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What is consciousness?
DairyLama
Veteran Veteran
Traditionally in Buddhism there are 6 classes of consciousness, one for each sense base and one for the mind. Consciousness is also included in the 5 aggregates along with form, feeling, perception and ( mental ) formations.
But what is consciousness in the Buddhist sense? I haven't found much atall in the suttas.
I came across this in MN43, it appears to be a definition of mind-consciousness:
"It cognizes, it cognizes...what does it cognize? It cognizes this is pleasant..this is painful...this is neither painful-nor-pleasant."
But what "cognize" mean in this context? It seems to suggest both awareness and recognition - but isn't recognition more a feature of the perception aggregate?
P
But what is consciousness in the Buddhist sense? I haven't found much atall in the suttas.
I came across this in MN43, it appears to be a definition of mind-consciousness:
"It cognizes, it cognizes...what does it cognize? It cognizes this is pleasant..this is painful...this is neither painful-nor-pleasant."
But what "cognize" mean in this context? It seems to suggest both awareness and recognition - but isn't recognition more a feature of the perception aggregate?
P
0
Comments
Yes. Mental perceptions fabricate/taint the consciousness. So consciousness is the initial cognition which is awareness plus sensory cognition which is conditioned by mental fabricators such as perceptions.
In this simile, consciousness is the cognition of the tainted sky as a pink sky for example. Perceptions (mental fabricators) is the pair of glasses.
The initial cognition that arises when physical sense bases make contact with external objects
Wow what a surprise. Here you go:
And on MN 18, MN 149 if I'm not mistaken
There's no need for sarcasm.
P
I only found 2 quotes which were directly relevant to the OP question. One is covered in the OP posting ( the 6 classes ), the other is the one I quoted in the OP. The quotes you posted are mostly not relevant to the OP question.
For the record I think you were being sarcastic, and generally I find you bombastic and patronising in tone.
In any case I don't wish to communicate with you further.
P
I will step aside at this point
Conciousness is the ability to know the input or data from the minds of the aggregates and the main mind . Its difficult however i do suggest Geshe Tashi Tsering and his books upon FPMT. They are supurb and have unlocked difficult dharma issues again and again for me. I will study later and get back if my memory fails me.
This isnt a Tibetan idea, it originates in the Pali literature.
Consciousness is an aggregate.
Just an FYI, its Tibetan, not Tibetian.
would i wrong in saying quite simply NRG
Of course with a shed load of suffering but was just thinking that does conciousness and all matter that we cling to not all boil down to energy and all the "same" energy for that matter, by energy i really mean waves and particles atoms and empty space and the like
p.s
i appologise for the where are my noodles thread i was being a bit daft although i still wonder whether objects that are no longer being observed are still there like the quantum guys are telling me?"
nice to be here by the way loving reading all the posts and hope to learn alot and make friends
peace and may i never cause any harm
Daniel
Hopefully this won't be off-topic but do objects disappear just because you stop observing them? You go out to work, stop observing the house and when you come back your house is still there. Right?
Here is part one of where i was studying this
cheers
daniel
and part two hope you find this as interesting as i did
peace
daniel
here is one more love this one enjoy
daniel