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PUBLIC TALK
MIND IN BUDDHIST PHILOSOPHY
LATE VEN. KHENPO MIGMAR TSERING
Thank you for coming today. I would like to speak on the nature of things related to 'mind' because in Buddhist philosophy the mind is considered very important. It is said by the Buddha in many sutras, that mind is the one which causes everything ! It is the one which causes animate and inanimate phenomena. The Buddha said in some other sutras that oneself and no other thing, will create or give one happiness and suffering. Oneself is the main cause of one's happiness and of suffering.This 'oneself ' referred to here is none other, (or no other person), than what we call the five aggregates. [ The five aggregates are name and form, feeling, perception, conditioned existence and consciousness.] Out of these five aggregates, the aggregate of consciousness, the aggregate of mind is the main factor or cause. One's personal happiness, unhappiness and the outer favourable and unfavourable conditions all depend on one's own mind. It is also said by many other disciples of the Buddha , other Indian Acharyas who have written commentaries on these sutras of the Buddha, that out of all the austere practices or penances, the austere practice of mind, that is, controlling the mind, is the most useful and it is also the most difficult.
So it is said to be the most useful and the main practice out of all the practices. It is said by one Indian pandit, Acharya Shantideva, in his text called the 'Bodhisattvacharyavatara', ( in which he describes the behaviour and the practice of a bodhisattva), that if one wishes to cover the entire surface of the earth with leather one will not be able to do so. But if one is wearing shoes made of leather then it is like covering the entire earth, because wherever one walks one is walking on this leather. In the same way, if one wants to try to directly destroy unfavourable external conditions, like the hatred or anger of other people, if one wants to directly deal with these one cannot. There are many different kinds of people and different people have different minds. Some people may have good feelings towards one and some may not, but one will not be able to overcome all the unfavourable or bad feelings which other people have towards one, even if one wishes to. One will not be able to succeed this way, but if one is able to control one's own mind, if one follows what we call the 'mind training practices' and if one is able to keep one's own mind under control, then it is like controlling or overcoming all unfavourable conditions or feelings which other people have towards one.
If one cannot see clearly , if one's mind is not under control, then one will see adverse,darker conditions as unfavourable, whereas if one knows how to look at these things, then these very unfavourable conditions will become favourable and one will be able to apply them as favourable conditions for one's practice, in one's daily life.
So in this way 'mind' becomes very important. Acharya Chandrakirti, in one of his Madhyamika texts, said that, according to Buddhism, everything depends on what we call karma, or action, (one's own deeds). Buddhism does not believe in a creator or Almighty God who creates all good and bad, large and small phenomena, as believed by some other religions. Buddhism believes that everything depends on one's own deeds or karma and that karma is created by none other than one's own mind. Acharya Chandrakirti also says that all the results of happiness and suffering are caused by one's own karma and this way karma is created by one's own mind. The outer inanimate phenomena and one's own individual results are both the results of one's own mind. Individual happiness and suffering are caused by one's own mind. Outer inanimate objects, such as a beautiful environment, as well as unfavourable, unpleasant environments are caused by what we call the collective karma or deeds of people. For instance, Sydney has a beautiful environment. I would say after coming from India, which has very hot, unpleasant weather, these kinds of outer things like good weather and beautiful environment are caused by our collective deeds. The deeds of the people who reside here have, of course, a bigger hand in creating these than those who drop in for a few days, like me. I have also created some kind of deed, as I have been able to come here and spend a few days with you, which is the result of my karma mixed with your karma. Everything depends on karma and this is caused by, performed by and contacted by one's mind, so' mind ' becomes very important.
In the Buddhist sutras and commentaries mind is explained in many different ways and under different categories. For instance, it is explained in terms of the five aggregates, as I already mentioned. This topic of the five aggregates becomes very important, as they say that the sufferings of the world are what we talk about when we refer to interdependent origination or dependent arising in the context of samsara, ( the world of cyclical existence.)
