Simple_Jack

Excerpts from Dazhu Huihai's Treatise on Entering the Tao of Sudden Enlightenment http://www.ymba.org/books/entering-tao-sudden-enlightenment/introduction Q: You said earlier that wisdom is the function of the Way of Sudden Enlightenment, but what is wisdom? A: If you understand that the nature of non-duality is voidness, then you are liberated. However, if you understand that the nature of duality is not void, then you are not liberated. Thus, wisdom is understanding what is right and what is wrong. It is also recognizing universal substance and its functions. The understanding of the voidness of duality is the substance of wisdom, while liberation, which is never allowing any thought whatsoever of existence or non-existence, good of evil, love or hate, etc., to arise, is known as understanding the function of the voidness of duality. Q: Where can one enter the doorway to this understanding? A: Through the perfection of charity (dana-paramita). Q: Buddha has said that the six paramitas are the action of the Bodhisattva path, so how can we enter the doorway to this understanding by practicing, as you have said, only the dana-paramita? A: People who are confused or deluded do not understand that the other five paramitas all evolve from the dana-paramita. Therefore, in practicing the dana-paramita, one also fulfills the practice of the other five paramitas. Q: For what reason is it called the dana-paramita? A: "Dana" means the perfection of charity. Q: What things can be given up in the name of charity? A: Clinging to thoughts of duality can be given up. Q: Just what does this mean? A: It means to give up clinging, in the name of charity, to thoughts of good and evil, existence and non-existence, love and hate, emptiness and fullness, concentration and non-concentration, pure and impure, etc. In the name of charity, give up all of them. Then, and only then, can you attain the stage of the voidness of duality, while, at the same time, letting neither a thought about the voidness of opposites nor about charity arise. This is the genuine practice of the dana-paramita, which is also known as absolute detachment from all phenomena. This is only the voidness of all dharma-nature, which means that always and everywhere is just no-mind. If one can attain the stage of no-mind everywhere, no form will be perceived, because our self-nature is void, containing no form. This, then, is true Reality, which is also called the wonderful form or body of the Tathagata. The Diamond Sutra says: "Those who have abandoned all forms are called Buddhas." Q: But the Buddha spoke about six paramitas, so how can you reasonably say that one paramita (the dana-paramita) can include the other five? A: The Sutra of the Benefits of Thinking says: "The Jalavidyadeva spoke to Brahmadeva as follows: 'Bodhisattvas who abandon all defilements are said to have completed the dana-paramita. This is the perfection of charity. If there is the non-arising of a single thought, they are said to have completed the sila-paramita. This the perfection of discipline. If there is no injury to or harm by any dharma, they are said to have completed the ksanti-paramita. This is the perfection of patience. If there is non-attachment to all dharmas, they are said to have completed the virya-paramita. This is the perfection of zeal. If there is non-dwelling on any dharma whatsoever, they are said to have completed the dhyana-paramita. This is the perfection of serenity. If there is no use of sophistry in speaking of any dharma, they are said to have completed the prajna-paramita. This is the perfection of wisdom. These are also known as the six Dharmas without any difference. The first one involves giving; the second one, non-arising of sensation; the third one, the non-arising of thought; the fourth one, being detached from form; the fifth one, non-dwelling in any dharma; and the sixth one, speaking without sophistry. These six paramitas are given different names expediently to meet different needs, but the wonderful principle underlying them all is not different. Thus, if one thing is abandoned, then everything is abandoned; and if one thing does not arise, then nothing whatsoever arises. Deluded people cannot understand this, and even insist that these six paramitas, or methods, are different. Thus, these foolish people, clinging to the variety of methods, revolve endlessly on the Wheel-of-Life-and-Death. Therefore, I urge all you students just to practice the one method of the dana-paramita, which, since it includes completely all dharmas, must, logically, include the other five paramitas.

'View' is paramount in buddhadharma: Apart from meditation on the correct view There is no path that can destroy the root of samsara. ~ Khedrup Je http://www.rigpawiki.org/index.php?title=Tirthika "Although [tirthikas] have many different beliefs, when condensing the root of all of them, there are two: proponents of eternalism and proponents of nihilism....in the last analysis they all come down to one thing, the assertion of a truly existent entity." ~ Mipham Rinpoche What differentiates the approach between sutrayana and vajrayana is upaya.

This sums it up quite nicely: http://thetaobums.com/topic/33466-innate-purity-of-phenomena/ Perfect Wisdom and Its Conflict with the World [304-5] For beings delight in a place to settle in, they are eager for sense-objects, Bent on grasping, unintelligent, and quite blinded. The Dharma should be attained as nothing to settle in and as nothing to grasp. Its conflict with the world is manifest. ~ aṣṭasāhasrikāprajñāpāramitāsūtra

