Monday, September 26, 2011

Consciousness depends


According to the Buddha, it is through the five aggregates that consciousness exists. Consciousness depends on matter, sensation, perception and mental formations, and it cannot exist independently from them.

The five aggregates are all impermanent and ever changing, likewise, consciousness, or what we consider our 'self' is impermanent and never the same for two consecutive moments.

The Buddha explained;

"Consciousness is named according to whatever condition through which it arises: on account of the eye and visible forms arises a consciousness, and it is called visual consciousness; on account of ear and sounds arises a consciousness, and it is called auditory consciousness; on account of nose and odour arises a consciousness, and it is called olfactory consciousness; on account of tongue and tastes arises a consciousness, and it is called gustatory consciousness; on account of body and tangible objects arises a consciousness, and it is called tactile consciousness; on account of the mind and mind-objects (ideas and thoughts) arises a consciousness, and it is called mental consciousness."


"It is just like a mountain river, flowing far and swift, taking everything with it; there is no moment, no instant, no second when it stops flowing, but it goes on flowing and continuing. So is human life, like a mountain river."

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