Sense Consciousnesses - Verse Thirty

They arise with the,
universal, particular, and wholesome,
the basic and secondary unwholesome,
and the indeterminate mental formations.

Mental formations are mental states. They lead to actions. They are also a result of manifestation of seeds from the store consciousness. So mental formations produce seeds as well as mental formations. For example, we may act rashly when we are angry. Contact may lead to anger.

Since our quality of life largely depends on our state of mind and the quality of seeds in the store consciousness, it is very important to study the mental formations. Buddha listed out all the mental formations so monks could identify them.

Monks practice to identify and note the mental formations arising in their minds. When we become mindful about this, we can identify the wholesome and unwholesome formations. We can then practice living in a manner that prevents unwholesome formations from arising.

This meditation also does not require us to be seated in any particular posture. We can carry on with our normal activities. We just need to cultivate the mindfulness to watch the formations arising in our mind. If, for example, you find that anger arises in your mind, you can make a mental note of it. Remind yourself not to speak when you are angry. Then when you have time in the evening, you can think why you were angry and how you can avoid such situations in future.

There are fifty-one mental formations - five universal, five particular, eleven wholesome, twenty-six unwholesome and four indeterminate.

The five universal mental formations are contact, feeling, attention, perception and volition.

The five particular mental formations are zeal, determination, mindfulness, concentration and understanding.

There are eleven wholesome mental formations - faith, remorse, humility, absence of craving, lack of aversion, absence of ignorance and misunderstanding, energy, ease, carefulness, equanimity (non discrimination) and nonviolence (non-harming).

The twenty six unwholesome mental formations are greed (craving/attachment), aversion (hatred), pride (arrogance), ignorance (delusion), wrong views, doubt (suspicion), anger (irritation), enmity (resentment), hypocrisy, maliciousness (spite), envy (jealousy), selfishness, deceitfulness, guile, intoxication with self (mischievous exuberance), desire to harm, lack of remorse, lack of humility, mental fogginess, agitation, lack of faith (lack of confidence), indolence, carelessness (negligence), forgetfulness, distractedness (preoccupation) and lack of recognition (lack of discernment of how things are).

Of these, greed (craving/attachment), aversion (hatred) and ignorance are the three primary unwholesome mental formations. The circle of life drawings have a pig (symbolizing ignorance), snake (symbolizing aversion/hatred) and a bird (symbolizing greed/attachment/craving) at the center (hub). From ignorance of the nature of reality (interbeing) arises a sense of separate self and others. This leads to aversion and attachment. The three of them lead to other unwholesome mental formations which lead to negative actions. These then lead us in a particular direction and we experience a life in accordance with our choices. If we give up samsaric desires, choose to live simply and practice the dharma, we may end up living happily at Plum Village or in the mountains. If we chase samsaric desires, we will need more money and we will end up leading a stressful life to fulfill those desires. If we are driven by hatred, we will frequently experience anger. Driven by greed we are unable to experience contentment.

Looking deeply we can see that by learning to see the interbeing nature of reality, we can free ourselves from all unwholesome mental formations. We can see clearly that a belief in separate self is necessary for all unwholesome mental formations to arise.

Four indeterminate mental formations are - regret, torpor (sleepiness), initial thought and sustained thought (investigation).

When we practice perceiving in the field of things-in-themselves, only the five universal mental formations arise.

(Based on the teachings of Thich Nhat Hanh.)

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Sense Consciousnesses - Verse Twenty Nine

Their field of perception is things-in-themselves.
Their mode of perception is direct.
Their nature can be wholesome, unwholesome, or neutral.
They operate on the sense organs and the sensation center of the brain.

There are three fields 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.

Sense consciousnesses perceive in the field of things-in-themselves. They do not speculate or compare. When we look at a flower and do not compare or think about past experiences, we are in the field of things-in-themselves.

Perceptions in the field of things-in-themselves are wholesome in nature, however, when sense organs are not functioning properly they may be unwholesome or neutral.

We must practice perceiving in the field of things in themselves. We only create stress when the mind consciousness brings memories, emotions and notions into play.

