Manas - Verse Twenty Two

When the first stage of the bodhisattva path is attained,
the obstacles of knowledge and afflictions are transformed.
At the tenth stage, the yogi transforms the belief in a separate self,
and store consciousness is released from manas.

There are ten stages on the bodhisattva path. They are called bhumis. Bhumi means ground or land. The ten bhumis are Pramudita, Vimala, Prabhakari, Archismati, Sudurjaya, Abhimukhi, Durangama, Achala, Sadhumati and Dharmamegha.

At the first stage on the path (Pramudita bhumi), the bodhisattva takes the bodhisattva vows. The bodhisattva experiences great joy as she lets go of the stress and demands of daily life. She realizes the transformation of obstacles. There are two kinds of obstacles - knowledge and afflictions.

By practicing openness and non-attachment to views, we can transform the obstacles of knowledge. Buddha taught that his teachings are like a raft that helps us cross the river. Once we have reached the other shore, we should abandon the raft. If we cling to our knowledge, they become obstacles.

It is much tougher, however, to transform obstacles of afflictions. These are emotions like anger, hatred, envy, sadness, despair and anxiety. Negative emotions and desires are obstacles and prevent the development of our bodhisattva career.

There are two kinds of attachment to self. One is what we have acquired during this lifetime. The other is what we were born with. When a bodhisattva reaches the eighth stage (Achala bhumi), the innate belief in a separate self vanishes and store consciousness is released. At the tenth stage Buddhahood is confirmed.

The innate belief in a separate self is transformed by practicing the wisdom of interbeing. When the bodhisattva reaches the stage where there is no difference between self and others, the innate belief in a separate self no longer exists.

Seeds are produced and strengthened by formations. Formations are manifestations of seeds. There are three capacities that we must continuously look to develop. The first is the capacity to look at mental formations as only conventional designations. The second is the capacity to see that they have no separate self and the third is the capacity of letting go (of attachments and cravings).

Anyone who wishes to pursue the bodhisattva career may carefully study and practice the fourteen mindfulness trainings. This will help transform obstacles, help maintain focus, strengthen aspiration and expedite development. By practicing openness and non-attachment to views we can transform knowledge obstacles. Similarly, when we practice taking care of anger and dwelling happily in the present moment, we are transforming afflictions.

(Based on the teachings of Thich Nhat Hanh.)

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Manas - Verse Twenty One

As shadow follows form,
manas always follows store.
It is a misguided attempt to survive,
craving for continuation and blind satisfaction.

Sometimes we are hurt by others. Sometimes we feel we are being exploited or taken for granted. Such experiences strengthen the seeds of delusion that guide manas. Manas becomes more protective. Since it does not want the perceiver to experience unpleasant feelings it makes us act in a manner that is selfish.

Sensing that poverty, lack of power, unpopularity etc. are unpleasant feelings it encourages us to adopt ways to acquire wealth, fame, power etc. In the process, we may act in a manner that may hurt others.

Manas follows the perceiver portion of the store consciousness and latches on to every seed that manifests. Due to this reason, we consistently experience anger, hurt, frustration, helplessness etc. Whenever someone criticizes us or takes advantage of our generosity, we become very upset. This is because of manas' blind devotion to what it perceives as an independent self.

The concept of an independent self comes with desires of greater material ownership. Manas, when unaware of the interbeing nature of reality, craves for more wealth, power, fame etc. If we observe carefully we will find that this leads to more unpleasantness than joy. We keep thinking about how we are being treated and what we do not possess.

A deluded manas feels that if we do not act selfishly, we will come to harm. By clinging to the perceiver portion of the store consciousness, manas hopes for continuity and sensual satisfaction.

Such thinking has led to deep rooted habits in us that are difficult to transform. However, with perseverance and diligence, it is possible to truly realize the interbeing nature of reality.

(Based on the teachings of Thich Nhat Hanh.)

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Manas - Verse Twenty

Manas goes with the five universals,
and mati of the five particulars,
and with the four major and eight secondary afflictions.
All are indeterminate and obscured.

There are fifty-one mental formations - five universal, five particular, eleven wholesome, twenty-six unwholesome and four indeterminate. All the eight consciousnesses are endowed with the five universal mental formations - contact, feeling, attention, perception and volition.

The five particular mental formations are - zeal, determination, mindfulness, concentration and understanding. Mati is understanding. In manas' case it is a mati that has gone astray. Instead of perfect understanding, there is delusion.

The four major afflictions are self-ignorance, self-view, self-pride and self-love. Self-ignorance is a belief that what is not our body, feelings, perceptions etc. are not us. Self-view is the wrong view that self is independent and eternal. Self-pride is our belief that we are better than others, more important than others. Self-love is our excessive love for ourselves.

The eight secondary afflictions referred to in this verse are anger, enmity, hypocrisy, affliction, selfishness, deceit and dishonesty.

The eight secondary afflictions arise due to the presence of the four major afflictions. Driven by self-love we want the best material pleasures for ourselves and we may act deceitfully or dishonestly to fulfill such objectives. These four major afflictions arise and are strengthened through an incorrect understanding of reality which is experienced through contact. Due to the presence of incorrect understanding, the feelings arising from contact give rise to wrong perceptions.

When we see how we are not isolated from others, we make better decisions and perform actions that are wholesome. Even when someone seeks our help and we are not able to help, it is still an opportunity to practice mindful communication. We have the wrong perception that we can only help others if we are rich. However, that is not true. Sometimes we can help others by just listening to them. We can practice generosity by offering tea to our guests. A few generations ago, in India, people viewed a guest as an opportunity to practice generosity. They would be very happy to receive guests.

Today a guest may not be very welcome. This is because driven by self-love we have desired so much for ourselves that we are deep in debt. The banks and corporations run our lives. When we become a part of an economy that exploits people, money becomes most important. We spend most of our time in pursuit of material wealth. We too begin to exploit others.

Wrong perceptions develop because we do not dwell in the realm of things-in-themselves. So our actions are driven by wrong intentions and end up watering seeds of suffering. We can avoid this by practicing the five mindfulness trainings which are a result of the understanding of interbeing.

(Based on the teachings of Thich Nhat Hanh.)

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Manas - Verse Nineteen

As the ground of wholesome and unwholesome
of the other six manifesting consciousnesses,
manas continues discriminating.
Its nature is both indeterminate and obscured.

The functioning of manas when clouded by ignorance is such that we consider ourselves most important. We discriminate all the time. This comes very naturally to us. That is why manas is also called the discriminating mind. The sense consciousnesses are influenced by manas.

Even when we marry, we crave for our own individual space and live separate lives. The protagonist in the Indian author Rabindranath Tagore's book, The Last Poem, proposes to his beloved in this manner -  "Your house would be on one bank of the river, my house on the other... I would light a lamp on my rooftop. On the evenings when we were to meet, the light would be red, and on the evenings we couldn't it would be blue.... I wouldn't come to your house without an invitation from you.... You would invite me once a month, on the full moon night.... During the vacations, we would travel for at least two months. But you and I would go to different places. If you went to the mountains, I would go to the sea. So this is my constitution of the duarchy of married life. What do you think?"