When we talk about twelve limbs of dependent arising, the first of these twelve has its source, or depends on,(as do the other eleven limbs), the dependent arising of what is called ignorance. This ignorance is none other than, is not different from, what we call 'self-grasping '. Grasping onto or looking at the 'self', or 'person', as something 'inherently existent' or truly existent. This grasping onto ' person ' or ' truly existent self ' is not seeing the real nature of a person, because according to Buddhist philosophy, the existence of a 'person' or 'self', or what we call 'I' is nothing other than the five aggregates. We impute the 'I' or 'self' or 'me' onto the collection of the five aggregates. If we look at ourselves and try to find out where this 'I' or this 'person' is, then we won't find anything other than the five aggregates. I have nothing more than my own five aggregates; the aggregates of name and form, feeling, perception,conditioned existence and consciousness. So, in order to know the nature of ' self ', in order to first of all trace the main cause of sufferings, then we have to know what ' self-grasping ' is. In order to know this, we have to know what is 'self ' or what is a 'person' ?
In order to know what a 'person' or 'self 'is, we will have to know the five aggregates because 'self ' or 'person' is imputed on these five aggregates. Out of the five aggregates, the role of mind is very significant because the other four are related to mind, are aggregates of mind. The first, the aggregate of form is our own body which we can touch, which is tangible, which is not mind. Other than that this the aggregate of form includes what we call the five sense organs and the five objects. These are the object of visual form, the object of touch ,the object of sound, the object of smell and the object of taste.
The five sense organs are the eye sense organ, the body sense organ,the ear sense organ, the nose sense organ and the tongue sense organ. This makes ten and then according to one particular Buddhist philosophical school, one other particular form is added, which is non-referential form, or the form which cannot be seen. So we have eleven types of form under the category of the aggregate of form. The other aggregates of feeling, perception and conditioned existence are all related to mind.These are called in the Buddhist terminology, mental factors. So there is the main mind and the other offshoots of mind, or mental factors. So the main mind is described as the aggregate of consciousness, that is the fifth aggregate. The middle three aggregates, of feeling, of perception and conditioned existence are what we call the mental factors.
The aggregate of feeling is the feeling of pleasure, of suffering , which we have or feel in our mind. In the same way the aggregate of perception is that type of particular mental factor which perceives things. When we first look at a thing then we have a recognition, the sense of recognition of that object. We have a perception of that object first of all. That type of mental factor mind is called the perception.
Conditioned existence is divided into two categories: mental conditioned existence and conditioned existence which is neither mind nor form, what is called non-possessive conditioned existence. This division is more accepted by the lowest of the four schools of Buddhist thought, the Vaibashika school.
According to them, when we acquire something, like for instance some mental quality, then apart from the mental quality itself, something generates or we also have, what is called an 'acquisition'. When we acquire something then there is this 'state of acquisition' and this is regarded as the non-possessive conditioned existence. This is not a mental thing.
The other category is mental conditioned existence and this includes all other mental factors. The fifth aggregate, which we call the aggregate of consciousness is divided into six consciousnesses. Eye consciousness, ear consciousness, nose consciosness, tongue consciousness and body consciousness,the five which are related to sense organs and the sixth one is mind consciousness. This again is a little different.The eye consciousness is also a consciousness; it is also a part of mind but it is also somewhat in between the main mind and the mental factors. However, it is included in main mind. But when we say the sixth one is the mind consciousness, this means the mind through which we think, what is more related to 'brain', in the 'modern' sense, even though according to Buddhism, the mind consciousness or mind by which we think does not abide in anything. It does not abide in the brain, nor in the life faculty nor in our heart, as believed by some classical schools. Mind does not 'stay'anywhere. It does not have a permanent place. This type of mind which thinks is called the mind consciousness.
Let's look at the other awarenesses, consciousnesses, such as the eye consciousness, which sees an object. Now one may get confused, one may think that what one sees with, the mental power or ability which sees an object may be what we call mind. After seeing an object, only after that do we realise that we have seen an object. For instance, if I see a cup, then after seeing with my eye, I will then realise that: "Oh, I have seen a cup." One may think that the whole process is done by one type of mind which is worked by this 'brain', but this is not so ! This mind consciousness,( the eye-consciousness), functions only as seeing the object. It does not think.
After the eye consciousness sees the object then it is the turn of the mind consciousness which thinks on that, which realises that. The difference can be very easily understood if we take into account the example of objects which are not very clear to our perception. We may see things with our eyes but we don't remember seeing them. When we don't remember seeing them ,our mind consciousness has not acted in time, or it has not functioned on that particular object. When the eye consciousness has functioned its 'duty ' is just seeing it. It does not think on it or have a thinking power. Some Buddhist philosophical schools consider that the eye ,ear, nose, tongue and body consciousnesses , these five, are non-conceptual consciousness or non-conceptual mind, they do not have conceptual thought.
