Reply To: Witness consciousness and Buddha nature

#52725
Lal
Keymaster

The seven steps that Taryal wrote are correct.

We can itemize what Taryal wrote after that, too:

8. “So far, it is a plain awareness (vipāka viññāṇa). But if it is an object of interest, the initial attachment is automatic.

9. Then, the person can choose to generate conscious thoughts about the object or try to avoid it by distracting themselves. I think this is what causes the perception of ‘I’ or ‘me’. But if a single condition above is removed, awareness of the object can not occur..”

Let me list a few points to think about:

1. Step 8 is the critical one. As long as one has not removed certain samyojana/anusaya, that mind will automatically attach to the object if it is “an object of interest.” Conscious thinking is NOT involved.

  • This is why it is so hard to resist “temptations” and lose “kama raga.”
  • To remove that “automatic attachment,” one must fully understand the “true nature” (called “yathābhuta ñāṇa.”)
  • That means one must understand why we are attached to specific objects. We experience a “sweet taste” with honey, attractive odors of flowers or sounds, the beauty of a woman, etc.
  • The stronger the attachment, the more likely one would like to make the object “mine.”

2. All those enticing experiences arise with “sanna” built into our mental and physical bodies.

  • Each species has its own set of “appealing objects.” Of course, some could be overlapping, but there are distinct differences.
  • For example, humans and bears find honey sweet, cows find grass appealing, and lions and tigers eat only the flesh of other animals. 

3. The basic idea is in several suttas. I will list only two for now: “Saññā Sutta (AN 6.110)“, “Saññānānatta Sutta (sn 14.7),” 

  • Another is “Saññā Sutta (SN 26.6).” @ 1.3: Yo kho, bhikkhave, rūpasaññāya uppādo ṭhiti …pe…jarāmaraṇassa pātubhāvo …pe…” means “The arising of (distorted) perception of sights leads to old age and death.” (i.e., suffering).” Note that the English translation there did not even translate the critical second part of the verse.)
  • Then, @ 1.5, “Yo ca kho, bhikkhave, rūpasaññāya nirodho …pe…jarāmaraṇassa atthaṅgamo …pe…” meaning “The cessation of (distorted) perception of sights is the ending of old age and death.”
  • That distorted saññā is built into our bodies via Paticca Samuppada. Therefore, it cannot be removed. However, understanding this mechanism (i.e., cultivating paññā) leads to breaking the “kama raga samyojana. Hence, an Arahant or Anagami would also taste honey to be sweet or a particular woman to be attractive, but their minds will not generate kama raga.
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