Xue Feng said, “To comprehend this matter, it is similar to the ancient mirror – Hu comes, Hu appears; Han comes, Han appears.” Xuan Sha heard this and said, “Suddenly the mirror is broken, then how?” “Hu and Han both disappear.” Xuan Sha said, “Old monk’s heels have not touched ground yet.” Jian says instead, “Hu and Han are ready-made.” Xuan Sha said, “When the blind, the deaf and the mute come, how to receive them? Raising the duster is not seen, conversation is not heard, in addition, the mouth is dumb; how do you consult for them? If they cannot be received, then the Buddha Dharma would be ineffectual.” A monk said, “These three kinds of people still allow consultation or not?” Xuan said, “How do you consult for them?” The monk bade farewell and exited. Xuan said, “Not so! Not so!” Gui Chen retorted, “How to receive those with eyes, ears and mouth?” Zhong Ta said, “The three kinds of disabled people, where are they right now?” Another monk said, “Not only denouncing others, but also denouncing oneself.” ... A monk asked Monk Jiao, “How to apply efforts?” Jiao said, “When Spring comes, grasses naturally turn green; when the moon rises, the sky is already bright.” Again asked, “How not to apply efforts?” Jiao said, “Stones fall in a landslide; fire spreads on a plain.” ... Cha'n Master Mingjiao Mingjiao was a Zen Master during the Song Dynasty in China (10th-13th century). Mingjiao said: The study of saints and sages is certainly not fulfilled in one day. When there is not enough time during the day, continue into the night; accumulate it over the months and years, and it will naturally develop. Therefore it is said, "Accumulate learning by study, understand what you learn by questioning." This means that study cannot bring discovery without discernment and questioning. Nowadays where students go there is hardly anyone who asks a question to discern people. I do not know what they will use to help their spiritual stage and achieve the benefit of daily renewal. - Jiufeng Annals

From Zen's Chinese Heritage by Andy Ferguson, pgs. 24-32: Fundamentally, karmic conditions have given rise to the ground That allows the seeds of flowers to grow. Fundamentally, nothing has been planted, And flowers have not grown. ~ Huike If something is fundamental, it doesn't exist. if something is annihilated, it doesn't cease. Nirvana and karmic retribution Are of one inseparable nature. ~ Changsha The flowers are planted when the ground is ready. From this planting the flower blooms. If no one plants the seed, The flowers and ground are both extinguished. ~ Sengcan The planted flower's have life's nature, In fertile earth they bloom and live, Due to the Great Function and Affinity, They flourish and live, unborn. ~ Daoxin

Actually, 'faith' i.e. shradda/sadda, is one of 5 faculties in the 37 factors of awakening which is repeated as one of 5 powers conducive towards liberation. Westerners could potentially misconstrue this as meaning blind faith.

ChNN, does not say to his students "Don't do ngondro", he just does not find it completely necessary to prescribe that people complete or engage in ngondro before receiving direct introduction in order to practice Dzogchen teachings; presumably because he already transmits ati guru yoga (which is indispensable in the DC), Dzogchen preliminaries of semzin and rushan, etc. Many of his students also come from backgrounds in one of the 4 main lineages of Tibetan Buddhism.

The reality is that the average person, who attends retreats and teachings at Dharma centers, are not likely going to have a comprehensive understanding of the principles which underlie these teachings. What many people tend to overlook, is the benefits of study that are carried over to the next life, that is if they buy into the possibility of rebirth in the first place; Sakya Pandita, in his "Precious Treasury of Elegant Sayings": http://thetaobums.com/topic/33573-precious-treasury-of-elegant-sayings/ Acquire knowledge though you may die next year. Although in this life you may not become wise, In your future birth, if taken with you, It will become a precious thing. Of course, it's really only necessary for teachers, scholars, and translators to have an in depth comprehension of Buddhist tenet systems. As for deviation from the 'View', I think that any sincere practitioner will eventually experience the insights into "I AM" and Brahman, yet as in the example of the case of Daniel Ingram (of MCTB/dharmaoverground), since he was solely employing vipassana: he bypassed those insights altogether towards realization of anatta, and didn't experience the clarity aspect of "I AM" until a later point since he wasn't focusing on that; of course it wasn't reified since he already had insight into the 3 seals (anicca, dukkha, anatta). As for myself, I know if I didn't come across the teachings of dependent origination, etc., I would've been stuck reifying appearances for who knows how long; then again, it wasn't until a later point, that I got started in Vajrayana. ASTNS, get this post as of yesterday: http://www.dharmawheel.net/viewtopic.php?f=40&t=15699&start=20 Malcolm wrote: I have wavered on this over the years, as I have in so many other things, but my present thinking is that all Vajrayāna practitioners of whatever stripe need a solid grounding in Hinayāna and Mahāyāna paths.

Dzogchen is buddhardharma.