According to some Buddhist schools, there are certain mind consciousnesses which 'affirm' or 'think on',which not only see but 'grasp' and 'keep'. The example given is, as I mentioned previously. We see a thing and after that we realise. Then what is seen is affirmed. When we see a thing and it does not remain in the mind, then the mind does not realise it, this means it is just seen and not affirmed. So when our eye sees a particular thing and it does not leave some kind of a memory, or it is not subsequently grasped by the mind consciousness, then that eye consciousness may be considered as invalid.
According to logic terminology, the mind is divided into valid and invalid mind. The valid mind is something which sees an object as it is in the conventional sense. For instance, if you see a cup as a cup, if the eye sees it so, or if the eye sees a white conch as a white conch, then that eye consciousness is a valid mind. But it does not think upon that. After this initial occurrence, our mind consciousness will think that: "Oh, there is a white conch." But sometimes our eyes may be faulty, deluded by some kind of illness and because of this we don't see a white conch as white but instead we see it as yellow. For instance, if we contort our faces with our hands, putting pressure on our eyes, we may see two or three moons instead of one. When the eyes see things which are not true in the conventional sense, then those eye consciousnesses are regarded as invalid because what it sees is not true. So usually, we give the example of seeing a white conch as yellow,or seeing hairs across one's field of vision. Due to some illness in the eyes we sometimes see some kind of things in space, even when that space is empty. In an empty cup, one may see hairs or some kind of black things rolling around. At this time we are not seeing the right thing and that eye consciousness is regarded as invalid. So in logic, we use this idea of invalid and valid. Now, even though it is a valid consciousness it does not 'cling onto ' that object like a mind consciousness would.
I have gone through all of this to explain the difference between consciousness in general and mind consciousness, in particular. As initially I said that the consciousness, the aggregate of consciousness is the mind consciousness; is the mind. The other mental factors are also mind but a particular sort of mind. Then I said that the fifth aggregate is mind, which when it is again divided into six, we have another mind consciousness. So this mind consciousness is different from the mind in general. The mind in general, consists of both conceptual and non-conceptual mind. The mind which thinks and that which does not, but just sees, or to which things appear . 'Which just sees ' means only applicable to eye consciousness. ' Which just hears ', means only applicable to the ear consciousness, but is not that which realises the sound, which thinks on the sound. This is done by the mind consciousness later. So we have these six consciousnesses in the aggregate of mind and according to the Mahayana schools of thought,( the Yogacharya and Madhyamika schools of thought), two more consciousnesses are added to these six. The Yogacharya school ,(the Cittamatra school, the mind-only school), believes all things are mind.
Now according to the Madhyamikas, whether one accepts eight consciousnesses or not is a matter of argument, because according to some Tibetan philosophical schools, the idea of eight consciousnesses is limited to the Yogacharya school only. Some say that the Madhyamika school does not believe in eight forms of consciousness. But according to the tradition I am studying, the Sakya School of Tibetan Buddhism, the Madhyamika school believes in the eight consciousnesses. These other two consciousnesses are the consciousness of the afflicted mind, (Sanskrit; kleso manas vijnana) and the fundamental mind, (Sanskrit; alaya vijnana),which some scholars have translated as 'the universal mind'. This is the mind which functions as the fundamental, as the base. I would call it the fundamental mind, for the time being. So with this afflicted mind, the fundamental mind and the other six consciousnesses, we have the eight consciousnesses. Now fundamental mind is the most fundamental and the most important of all types of consciousness, because it functions as a base for all the worldly thoughts and minds. It also functions as a base for all the non-worldly minds, all the realisations and knowledges of 'noble' beings. These are also all based on this fundamental mind. All other minds can in the course of our cycle of life and birth stop for a while, sometimes, but this fundamental mind does not stop. It begins from time immemorial until one attains the state of highest enlightenment or the state of Buddhahood. So this fundamental mind is neither a virtuous mind nor non-virtuous mind. It is a neutral mind, which means it activates the virtuous mind as well as non-virtuous mind. The afflicted mind is what we call 'self-grasping'. This is the root of all other afflictions and all other delusions such as desire, hatred and anger. So all these have their origin in this ignorance, which means not just ignorance in general, but the ignorance that grasps the 'self ' as truly existent. 'Self-grasping' is regarded here as the afflicted mind because it is one of the main or major causes of all other delusions. It is considered as a separate type of mind .
