Nature of Mind — 2014-02-25

Nature of Mind (Khensur Rinpoche)

Nature of Mind — 2014-02-25

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Audio recorded at Tibetan Buddhist Institute, Adelaide. Transcript auto-generated and AI-corrected; may contain errors.

About this talk. In this 84-minute teaching, His Holiness the Dalai Lama provides a foundational introduction to Buddhist psychology, focusing on the nature of mind and consciousness. He begins by distinguishing three key phenomena — matter, consciousness, and person — clarifying why the mind cannot be reduced to physical substance using logical analysis and lived examples (why a person who experiences anger is not perpetually angry). He then explores the two types of consciousness: sensory consciousness, which apprehends only present objects, and mental consciousness, which engages with past, present, and future. The session establishes consciousness as a continuum that requires a previous moment of consciousness as its cause, leading to the inference of past lives. Drawing on Buddhist philosophy rather than scientific methodology, he argues that understanding this foundation — the true nature of internal reality — is essential for meaningful spiritual practice. The Q&A that follows addresses liberation, the refutation of a reified self, and the mechanics of rebirth in the intermediate state. Aimed at practitioners with some familiarity with Buddhist study, though accessible to newcomers.

Hi. Thank you. Sweet? No. Would you like it sweet?

We will check. Oh, I made one already. Well, thank you. It makes two. We start with the puja.

What do you do? I’m so sorry because I lived in India one year. Start here. Thank you.

And we recite one, two, three, four on page five. Page five. Yes. Number six. Just one minute.

As usual, to generate the motivation. So regarding these studies which we shall engage in here, they shall, broadly speaking, cover awareness and knowledge, in other words, Buddhist psychology, and mind and mental factors. The reason for which this study program has been initiated is that last year when His Holiness the Dalai Lama, the supreme high one as it is said in Tibetan, came to this center as a result of the accumulation of merits of the most fortunate students, His Holiness the Dalai Lama imparted the following advice in this very temple. He said, Buddhist practice is not a practice which hinges on brandishing a vajra and shaking a bell, or muttering one’s commitments. Instead, it is a practice which is rooted in study, and this is the road forward His Holiness the Dalai Lama has shown us.

In addition, our holy teacher, Khensur Rinpoche, put great effort in expounding in the past topics such as awareness and knowledge, and mind and mental factors, understanding fully the benefit this would have for us. As a result, we ourselves from our own side should put effort in studying these topics and if we do so, shall benefit thereby. Then, formally, Anila Jampa Tenzin requested Geshe-la to teach Lorig saying it was very important. Unfortunately, she is not here now, but Lily as well insistently requested Geshe-la to teach Lorig and it is a testimony to her dedication. Generally speaking, the topics of awareness and knowledge or mind and mental factors, which in the future I shall call mind and mentations, are not specifically Buddhist topics.

These are topics which are presented from the standpoint of the actual mode of existence of the base. Generally speaking, one subdivides the presentation of practice into the presentation of the actual mode of abiding of the base or the foundation, the path which is erected on that base, and the result. The path and the result are contingent on one’s own ascertainment of the base, in other words, of reality. The foundation, the actual mode of existence of reality is something which is shared both by Buddhists and non-Buddhists. It is therefore open to analytical ascertainment.

Generally speaking, this foundation, the nature of reality, is subdivided into two, exterior reality and interior reality. Exterior reality has been studied in great detail by scientists. It is the realm of matter, and most probably all of us have a decent understanding of this. Internal reality, on the other hand, is the realm of phenomena which are blended with consciousness. The interior phenomena referred to include both forms and consciousness.

Now a precise understanding of consciousness based on the scientific method is difficult to generate, and therefore, one must investigate consciousness using other means. Therefore, a presentation which is scientific of consciousness seems difficult to establish. These internal phenomena include one’s own body, one’s own form, in other words, and the consciousness which is connected to it. In addition, there is a third phenomenon established on the base of those two, one’s person. It is very important for us to understand these three phenomena.

If the substance of the mind was one and the same as material substances, then it would be possible to investigate the mind using scientific techniques of investigation. As this is not the case, and the substance of the mind is fundamentally different from material substances, it is not possible to do so and this is something of which we should be fully aware. Likewise, should mind be of the same nature as the person, then there would be numerous unwanted consequences, such as, for instance, when you see your translator, your Lotsawa, then seeing his person, you would also necessarily see his mind if his mind were of one nature with his person, which is obviously not the case. To be able to differentiate clearly mind, person and that person’s form or matter, it is far more straightforward to proceed through examples or instances. Allow me to take myself as an instance.