We are so preoccupied with ourselves that we give little importance to others. Even on a vacation our mind is elsewhere. It is like we are at two different places. We don't light lamps but message using our cell phones. If it doesn't go as we planned we are willing to part. We always think that we are separate from others. So we harbor this illusion that we must choose what is best for us. However, in reality, we are not separate from others and we cannot be happy unless the people in our life are happy.

The nature of manas is indeterminate so it is possible to transform. This can be done by transforming the seeds in our store consciousness, by transforming our habits.

(Based on the teachings of Thich Nhat Hanh.)

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Manas - Verse Eighteen

The object of manas is the mark of a self
found in the field of representations
at the point where manas
and store consciousness touch.

Imagine a person with his back turned towards you. Manas is like that, with its back turned towards the store consciousness. Its mode of perceiving the store consciousness is not in the realm of things-in-themselves but in the realm of representations.

There are three modes of perceptions. The mode of representations and mere images are erroneous modes of perceptions. Only the mode of things-in-themselves is direct perception without distortions and delusions. This is discussed in verse eight.

The subject (the perceiver), the object (the perceived) and the inherent nature (svabhava) are one. Svabhava is thing-in-itself, literally translates to 'inherent nature'. The manas considers the perceiver to be separate from the perceived, not realizing that the inherent nature of both is emptiness (shunyatā). Like the two sides of the coin and the material the coin is made of. They are not separate from each other.

Unable to see this directly, manas pictures the perceiver portion of the store consciousness as the self.

(Based on the teachings of Thich Nhat Hanh.)

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Manas - Verse Seventeen

With store consciousness as its support,
manas arises.
Its function is mentation,
grasping the seeds it considers to be a "self".

For manas to arise there must be a store consciousness. Manas is the link between store consciousness and the mind consciousness. Manas is the sense base for mind consciousness. The objects of the mind consciousness arise from the manas rather than the external world.

Manas clings to the store consciousness and perceives a portion of the store consciousness as the self.

Everything in the Vijñaptimātra tradition is based on logical reasoning, observations and carefully drawn inferences. So you will often find that new scientific findings on the mind and consciousness match the Vijñaptimātra beliefs.

In the BBC documentary, The Secret You, mathematician Marcus du Sautoy sets out to learn about the consciousness. He participates in various experiments to understand the nature of the mind and consciousness. In the last experiment, in Berlin, it is proven that our 'unconscious' mind makes all our decisions even before we are aware of it.

This 'unconscious' mind is the manas. We don't really need to go through the experiment to understand it. If we carefully observe some of our own activities, we will realize this.

Manas is always active, it discriminates, it perceives a separate self and sees the necessity to protect this self. Mind consciousness receives input from manas. Mind consciousness performs the actions.

A good understanding of these verses will also help us in our meditation practice. We can better observe our mind and understand its functioning.

(Based on the teachings of Thich Nhat Hanh.)

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Manas - Verse Sixteen

Seeds of delusion give rise
to the internal formations of craving and afflictions.
These forces animate our consciousness
as mind and body manifest themselves.

When the conditions are right, in the womb, the store consciousness of the baby-to-be gives rise to the manas, mind consciousness and body. Manas in the presence of ignorance is full of cravings and afflictions. The grasping and resulting craving of the manas is fueled by contact and feelings. With its perception clouded by ignorance, the manas considers the resulting mind-body and sense consciousnesses to be its own, separate from the mother and the baby 'comes to be'.

Ideal result of a healthy pregnancy is a healthy child and mother. If something goes wrong then we should understand that it was not the right time for the baby to manifest. The conditions were not right. We should wait, perhaps in future there will be an opportunity.

The primary activities of the manas are thinking, cognizing, measuring, reasoning, grasping and clinging. It connects the mind consciousness to the store consciousness. A deluded manas results in distorted communication between store consciousness and mind consciousness.

The manas functions all the time, even at night. It defends the self and discriminates all the time. This is mine, that is yours. It makes us selfish.

Contact leads to feelings. If the feeling was pleasant, we may want it again. Feelings may lead to mental formations like anger or hatred. When we repeat activities they become habits. This is a form of energy which remains in the store consciousness - volitional energy. We are driven by this energy. Negative mental formations and resulting bad habits arise due to the manas' nature of clinging and discriminating.

Our intention is to transform manas. When transformed, manas becomes the wisdom of equality.

(Based on the teachings of Thich Nhat Hanh.)

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Store Consciousness - Verse Fifteen

When delusion is overcome, understanding is there,
and store consciousness is no longer subject to afflictions.
Store consciousness becomes Great Mirror Wisdom,
reflecting the cosmos in all directions.
Its name is now Pure Consciousness.

Where do we come from? What happens after we die? While studying this verse we take a look at how we are 'born' and how we 'die'. We know that there is no birth and no death. Nothing can be created nor destroyed. There is transformation, not annihilation. There no self separate from the five aggregates. Not truly realizing this is ignorance.

In samsara everything is conditioned. Conditioned means a result of various causes and conditions. Birth too is a conditioned phenomena. If we are to be born as a human we need a mother, a father, volitional actions and the right conditions.

Since nothing is created or destroyed completely, our form and energy remain even after death. Behind every action, there is an intent, sometimes a habit. This thought or habit is a form of energy and is stored in the store consciousness. When we die, since energy cannot be destroyed, this is released and called volition action or karmic formation. When this is released in the presence of ignorance - the belief that there is a separate self, it leads to rebirth in the conditioned realm.

When a woman conceives, conditions for the physical manifestation of the child is created. The 'volition actions' comes into contact with the seed in the womb leading to the arising of the store consciousness. When store consciousness is present, the mind consciousness and body manifest, leading to the manifestation of the sense consciousnesses. Now the baby can touch, there is contact. Feelings arise. The baby likes or dislikes what comes into contact with her senses. She experiences movement and sound etc. and wants more of these experiences. She grasps on to these experiences. Attracted by light, noticing the possibility that there could more of such experiences 'outside' her home in the womb, the baby begins her attempt to come out into our world - 'coming to be'. This leads to what we call birth.

Birth is followed by aging and death. Energy cannot be destroyed. Energy is released. Unless ignorance is shattered, release of volitional energy creates the cause for rebirth. When conditions are right she will manifest again.

Imagine a chain of eleven pearls - volitional actions, consciousness, mind and body, sense consciousnesses, contact, feelings, coming to be, birth, aging and death - on the string of ignorance. Each one is a link. They are collectively called the twelve links of interdependent co-arising. If you cut off ignorance, these eleven links will fall.

This ignorance is referred to as delusion in this verse. The delusion that we have a separate self. When this delusion is overcome, we are free from the cycle of conditioned existence.

(Based on the teachings of Thich Nhat Hanh.)

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Store Consciousness - Verse Fourteen

Store consciousness is neither the same nor different,

individual nor collective.

Same and different inter-are.

Collective and individual give rise to each other.

Heraclitus of Ephesus noted that we do not step into the same river twice. He was describing the changing nature of all phenomena. According to Heraclitus, change is ever-present in the universe. The water in the river is constantly flowing. The water we see today is not what we saw yesterday. We are not the same person today as we were a few years ago but we are not a different person either.