So in this way we have the eight consciousnesses and these are divisions of main mind. Now the other types of mind or the particular minds are what we call mental factors, and these are explained in terms of the middle three aggregates,the aggregates of feeling , perception and conditioned existence. There is a very famous text called the Abhidharmakosa, which explains phenomena from the point of view of both the Vaibashika and Svatantrika schools and as such it can be considered as a Hinayana text, but Madhyamika, Mahayana students also engage in the study of this text because it explains about outer phenomena very thoroughly. Particularly it describes the five aggregates, the twelve ayatanas,(sources of consciousness) and the eighteen dhatus,(elements). These have been described in detail in the Abhidharma sutras, (texts)and shastras,(their commentaries). When it comes to how such things as the aggregates are interconnected, even Madhyamika scholars and philosophers refer to the Abhidharmakosa.
In this text the mental factors are categorised under five sections:
Firstly into two categories - the definite and indefinite.The definite has five divisions, such as the mind, and this has ten divisions - ten types of mental factors. The mental factors in total are said to be forty six in number.To this, there are added six what we call imputed mental factors, giving us fifty one. These are the mental factors which are explained in terms of these three aggregates. The definite mental factors have five divisions. The first is the all pervasive mental factor. This has ten types, such as the feeling, perception, intention,contact, awareness, then interest, determination, mindfulness, concentration and wisdom. These are pervasive to all, which means that when a certain mental factor arises in your mind, when you think something or when a mind arises, simultaneously, atleast these ten mental factors also arise. Let us take the example of compassion. When you generate a sense of compassion, it is also a mental factor, a part of mind. So when this type of mind arises, these ten all pervasive mental factors are there with it. Of course we do not initially realise them as particular discrete units, but when we analyse, then we know that when compassion arises the feeling is the awareness, the contact, there is concentration also.
So all these are there and therefore we have ten mental factors that are all pervasive. Then we have eleven which are pervasive to virtuous mind. These are faith, effort, self-respect, flexibility, propriety, attentiveness, non-attachment, equanimity, non-hatred, non deludeness and non-violence. So there are eleven such virtuous mental factors which are pervasive to all types of virtuous mind. Which means that a virtuous mind can be deluded as well as undeluded. The virtuous mind which we have as ordinary beings is regarded as deluded because however good a mind we have it is still deluded by our afflictions, because we have not been able to get rid of delusions. We still have desire, hatred and anger, even though we may have a very strong faith.
It may seem that we do not have any hatred or desire but still the ability or power of the hatred and desire are there, because the next moment after coming out of the strong faith, when certain unfavourable conditions arise, then immediately hatred and all these other things will come up. So it is because of the kind of faith which a 'noble' or exalted person, (Sanskrit;Arya ) develops that one is called undeluded because one's mind has got rid of all these delusions of desire, anger, hatred and so forth. So it becomes very pure and so it is called undeluded.
There are three realms of cyclical existence. The desire realm, in which our human world comes, the form realm and the formless realms. In other words, the world is divided into three sections. So whether it is deluded virtuous mind or non deluded virtuous mind, whether it is the virtuous mind of this desire realm or the form realm, or further, the formless realm, whether it is the virtuous mind of a human world or whether it is a virtuous mind of a deva realm. Whether a deva produces a virtuous mind or whether a human being does, with every virtuous mind these ten mental factors are there. So these are called the ten mental factors which accompany or which arise sumultaneously with every virtuous mind, or the mental factors pervasive to all virtuous mind.
Then we have two types of mental factors which go with non-virtuous mind. Whenever a non -virtuous mind arises then we have two types of mental factor. The first one is the mental factor of not having shame, this is the literal translation. The second one is sometimes translated as lack of propriety. The two Tibetan words are for the same sort of shamelessness , but from two different aspects - shamelessness from one's own side and shamelessness from the others side. These two are always there whenever non- virtuous mind arises. For instance, if you produce or generate a mind of stealing something, then that kind of mind is non- virtuous. With that non- virtuous mind there are these two mental factors of shamelessness, which occur simultaneously. So these two are called the mental factors pervasive to all non-virtuous minds. Then we have six types of mental factor which are pervasive to all deluded mind, or all afflicted mind. When we say afflicted it is more than the non-virtuous mind. The latter is definitely an afflicted mind but there is also an afflicted mind which may not be non-virtuous. In other words a virtuous mind can also be afflicted, it may be afflicted, and it may not be. That is why we have deluded and non -deluded virtuous mind. So whether it is a virtuous or non-virtuous mind, as long as it is afflicted, then these six types of mental factors go with this kind of mind. Ignorance is one type of mental factor which goes with every type of afflicted mind. Then there is such states as heedlessness and laziness.