During that period when Malcolm was circumventing 'Institutionalized Buddhism' he also said this in another thread: http://dharmawheel.net/viewtopic.php?f=48&t=8318&hilit=smarty "This is a very good question. I have been moving slowly toward the pov of view that for most people studying these lower yānas is a complete waste of time. Oh, it can be useful to study a bit of Abhidharma because it helps contextualize mandala practice, and Madhyamaka does help cut through intellectual proliferation, properly studied and absorbed. Studying a bit of Madhyamaka helps one avoid the pitfall of crypto-advaita. Also places where Dzogchen differs from sutra and tantra will not be readily understood if one does not have at least some superficial familiarity with them. You don't really need to study all this sutra stuff to understand Dzogchen, and as far as Tantra goes, anuyoga is sufficient. On the other hand, also a practitioner needs to understand that nothing really limits their practice to so called "Dzogchen practice" -- anything at all whether from Buddhist or non-Buddhist sources like Yoga, etc., can be incorporated into a Dzogchen practitioner's life. One can even participate in a non-Buddhist religion, if for some reason that is necessary. I personally think one will understand Dzogchen much better if one is grounded in sutra and tantra, but no, it is not completely necessary to learn these things. Understanding the five elements, three gates, emptiness, and bodhicitta are about all one needs at bare minimum. That, and a realized Guru -- and those are in rather short supply. ... Some people who've read these posts ran with it, using his posts as a banner for the emancipation of Dzogchen from the confines of 'Institutional Buddhism', but people sometimes forget that Malcolm's views may not be as black and white as some of his posts present it to be. From some recent posts of his: http://thetaobums.com/topic/33591-the-superiority-of-tantra-to-sutra/page-24 Malcolm wrote: I prefer to put my faith in the guy whose father started the whole Nyinthig thing.And what is says is verified in many Dzogchen tantras, both from the bodhcitta texts as well as others. The basis is not a backdrop. Everything is not separate from the basis. But that everything just means your own skandhas, dhātus and āyatanas. There is no basis outside your mind, just as there is no Buddhahood outside of your mind. Malcolm wrote: Because these things are regarded as afflictive, whereas Dzogchen is trying to describe the person in his or her originally nonafflictive condition. It really is just that simple. The so called general basis is a universal derived from the particulars of persons. That is why it is often mistaken for a transpersonal entity. But Dzogchen, especially man ngag sde is very grounded in Buddhist Logic, and one should know that by definition universals are considered to be abstractions and non-existents in Buddhism, and Dzogchen is no exception. http://www.dharmawhe...15425&start=600 They are the same thing. And no, I was slightly mistaken before. The reason people see the five lights everywhere they look is that they no longer have traces to reify the five elements as the five elements because their consciousness has become free of all traces of the two obscurations, i.e. with those removed, what remains is wisdom. Of course, there is nothing substantial that is ever removed, from such a mind. Then we gave this from the Rig pa rang shar: Son of a good family, one must recognize the awareness [shes pa] free from grasping as one’s own state. Or the Rang grol: A vidyā that performs actions does not exist in the essence of pure awareness. Or the Mind Mirror of Samantabhadra has an interlinear note: The nature of one’s vidyā is light. Since kāyas are the gathered in the sphere of wisdom, the meaning of the view of Samantabhadra is realized. Further, there is vidyā and the wisdom that arises from vidyā. Further, vidyā that is free from extremes and beyond multiplicity does not transcend awareness (shes pa) and knowing (rig), endowed with a core of empty wisdom free from the extremes of things. The Sun and Moon Tantra states: At that time, that fortunate one when the appearances are self-evident, the non-abiding awareness is called “natural”. Anyway, there are too many references in various Dzogchen texts which state quite clearly that the basis is just one's mind. This is consistent with Buddhadharma. Other explanations are not. http://www.dharmawhe...15425&start=620 The basis is not the five lights. The five lights are expressions of wisdom. Those all just exist in one's mind, as Shabkar points out. The basis is not something separate from you the person, and it is not some uniform transpersonal field. It is just your own mind and it's essence. By the way, I never thought the basis was a transpersonal field. But have become aware that many people interpret it as such, and therefore, I'm writing to correct this misapprehension. In other words, Dzogchen teachings about the basis are actually "disappointingly" Buddhist and not so radical after all. Of course, Dzogchen is its own yana, with its own set of tantras, its own methods, and a mythology that is not dependent on the historical Buddha as the progenitor of these teachings. So I agree, that it's not necessary to study the lower yanas or for that matter to engage in the methodical application of the lower yanas preliminaries (ngondro), 2-stages, etc. Dzogchen, on its own, is sufficient for progress.

@ Apech Dzogchen, including Bon Dzogchen, is essentially a Mahayana path, because the result of the path is buddhahood. As asunthatneversets shown above, particularly the latter two of bodhicitta and dedication of merit, are defining features of the Mahayana path.

"And how is it, bhikkhus, that by protecting oneself one protects others? By the pursuit, development, and cultivation of the four establishments of mindfulness. It is in such a way that by protecting oneself one protects others. "And how is it, bhikkhus, that by protecting others one protects oneself? By patience, harmlessness, goodwill, and sympathy. It is in such a way that by protecting others one protects oneself. - Sedaka Sutta When this is, that is. From the arising of this comes the arising of that. When this isn't, that isn't. From the cessation of this comes the cessation of that. - Bodhi Sutta Like the earth, the arahat is patient and is not provoked to respond in anger; like the door-post he is firm; he is unperturbed by the ups and downs of life; he is serene and pure like a lake free from mud. For such an arahat there will be no more rebirth. - Dhammapada verse 95

Just become familiarized with Nagarjuna's Mulamadhyamakakarika, particularly Ch.9 [pg.188] "Examination of the Prior Entity", and Buddhism will make a lot more sense: http://books.google.com/books?id=38WJRwP3nLgC&printsec=frontcover#v=onepage&q=chapter%20nine&f=false

Dzogchen does not have to be confined to an 'ism', especially not 'Buddhism', but without a doubt it is buddhadharma. Yet, it cannot be denied, that its grounded in 'Buddhist' logic.

