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What exactly differentiates the external rupa from the internal rupa? Is the former material and the latter immaterial? It wasn’t clear to me how one passes from mind to matter.”
- I’ve read a few posts, but I’m not sure I understand correctly: does Buddhism take a dualistic stance when differentiating between a material and an immaterial reality?
What exactly differentiates the external rupa from the internal rupa? Is the former material and the latter immaterial? It wasn’t clear to me how one passes from mind to matter.
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External rupa is material, of course. For example, a gold ring is made of atoms and molecules.
- When person X sees that ring, a mental image of it is grasped by the mind. That is the ‘internal rupa.’
There are five mental enoties associated with that ‘internal rupa‘:
- Rupa or Rupakkhandha: It registers the size, colors, shape, etc. associated with the gold ring. Furthermore, the mind compares seeing such objects in the past and matches those past experiences to recognize the object as a gold ring. That is why it is called ‘rupakkhandha‘ or an ‘aggregate or collection of rupa.’ That is a very simple explanation of a deeper subject, but a starting point.
- Vedana or Vedanakkhadha: The mind may ‘feel’ a sensation of pleasure seeing the gold ring. Suppose you saw it at the dentist’s office while waiting for your appointment. Someone may have accidentally dropped it.
- Saññā or Saññākkhandha: Recognition of the object as a gold ring. It also incorporates any value that is placed on it. The gold ring could be expensive.
- Saṅkhāra or Saṅkhārakkhndha: Thoughts that arise related to the gold ring. You may consider keeping it for yourself, instead of handing it over to the receptionist, in case the owner comes looking for it. If so, then greed would have arisen in you.
- Viññāṇa or Viññāṇakkhandha: Overall mental impression of the ring and any future plans regarding it. If you decide to keep it, you may think about giving it to your wife or girlfriend as a gift. Or you may decide to sell it.
That is a very basic explanation. The mind is extremely fast. All those things happen within a split second.
- Detailed explanations in “The Five Aggregates (Pañcakkhandha).”
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Thanks for the reply.
So, according to this conception, Buddhism assumes a dualistic stance (material vs. immaterial)?
In light of this, I would like to ask the following:
If matter originates from the mind, how exactly does this happen, since the internal rupa would be an imperfect representation of the external (that is, the internal one would be dependent on the external one)?
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Question: How is the mind the originator of external rupa?
1. This is a complex subject and needs some background in basic teachings of the Buddha about kamma.
- Kamma means not just any action, but ‘an action done with a defiled mind.’ A defiled mind is one that harbors raga (greed), dosa (anger), or moha (ignorance of the Buddha’s teachings).
- A kamma can be done with physical action (kaya kamma), speech (vaci kamma), or thoughts (mano kamma). In fact, one does kaya and vaci kamma also based on mano kamma. Also see, “Ten Immoral Actions (Dasa Akusala)“
- Such a kamma generates kammic energy. Some of that energy is spent on speech and actions. But a significant part of that energy is stored in “vinnana dhatu.” The collective kammic energy of all living beings leads to the arising of the external world. One’s own kammic energy can bring future rebirths for oneself.
- That is an extremely summarized version of a complex subject.
2. I suggest reading posts in the following sections to build up on those ideas: “Living Dhamma” and “Moral Living and Fundamentals”
- It is a good idea to scan the post lists and read topics that seem interesting first.
- It will take some time to grasp these concepts, especially if one has not been exposed to Buddha’s teachings.
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I always wonder how people can casually ask questions of “how the world arises from mind” or “how the world was created,” like it’s a 2+2 question. It’s good to ask questions, but without realizing the weight of the question, you will look kinda silly. Probably the way people get instant information and gratification makes people this way.
To understand how the mind originates matter, you will need to understand first the basics and the bigger picture of Buddha Dhamma, so you will have enough dots to connect. I don’t think you can skip classes unless you are some kind of genius; it applies to Dhamma too.
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One aspect that many people do not realize is the following. Most get discouraged by simply looking at the idea of how the mind can create solid matter, for example, “our solid bodies.” The mind only creates the “seeds” for material objects.
- For example, the mind does not create our physical body directly. It only creates enough energy for the mental body (gandhabba), and that energy is unimaginably tiny compared to our physical body. (As Einstein confirmed, matter and energy are equivalent. If you convert the mass of a human body to energy, that would be an enormous number in energy units.)
- Just as a tiny seed can grow into a massive tree by absorbing water and nutrients from the soil, an unimaginably small gandhabba (that gets into the womb of a mother) gives rise to the heavy human body by taking in food, first from the mother and then, once outside the womb, by consuming solid food. See #5 of “Kamma Viññāṇa and Nāmarūpa Paricceda Ñāṇa.”
- P.S. Also see #6 of “How Do We See? – Role of the Gandhabba“
- However, to understand advanced posts like those, one must have a good background about kammic energy, viññāṇa, gandhabba, etc.
- May be reading such a post can get someone motivated to get started!
- I am a physicist with a Ph.D., and I can say that what modern science knows is only a tiny fraction of what the Buddha taught. After over ten years, I am still learning the deeper aspects of the Buddha’s teachings! Modern science knows NOTHING about the mind.
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