Then we have ten types of mental factor which are called lesser afflicted mind, which do not go with every type of afflicted mind, but which arise with some. In this category we have such things as the immediate type of anger, the sense of hiding something which you have done wrong and miserliness.
So there are ten of these and with the five categories we have thirty eight mental factors. These come under and are called definite mental factors. Then in addition to that we have eight types of mental factor which are indefinite, like the coarse analytical mind, the subtle analytical mind,the sense of repentance and the sense of pride.
So these mental factors are called indefinite because they may accompany any of the above categories. They may go with the category of all pervasive mind or the virtuous mind. They may go with any other categories according to conditions. So with these eight indefinite we have forty six mental factors, which are regarded as substantial, from the Abhidharma point of view. 'Substantial' or 'of substance' can have a variety of meanings. From the Madhyamaka point of view it can mean something substantially existent, truly existent, inherently existent, but in the conventional sense, when we use such terms, we mean something which exists in the conventional sense which we have not imputed through our mind. So these substantial mental factors are of forty six types and on top of this we have five other mental factors which are imputed . So with these additional five we have fifty one types of mind. So with regards to mental factors you can say we have forty six or fifty one. It comes to the same thing because the extra five are imputed on one of the forty six. For instance, non-awareness is a mental factor, but is imputed on a mental factor of awareness. The mental factor of forgetfulness is imputed on the mental factor of mindfulness. In other words forgetfulness is a mental factor which is sort of the incomplete form of mindfulness. The sense of distraction is also an imputed mental factor imputed on the mental factor of concentration. It doesn't mean that distraction is a mental factor in the same sense as concentration is, but that the sense of concentration is spoiled when it becomes inferior, then we have distraction. Distraction is not a separate substance from the mental factor of concentration, so it is imputed on it So with substantial and imputed mental factors in total, we have fifty one mental factors. Out of these fifty one mental factors the mental factor of feeling and perception are separately categorised as two aggregates. So these fifty one mental factors come under the five aggregates. We have the aggregate of feeling and perception which are two of these fifty one. These two are of the ten mental factors that are pervasive to all.
When we say mental factor of feeling, one can have a pleasant feeling, an unpleasant feeling or a neutral one. Whenever a mind arises some type of feeling is there. So it is all pervasive.This is separately categorised in the aggregate of feeling and then perception is also a separate feeling. It takes one aggregate. Other than these two, all the other fifty one mental factors come under the category of conditioned existence.
When we talk about mind in general then, apart from the aggregate of consciousness, there are six or eight consciousnesses, according to different schools' beliefs. The aggregate of the mental factor of feeling and perception are put under separate categories, because out of these mental factors, feeling and perception play an important role in the worldly functions, or worldly ways of thinking. For instance, the worldly people are divided into two: those who come into contact with doctrines, ( or ideologists) , and non- ideologists. Those following a certain ideology and those ordinary beings who do not. Those who follow ideologies have arguments or they do not agree with each other because they have different perceptions, different ideas. Difference of opinion arises because of this difference in the perception of things, for instance, explaining the nature of the world or explaining what is meant by liberation or nirvana .
We have these arguments and debates., sometimes even big fights arise between people who have different ideologies. So this is one thing which occurs in the world now and then. This is why the aggregate of perception is explained separately.
Feeling is also important in the functioning of the world because it is significant in terms of explaining people who do not follow an ideology. All ordinary beings have their differences on the basis of different feelings , because ordinary being have different desires. They have different desires because everyone wants the feeling of pleasure and happiness and does not wish the feeling of unhappiness. In order to aquire the feeling of happiness one will do all sorts of things, hold onto different opinions and as a result one cannot get along with other people, because people differ in their ways of seeking and finding pleasure and happiness. Even in the ordinary sense. Of course, it is even more evident with people having different ideologies. Here it is all a case of searching for the right truth or ultimate happiness. People have different explanations and ideas and that is why they have different ideologies and differ with each other. In order to go after the feeling of pleasure or get happiness even ordinary people have to overcome many obstacles and will make enemies with other people in order to get happiness for themselves and their near and close ones.