Reality cannot be classified into extremes like same or different. Store consciousness too is neither same nor different. Our experiences are not only individual or only collective.

Our society brings about changes in us and we bring about changes in society. If slavery did not exist, it would not be possible to abolish slavery. The people who abolished slavery were influenced by a society which practiced it and by abolishing it they were able to bring about a transformation in the society.

The understanding of impermanence and interbeing frees us from such notions as birth and death, coming and going, same and different. If you think of time as past, present and future, then of what duration is the present? If you say it is just an indivisible moment, then objects in that moment must be stationary. What is stationary cannot simultaneously be said to be flowing. Then how can any experience be classified as 'present continuous'?

We can only make statements in the present continuous tense if we include the past and the future. So when we say we are going from Seoul to Kobe we are also simultaneously referring to the past when we began our journey and the future when we will end our journey. In fact, as the present is stationary, there is no 'going' happening in the 'present' at all. So present continuous is merely an attempt to describe the actions of the past and intended actions of the future. It is really an attempt to add continuity to the actions of the past and intended actions of the future. It has no separate existence. In the present there is no 'going'.

Much like that, no phenomena has a separate existence. Present is not different from the past, it is also not the same. Present cannot exist without the past. Same and different are notions dependent on each other.

When we say that something is same or different we are comparing the state of an object with itself or another object over a period of time. Is 'present continuous' same or different from the past tense? Is the ship of Theseus still the ship of Theseus even though all its parts have changed from the time it left the port of origin until the time it reached its destination? Is a person, after an organ transplant, same or different? If you say same, you are wrong. If you say different, you are wrong. If you say both or neither, you don't make sense. You can only say they 'inter-are'.

"Don’t you mind dying, sir?” the consul asked. “Forgive me a little lofty talk,” van Gulik said, “but all movement is illusory. From Seoul to Kobe. From life to death"

Reality is obscured by notions like same and different, birth and death, coming and going etc. The quicker we drop these notions the faster we can touch reality. Reality does not cause suffering, notions cause suffering.

(Based on the teachings of Thich Nhat Hanh.)

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Store Consciousness - Verse Thirteen

Seeds and formations
both have the nature of interbeing and interpenetration.
The one is produced by the all.
The all is dependent on the one.

The Avatamsaka Sutra uses the metaphor of Indrajaal (Indra's net) in order to make it easy for us to understand our nature of existence. The Vijñaptimātrin meaning of shunyatā is interbeing. We exist because everything else exists. Everything else exists because we exist.

In the heaven of Lord Indra, there is a net. It is woven by a cunning artificer in such a manner that there is a jewel at every node and these jewels are illuminated with the reflection of all other jewels.We can see the whole universe in us in much the same manner as we can see all jewels in each jewel in Lord Indra's net.

Without the sun, the solar system would collapse. On the other hand the sun remains where it is because of the gravitational force of all other heavenly bodies. Without the sun, the Earth would not be in its place. Without the Earth, the sun too would not be in its place. That is how everything impacts everything else.

If due to some problems the sunflower crop in Ukraine is destroyed, they will not be able to produce sunflower oil. India imports sunflower oil from Ukraine. If there is no supply, prices of sunflower oil, a very popular cooking oil in India, will rise. So you see, our friend Putin disrupts production of sunflower oil, gifting us rising sunflower oil prices along with war planes and missiles.

Disruption of oil supply from Iraq can lead to higher oil prices, resulting is rising transportation costs and higher prices of commodities that use oil as a raw material. Rising prices of commodities means a higher inflation rate. To counter rising inflation, Reserve Bank of India increases interest rates. With higher interest rates, corporate cost of borrowing increases, profit margins grow thinner, profits reduce. With lower profits, companies either downsize or reduce employee costs and benefits or at the very least employees do not get a good pay hike. So we see rising prices with a stagnant income. Poor oil-drill workers of Iraq and sunflower growers of Ukraine exert so much influence on the global economy.

A few people driven by the lust for power in the Middle East and Russia-Ukraine are responsible for the problems in those regions.

In America, banks use a CMA (comparative market analysis) approach to value homes. In the CMA, the fair value of the home is established by comparing it with similar homes in the neighborhood. So the bank effectively determines how much a property is worth and how much they can extend as a loan to the home buyer. A few years down the line the banks issue high interest rate loans to sub-prime borrowers. This leads to greater demand, rising prices and rising interest rates. Rising interest rates increase corporate borrowing costs. New age Ivy League educated CEOs downsize or ship jobs overseas to reduce costs, so they can earn incentives. Faced with joblessness, borrowers default. Lower demand, means companies who have not shipped jobs overseas too need to downsize. Now, the banks begin to foreclose properties and sell them through websites like HUBZU, who sell properties at a lower than market value. Property prices fall. New CMAs reveal your property is worth less that the outstanding value of your loan. So now even though you can afford to pay the loan, you'd rather have a principal reduction after all your property is losing value due to the bank's irresponsible acts. Perhaps the bank will not entertain your request and a loan servicer may actually use this opportunity to push you towards foreclosure.

A few greedy CEOs wanting to make more money are causing so much trouble to so many people. Due to our poor understanding of reality we pay poor wages to workers and offer tax breaks to American companies who set up shop in tax havens like Luxembourg. If the disparity between CEO and worker wages is reduced, if the rich are made to pay higher taxes, it may be possible to provide interest free education loans and it may be possible for all homeless Americans to have a home.

CEOs with the understanding of interbeing will create happier workplaces which in turn will drive growth through innovation and by adopting customer centric business models. Fair employer, happy employees, satisfied customers, rejoicing shareholders.

Those who seek power and those who seek wealth are doing so due to their wrong view that it will make them happy. It won't. They will pay the price sooner or later.

By understanding how we are related to each other we can prepare conditions for peace and happiness to manifest. We can realize that we cannot be happy when others are unhappy. This realization will help us bring about a transformation in ourselves and our society. If we do not seek power and wealth and sexual pleasures, we will not cause conflict, financial problems, sexual harassment etc.

We are like a jewel in Indra's net - only as bright as all other jewels, only only as beautiful as all other jewels. The brighter the other jewels, the brighter we become. The prettier the other jewels, the prettier we become and vice versa.

(Based on the teachings of Thich Nhat Hanh.)

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Store Consciousness - Verse Twelve

Seeds can produce seeds.
Seeds can produce formations.
Formations can produce seeds.
Formations can produce formations.

The first characteristic of a seed is that it is always changing. It is never static. The second characteristic is that a seed of a mental formation coexists with the mental formation, they serve as cause and effect to each other. The third characteristic is that the seeds form a continuum of fruit and seeds.  The fourth characteristic is that a seed is either wholesome, unwholesome or indeterminate in nature. The fifth characteristic of a seed is that it is always ready to manifest when the conditions are right. The sixth characteristic of a seed is that it always bears fruit. That's the law of retribution.

"We continue as a body, as a series of consciousnesses, because store consciousness has the capacity to hold that for us. What we perform as karma, as action, through our thinking and speaking and acting, will always have retribution, and retribution can be seen in the here and the now. Your body, your feelings, your perceptions are a certain way because you have acted in a way that will bring those results. So that is the fruit, the retribution, of your action. The state of your body, the state of your mind, and the state of your environment are the results of your action.