Gross sense bases are the physical organs and subtle sense bases are the nerves associated with that organ. The subtle sense bases are also part of the organ bases where the sense consciousnesses operate.

Monks practice looking at objects without trying to think about them. They try to experience the world 'without the mind'. When we practice this meditation, the mind is free from anxiety. We don't need to close our eyes or sit in a meditation posture. We can carry on whatever we are doing, just being mindful that we do not bring memories, emotions and our preconceived notions into action. Many people develop fears due to past experiences. Many customer service reps and shop assistants do not want to deal with certain customers due to past experiences. Someone being rude is not our mistake but when our emotions get involved, then we experience discomfort. With a little bit of practice we can get through the difficult moments of our day without experiencing stress.

The more the time spent without stress and anxieties, the better it is. When we can do this successfully, we can show others how to do it. Then not only will we be relaxed and calm but the people around us too will be relaxed.

(Based on the teachings of Thich Nhat Hanh.)

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Sense Consciousnesses - Verse Twenty Eight

Based on mind consciousness,
the five sense consciousnesses,
separately or together with mind consciousness,
manifest like waves on water.

The five sense consciousnesses arise with the five sense organs - eye, ear, nose, tongue and body as their base. Their objects are sight, sound, smell, taste and tactile objects. They manifest like waves upon water. The mind consciousness is like water.

They function together with the mind consciousness or separately. When we look at a flower and recognize it as a flower, the eye consciousness and the mind consciousness are working together. When we are looking at a flower but the mind is elsewhere, they are functioning separately.

Similarly the sense consciousnesses may function together or independently. For example, the eye and ear consciousnesses work together when we are watching television.

At times we may be so engrossed in an activity like watching a game or an interesting show on TV that we may not notice someone playing with our hair or writing something on our back.

When working without the mind consciousness, the sense consciousnesses can touch ultimate reality. Monks practice certain types of  meditation to experience this for themselves.

Dzogchen practitioners try to catch the moment just after a thought has subsided to experience how a mind without thoughts, with all the sense consciousnesses touching suchness feels like. They believe that between the moment a thought has subsided and the moment a new thought arises, there is a moment where we touch suchness. We touch reality.

(Based on the teachings of Thich Nhat Hanh.)

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Men cannot be happy if women are unhappy

To curb discrimination, we must train our minds in the wisdom of interbeing. Women and men are not separate from each other. Men cannot be happy if women are unhappy. There is no greater or lesser between the two. If you truly want all women and men to be happy then teach yourself and your children, the five mindfulness trainings and begin practicing them.

First Mindfulness Training - Reverence for Life

Aware of the suffering caused by the destruction of life, I am committed to cultivating the insight of interbeing and compassion and learning ways to protect the lives of people, animals, plants, and minerals. I am determined not to kill, not to let others kill, and not to support any act of killing in the world, in my thinking, or in my way of life. Seeing that harmful actions arise from anger, fear, greed, and intolerance, which in turn come from dualistic and discriminative thinking, I will cultivate openness, non-discrimination, and non-attachment to views in order to transform violence, fanaticism, and dogmatism in myself and in the world.

(When we practice the first mindfulness training we make sure that we never physically hurt a woman. This ends all forms of violence like domestic violence against women.)

Second Mindfulness Training - True Happiness

Aware of the suffering caused by exploitation, social injustice, stealing, and oppression, I am committed to practicing generosity in my thinking, speaking, and acting. I am determined not to steal and not to possess anything that should belong to others; and I will share my time, energy, and material resources with those who are in need. I will practice looking deeply to see that the happiness and suffering of others are not separate from my own happiness and suffering; that true happiness is not possible without understanding and compassion; and that running after wealth, fame, power and sensual pleasures can bring much suffering and despair. I am aware that happiness depends on my mental attitude and not on external conditions, and that I can live happily in the present moment simply by remembering that I already have more than enough conditions to be happy. I am committed to practicing Right Livelihood so that I can help reduce the suffering of living beings on Earth.