So feeling is significant in real life and so is explained as a separate aggregate. In the logic texts, valid cognition or the valid mind is divided into two, the perception or valid perception and valid inferential mind or valid inference. Now this is strictly speaking logic terminology, but again these are also parts of mind which we have to deal with and which we have to face in our daily life. We see things with our eyes and hear things with our ears and these consciousnesses are called valid perception because these perceive things directly, without depending on reasoning or some other medium.
Inferential cognition is the valid mind which arises as a result of reasoning, as a result of logical reasoning. The very common example given in logic texts is knowing of the existence of fire beyond a pass or small mountain by depending on the sighting of smoke. Seeing the smoke, then we just don't guess but can definitely be assured that there is fire behind the mountain. This smoke must be genuine smoke. It must not be a mistaken perception, like mist or fog. In that case then it would not be a valid reasoning, but as long as it is real smoke then there is fire! This kind of understanding becomes valid cognition and is called inferential cognition because it is the result of another reasoning, not a direct thing.
Direct perception or valid cognition, is divided into four, the direct perception of sense organ, the direct valid cognition of sense organ, the direct valid cognition of mind, or self -referential awareness , and the direct valid cognition of meditation or yogic knowledge.
Direct valid cognition of sense organ is eye consciousness and the other sense conscioucnesses, as described earlier. The direct cognition of valid mind is a type of mind which simultaneously sees or hears these objects at the same time. When an eye consciousness sees a visual fom, at the same time, also a certain type of mind which comes under the category of the sixth consciousness arises. This mind consciousness is not eye consciousness, it is the power of mind consciousness which also sees the visual form, but which does not think on it. So it becomes a direct valid cognition. This is believed by even the older Buddhist schools , the Vaibashika as well as the Svatantrika schools, following a saying of the Buddha in a particular sutra that, " A visual form is realised, (or understood), by both eye and mind". When he said mind, that mind refers to one's direct cognition of mind. It is not the mind which thinks upon the visual form later. This is another thing. This is not a valid cognition.
If we explain the process in relation to eye consciousness. First of all , there are three conditions which are necessary.
a) The objective condition of a visual form,
b) Commanding condition of the eye sense organ, and
c)The immediate condition of a consciousness
As a result of the collection of these three factors then eye consciousness arises. When this arises we say that we saw, we have seen the object. In different classical schools what is meant by seeing a thing can vary. When we say that we have seen an object it does not mean that our eye meets with the object. It does not encounter it physically, there is no direct contact with that visual form, but because that visual form, together with the other two conditions, have caused the arousal of this eye consciousness, then we say or we impute that eye consciousness has seen that visual form. Simultaneously, there is also a mind consciousness which sees the thing too. Eye consciousness arises at the same time as the mind consciousness which arises and sees that visual form. After this, that mind consciousness connects what is seen by the eye consciousness with the mind consciousness. The visual form is connected to and then sent to the mind consciousness which has conceptual thought. So after seeing an object then we think that, "Oh, I have seen an object".
This comes later. So whether this comes or not depends on the circumstances of the perception. Sometimes it may not come because we may not realise what we have seen,or we sometimes see things that we don't realise we have seen. Our conceptual mind has not been activated or has not functioned. So whether that mind arises or not depends on these conditions. The eye consciousness which sees the real visual object and the simultaneous mind consciousness which sees the visual form are known as valid cognitions because they have seen the visual form in its true form. So their function is just to see and when that is finished, they become valid cognitions.
The third element is self- referential awareness. This is also one of the direct valid cognitions, one of the four. Now this is quite pervasive because it comes under the heading of direct valid cognition, but every type of mind is within itself a direct self-referential consciousness or awareness, which means that a mind sees or knows itself, is aware of itself. If a mind is not aware of itself, then it has no place of existence. That is the logical reasoning. In other words, you know that there is a cup because you have seen it, a mind has seen it and has thought on it, but we have to prove the existence of the mind which sees it and that mind is not, in turn, seen by a visual form. That mind is not seen by another mind but it is self- referential, self -aware. This type of mind is called self-referential cognition, which is the third direct cognition.