There are two kinds of retribution. The main retribution is your body and mind, the results of your action in the past. You are your action; you are your karma. You are the way you are because you have performed the karma that has led you to this state of body and mind.

The other aspect of retribution is the environment. The environment is you. It’s you who have created that environment because of your karma, your action. There is collective karma and individual karma. Both you and the environment are the fruit of your action, are your retribution. Store consciousness has the power, the duty, to ripen and to manifest the fruit of your action.

The seeds of store consciousness manifest in body and mind and environment. You have not been created by a god; you are a manifestation from your own action. You have not come from the realm of non-being into the realm of being. You will not go from the realm of being into the realm of non-being. You have not been created; you are only manifested. To manifest in this form, and then to manifest in another form, and then in another form, is like the cloud. Now it is a cloud, later on it will be rain. Later on it will be tea or it will become ice cream. There are many manifestations of the cloud. You are like that cloud, and you can choose a path of transformation that you like, that is beautiful."

This mode of functioning of the store consciousness means we are responsible for our world and our future, our happiness and sufferings. Seeds produce seeds and formations. Formations produce formations and seeds. If someone waters the seed of anger in us, the mental formation, anger manifests. The more the seed is watered, the stronger it will be. Using mindfulness we can transform our habits to prevent unwholesome seeds from gaining strength.

The sufferings of having what we do not want, not having what we want, death and separation arise due to the conditioned nature of samsaric phenomena. Since conditioned phenomena do not manifest until many causes and conditions are available. If we want to be truly happy we must skillfully water the seeds of nirvana - unconditioned phenomena.

(Based on the teachings of Thich Nhat Hanh.)

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Store Consciousness - Verse Eleven

Although impermanent and without a separate self,
store consciousness contains all phenomena in the cosmos,
both conditioned and unconditioned,
in the form of seeds.

The Buddha Siddhartha Gautama received spiritual education from Master Alāra Kālāma of the Sānkhya School and Master Udraka Rāmaputra of the Jain School. In India there are eight spiritual schools - Mimāmsa, Vedant, Sānkhya, Yoga, Nyāya, Cārvāka, Buddhism and Jainism, collectively referred to as Hindu schools based on their historic and geographic coexistence. "Hind" in Arabic means India. However, when categorized on the basis of their acceptance of the Vedas, Cārvāka, Buddhist and Jain schools do not accept the authority of the Vedas.

Each school has its own distinct philosophy and practices but the same intent - of eliminating sufferings. When Siddhartha Gautama was receiving spiritual guidance from Alāra Kālāma, he studied the concept of self. This he later refuted through the teachings of no-self.

Except Cārvāka and Buddhist schools, all other schools believe that there is a separate self, and it is this self that needs to be liberated. It is important to understand the concept of a self to understand the no-self teachings of the Buddha.

According to the schools who propagate the doctrine of self, there is an entity beyond the body and mind which is the subject of all experiences. This entity is separate from the body and mind and is known as the self and referred to as the person (purusa) or the soul (ātmān).  While the body is of the nature of birth and death, the soul is migratory in nature, subject to the laws of retribution and experiences suffering and joy.

According to the Buddha Siddhartha Gautama, there is no self (person/soul) "separate" from the five aggregates - body, feelings, perceptions, mental formations and consciousness. The Buddha does not deny a person's existence but rejects the theory that this person (self) exists separate from her aggregates. To Buddha, the person is the five aggregates. Since the person is the five aggregates, she is subject to change and dependent origination (everything is a result of multiple causes and conditions). These five aggregates are also devoid of a separate self and are dependent on multiple causes and conditions. They inter-are. Similarly, all phenomena are devoid of a separate self, are subject to change and are a result of multiple causes and conditions.

The person, thus, is subject to change and does not have a separate existence beyond its constituent aggregates. From the perspective of time, there is no fixed self and this is the teaching of impermanence. Impermanent, here, means subject to change or transformation. From the perspective of space, there is no separate self and this is the teaching of no-self.

The store consciousness too does not have a separate self and is subject to change. It is the mind-field and seeds. It contains all phenomena - conditioned and unconditioned. Conditioned phenomena require various conditions to manifest. However, unconditioned phenomena do not require anything in order to manifest. Conditioned phenomena are of the nature of birth and death, unconditioned phenomena are not born and do not die.

A deluded mind dwells in samsara and perceives only conditioned phenomena. An enlightened mind (a Buddha) dwells in nirvana and perceives only unconditioned phenomena. The store consciousness contains the seeds of both conditioned and unconditioned phenomena. As we proceed we will learn how to water the seeds of nirvana.

(Based on the teachings of Thich Nhat Hanh.)

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Store Consciousness - Verse Ten

Unobstructed and indeterminate,
store consciousness is continuously flowing and changing.
At the same time, it is endowed
with all five universal mental formations.

The store consciousness is capable of attaining clarity and is not hidden, hence it is referred to as unobstructed. It contains both wholesome and unwholesome seeds and is indeterminate (neither wholesome nor unwholesome) in itself. A farmer may like rainfall, a cricket fan may not. Store consciousness is like the rain, unobstructed and indeterminate in itself.

The store consciousness, like a river, is continuously flowing and changing. It functions even when are asleep and changes like the water in the river.

A mental formation is the manifestation of a seed from the store consciousness. There are fifty-one mental formations - five universal, five particular, eleven wholesome, twenty-six unwholesome and four indeterminate. All the eight consciousnesses are endowed with the five universal mental formations - contact, feeling, attention, perception and volition.

Our ears come into 'contact' with a sound. Consciousness arises. A 'feeling' arises (in this case perhaps not so pleasant). It draws our 'attention'. 'Perception' arises that it is an alarm leading to the 'volition' of we determining it is a weekday and deciding to get out of bed.

The five mental formations are also unobstructed and indeterminate. Our mind consciousness may perceive incorrectly as we constantly dwell in the mode of representations and mere images. The source of information of the store consciousness is always direct perception. No inference. Direct perception is source of information in the mode of things-in-themselves.

A seed of a mental formation and the mental formation co-exist in the store consciousness. The seed produces the effect (mental formation) which also produces a seed. So if we are angry, the seed of anger has manifested but that does not mean we will never be angry again, as anger produces another seed that, unless transformed or remains dormant, upon manifestation will lead to the mental formation anger. While producing the effect the seed also bears fruit. So anger will lead to unpleasantness.

Much like how a mango seed manifests as a mango tree after a period of time when all conditions have been fulfilled, bears mangoes. These mangoes also contain seeds in them.

Since the nature of the store consciousness in itself is indeterminate and changing, it can be transformed. Inducing transformation in the store consciousness is known as transformation at the base. This transformation is brought about by transforming our habits.

(Based on the teachings of Thich Nhat Hanh.)

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Store Consciousness - Verse Nine

All manifestations bear the marks
of both the individual and the collective.
The maturation of the store consciousness functions in the same way
in its participation in the different stages and realms of being.

