levels of consciousness

ThailandTom

I was speaking with a friend not long ago about sleep, and how monks sleep so little, 4-5 hours a day. My friend needs 9-10 hours whereas I sleep around 6-7. It is clear that people who use a lot fo energy and have an active day need more sleep than those who have a easy going, lazy day so to speak.
I then thought that monks spend a large part of their day meditating, so they obviously are fairly peaceful in the mind and use little energy with this. I then remembered reading about levels of consciousness a long time ago, if I am not wrong there are a number of levels in buddhism is there not? Does anybody know much about these levels of consciousness and what how they relate to the practice?

Regards, Tom

shenpennangwa

ThailandTom wrote: »

I was speaking with a friend not long ago about sleep, and how monks sleep so little, 4-5 hours a day. My friend needs 9-10 hours whereas I sleep around 6-7. It is clear that people who use a lot fo energy and have an active day need more sleep than those who have a easy going, lazy day so to speak.
I then thought that monks spend a large part of their day meditating, so they obviously are fairly peaceful in the mind and use little energy with this. I then remembered reading about levels of consciousness a long time ago, if I am not wrong there are a number of levels in buddhism is there not? Does anybody know much about these levels of consciousness and what how they relate to the practice?

Regards, Tom

The different levels of consciousness are discussed in detail in the Yogacara literature. They are also detailed in the Vajrayana tradition in great detail but rather than coming from a Yogacara angle they are coming from the Madhyamaka view. The Guyhasamaja tantra covers things like this is a great deal of detail. The Dzogchen tantra's also discuss it from a yogic activity perspective.
It depends on what you are looking for I guess.

ThailandTom

I personally would not begin to know how to go about finding the sources for that lol, and I am simply curious in a general manner about the different levels of consciousness. I think it is rather interesting that there are specific levels of consciousness and am curious to know exactly what each individual one is

upalabhava

Are you thinking of the 4 (or 8) jhanas? Or maybe the 8 consciousnesses?

Floating_Abu

The post brought to mind this teaching

We use these Four Noble Truths for our development. We apply them to ordinary things in our lives, to ordinary attachments and obsessions of the mind. With these truths, we can investigate our attachments in order to have the insights. Through the Third Noble Truth, we can realise cessation, the end of suffering, and practise the Eightfold Path until there is understanding. When the Eightfold Path has been fully developed, one is an arahant, one has made it. Even though this sounds complicated - four truths, three aspects, twelve insights - it is quite simple. It is a tool for us to use to help us understand suffering and non-suffering.

Within the Buddhist world, there are not many Buddhists who use the Four Noble Truths anymore, even in Thailand. People say, ‘Oh yes, the Four Noble Truths - beginner’s stuff.’ Then they might use all kinds of vipassana techniques and become really obsessed with the sixteen stages before they get to the Noble Truths. I find it quite boggling that in the Buddhist world the really profound teaching has been dismissed as primitive Buddhism: ‘That’s for the little kids, the beginners. The advanced course is....’ They go into complicated theories and ideas - forgetting the most profound teaching.

The Four Noble Truths are a lifetime’s reflection. It is not just a matter of realising the Four Noble Truths, the three aspects, and twelve stages and becoming an arahant on one retreat - and then going onto something advanced. The Four Noble Truths are not easy like that. They require an ongoing attitude of vigilance and they provide the context for a lifetime of examination

- Ajahn Sumedho

shenpennangwa

upalabhava wrote: »

Are you thinking of the 4 (or 8) jhanas? Or maybe the 8 consciousnesses?

I think he would be interested in the link on the 8 consciousnesses.
There is also a book called Living Yogacara that is quite good.
Its pretty academic but its a very good resource.

upalabhava

Ah! Perhaps you meant the 10 bhumis?

newtech

Maybe u are mixing what consciousness means.

Consciousness is cognition.

""And why do you call it 'consciousness'? Because it cognizes, thus it is called consciousness. What does it cognize? It cognizes what is sour, bitter, pungent, sweet, alkaline, non-alkaline, salty, & unsalty. Because it cognizes, it is called consciousness."

SN 22.79

The types of consciousness are 6 in reference to the 6 Senses:

"'The six classes of consciousness should be known.' Thus was it said. In reference to what was it said? Dependent on the eye & forms there arises consciousness at the eye. Dependent on the ear & sounds there arises consciousness at the ear. Dependent on the nose & aromas there arises consciousness at the nose. Dependent on the tongue & flavors there arises consciousness at the tongue. Dependent on the body & tactile sensations there arises consciousness at the body. Dependent on the intellect & ideas there arises consciousness at the intellect. 'The six classes of consciousness should be known.' Thus was it said. And in reference to this was it said. This is the third sextet.

MN 148


The way i see it, maybe im wrong, consciousness its the same to everyone, there are no levels of consciousness. Only types.

FoibleFull

You do understand of course, that our mind always wants to take that information and compare it to "how we are doing?" ... more me-ness. Not a benefit to play that way.

Jeffrey

http://brian.hoffert.faculty.noctrl.edu/REL315/08.Yogacara.html

I find Yogacara of more benefit to me because often I can grasp the yogacara concepts intuitively. But the description in the madyamaka I read them and I am too dumb to understand what each sentence means...no I'm not dumb I think I just have wrong type of mind.