(By practicing the second mindfulness training we ensure that we do not exploit women's interests. We will respect their choices and their rights. This will ensure that they get equal educational, employment, business, spiritual/religious and political opportunities and rewards. This will end discriminatory wages, workplace discrimination, forced marriages, killing of the girl child etc. The practice of true happiness creates a world of opportunitues and resources.)

Third Mindfulness Training - True Love

Aware of the suffering caused by sexual misconduct, I am committed to cultivating responsibility and learning ways to protect the safety and integrity of individuals, couples, families, and society. Knowing that sexual desire is not love, and that sexual activity motivated by craving always harms myself as well as others, I am determined not to engage in sexual relations without true love and a deep, long-term commitment made known to my family and friends. I will do everything in my power to protect children from sexual abuse and to prevent couples and families from being broken by sexual misconduct. Seeing that body and mind are one, I am committed to learning appropriate ways to take care of my sexual energy and cultivating loving kindness, compassion, joy and inclusiveness – which are the four basic elements of true love – for my greater happiness and the greater happiness of others. Practicing true love, we know that we will continue beautifully into the future.

(By practicing the third mindfulness training we ensure that women do not end up being victims of sexual exploitation. We ensure that we pay attention to their emotional needs and treat them with love. This will end rapes and sexual harassment. This will promote trust and fidelity.)

Fourth Mindfulness Training - Mindful Communication

Aware of the suffering caused by unmindful speech and the inability to listen to others, I am committed to cultivating loving speech and compassionate listening in order to relieve suffering and to promote reconciliation and peace in myself and among other people, ethnic and religious groups, and nations. Knowing that words can create happiness or suffering, I am committed to speaking truthfully using words that inspire confidence, joy, and hope. When anger is manifesting in me, I am determined not to speak. I will practice mindful breathing and walking in order to recognize and to look deeply into my anger. I know that the roots of anger can be found in my wrong perceptions and lack of understanding of the suffering in myself and in the other person. I will speak and listen in a way that can help myself and the other person to transform suffering and see the way out of difficult situations. I am determined not to spread news that I do not know to be certain and not to utter words that can cause division or discord. I will practice Right Diligence to nourish my capacity for understanding, love, joy, and inclusiveness, and gradually transform anger, violence, and fear that lie deep in my consciousness.

(By practicing the fourth mindfulness training we ensure that we use our communication skills to bring joy to women. We practice inclusive and honest speech. We practice deep listening to become aware of the sufferings of women in Afghanistan, Iraq, India, America, Europe... They suffer for different reasons. We listen deeply and communicate in a manner that heals. We talk resolution instead of defending discriminatory practices.)

Fifth Mindfulness Training - Mindful Consumption

Aware of the suffering caused by unmindful consumption, I am committed to cultivating good health, both physical and mental, for myself, my family, and my society by practicing mindful eating, drinking, and consuming. I will practice looking deeply into how I consume the Four Kinds of Nutriments, namely edible foods, sense impressions, volition, and consciousness. I am determined not to gamble, or to use alcohol, drugs, or any other products which contain toxins, such as certain websites, electronic games, TV programs, films, magazines, books, and conversations. I will practice coming back to the present moment to be in touch with the refreshing, healing and nourishing elements in me and around me, not letting regrets and sorrow drag me back into the past nor letting anxieties, fear, or craving pull me out of the present moment. I am determined not to try to cover up loneliness, anxiety, or other suffering by losing myself in consumption. I will contemplate interbeing and consume in a way that preserves peace, joy, and well-being in my body and consciousness, and in the collective body and consciousness of my family, my society and the Earth.

(By practicing the fifth mindfulness training we make sure that women have access to healthy food and healthcare. We make sure that their special dietary and sanitary needs, particularly during childbirth are met. We make sure that we do not let audiovisual ingredients like movies, magazines and websires create a wrong perception of women in our minds. By consuming mindfully we create better physical and mental being.)

#ThichNhatHanh #Vijñaptimātra #Interbeing

Mind Consciousness - Verse Twenty Seven

Mind consciousness operates in five ways -
in cooperation with the five sense consciousnesses
and independent of them,
dispersed, concentrated, or unstably.

