers
232 views
What is the relation between the Eight Consciousnesses and the Five Aggregates?
What is the relation between the Eight Consciousnesses and the Five Aggregates?
Are all the 8 consciousnesses subtypes of the fifth aggregate (vijñāna/viññāṇa)? The name suggests so, but it looks ...
