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**Vjwkvkoy** · 05-03-2010, 11:09 PM

from post #28

Is 'consciousness' anything more than an abstract label used to refer to an impersonal flow of phenomena? Conventionally, entities have consciousness. That is, consciousness is said to be an aspect of an entity. Without an entity, what is consciousness?

The consciousness answer also falls prey to Heraclitis' observation that you can't step into the same river twice. Neither the person nor the river is the same entity from moment to moment. Then there's the Ship of Theseus argument, which is closely related. I don't see how consciousness can be a thing.

I'm trying to remember where I read a sutta quote that I can right now only paraphrase. In it, the Buddha says something like, 'I see action and volition, but no being/entity that passes on from moment to moment.'

05-03-2010, 11:09 PM	#29
Vjwkvkoy Join Date Oct 2005 Posts 448 Senior Member	from post #28 Is 'consciousness' anything more than an abstract label used to refer to an impersonal flow of phenomena? Conventionally, entities have consciousness. That is, consciousness is said to be an aspect of an entity. Without an entity, what is consciousness? The consciousness answer also falls prey to Heraclitis' observation that you can't step into the same river twice. Neither the person nor the river is the same entity from moment to moment. Then there's the Ship of Theseus argument, which is closely related. I don't see how consciousness can be a thing. I'm trying to remember where I read a sutta quote that I can right now only paraphrase. In it, the Buddha says something like, 'I see action and volition, but no being/entity that passes on from moment to moment.'
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