Since the seeds are both individual and collective in nature. The fruits too are both individual and collective. Building a highway is a collective effort and once built it can be used by many. If we work together to create a happy and peaceful community, everyone in the community can enjoy the tranquility and joy.

It takes some time to build a highway. Similarly, it also takes some time for our actions to bear fruit. Different actions may bear fruit at different times. The result is related to our actions. If we plant a mango tree, it will bear mangoes not bananas. When ripened, the characteristics of the fruit may change. An unripe mango is sour, a ripe mango is sweet.

The seeds in the store consciousness manifest as realms and stages of existence and can be experienced in the three fields of perceptions - things-in-themselves, representations and mere images. There are five stages of existence in the realm of form and four in the formless realm.  From the Verse Three - "Stages of existence within the realms of desires and form are categorized on the basis of similarities and dissimilarities. Dissimilar bodies, dissimilar thoughts is one stage of existence. Imagine living with a tiger in close vicinity. Similar bodies but dissimilar thoughts is another stage. Imagine the Republicans and Democrats arguing over Equal Pay or the Minimum Wage Act. Dissimilar bodies but similar thoughts is another stage of existence. Imagine a child and a dog both always very eager to play. Next is the stage of similar bodies and minds. Imagine the inhabitants of a monastery like Plum Village. In another stage, the beings do not have ideation following perception. Imagine a group of monks practicing walking meditation by a river. Just walking and focusing on their breath, watching the river flow. This is an existence where the mind does not keep grasping the objects of perceptions. These are the fives stages corresponding to the realms of desires and form.

There a four stages of existence in the formless realm. Limitless space, limitless consciousness, no object and no perception or non-perception. With the help of a teacher we may be able to experience these stages through meditation."

Our collective actions, our desires and our habits create the causes and conditions for manifestations. If we desire to draw, then if canvas, paint and brush are available, we can draw.

With the right understanding of the collective nature of manifestations we can transform our negative emotions like pride and anger. When we understand the collective nature of manifestations, we understand that our success is collective. When we are recognized for our academic excellence, we should bring to mind the contribution of our teachers and friends or perhaps the books and internet. When things don't go our way, we must patiently wait for the right conditions. Using the understanding of the individual and collective nature of manifestations we can transform our negative energy.

Our Dharma teacher plays a major role in our spiritual progress. Without our teacher it may be too difficult to make significant progress in one lifetime.

Next time you are angry, bring to mind the collective and individual nature of manifestations. As much as it may appear that the other person is responsible for the adverse experience, we must understand that everything is always individual and collective. Similarly, you are not alone responsible for failure. Right conditions are needed to succeed. So we must patiently work towards preparing the right conditions instead of being unhappy or frustrated. It is easier to get the desired results by looking at things in this manner.

(Based on the teachings of Thich Nhat Hanh.)

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Store Consciousness - Verse Eight

Manifestations from the store consciousness
can be perceived directly in the mode of things-in-themselves,
as representations, or as mere images.
All are included in the eighteen elements of being.

Zhuangzi and Huizi were strolling on a bridge over the River Hao, when the former observed, “See how the minnows dart between the rocks! Such is the happiness of fishes.”
“You not being a fish,” said Huizi, “how did you possibly know what makes fish happy?”
“And you not being I,” said Zhuangzi, “how do you know that I don’t know what makes fish happy?”
“If I, not being you, cannot know what you know,” replied Huizi, “does it not follow from that very fact that you, not being a fish, cannot know what makes fish happy?”
“Let us go back,” said Zhuangzi, “to your original question. When you said “Where did you possibly know that the fish are happy?”, you asked me the question already knowing that I knew. I knew it from up above the Hao."

There are three modes of perceptions - things-in-themselves (suchness), representations and mere images. Zhuangzi is dwelling in the mode of representations while Huizi is playing in the field of mere images. The fishes are things-in-themselves. Both Zhuangzi and Huizi admit to their inability of touching suchness.

According to Zhuangzi, Huizi does not know what he knows because Huizi is not Zhuangzi. I know what I know, what I feel, what I perceive. That is the experience of a thing-in-itself.

Huizi highlights to Zhuangzi that going by the same logic, it wouldn't have been possible for Zhuangzi to know that the fishes are happy as Zhuangzi is not a fish. Zhuangzi speculating that the fishes are happy indicates he is dwelling in the mode of representations. A mode where we have distorted reality.

Huizi is not too sure how the fishes feel but is aware of the fishes and their activity. This mode of perception is the mode of mere images, like a man merely glancing through photographs.

Finally, Zhuangzi playfully gives a different meaning to Huizi's question to avoid admitting defeat. The Chinese expression, 安, pronounced ān in modern Mandarin, not only means “how” in classical Chinese, but “where?”. So replaces the 'how' in Huizi's question with a 'where'.

The mode of representations and mere images are erroneous modes of perceptions. Only the mode of things-in-themselves is direct perception without distortions and delusions. Unfortunately, we play Zhuangzi and Huizi all the time. We either speculate or assume how the other person must be feeling, desiring or have no clue about it.

A Buddha comes from suchness and goes to suchness. She dwells in the mode of things-in-themselves. To perceive things in the mode of things-in-themselves is to touch reality. With guidance from a teacher, we can practice touching reality.

We perceive the world through the six gates - eye, ear, nose, tongue, body and mind. All perceptions are within the eighteen elements of being. The eighteen elements of being are the six consciousnesses (five sense consciousnesses and mind consciousness) and their associate senses and sense objects. For example, sound consciousness, ear and sound are three elements.

The erroneous modes of perceptions arise because we perceive duality. We see others and objects as separate from us. We spend a lot of time worrying about what others think or how they may perceive our actions. We may think how the other person may have been hurt by what we said or we may be too suspicious about other people's intentions. We speculate and assume and create suffering. To end all worries, anxieties, we must work towards ending our illusion of separateness.

(Based on the teachings of Thich Nhat Hanh.) 

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Store Consciousness - Verse Seven

The function of store consciousness
is to receive and maintain
seeds and their habit energies,
so they can manifest in the world, or remain dormant.

Much like how smoking and consuming narcotic substances can become a habit, if we do not deal with the conditions that make negative emotions manifest, they too will begin to manifest habitually. Our environment plays a very important role. Since everything is individual and collective, the people in our world impact our lives. Your world includes everything, the government, the moon, the stars but we are more in contact with certain elements of our world like the workplace, home, school and friends.

Anger and anxiety related to workplace issues have become major concerns today. You may be a great programmer. You work very hard. You are on the verge of producing very good results. In comes an Ivy league graduate who decides to get rid of the programming team and move those jobs to Mumbai and Manila. He does this because when he was at school he learned how outsourcing can reduce cost and improve margins. Higher margins can lead to higher profits despite stagnant sales. So he learns of this short cut to higher incentives and implements it. Instead of increasing sales to increases revenues, he cuts costs. All he is after is more money for himself. Of course, you will be very angry.

You carry this anger home with you. It makes things worse.

The more we come across such things, the more dissatisfied and angry we become. Exploiting labor has become a habit now. People in America are demanding better wages and more employment opportunities.

