I will respond to the questions later on. But I quickly scanned the attached document by Thanissaro Bhikkhu.
On p. 131 of the pdf, it translates the terms in the “reverse order Paticca Samuppada” from SN 12:2. To quote: “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..”
We know that the Buddha’s mind became free of avijja (“the remainderless fading & cessation of that very ignorance” per the above quote) on the night of Enlightenment.
– So, did the Buddha become unconscious at that point?
– No wonder he starts the essay with, “The topic of becoming, although it features one major paradox, contains other paradoxes as well..” in the Preface (p. 5)
– “Bhava” (in his translation “becoming”) is not a paradox if one understands Paticca Samuppada.
It is not just him. The following is the translation of SN 12.2 at Sutta Central
“Vibhaṅga Sutta (SN 12.2)”
– There the translation is: “When ignorance fades away and ceases with nothing left over, choices cease. When choices cease, consciousness ceases.”
My question is: Why do people take these translations seriously?
– If they cannot explain what is stated by, “Avijjāya tveva asesavirāganirodhā saṅkhāranirodho; saṅkhāranirodhā viññāṇanirodho” they obviously cannot explain many other concepts including “bhava”.