Mind consciousness works in five ways. One way is in cooperation with the five senses. When we look at a flower and recognize it as a flower, the mind is working in cooperation with the eye consciousness.

When we look at a flower but the mind is preoccupied with other thoughts and does not recognize the flower, it is working independently of the sense (eye) consciousness. That is the second way the mind consciousness functions.

Dispersion is the third way the mind consciousness functions. Unable to stop thinking, it moves from one thought to another. This happens very often. We can observe this very clearly when we look at little children studying. They frequently look out the window or engage in other activity, losing focus. Then you have to remind them to look into their book.

Mind consciousness is also capable of concentration. The practice of samatha meditation is to calm the mind and bring the focus on to one object like our breath. In order to practice samatha meditation, we can sit in the seven-point Vairochana posture, Maitreya posture or any comfortable position with the back straight. Then bring our attention to our breath. Breathing in we become aware that we are breathing in. Breathing out we are aware that we are breathing out. Typically, in Burma, monks focus on the rising and falling of the abdomen. In Tibet, monks focus on the area just below the nostrils. In Thailand, it is common for monks to simultaneously chant Budh-dho in the mind. Budh with the in-breath, dho with the out-breath. The idea is to bring the mind's attention to an object and not lose focus of the object. The object can be the breath, the abdomen, a mantra, an image, it can be anything. Try different things and see what works for you. A mantra can be helpful. Here is a mantra for you-
"Breathing in I am aware that I am breathing in.
Breathing out I am aware that I am breathing out."

When due to some reasons the mind consciousness is unable to function normally, it is said to be unstable. This is when we are mentally ill.

If you find it difficult to concentrate and are frequently distracted and lose focus, you should practice samatha meditation. Just focus on one object of consciousness like a sound, an image, a feeling, your breath or the rising and falling of your abdomen, twice in a day (twenty minutes each session). You may not be able to focus for twenty minutes but you can at least try to sit for twenty minutes.

According to Mahāmudrā teachings, the restlessness and the dullness of the mind are the challenges a monk needs to overcome in the practice of samatha meditation. This happens in nine stages and is illustrated through nine paintings featuring a monk, a monkey (restlessness) and an elephant (dullness).

According to the Dzogchen teachings, we must practice letting the mind to 'just be'. Dzogchen teachers want their students to let go of all objects (including the breath) and just rest the mind naturally. They want their students to not have the sense of meditating and yet be completely undistracted.

In the Thich Nhat Hanh tradition, monks are constantly practicing being aware of the present moment. By cultivating awareness of breath, of sensations, of bodily actions etc. There are gathas  to bring the mind to focus on the present activity. For example, there is a gatha to accompany the activity of putting on the robes, a gatha to accompany the activity of washing the face etc. For example, while brushing their teeth, the monks recite -

"Brushing my teeth and rinsing my mouth, I vow to speak purely and lovingly.
When my mouth is fragrant with right speech, a flower blooms in the garden of my heart."

While reciting gathas along with performing bodily actions or merely sitting, we are practicing bringing the body and mind to the present moment. We are practicing living in the present moment. We are practicing freedom and joy.

(Based on the teachings of Thich Nhat Hanh.)

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Mind Consciousness - Verse Twenty Six

Mind consciousness is always functioning
except in states of non-perception,
the two attainments,
deep sleep, and fainting or coma.

The difference between the conventional state of wakefulness, sleep and dream is that while sleeping (and not dreaming), only the store consciousness and manas are functioning, while dreaming, the store consciousness, manas and mind consciousness are functioning and in the state of conventional wakefulness all the eight consciousnesses are active.

We have studied that the mind consciousness is like a gardener. It is the root of all actions of body and speech. It is also the conceptualizing mind. So meditators go to great lengths to study the mind consciousness through various meditations.

We can reach a state of non-perception where the mind consciousness is at rest, unaware of its objects. Similarly the mind consciousness is at rest when the two attainments - the meditative concentrations of no-thinking and no-perception are attained. The mind consciousness is also at rest during deep sleep and when we are in a faint or coma.

