On Consciousness

No aggregate is permanent. Personality is a stream, a series of little parts leading to a mental concept of 'I'.

A belief in body/mind totality : i.e. 'myself' is a most powerful fetter and results in possessiveness, etc. It cannot be removed or overcome by discussion / teaching.

Ancient Buddhism identified 521 mental factors of concommittance – what we call the human personality. A state of consciousness can only arise when certain factors are present. Different states or functions of consciousness are the result of various combinations of factors or lack of particular factors being present.

If consciousness did not appear in the mother’s womb, there would be no mentality.

Consciousness cannot arise without a concept, a condition. Doors of perception give rise to consciousness: always grasping. Apart from conditions, there is no arising of consciousness.

Vrittis means a succession of mental moments. Through a succession of mental moments one is give the illusion that time has passed. The total impression of many minute instances is a continuity. However that concept is false.

One cannot have an original thought. No thoughts exist independent of the world. Experience gathered by the five senses and the mind are the basis for all thought. Experience comes from contact. If there is no contact there can be no experience and no awareness.

No two types of consciousness can exist together – one must be arrested; interrupted.

In one flash of lightning there are as many thoughts in your head as there are people in India.

Tapping fingers/feet shows mental restlessness.

The mind is interpreting all the time; it is not getting direct knowledge. The whole viewpoint may be a false interpretation; failure to see things as they are.

Perception deceives us – it needs refinement because it is subject to perversions and illusions.

One of the benefits of our practice: Empty the mind of all contents to see things as they truly are. It is possible to truly see a thing.

Most of our perceptions are unknown to us.

A dog is scratching: just keeps on scratching without knowing there is anything else. Opposite of freedom of consciousness.

The universe may be studied by studying the body and mind: the great universe and the little universe.

There is nowhere to go – you cannot escape from your mind: It is the storehouse of all action. It is in the here and now that changes for the better must be made.

One cannot evolve unless tension or stress is there.

Ill-directed mind can do more harm than any enemy. A well-directed mind is the greatest friend [quoting Buddhist texts]

Consciousness should be involved in mundane good. Use incident of a person needing your help as a means of perfecting yourself.

An absolute objective point of view is necessary in this discipline. Only then can we know our true face.