The fourth is the valid cognition of meditation or yogic knowledge, which is the valid cognition which 'noble' beings, or those of high realisations possess. This is the result of meditation and practice, which all practitioners, all people who are in search of truth, must try to obtain. This is what is called the valid cognition of meditation, which comes, or arises as a result of meditation. For instance, take the direct perception of selflessness as an example. Selflessness can be thought upon, can become an object of conceptual thought. While we are practising we can think that there is no self. We can think upon various reasonings and conclude that there is no self and so we can carry on this thinking of no self, but this is just understanding coming from the conceptual mind. But when you have familiarised yourself with it enough and practised enough, then at a certain time, this selflessness becomes direct for you. It will be like seeing a visual form with the eye, so it is a direct understanding and this direct cognition which understands selflessness is called the direct cognition of meditation. So these are the different types of mind as explained in the logic texts. The mind has been explained from different contexts and now I would like to explain how ways of practising relate to the different types of mind, as they exist in the conventional sense.
One may wonder what is the use of understanding all these things ? One may think that even if I know about all these things it will not make any difference. However, as long as you are in search of truth, or you want to know more about mind, or you want to attain ultimate happiness, the highest enlightenment, in order to go higher in the practice we have to, first of all , know certain things. In Buddhism, the three stages of taking the Teachings are explained as learning, ( hearing), then reasoning and then meditation. Or learning, contemplation and meditation. Before meditation comes contemplation. This means thinking about these various things, topics, through analytical mind. Analysing these things. Thinking on these subjects. Before thinking upon these subjects you have to know about them, you have to study, to hear other people who know about them, or you have to know from reading books. So before meditation comes contemplation. Before that,comes learning.
In order to have a good understanding or firm learning,, we have to hear or study. After that when you actually go into practice then,usually, the Buddhist way of practice is to take refuge in the beginning, then we do the practice upon loving kindness, compassion, then we generate what is called Bodhicitta or the mind of enlightenment. These are all different types of mind and mental qualities. All these mental states come under what I explained as the forty six or fifty one mental factors.
For instance, Bodhicitta, or the mind of enlightenment, comes under the mental factor of wishing, the results of one type of mind . It is a particular type of wishing, wishing to attain the state of Buddhahood for the sake of all sentient beings,this is called Bodhicitta. It is this type of mind, so when you know about these different types or divisions of mind, then you will also be able to identify in which category this Bodhicitta falls. This also applies to such things as compassion and loving kindness.
So slowly, you will come to understand through doing practice on this, which means you have to familiarise your self with it, to be able to produce and generate these different types of mental factor again and again. While you are going through these practices, you will, of course encounter many different types of obstacles, internal as well as external. At this time, you have to be ready with the antidotes, the remedies to these obstacles. The main or ultimate antidote for overcoming all types of obstacles , particularly the delusions, is the understanding of selflessness. The direct perception of selflessness, or to put it another way, the understanding of the true nature of emptiness. The understanding of emptiness, means the emptiness of all phenomena, but that begins with the emptiness of self, the non-existence of self.
A direct understanding of the realisation of selflessness will be able to overcome the grasping onto self and when grasping of self is no more then its results, hatred, desire and ignorance, all disappear or will not arise. In this way you will be able to attain the highest realisation after further practises. But that is in the later stages. Before having these direct perceptions of selflessness, understanding emptiness, you may also find it useful to apply more temporary methods.
When hatred or anger arise, you can apply the method of meditating on loving kindness. If you become angry with a certain person, you must realise that you can overcome this anger, but you must apply the remedy. When this thing comes, this kind of thought arises, then you will search for a remedy and the temporary remedy is, to meditate or think upon loving kindness. This means that instead of feeling anger towards that person, feel loving kindness, which will not come immediately but you can think upon the causes and conditions of producing loving kindness.
When you see what you consider wrong with or about the other person, like if he said something wrong about you, something unpleasant, then you become angry. Don't think upon that unpleasing thing which he said, but instead concentrate on the good things he said yesterday, last year, maybe even this morning. Slowly, your anger will decrease and you will be able to feel loving kindness towards him. Think about his problems. Instead of thinking about the unpleasant words he said, you should rather concentrate upon his problems and feel pity for him. In this way compassion arises. When these other mental factors arise, (loving kindness and compassion), then your negative mental factor, which is anger, will decrease. Although it will decrease only temporarily, at least it is a temporary remedy. You can practise in this way. Of course, the final remedy is, as explained, the understanding and realisation of selflessness and emptiness !
So I think with this I will conclude today's talk.
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