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**arreskslarlig** · 04-11-2011, 10:40 PM

The Dalai Lama points out (in Essense of the Heart Sutra) that it is precisely because there is no permanent self or soul, that rebirth is possible. This, of course, does not directly answer your question but it is a good place to begin. My understanding is that, if we think of rebirth meaning consciousness sort of jumping from one physical condition to another, as in the case of a physical body dying, and non-material consciousness being a 'thing' that then leaves that body, floats through physical space and takes root in another physical body, this is a convenient way of expressing rebirth but it is not really accurate.

The reason it is not totally accurate is that the physical body is not one solid thing, but is a collection of temporary conditions of physical elements all sort of happening at the same time.

Likewise, 'consciousness' is not a single thing (as would be a soul or self) but is also a grouping of cognitive events. Actually, consciousness is only happening in the very present instant. Even thinking about the past or the future only happens right now.

So, because cognition is only happening right now, consider the analogy of sitting by a river staring at the movement of the water. You are still but the water is moving. Yet, if you relax your eyes a little, it can look like the water is motionless and you feel as though you are moving. Sometimes if you lie on your back and look at clouds this can occur. The experience is that the clouds are still and you are moving. Perhaps a more familiar example is being in a train which is not moving, and the train next to you starts to move but you think at first that it is your train moving. Likewise, if we start with the thought that it is the mind, or consciousness that is moving from one body to the next, this is only true in a relative sense. It is the series of physical bodies that come and go.

But, ultimately it is not the mind that moves at all. Ultimately, consciousness doesn't jump from one body to the next. They arise together as a situation. You might say that it is the arising and ceasing of one physical body after another which takes up residence with the mind.

So what is this 'mind'?

04-11-2011, 10:40 PM	#37
arreskslarlig Join Date Oct 2005 Posts 470 Senior Member	The Dalai Lama points out (in Essense of the Heart Sutra) that it is precisely because there is no permanent self or soul, that rebirth is possible. This, of course, does not directly answer your question but it is a good place to begin. My understanding is that, if we think of rebirth meaning consciousness sort of jumping from one physical condition to another, as in the case of a physical body dying, and non-material consciousness being a 'thing' that then leaves that body, floats through physical space and takes root in another physical body, this is a convenient way of expressing rebirth but it is not really accurate. The reason it is not totally accurate is that the physical body is not one solid thing, but is a collection of temporary conditions of physical elements all sort of happening at the same time. Likewise, 'consciousness' is not a single thing (as would be a soul or self) but is also a grouping of cognitive events. Actually, consciousness is only happening in the very present instant. Even thinking about the past or the future only happens right now. So, because cognition is only happening right now, consider the analogy of sitting by a river staring at the movement of the water. You are still but the water is moving. Yet, if you relax your eyes a little, it can look like the water is motionless and you feel as though you are moving. Sometimes if you lie on your back and look at clouds this can occur. The experience is that the clouds are still and you are moving. Perhaps a more familiar example is being in a train which is not moving, and the train next to you starts to move but you think at first that it is your train moving. Likewise, if we start with the thought that it is the mind, or consciousness that is moving from one body to the next, this is only true in a relative sense. It is the series of physical bodies that come and go. But, ultimately it is not the mind that moves at all. Ultimately, consciousness doesn't jump from one body to the next. They arise together as a situation. You might say that it is the arising and ceasing of one physical body after another which takes up residence with the mind. So what is this 'mind'?
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