1. Buddhism is not rocket science 2. By definition Buddhism is not an ontology. Why? Because the teachings of Buddhism do not seek to validate the existence nor non-existence of an entity. Co-dependently arisen appearances are free from the extremes of "is" or "is not". The view of [2-fold] emptiness in Dzogchen is really no different than that of Prajnaparamita.

Or they could discuss their experiences like they do here: http://www.dharmaoverground.org/web/guest/discussion/-/message_boards/message/3711477?_19_threadView=tree An Eternal Now wrote: Hi Seraphis M., What you have experienced is Thusness Stage 1 (see http://awakeningtoreality.blogspot.com/2007/03/thusnesss-six-stages-of-experience.html ). It is the experience and realization of I AM. Many people (myself included, Thusness included) having realized the I AM would think that the final state/Nirvana is the state of effortless and permanent abidance in the Self, in other words moving from Savikalpa to Nirvikalpa samadhi. However as we progress in the path, we realize that effortlessness comes not with abiding (that would still be effortful and has to do with your degree of mastery in concentration/abiding in what is deemed as the purest state of Presence) with the deepening of insights into non-dual, anatta, and shunyata. At that point, Presence-Awareness is felt everywhere, as everything, without center, circumference, point of reference, without any attempt needed to abide because it is seen that there is no 'purest state of Presence' to abide in/as. I AM is not more I AM (not more special or ultimate) than a sound! A scent! A sight! Transience reveals itself as non-dual (without subject-object, observer-observed dichotomy) presence-awareness. This is the beginning of non-dual insight and effortlessness - complete effortlessness comes with the maturation of this non-dual insight into anatta and shunyata. So it is important to progress to further insights from I AM, is to first focus on the four aspects of I AM, then non-dual, ...etc. Even if you attain mastery of samadhi and achieve Nirvikalpa Samadhi (permanent abidance as Self), still, further insights that allows full effortlessness is not revealed, unless further investigations are undertaken. I agree that terms from Western psychology are an inadequate means to delineate Dharmic concepts.

Right you are, because in Buddhism, the aggregate of consciousness is dependently originated, hence not reified as it is in Advaita Vedanta i.e. Sat-Cit-Ananda.

Yeah, it doesn't take long to figure out that the confusion surrounding Buddhism is due in part to the influence of Vedanta in the West, as well as a major factor that it's the 'natural mode' for people to misapprehend a substantial self-standing entity i.e. Consciousness/Awareness, as absolute.

It's just a part of Indian (and later Tibetan) dialectics. Shankara himself refuted Samkhya, Mimamsa, and Buddhism. Certain figures in East Asia did the same thing.

Mind (citta) and consciousness[es] (vijnana) are synonymous in Buddhism, but the definitions are distinguished, according to the function and attributes (e.g. manas-vijnana and klistamanas-vijnana of Yogacara) which can then take on different connotations depending on the school or system (e.g. Mahamudra vs. Dzogchen). Of course, mind (sems/citta) and the nature of mind (semnyi/cittata) are differentiated in Dzogchen. The distinction between a "subconscious" and "conscious" levels of experience, are non-existent in Dharma religions, there's only ignorance and the degree to which one is still subjected to experiencing the traces of afflictions. These are just Western concepts.

Freedom from the extremes of existence, non-existence, both existence and non-existence, neither existence nor non-existence.

To comprehend buddhadharma, even just intellectually, requires an attempt at approaching the teachings on its own terms by suspending any preconceived notions and biases. If you want clarification and an accurate translation, of excerpts from the "Kunjed Gyalpo", then I recommend going to this forum http://www.vajracakra.com/. I remember Malcolm explaining it as bodhicitta, just as Creation did above, but this makes sense also. I really couldn't tell from that translation (sorry gatito). i was completely off about that being a translation of gzhi.

http://what-buddha-said.net/library/Buddhist.Dictionary/dic3_c.htm#citta Citta: 'mind', 'consciousness', 'state of consciousness', is a synonym of mano and viññāna see: khandha and Tab. 1. Dhs divides all phenomena into consciousness citta mental properties cetasika and materiality rūpa. "Mind", in Mahayana, is one's own alaya[-vijnana].