Once we understand these verses we can understand the purpose of the various meditations taught by Buddhist masters. It may also be easier for us to practice those meditations.

Meditation can very frequently become an act of studying the mind in many traditions. In the traditions of Zen, Dzogchen and Mahāmudrā, which are derived from the Yogācāra schools, students are urged to study their mind and thoughts.

The Bengali monk, Naropa, taught Marpa Lotsawa of Tibet, six yogas. One of those is called the dream yoga. While instructing Marpa, he urges him to study the nature of mind and thoughts while dreaming. Having studied the store consciousness, manas and mind consciousness, we can now understand that the dream yoga is the study of how these three consciousnesses function together, how the manas misrepresents objects arising from the store consciousness to the mind consciousness and perhaps we can find a way out of the resulting suffering. Where do the objects in the dream come from? From the store consciousness. Why do we experience joy or fear or sadness in a dream? This is because the manas is active so the sense of separate self is intact. Why are there sudden changes in dreams? This is the scattered nature of the mind consciousness, jumping from one thought to another. Are the objects of dream separate from us? No, but while dreaming we think they are and we are perceiving them in the field of mere images. Naropa says that what we experience in dreams is a result of habitual thoughts. He refers to the dream people (objects) as 'ghosts' in his song. In a dream, we perceive that they are separate from us. He sings this verse -

"If you do not realize that ghosts arise from the root of mind,
You will not exhaust the ghosts of discursive thought. 
Self-liberating good and evil is the meaning of this teaching.
This we call the oral instructions of dreams. 
Lotsawa, have you realized their nature?"

The 'root of the mind' is the base of the mind consciousness - manas. While objects arise from the store consciousness, they are presented as 'separate' by manas. The same applies to objects of thoughts. The mind consciousness constantly clings to thoughts, experiencing emotions, feeling good, feeling bad. In reality they do not exist by themselves, they do not have a separate self. They are not inherently good or evil or happy or sad. So there is little to cling to. This is the 'self-liberating' teaching.

(Based on the teachings of Thich Nhat Hanh.)

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Mind Consciousness - Verse Twenty Five

Mind consciousness is the root of all actions of body and speech.
Its nature is to manifest mental formations, but its existence is not continuous.
Mind consciousness gives rise to actions that lead to ripening.
It plays the role of gardener, sowing all the seeds.

Volition or will is the process of making a decision to act. Volition can be a conscious process or automated habit. All actions of the body and speech are preceded with volitional action that takes places in the mind. This makes the mind consciousness the progenitor of all actions.

All mental formations manifest in the mind consciousness. There are fifty-one mental formations - five universal, five particular, eleven wholesome, twenty-six unwholesome and four indeterminate.

The five universal mental formations are contact, feeling, attention, perception and volition.

The five particular mental formations are zeal, determination, mindfulness, concentration and understanding.

Mental formations like compassion and faith are wholesome whereas greed and anger are unwholesome. Mental formations like regret and sleepiness are indeterminate.

The store consciousness and manas work continuously but the mind consciousness does not function when we are asleep or in a faint or coma.

Two kind of actions originate in the mind consciousness - leading actions and ripening actions. Leading actions lead us towards a particular direction. Ripening actions are the result of manifestation of seeds from the store consciousness. Leading actions lead to ripening actions.

In verse twelve we studied that 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. Since the formations manifest in the mind, it is the mind consciousness that we need to train.

The important takeaway from the verses on mind consciousness is that all actions originate in the mind consciousness and all mental formations manifest in the mind consciousness so by training the mind it is possible to transform the seeds in the store consciousness.

In a garden, the gardener is the active participant. He needs to sow the right seeds, water the right seeds. The job of a seed is to manifest when watered. The job of the soil is to accept any seed that is sown and allow it to transform into a plant when watered. They do not make decisions. The gardener makes the decisions. Hence, the mind consciousness is compared to a gardener. Through mindfulness we can transform the mind consciousness and in turn the quality of our life.

(Based on the teachings of Thich Nhat Hanh.)

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