Consciousness

By Victor M Fontane

All phenomena are manifestations of consciousness (vijñaptimātra). The thoughts and actions of all sentient beings, animate and inanimate, arise from the Ālaya-vijñāna (storehouse consciousness), the fruition of karmic seeds. All beings, originating from this eighth consciousness, cling to the notion of a separate self due to the discriminating function of the seventh consciousness, the Manas (mind consciousness).

In the Saha world, we are not illusions ourselves, but rather the thoughts arising from the ego-self are illusory, born from beginningless karmic imprints fueled by the three poisons (greed, hatred, delusion). The preciousness of human life lies in our capacity for both logical processing (left brain) and image processing (right brain). This allows us to analyze our experiences through logic, often obscuring the miraculous confluence of countless conditions (pratītyasamutpāda) that bring about even the simplest event, such as the birth of a child.

Clinging to past suffering also stems from over-reliance on logic, failing to recognize the impermanent and selfless nature of karma (anātman).

Human life presents a unique opportunity to transcend this clinging through mindful observation (vipaśyanā). By understanding impermanence and selflessness, past suffering can be transformed into the catalyst for future growth. These notions of success, failure, and suffering are worldly constructs; ultimately, there is no inherent existence of these concepts, as all arise from the karmic interplay within the eighth consciousness.

This transformation begins with acceptance and observation of our sensations (vedanā), without resistance or avoidance. This mindful awareness illuminates the origins and fluctuations of our feelings, unraveling the roots of suffering and ultimately freeing us from its grip. Past struggles become fertile ground for growth, giving rise to new possibilities and achievements.

The Dharma, the path to liberation from the cycle of rebirth (samsara), involves non-judgmental observation of these illusory, karmically-driven thoughts that trigger the three poisons. This practice cultivates non-discrimination, non-attachment, and ultimately, purity of mind.

Mindfulness (sati) and insightful observation become the primary tools. We cease resisting or escaping inner turmoil, instead embracing it and understanding its origins and transformations. Through this inner cultivation, past suffering and challenges are alchemized into catalysts for growth, revealing deeper potentials and possibilities for self-enhancement and transcendence.

Our true nature is unbound by the pull of karmic thoughts. We are like the omnipresent energy of the universe, the observer of observers. This resonates with the quantum concept of emptiness being filled with potential energy.