It is important now, in fact more than ever before, that we pay attention to the conditions that are letting our negative emotions manifest. If you realize that your employer is not practicing meritocracy and transparency, then it is unlikely that you will be happy at the workplace. Your friends may sympathize with you, maybe together you may even protest or participate in demonstrations. They will likely replace one approach with another. One condition for dissatisfaction will be replaced with another condition for dissatisfaction.

The Vijñaptimātra teachings aim to truly break this cycle of discontent. Sufferings related to professional life are the sufferings of not having what we want and having what we do not want. To create conditions so we can get rid of these two sufferings, we must practice the five mindfulness trainings. The five mindfulness trainings create the conditions for us to progress faster towards enlightenment. We will understand the teachings better and faster.

We must carefully look into our consumption and behavioral habits to see if they are making other sentient beings suffer. Are we using products or consuming food that are a result of processes that exploit human, animal and mineral resources? Is your shoemaker using leather that comes from animals or exploiting human resources in China or India? Are you buying from a grocery store which pays its staff poor wages or are you buying your veggies and cereals from the farmer's market?

The habit energies of the seeds are stored in the store consciousness. We must utilize our present lifetime to water seeds of enlightenment. We must carefully study the mindfulness training - true happiness. We must not take from others what is not ours. The cow's skin is not meant for us to use. Her milk is not meant for us, it is meant for the calf. When we do not get what we want, we must bring to mind the sufferings of sentient beings who are having to pay the price of our unmindful consumption habits with their lives.

Since the seeds in our store consciousness are both individual and collective, it is possible for us to be impacted by the suffering and joy that others experience. If you obtain a home loan through Wells Fargo who sell their home loans to the loan servicer, Ocwen, then it is possible that your loan may be sold in future to Ocwen and you may end up a victim of an elaborate foreclosure scheme run by Ocwen and its associate companies who make money by selling foreclosed properties. If you buy a computer or another electronic device from a company looking to cut costs by paying its staff poor wages, it is possible that they may just hang up on you when you call for support.

We should promote businesses who contribute positively to society. Let us support the lemonade stands put up by the children in our neighborhood, the farmer's markets, companies that produce vegan friendly products and pay fair wages to their employees. We must be looking for opportunities to practice generosity.

The rule is really simple - if we exploit others and help those who exploit others, we are promoting exploitation. Then there will be more exploitation around us. Sooner or later we will ourselves be denied of what should rightfully be ours. If we smoke, we are inviting illness.

If we practice the five mindfulness trainings, it will bring about a transformation within us and our world will change. The seeds in the store consciousness do not just manifest as emotions but also as objects - mountains, rivers etc. A happier world will manifest.

When we look deeply into the mindfulness training - true happiness, we see that we become a part of an economic system that exploits us due to our our materialistic requirements and consumption habits. It is a good start if you can practice modest living. The mindfulness training on true happiness asks us to reduce our materialistic dependencies and share what we have with others.

Working for a Wall Street bank or a Silicon Valley enterprise does not bring joy. Practicing the five mindfulness trainings helps transform our habits and waters the seeds associated with good habits, preparing conditions for happiness to manifest.

(Based on the teachings of Thich Nhat Hanh.) 

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Store Consciousness - Verse Six

The quality of our life
depends on the quality
of the seeds
that lie deep in our consciousness.

On one of his visits to North Korea, the photographer Eric Lafforgue, interviewed a 20 year old student from Pyongyang, Miss Kim. Miss. Kim said that she hated Americans, that she believed that the South Koreans would kill her, that Lady Gaga was a man and that Kim Jong Il invented hamburger in 2009. I am sure that most of us do not agree with Miss. Kim.

The seeds of hatred against Americans and South Koreans are very strong in Miss. Kim. Seeds that we water more, will emerge stronger. Since the seeds are collective as well as individual, our environment plays a major part in what seeds we acquire and nourish. Our views, our opinions and what we think of as fact depends on what we consider as valid sources of information.

Miss. Kim's views are influenced by her government, education, family, society, friends, media etc. She considers them to be valid sources of information. Most of us are like her.

Most people consider direct perception, inference and testimony as valid sources of knowledge. If I have seen it, it is valid. If there is smoke, there must be fire. If it is in the Bible or Koran or one of the Vedas or the Tri-Pitaka or the New York Times, it must be right. Based on information thus acquired, an untrained mind consciousness forms opinions and waters seeds of anger, hatred, greed etc.

Vijñaptimātrins understand that all sources of knowledge can be correct or incorrect in particular conditions and contexts. All views can only be right from certain perspectives. So we must let go of our views.

Certain conditions make our eyes see water in a desert even when there is none. We call it a mirage. When we focus our attention on a moving wheel for some time, then take our eyes off it, we may see things in motion for few moments even when they are stationary. There are other examples too that Vijñaptimātrins offer, like the appearance of a rope as a snake, to prove that direct perception can be incorrect.

Inference is analytical and we are applying our knowledge to direct perception. This can only always be right if we know everything. Since we don't know everything, this cannot always be right. The inference that we will burn our finger if we put it in a flame only holds good until we come across a cold flame.

Testimony cannot be relied upon either. We can see for ourselves that the prejudice against women in many religious texts is incorrect. We have understood this through experience. We must also understand that words do not truly convey the meaning of new experiences. Try explaining what a computer is to someone who has never seen one. Then ask him to explain what he has understood to another and you may be surprised. Try playing Chinese Whispers to see for yourself how impossible it is to exactly recall even a few sentences, let alone volumes of texts.

When Buddha Siddhartha Gautama was going around Uttar Pradesh and Bihar, offering teachings to the masses, there were other teachers too doing the same. So people asked him how they could determine which teachings were right for them. He encouraged people to make their own decisions and there is sutra on that. The ultimate meaning from the Mahāyāna perspective is that if the teachings are watering the seeds of love, compassion, joy and equanimity in the world then they are good for us.

We need to water the seeds of love, compassion, joy and equanimity. We can do this by practicing the five mindfulness trainings. By practicing mindful consumption we can improve our physical as well as mental health. We practice true happiness because we realize that we cannot be happy if others suffer. We must apply these trainings to our daily activities. Then we will water the right seeds and our life will be much better.

(Basedon the teachings of Thich Nhat Hanh.) 

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Store Consciousness - Verse Five

Whether transmitted by family, friends,
society or education,
all our seeds are, by nature,
both individual and collective.

According to the teachings of the Prajñapāramita sutras, there is no individual or phenomena that exists by itself, then how can our seeds or actions be individual? They are both individual and collective. If we teach our children to be destructive, we too are responsible for their actions.

Killing is a crime but our soldiers fight terrorists to protect us. Same action-karma performed under differing conditions can produce different karmic results. This is so because the result is always determined with respect to both, the intent and the collective impact of the action. The intent may be to feed the poor but if the impact on another sentient being is that it is being killed to produce that food then the result may not be as positive as we expect.

Our education, society, family and friends are also responsible for what we are, so they benefit when we do the right things like practicing the five mindfulness trainings and they pay the price when we do the wrong things like engage in acts of violence.