I am a Buddhist monk, therefore, I am a human being. Then based on my own person, I can investigate whether or not the person is of the same nature as a material substance of the body. This is a highly helpful way of proceeding. To understand consciousness clearly, one should reflect on the definition or the characteristics of consciousness. Consciousness is clear and cognitive.

Now in this context, His Holiness the Dalai Lama has said that the clarity of consciousness referred to here in its ultimate form refers to the primordial mind of clear light. This primordial mind of clear light is experienced through ever deeper meditations. It is not explicitly mentioned as the exegesis of clarity within Gelug scriptures, but it is definitely the meaning of clarity understood within the Great Perfection, Dzogchen. This is a difficult topic for us to understand, since in highest yoga tantra, basically, consciousness and the wind bearing the consciousness are one.

Now regarding matter, this is easier to understand. The definition of matter is what is composed of particles, and we can see that through the concatenation of particles, eventually, matter or form becomes visible. Now, regarding persons, persons are imputed on a basis of designation. This basis of establishment is the five aggregates or if you prefer, body and mind. This is how one differentiates matter, consciousness and persons.

Now, within consciousness there are numerous states of mind, for instance, non-virtuous states of mind such as anger, envy or competitiveness. We know for ourselves that when anger arises within our mind, it creates a profound feeling of discomfort. This is how one differentiates mind and body. Now, there are particulars of the mind such as, for instance, anger. If we analyze, should a particular instance of the mind, such as anger, be one with a person, it would be impossible to differentiate them, then that person would always be angry, which seems rather difficult.

Then you can clearly see that the instance of the mind which is anger, is definitely different. It is distinct, if you wish, from being a person, and this is the case for every other single mental factor. This should be obvious. Should the substance of anger and the substance which constitutes a person be impossible to differentiate, indifferentiable, then that person would be continually angry, whether walking, sitting or meditating. Likewise, should the substance of envy or jealousy and the substance of a person be totally indifferentiable, then that person would be continually jealous whether walking, sitting or meditating.

If we analyze in this way, it is an extremely helpful way of thinking and we can see that such a viewpoint is impossible. And we ourselves are perfectly able to differentiate the state of a person when he or she is angry from the state when they are not angry. When they are angry, their face becomes bright red, so do their eyes and even their ears become bright red, and they are a source of fear for ourselves. Then if you have a really muscular person, whether a man or a woman, there’s great cause for being worried when they get angry. Then, if they’re a little shrimp, perhaps it’s less important.

As westerners, you are familiar with study and with reading, which is an excellent thing. Obviously, there are some people who waste their time, it is really a form of laziness playing with their mobile and all that. But in your case, you are interested in understanding awareness and knowledge and understanding mind and mentation, which is excellent. Exactly. One hundred percent.

Then all of us do understand that if we apply the antidotes, the countermeasures to anger, anger will progressively abate. This is not dharma, it is purely mental experience. Likewise, if we apply the antidotes to envy or jealousy over time, they will abate. If we apply the antidotes to competitiveness or rivalry over time, it will also abate. Then our mind will be at peace and at ease.

Then if one is able to differentiate in such a way one’s mind from one’s body, then moving backwards in time from our present state to the moment of conception, we can see that the cause of our body originally was the fertilized egg which arose from the union of the spermatozoa of the father and the ovum of the mother, in Tibetan blood and semen. And having differentiated body and consciousness, we must ask ourselves where precisely at that point consciousness has come from, and there is only one possible explanation, and that is previous lives. Once one has understood this, one can then engage in the practice of dharma, which lays the foundation for happiness in this life and future lives, enables one to realize the Four Noble Truths in the future. Strange. Strange.

Odd. Odd. Yeah. Then, obviously, all of you have a lot of work and responsibilities, but if you have the possibility and the time, take some time off, make a cup of tea, and then reflect carefully about these topics for maybe two hours if you can, going back, back, back in time and asking where basically you come from. And you will see it is very, very odd.

It is very strange. These lines of reasoning are extremely beneficial. Then if we briefly analyze the nature of consciousness, there are two types of consciousnesses, sensory consciousnesses and mental consciousnesses. Then it is perhaps appropriate to say in a simplified way that the foremost condition for sensory consciousnesses is form. There are five types of sensory consciousnesses, visual, auditory, olfactory, gustatory and tactile.

If we take the example of the visual consciousness for instance, when you see me, you can see that my body is exactly where it should be, neither in front of its purported position nor behind. Likewise, within the three times, past, present and future, my body is perceived by the visual consciousness in the present. The visual consciousness projects itself neither in the future nor recollects the past. So this is the case of sensory consciousnesses. Now regarding mental consciousnesses, after looking at my body, imagine that you close your eyes and imagine me where you saw me.