http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn12/sn12.002.than.html Paticca-samuppada-vibhanga Sutta: Analysis of Dependent Co-arising Dwelling at Savatthi... "Monks, I will describe & analyze dependent co-arising for you. "And what is dependent co-arising? From ignorance as a requisite condition come fabrications. From fabrications as a requisite condition comes consciousness. From consciousness as a requisite condition comes name-&-form. From name-&-form as a requisite condition come the six sense media. From the six sense media as a requisite condition comes contact. From contact as a requisite condition comes feeling. From feeling as a requisite condition comes craving. From craving as a requisite condition comes clinging/sustenance. From clinging/sustenance as a requisite condition comes becoming. From becoming as a requisite condition comes birth. From birth as a requisite condition, then aging & death, sorrow, lamentation, pain, distress, & despair come into play. Such is the origination of this entire mass of stress & suffering. "Now what is aging and death? Whatever aging, decrepitude, brokenness, graying, wrinkling, decline of life-force, weakening of the faculties of the various beings in this or that group of beings, that is called aging. Whatever deceasing, passing away, breaking up, disappearance, dying, death, completion of time, break up of the aggregates, casting off of the body, interruption in the life faculty of the various beings in this or that group of beings, that is called death. "And what is birth? Whatever birth, taking birth, descent, coming-to-be, coming-forth, appearance of aggregates, & acquisition of [sense] media of the various beings in this or that group of beings, that is called birth. "And what is becoming? These three are becomings: sensual becoming, form becoming, & formless becoming. This is called becoming. "And what is clinging/sustenance? These four are clingings: sensuality clinging, view clinging, precept & practice clinging, and doctrine of self clinging. This is called clinging. "And what is craving? These six are classes of craving: craving for forms, craving for sounds, craving for smells, craving for tastes, craving for tactile sensations, craving for ideas. This is called craving. "And what is feeling? These six are classes of feeling: feeling born from eye-contact, feeling born from ear-contact, feeling born from nose-contact, feeling born from tongue-contact, feeling born from body-contact, feeling born from intellect-contact. This is called feeling. "And what is contact? These six are classes of contact: eye-contact, ear-contact, nose-contact, tongue-contact, body-contact, intellect-contact. This is called contact. "And what are the six sense media? These six are sense media: the eye-medium, the ear-medium, the nose-medium, the tongue-medium, the body-medium, the intellect-medium. These are called the six sense media. "And what is name-&-form? Feeling, perception, intention, contact, & attention: This is called name. The four great elements, and the form dependent on the four great elements: This is called form. This name & this form are called name-&-form. "And what is consciousness? These six are classes of consciousness: eye-consciousness, ear-consciousness, nose-consciousness, tongue-consciousness, body-consciousness, intellect-consciousness. This is called consciousness. "And what are fabrications? These three are fabrications: bodily fabrications, verbal fabrications, mental fabrications. These are called fabrications. "And what is ignorance? Not knowing stress, not knowing the origination of stress, not knowing the cessation of stress, not knowing the way of practice leading to the cessation of stress: This is called ignorance. "Now from the remainderless fading & cessation of that very ignorance comes the cessation of fabrications. From the cessation of fabrications comes the cessation of consciousness. From the cessation of consciousness comes the cessation of name-&-form. From the cessation of name-&-form comes the cessation of the six sense media. From the cessation of the six sense media comes the cessation of contact. From the cessation of contact comes the cessation of feeling. From the cessation of feeling comes the cessation of craving. From the cessation of craving comes the cessation of clinging/sustenance. From the cessation of clinging/sustenance comes the cessation of becoming. From the cessation of becoming comes the cessation of birth. From the cessation of birth, then aging & death, sorrow, lamentation, pain, distress, & despair all cease. Such is the cessation of this entire mass of stress & suffering." http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn22/sn22.079.than.html Khajjaniya Sutta: Chewed Up At Savatthi. "Monks, any brahmans or contemplatives who recollect their manifold past lives all recollect the five clinging-aggregates, or one among them. Which five? When recollecting, 'I was one with such a form in the past,' one is recollecting just form. Or when recollecting, 'I was one with such a feeling in the past,' one is recollecting just feeling. Or when recollecting, 'I was one with such a perception in the past,' one is recollecting just perception. Or when recollecting, 'I was one with such mental fabrications in the past,' one is recollecting just mental fabrications. Or when recollecting, 'I was one with such a consciousness in the past,' one is recollecting just consciousness. "And why do you call it 'form'?