Stock prices depend on collective behavior. Someone may buy the shares of a company X in good faith after thorough analysis but some insurgency in Iraq may lead to a stock market crash and he may lose money. The analysis that he carried out too was based on methods he learned from others. He may feel that it is unfair that he loses money despite doing everything right.

When an individual in the USA applies for a home loan, he needs to provide information and documents about himself and the property so the lender can complete underwriting activities. The lender will check if the individual fulfills the income requirement among other criteria and will get an an appraiser to value the property. The lender may then advance a part of the appraised value of the home as a loan to the applicant. The individual may feel very upset when the home value crashes, he loses income due to recessionary economic conditions and his loan modification request is denied. He may be even more upset if the loan is foreclosed upon.

All schools of Mahāyāna Buddhism understand this collective nature of our experiences. Our happiness is the result of collective effort. Without a teacher we may not be proficient in what we learn. Without someone taking care of us as a child, we may not survive. A human baby only cries when he needs something. He cannot walk or crawl to get something to feed himself until after many weeks of birth.

However, we too are responsible in part for our joys and misfortunes. While we may not become enlightened without a teacher, our own efforts too are important. If we do not create awareness about the five mindfulness trainings the we may someday end up a victim of the predatory economic system.

People who help lenders foreclose homes, work for companies that makes guns or non-vegan products may think that they are only doing their job but if that was the case then Buddha would not have taught right livelihood.

It is always both individual and collective, every seed, every action, every result, a collective effort. From this the Mahāyānist understands that she cannot be happy until others are happy. So she works towards the enlightenment of all sentient beings.

We may know the intent but not the impact of our actions. We may gift someone a book but that person may become very unhappy after reading it. We may only be using a cosmetic but we may not know the torture a rabbit might have had to undergo while the cosmetic was being tested on the rabbit.

Developing the right understanding of the nature of reality is necessary to be free from suffering. Emptiness is understood as 'interbeing' by Vijñaptimātrins. It is for this reason that we learn, practice and promote the five mindfulness trainings, so we perform actions that produce good results for everyone.

(Basedon the teachings of Thich Nhat Hanh.) 

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Store Consciousness - Verse Four

Some seeds are innate,
handed down by our ancestors.
Some were sown while we were still in the womb,
others were sown when we were children.

Many characteristics are passed on from parents to children like physical features, habits etc. We receive seeds from our ancestors in our store consciousness. These will manifest when the conditions are right. We pass on these seeds to our children.

Some seeds that we have inherited from our ancestors may not manifest in this generation but may manifest in future generations. When we look into the history books we can see that some kings of a particular dynasty displayed better administrative acumen than other kings of the same dynasty.

Even when we are in the womb, our mind receives impressions. When the mother suffers, so does the child. If the mother practices the five mindfulness trainings, it will have a great impact on the baby.

When we are children, it is very important that we nourish the seeds of enlightenment within us by practicing the five mindfulness trainings. Instead, we end up doing just the opposite.

In India, parents tend to appreciate academic performance more than necessary. They somehow link knowledge and abilities with grades and marks obtained in exams. This can lead to many negative habits like children eager to copy in exams, learning to make excuses etc. Not getting an A in Economics will likely not have much impact in our development as a Bodhisattva but learning to copy, to cheat, to lie, sets us back. Children learn to lie when they realize that they might be scolded or subject to physical punishment.

With great proficiency in cheating and lying we may become good businessmen but that will not free us from the sufferings of birth and separation, suffering of not having what we want and suffering of having what we do not want.

If we teach our children the five mindfulness trainings, they will have a greater chance of finding peace and joy. We need to be skilled as parents to explain things. A child may tear a butterfly's wings. We must explain to them that if we tear a butterfly's wings then she will not be able to go back home to her parents. The child will understand that it is not a good thing to do. If we educate our children on mindful consumption then they will not eat non-vegetarian food, they will not smoke and drink. By teaching them pebble meditations, we can help them deal with challenges.

We have the practice of pebble meditation to cultivate the four qualities of happiness. The first is freshness – fresh as a flower. The second is stability – solid as a mountain. The third is peace/tranquility – still water. And the fourth is freedom – space.

We have great impact on children and we shape our future generations. By being mindful we can help them and we can also connect with our ancestors.

The Vijñaptimātra teachings don't just lead us to enlightenment but also help us become better parents, teachers, students, friends, citizens etc. while we progress on the path. Enlightenment is not separate from our daily life. Vijñaptimātra teachings do not ask us to leave our families but in fact bring us closer to our families and ancestors.

Pebble Meditation-From A Pebble for Your Pocket by Thich Nhat Hanh

1) One Pebble

A Pebble for Your Pocket

Sometimes when we become angry during the day, it is difficult to remember to stop and breathe. I know a good way for you to remember to stop and breathe when you are angry or upset. First go for a walk and find a pebble that you like. Then, go sit near the Buddha, if there is one in your house, or outside under a special tree or on a special rock, or go to your room. With the pebble in your hand, say:

Dear Buddha,

Here is my pebble. I am going to practice with it when things go wrong in my day. Whenever I am angry or upset, I will take the pebble in my hand and breathe deeply. I will do this until I calm down.

Now put your pebble in your pocket and take it with you wherever you go. When something happens during the day that makes you unhappy, put your hand in your pocket, take hold of the pebble, breathe deeply, and say to yourself, “Breathing in, I know I am angry. Breathing out, I am taking good care of my anger.” Do this until you feel a lot better and can smile to your anger. 

2) Four Pebbles

Place the four pebbles in front of you…

Pick up the first

I am fresh as a flower,

In, fresh,

Out flower (bell)

Put down the first, pick up the second

I am solid as a mountain

In solid, out mountain (bell)

Put down second, pick up the third

I am water reflecting

In water, out reflecting (bell)

I am free as the moon in space

In free, out space

3) Five Pebbles (excerpt from a dharma talk by Thay)

After you are sitting in the stable, beautiful position, then take out your little bag of five pebbles. It is very important to do it slowly, mindfully. You take each pebble one by one, just in front of your left knee. One, two, three, four, five. And you put the little empty bag next to them.

After you hear the sound of the bell, you begin to practice pebble meditation. It’s very beautiful practice. I love this practice. I breathe in, and I call the name of the person I love. If your mother is a person you love, 

When you breathe in, you breathe deeply and call “Mommy!” Call her name in such a way that she becomes totally present, even if she is not there with you, even if she is in the kitchen, or in another city, or another town,

 Or even if she is no longer there alive. She is with you in that moment. Call her name, deeply, with all your heart, and breathe in, and she is there with you, right away, very real, very deep. And when you breathe out, you say, “Here I am.”

So during that practice of breathing in and breathing out, you and your mother are fully present. This is a very deep practice. It is not only for children. I practice it every day. I enjoy it very much, and I have more than five people I love the most. I am free to choose—this morning I will choose five people, and next morning I will choose another five people. That can bring you a lot of happiness. Suppose you hold the name of someone who is very real, very fresh, very loving, very kind, and if you call his name, or her name, deeply. That person will be with you right in the moment and you can see that your body and your mind are refreshed by the presence of that person.