You will imagine me clearly behind my desk, but in front of the statue of Buddha Śākyamūni. Likewise, the mental consciousness which apprehends me engages its object not only in the present, but in the past, in the present and in the future to the difference of sensory consciousnesses. Maybe that’s okay. Then if you have questions, Geshe-la will take them at present. We’ll take a couple of questions, please make them short.

In short. I understand you said that we will become aware of where our consciousness comes from in a previous life. Where does it go at the end of cyclic existence? That’s an excellent question. Now when we speak of liberation, it is a being which attains liberation.

Therefore, it is both a body and a mind. Now the mind which attains liberation is one with liberation. However, this is a delicate point because there are some schools, for instance, a sub-school of the Cittamātra or mind only, which consider that upon the attainment of liberation, the mental continuum is severed, so literally one would cease to exist. Such a school does exist. Hello, that leads me to my question.

So is the true self of oneself the emptiness you feel or experience in deep meditation rather than the self that’s tied up in daily life getting frustrated or stuck in traffic and things like that? The true self is empty, the true consciousness is empty white light unattached. Are you asking about the self which is designated or the self which is an object of refutation? I was asking about the true self, what we’re striving for, like what we’re meant to be. According to the Buddhist scriptures, and Geshe-la thinks this is perhaps what you were thinking about, it is important to differentiate between the ordinary self, which is not refuted, and the self which is the object of refutation, and as they are blended, one tries to differentiate them through watching for a powerful emotion to arise.

When this powerful emotion arises, that strong sense of I is what is being refuted. Do I understand? Another? We transcribe everything you know. In considering at the moment of conception where does the mind come from, why is it that there couldn’t be any other possibility besides the previous life?

Then if we reflect on what happens at the instant of conception, when the spermatozoa fertilizes the ovum, according to the Buddhist understanding of conception, at this moment the subtle consciousness penetrates the fertilized egg. Now, we have a material causal continuum for the egg, the question is what is the causal continuum for the consciousness? We need something which is a cause of that consciousness and is similar in type to that consciousness, and matter cannot be that. What other option is there but previous lives? Alright, little bit.

Just a quick question, why does wind and consciousness have two different imputations if it’s one thing? To be more precise, mind and the wind which bears it are not one, they are said technically to be of one nature, but different isolates. What this means is that they have different names. When the entity which is being considered performs its active function in keeping with the definition of wind, which is light and moving, then it is called wind. When it performs its cognitive function, then it is called consciousness.

It bears two names in function of its function. Yeah. Yeah. Just wondering if Geshe-la could clarify the relationship between mind and consciousness. I don’t think I’m clear or I’d like to become clearer as to how they are different, how they relate.

Basically, the same thing. Mind and consciousness. They are of one nature but different isolates. Could you repeat that last statement? They are of one nature but different isolates.

It’s a technical translation of the Tibetan term ldog pa. It just means different names. You said that mind or consciousness penetrates at the point of conception. How does something not made of matter connect or penetrate something made of matter? The process is the following.

Before conception, consciousness dwells in a state which is known as the intermediate state, it is a being of the intermediate state, a bardo being. This bardo being, through the power of its own karma, is inexorably attracted to the place where it is to be reborn, where it sees its two future parents copulating. At this point, anger arises within its mind stream. The afflictions which arise in the mind of the being of the intermediate state depend on its future gender. When it sees its two parents copulating, if it is to be reborn as a man, as a male child, it feels desire for its future mother and hatred for its future father.

If on the other hand it is to be reborn as a female child, it feels desire for its future father, and it feels hatred for its future mother, therefore the most powerful emotion within its mind stream is hatred. Wonderful, isn’t it? And to me, that’s the way it is. I’ll give you the answer next week. Is it on?

Yeah. No? Going back to consciousness having to be preceded by a previous moment of consciousness. That’s okay for me but how do I refute logically someone who says to me, well if you take wood and oxygen and heat you create fire, so why can’t you take an egg and a sperm, create a person and that gives rise to consciousness. It’s not what I think but I don’t know how to refute that logically.

The piece of wood and the match, I modified a bit your example, are the cooperative conditions for the flame. Then the first instant of flame does indeed have a substantial cause. This substantial cause is what is known in Tibetan as the four elements. So we shall stop here for tonight. But regarding this introduction to mind and mental factors, please read by yourselves the various books translated in English on mind and mental factors.

And if you have no questions at present, for sure after reading them, the questions will arise and bring them up next time. Then if you have some time off, instead of just relaxing, try to reflect on what it means to be a person such as yourselves and where that person came from. Yeah, thank you. As well? Yeah.

Yeah.