[1] Because it is afflicted,[2] thus it is called 'form.' Afflicted with what? With cold & heat & hunger & thirst, with the touch of flies, mosquitoes, wind, sun, & reptiles. Because it is afflicted, it is called form. "And why do you call it 'feeling'? Because it feels, thus it is called 'feeling.' What does it feel? It feels pleasure, it feels pain, it feels neither-pleasure-nor-pain. Because it feels, it is called feeling. "And why do you call it 'perception'? Because it perceives, thus it is called 'perception.' What does it perceive? It perceives blue, it perceives yellow, it perceives red, it perceives white. Because it perceives, it is called perception. "And why do you call them 'fabrications'? Because they fabricate fabricated things, thus they are called 'fabrications.' What do they fabricate as a fabricated thing? For the sake of form-ness, they fabricate form as a fabricated thing. For the sake of feeling-ness, they fabricate feeling as a fabricated thing. For the sake of perception-hood... For the sake of fabrication-hood... For the sake of consciousness-hood, they fabricate consciousness as a fabricated thing. Because they fabricate fabricated things, they are called fabrications. [3] "And why do you call it 'consciousness'? Because it cognizes, thus it is called consciousness. What does it cognize? It cognizes what is sour, bitter, pungent, sweet, alkaline, non-alkaline, salty, & unsalty. Because it cognizes, it is called consciousness. "Thus an instructed disciple of the noble ones reflects in this way: 'I am now being chewed up by form. But in the past I was also chewed up by form in the same way I am now being chewed up by present form. And if I delight in future form, then in the future I will be chewed up by form in the same way I am now being chewed up by present form.' Having reflected in this way, he becomes indifferent to past form, does not delight in future form, and is practicing for the sake of disenchantment, dispassion, and cessation with regard to present form. "[He reflects:] ''I am now being chewed up by feeling... perception... fabrications... consciousness. But in the past I was also chewed up by consciousness in the same way I am now being chewed up by present consciousness. And if I delight in future consciousness, then in the future I will be chewed up by consciousness in the same way I am now being chewed up by present consciousness.' Having reflected in this way, he becomes indifferent to past consciousness, does not delight in future consciousness, and is practicing for the sake of disenchantment, dispassion, and cessation with regard to present consciousness. "What do you think, monks — Is form constant or inconstant?" "Inconstant, lord." "And is that which is inconstant easeful or stressful?" "Stressful, lord." "And is it fitting to regard what is inconstant, stressful, subject to change as: 'This is mine. This is my self. This is what I am'?" "No, lord." "... Is feeling constant or inconstant?" "Inconstant, lord."... "... Is perception constant or inconstant?" "Inconstant, lord."... "... Are fabrications constant or inconstant?" "Inconstant, lord."... "What do you think, monks — Is consciousness constant or inconstant?" "Inconstant, lord." "And is that which is inconstant easeful or stressful?" "Stressful, lord." "And is it fitting to regard what is inconstant, stressful, subject to change as: 'This is mine. This is my self. This is what I am'?" "No, lord." "Thus, monks, any form whatsoever that is past, future, or present; internal or external; blatant or subtle; common or sublime; far or near: every form is to be seen as it actually is with right discernment as: 'This is not mine. This is not my self. This is not what I am.' "Any feeling whatsoever... "Any perception whatsoever... "Any fabrications whatsoever... "Any consciousness whatsoever that is past, future, or present; internal or external; blatant or subtle; common or sublime; far or near: every consciousness is to be seen as it actually is with right discernment as: 'This is not mine. This is not my self. This is not what I am.' "This, monks, is called a disciple of the noble ones who tears down and does not build up; who abandons and does not cling; who discards and does not pull in; who scatters and does not pile up. "And what does he tear down and not build up? He tears down form and does not build it up. He tears down feeling... perception... fabrications... consciousness and does not build it up. "And what does he abandon and not cling to? He abandons form and does not cling to it. He abandons feeling... perception... fabrications... consciousness and does not cling to it. "And what does he discard and not pull in? He discards form and does not pull it in. He discards feeling... perception... fabrications... consciousness and does not pull it in. "And what does he scatter and not pile up? He scatters form and does not pile it up. He scatters feeling... perception... fabrications... consciousness and does not pile it up. "Seeing thus, the instructed disciple of the noble ones grows disenchanted with form, disenchanted with feeling, disenchanted with perception, disenchanted with fabrications, disenchanted with consciousness. Disenchanted, he becomes dispassionate. Through dispassion, he is fully released. With full release, there is the knowledge, 'Fully released.' He discerns that 'Birth is ended, the holy life fulfilled, the task done. There is nothing further for this world.' "This, monks, is called a disciple of the noble ones who neither builds up nor tears down, but who stands having torn down; who neither clings nor abandons, but who stands having abandoned; who neither pulls in nor discards, but who stands having discarded; who neither piles up nor scatters, but who stands having scattered. "And what is it that he neither builds up nor tears down, but stands having torn it down? He neither builds up nor tears down form, but stands having torn it down. He neither builds up nor tears down feeling... perception... fabrications... consciousness, but stands having torn it down. "And what is it that he neither clings to nor abandons, but stands having abandoned it? He neither clings to nor abandons form, but stands having abandoned it. He neither clings to nor abandons feeling... perception... fabrications... consciousness, but stands having abandoned it. "And what is it that he neither pulls in nor discards, but stands having discarded it? He neither pulls in nor discards form, but stands having discarded it. He neither pulls in nor discards feeling... perception... fabrications... consciousness, but stands having discarded it. "And what is it that he neither piles up nor scatters, but stands having scattered it? He neither piles up nor scatters form, but stands having scattered it. He neither piles up nor scatters feeling... perception... fabrications... consciousness, but stands having scattered it. "And to the monk whose mind is thus released, the devas, together with Indra, the Brahmas, & Pajapati, pay homage even from afar: 'Homage to you, O thoroughbred man. Homage to you, O superlative man — you of whom we don't know even what dependent on which you're absorbed.'"