It is a very deep practice. Because meditation is to be there, to be present, and this we learn always. No matter how long you have practiced Buddhist meditation, you have to learn it again and again. To meditate means to be there, to be there with one hundred percent of yourself. Because the more I am present, the happier I become, the more solid I become. This is only for my happiness, my stability; not for someone else’s.

You call the name of your mother five times, breathing in, and you say five times, breathing out, “here I am.” And after you finished five breathing in, breathing out, calling the name of your mother, and then you use your two fingers, you pick up one pebble, and you move it to your right. And then you sit upright again,

 And you begin to breathe in again. and call the name of the second person. Suppose you love David. David is very sweet to you. David is a person who tends to be wonderful, compassionate, helpful. So you breathe in and you call “David!” And when he is fully present, you just break out and smile, and you say, “Here I am.” It is very wonderful. I think even during the first hour of practice, the first time you practice. You find joy and happiness already. I believe it.

(Based on the teachings of Thich Nhat Hanh.)

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Store Consciousness - Verse Three

Seeds that manifest as body and mind,
as realms of beings, stages and worlds,
are all stored in our consciousness.
That is why it is called "store".

Nothing can be created nor destroyed. When conditions are right things manifest. How the body and mind manifest depends on the seeds and the quality of seeds in our store consciousness. With our actions we sow the seeds as well as prepare conditions for manifestation of seeds. Seeds manifest as resulting experiences when the conditions are available.

There are three realms of existence - realms of desire, form and no-form.  The realm of desire is the realm where we seek pleasures. We are always desiring and are never satisfied. There are always unfulfilled desires. In the realm of form we have bodies but lesser desires. In the formless realm, there are no bodies, but the mind energy exists.

Within these three realms are nine stages of existence. Our world is a manifestation of the consciousnesses of the beings in it. Imagine an apartment shared by a group of young men and another occupied by a group of Buddhist nuns. Each member brings his "stuff". Now consider these apartments as worlds in themselves. The atmosphere and the objects in each world would depend on the kind of people occupying the world. You can imagine the differences.

Stages of existence within the realms of desires and form are categorized on the basis of similarities and dissimilarities. Dissimilar bodies, dissimilar thoughts is one stage of existence. Imagine living with a tiger in close vicinity. Similar bodies but dissimilar thoughts is another stage. Imagine the Republicans and Democrats arguing over Equal Pay or the Minimum Wage Act. Dissimilar bodies but similar thoughts is another stage of existence. Imagine a child and a dog both always very eager to play. Next is the stage of similar bodies and minds. Imagine the inhabitants of a monastery like Plum Village. In another stage, the beings do not have ideation following perception. Imagine a group of monks practicing walking meditation by a river. Just walking and focusing on their breath, watching the river flow. This is an existence where the mind does not keep grasping the objects of perceptions. These are the fives stages corresponding to the realms of desires and form.

There a four stages of existence in the formless realm. Limitless space, limitless consciousness, no object and no perception or non-perception. With the help of a teacher we may be able to experience these stages through meditation.

There two worlds of existence - the world of sentient beings and the instrumental world like that of mountains and rivers.

The seeds that manifest as our body and mind, the realms and the world we experience are all stored in the store consciousness. So it is indeed very important that we as a society collectively water the right seeds. If we water the seeds of Buddhahood in us by practicing the five mindfulness trainings, we will be happier. If we water the seeds of discord, violence etc. we will suffer.

(Based on the teachings of Thich Nhat Hanh.)

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Store Consciousness - Verse Two

In us are infinite varieties of seeds--
seeds of samsara, nirvana, delusion, enlightenment,
seeds of suffering and happiness
seeds of perceptions, names and words.

In the store consciousness are infinite varieties of seeds. Some will transform into plants that bear fruits of joy, some will transform into plants that will bear bitter fruits. For example, if we do not practice mindful consumption, we will end up suffering from ailments.

The Buddha-nature is within us. We can practice the five mindfulness trainings to water the seed of enlightenment. Or, we can use our time and energy to chase material objectives. Our actions water the seeds in the store consciousness. They nurture the resulting sapling into a thriving tree laden with fruits. If the seed we watered was that of the nature of anger, we may not enjoy its fruit.

Also stored are the seeds of perceptions. Our perceptions are not reality. They are just perceptions. When we fall in love, we cling to one aspect of that person. We see her as a lover and only see this aspect. We do not seem to understand that she also may want to have a career or play the role of a sister or a mother. Or, perhaps she wants to work towards enlightenment. Our perception of our loved ones may be only one aspect of reality but when we think of her, this erroneous perception arises from the store consciousness because that is what we stored there. Perhaps because of the books we read, perhaps because of what we saw in movies, perhaps because of what our friends told us or perhaps because of our experiences.

In a very popular Bollywood movie, the lead actor asks the actress, "How will I identify my soulmate? Will she be carrying a sign saying 'I am the one'?". In samsara, we are caught in signs. We recognize a person by her voice, her appearance etc. When someone calls out her name, then this image arises. We recognize our mother, father etc. in this manner. If Buddha walked by, we would not know. If this "soulmate" walked by, we would not know. We would be looking for signs. Looking for Buddha at religious sites. Looking for soulmate, perhaps, at pubs and bars and restaurants.

There are three pairs of signs of phenomena. The first pair - universal and particular. All citizens of India are also called Indians. This is their universal sign. Each citizen has a name. This is his particular sign. The second pair - unity and diversity. Irrespective of which part of India an Indian citizen resides in, he can own an Indian passport. However, depending on where he is born or where he lives he may speak a different language or enjoy a different cuisine compared to other Indians. The third pair of signs - formation and disintegration. We classify based on our perception of birth and death, creation and destruction, coming together and breaking apart etc. We associate age with people and objects, 'like old man' or 'old house'. All signs that we use to recognize people and objects can be classified into one or the other of these categories.

Names and words are stored in our store consciousness along with the signs that we associate with them. So when someone says 'red ball', we all identify the same ball. However, it is not necessary that each one's actual perception of the shade 'red' is the same. To identify objects of the same color is not the same as identifying the same color. For all we know someone is seeing what we perceive as blue wherever we see red but is identifying it as red because that is the name associated with that color in his store consciousness.

We use words to communicate. We can see misunderstandings happening quite often because the perceptions that we have associated with the word or expression may be different. To a Buddha, love is free from conditions and expectations but when we love someone we expect to go on dates and holidays. When that does not happen, we suffer.

For example, we create an image of a 'girlfriend' based on our experiences. Maybe this person's girlfriend is very intimate with him, when she is with him. So he begins to see her as an 'intimate person' and when she is trying to be a 'realtor' or a 'professor' or a 'friend' to someone, then he thinks that perhaps she is being the 'intimate person' with her coworker or her friend. He suffers and makes her suffer.

Using our perceptions, names and words we create a world of our own, which is far from reality. Most of the time we experience sufferings due to our perceptions.

In order to be free from suffering we must walk through the doors of emptiness, signlessness and aimlessness. When we want to practice signlessness, we have to see the universal in the particular, the particular in the universal. Unity in diversity and diversity in unity. Disintegration in formation and formation in disintegration. It is easier to do this with the help of a teacher. Looking deeply we can also see emptiness and impermanence.

(Based on the teachings of Thich Nhat Hanh.)

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