This is the foundation for all sects and tenet systems of Buddhism: http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn12/sn12.061.niza.html Assutavā Sutta: Uninstructed I have heard that on one occasion the Blessed One was staying near Savatthi in Jeta's Grove, Anathapindika's monastery. There he addressed the monks, "Monks, an uninstructed run-of-the-mill person might grow disenchanted with this body composed of the four great elements, might grow dispassionate toward it, might gain release from it. Why is that? Because the growth & decline, the taking up & putting down of this body composed of the four great elements are apparent. Thus the uninstructed run-of-the-mill person might grow disenchanted, might grow dispassionate, might gain release there. "But as for what's called 'mind,' 'intellect,' or 'consciousness,' the uninstructed run-of-the-mill person is unable to grow disenchanted with it, unable to grow dispassionate toward it, unable to gain release from it. Why is that? For a long time this has been relished, appropriated, and grasped by the uninstructed run-of-the-mill person as, 'This is me, this is my self, this is what I am.' Thus the uninstructed run-of-the-mill person is unable to grow disenchanted with it, unable to grow dispassionate toward it, unable to gain release from it. "It would be better for the uninstructed run-of-the-mill person to hold to the body composed of the four great elements, rather than the mind, as the self. Why is that? Because this body composed of the four great elements is seen standing for a year, two years, three, four, five, ten, twenty, thirty, forty, fifty, a hundred years or more. But what's called 'mind,' 'intellect,' or 'consciousness' by day and by night arises as one thing and ceases as another. Just as a monkey, swinging through a forest wilderness, grabs a branch. Letting go of it, it grabs another branch. Letting go of that, it grabs another one. Letting go of that, it grabs another one. In the same way, what's called 'mind,' 'intellect,' or 'consciousness' by day and by night arises as one thing and ceases as another. "The instructed disciple of the noble ones, [however,] attends carefully & appropriately right there at the dependent co-arising: "'When this is, that is. "'From the arising of this comes the arising of that. "'When this isn't, that isn't. "'From the cessation of this comes the cessation of that. "'In other words: "'From ignorance as a requisite condition come fabrications. "'From fabrications as a requisite condition comes consciousness. "'From consciousness as a requisite condition comes name-&-form. "'From name-&-form as a requisite condition come the six sense media. "'From the six sense media as a requisite condition comes contact. "'From contact as a requisite condition comes feeling. "'From feeling as a requisite condition comes craving. "'From craving as a requisite condition comes clinging/sustenance. "'From clinging/sustenance as a requisite condition comes becoming. "'From becoming as a requisite condition comes birth. "'From birth as a requisite condition, then aging & death, sorrow, lamentation, pain, distress, & despair come into play. Such is the origination of this entire mass of stress & suffering. "'Now from the remainderless fading & cessation of that very ignorance comes the cessation of fabrications. From the cessation of fabrications comes the cessation of consciousness. From the cessation of consciousness comes the cessation of name-&-form. From the cessation of name-&-form comes the cessation of the six sense media. From the cessation of the six sense media comes the cessation of contact. From the cessation of contact comes the cessation of feeling. From the cessation of feeling comes the cessation of craving. From the cessation of craving comes the cessation of clinging/sustenance. From the cessation of clinging/sustenance comes the cessation of becoming. From the cessation of becoming comes the cessation of birth. From the cessation of birth, then aging & death, sorrow, lamentation, pain, distress, & despair all cease. Such is the cessation of this entire mass of stress & suffering.' "Seeing thus, the instructed disciple of the noble ones grows disenchanted with form, disenchanted with feeling, disenchanted with perception, disenchanted with fabrications, disenchanted with consciousness.[1] Disenchanted, he becomes dispassionate. Through dispassion, he is fully released. With full release, there is the knowledge, 'Fully released.' He discerns that 'Birth is ended, the holy life fulfilled, the task done. There is nothing further for this world.'" http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn25/sn25.003.than.html Viññana Sutta: Consciousness At Savatthi. "Monks, eye-consciousness is inconstant, changeable, alterable. Ear-consciousness... Nose-consciousness... Tongue-consciousness... Body-consciousness... Intellect-consciousness is inconstant, changeable, alterable. "One who has conviction & belief that these phenomena are this way is called a faith-follower: one who has entered the orderliness of rightness, entered the plane of people of integrity, transcended the plane of the run-of-the-mill. He is incapable of doing any deed by which he might be reborn in hell, in the animal womb, or in the realm of hungry shades. He is incapable of passing away until he has realized the fruit of stream-entry. "One who, after pondering with a modicum of discernment, has accepted that these phenomena are this way is called a Dhamma-follower: one who has entered the orderliness of rightness, entered the plane of people of integrity, transcended the plane of the run-of-the-mill. He is incapable of doing any deed by which he might be reborn in hell, in the animal womb, or in the realm of hungry shades. He is incapable of passing away until he has realized the fruit of stream-entry. "One who knows and sees that these phenomena are this way is called a stream-enterer, steadfast, never again destined for states of woe, headed for self-awakening." http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn12/sn12.067.than.html Nalakalapiyo Sutta: Sheaves of Reeds On one occasion Ven. Sariputta and Ven. MahaKotthita were staying near Varanasi in the Deer Park at Isipatana. Then in the evening, arising from his seclusion, Ven. MahaKotthita went to Ven. Sariputta and, on arrival, exchanged courteous greetings with him. After an exchange of friendly greetings & courtesies, he sat to one side. As he was sitting there he said to Ven. Sariputta: "Now tell me, Sariputta my friend: Are aging & death self-made or other-made or both self-made & other-made, or — without self-making or other-making — do they arise spontaneously?" "It's not the case, Kotthita my friend, that aging & death are self-made, that they are other-made, that they are both self-made & other-made, or that — without self-making or other-making — they arise spontaneously. However, from birth as a requisite condition comes aging & death." "Now tell me, friend Sariputta: Is birth... Is becoming... Is clinging/sustenance... Is craving... Is feeling... Is contact... Are the six sense media self-made or other-made or both self-made & other-made, or — without self-making or other-making — do they arise spontaneously?" "It's not the case, Kotthita my friend, that the six sense media are self-made, that they are other-made, that they are both self-made & other-made, or that — without self-making or other-making — they arise spontaneously. However, from name & form as a requisite condition come the six sense media." "Now tell me, friend Sariputta: Is name-&-form self-made or other-made or both self-made & other-made, or — without self-making or other-making — does it arise spontaneously?" "It's not the case, Kotthita my friend, that name-&-form is self-made, that it is other-made, that it is both self-made & other-made, or that — without self-making or other-making — it arises spontaneously. However, from consciousness as a requisite condition comes name-&-form." "Now tell me, friend Sariputta: is consciousness self-made or other-made or both self-made & other-made, or — without self-making or other-making, does it arise spontaneously?" "It's not the case, Kotthita my friend, that consciousness is self-made, that it is other-made, that it is both self-made & other-made, or that — without self-making or other-making — it arises spontaneously. However, from name-&-form as a requisite condition comes consciousness." "Just now, friend Sariputta, I understood your statement as, 'It's not the case, Kotthita my friend, that name-&-form is self-made, that it is other-made, that it is both self-made & other-made, or that — without self-making or other-making — it arises spontaneously. However, from consciousness as a requisite condition comes name-&-form' But then I understood your statement as, 'It's not the case, Kotthita my friend, that consciousness is self-made, that it is other-made, that it is both self-made & other-made, or that — without self-making or other-making — it arises spontaneously.' However, from name-&-form as a requisite condition comes consciousness.' Now how is the meaning of these statements to be understood?" "Very well then, Kotthita my friend, I will give you an analogy; for there are cases where it is through the use of an analogy that intelligent people can understand the meaning of what is being said. It is as if two sheaves of reeds were to stand leaning against one another. In the same way, from name-&-form as a requisite condition comes consciousness, from consciousness as a requisite condition comes name-&-form. From name & form as a requisite condition come the six sense media. From the six sense media as a requisite condition comes contact. From contact as a requisite condition comes feeling. From feeling as a requisite condition comes craving. From craving as a requisite condition comes clinging/sustenance. From clinging/sustenance as a requisite condition comes becoming. From becoming as a requisite condition comes birth. From birth as a requisite condition, then aging & death, sorrow, lamentation, pain, distress, & despair come into play. Such is the origination of this entire mass of suffering & stress. "If one were to pull away one of those sheaves of reeds, the other would fall; if one were to pull away the other, the first one would fall. In the same way, from the cessation of name-&-form comes the cessation of consciousness, from the cessation of consciousness comes the cessation of name-&-form. From the cessation of name-&-form comes the cessation of the six sense media. From the cessation of the six sense media comes the cessation of contact. From the cessation of contact comes the cessation of feeling. From the cessation of feeling comes the cessation of craving. From the cessation of craving comes the cessation of clinging/sustenance. From the cessation of clinging/sustenance comes the cessation of becoming. From the cessation of becoming comes the cessation of birth. From the cessation of birth, then aging & death, sorrow, lamentation, pain, distress, & despair all cease. Such is the cessation of this entire mass of suffering & stress." "It's amazing, friend Sariputta. It's astounding, friend Sariputta, how well that was said by Ven. Sariputta. And I rejoice in Ven. Sariputta's good statements with regard to these 36 topics.[1] If a monk teaches the Dhamma for the sake of disenchantment, dispassion, & cessation with regard to aging & death, he deserves to be called a monk who is a speaker of Dhamma. If he practices for the sake of disenchantment, dispassion, & cessation with regard to aging & death, he deserves to be called a monk who practices the Dhamma in accordance with the Dhamma.[2] If — through disenchantment, dispassion, cessation, and lack of clinging/sustenance with regard to aging & death — he is released, then he deserves to be called a monk who has attained Unbinding in the here-&-now. "If a monk teaches the Dhamma for the sake of disenchantment, dispassion, & cessation with regard to birth, he deserves to be called a monk who is a speaker of Dhamma. If he practices for the sake of disenchantment, dispassion, & cessation with regard to birth, he deserves to be called a monk who practices the Dhamma in accordance with the Dhamma. If — through disenchantment, dispassion, cessation, and lack of clinging/sustenance with regard to birth — he is released, then he deserves to be called a monk who has attained Unbinding in the here-&-now. [similarly with becoming, clinging/sustenance, craving, feeling, contact, the six sense media, name & form, and consciousness.] "If a monk teaches the Dhamma for the sake of disenchantment, dispassion, & cessation with regard to fabrications, he deserves to be called a monk who is a speaker of Dhamma. If he practices for the sake of disenchantment, dispassion, & cessation with regard to fabrications, he deserves to be called a monk who practices the Dhamma in accordance with the Dhamma. If — through disenchantment, dispassion, cessation, and lack of clinging/sustenance with regard to fabrications — he is released, then he deserves to be called a monk who has attained Unbinding in the here-&-now. "If a monk teaches the Dhamma for the sake of disenchantment, dispassion, & cessation with regard to ignorance, he deserves to be called a monk who is a speaker of Dhamma. If he practices for the sake of disenchantment, dispassion, & cessation with regard to ignorance, he deserves to be called a monk who practices the Dhamma in accordance with the Dhamma. If — through disenchantment, dispassion, cessation, and lack of clinging/sustenance with regard to ignorance — he is released, then he deserves to be called a monk who has attained Unbinding in the here-&-now."