if so, it seems that consciousness must exist independent of samsara; without consciousness, how could ignorance arise as samsara's first cause?
It depends what you're understanding "consciousness" as, I guess.
Vinnana, which is often translated as "consciousness" but may possibly be best understood as "presence" or "experience" is dependent upon "sankhara"... which is formation or fabrication. Thus vinnana is the presence or experience of a fabrication. But then... I doubt "presence or experience of a fabrication" is what you had in mind when you were talking about "consciousness".
EDIT: Saw your edit, and I don't take "samsara" to mean the "universe"... I take it to mean fabricated (i.e sankhata) existence.
Metta,
Retro.
"Whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things."
Thanks for your response! Of course the universe goes on when one enters parinibbana, as it were. So there seems to be a divide between subjective/sentient experience, and objective reality. I am interested in how this objective reality relates to subjective/sentient experience (in terms of causing it to arise, or allowing it to cease etc). edit: i guess i could start off with the question of exactly what this objective reality consists in (minus samsara). i think consciousness would have to be a basic attribute or substance of the universe itself for kamma-linked rebirth to operate.
Last edited by convivium on Wed Jan 16, 2013 11:39 pm, edited 4 times in total.
Just keep breathing in and out like this. Don't be interested in anything else. It doesn't matter even if someone is standing on their head with their ass in the air. Don't pay it any attention. Just stay with the in-breath and the out-breath. Concentrate your awareness on the breath. Just keep doing it. http://www.ajahnchah.org/book/Just_Do_It_1_2.php
convivium wrote:Only by eliminating ignorance can the dependent origination sequence cease and by extension samsara. Correct?
Ignorance mean not understanding the true nature of phenomena or the impermanance, un satisfactoryness and soul lessness.
Hence a person think I, me, mine and myself. This is what cause rebirth.
Please also note that the consciousness does not exist its own but arise due to reason.
“As the lamp consumes oil, the path realises Nibbana”
Ignorance mean not understanding the true nature of phenomena or the impermanance, un satisfactoryness and soul lessness.
Hence a person think I, me, mine and myself. This is what cause rebirth.
Please also note that the consciousness does not exist its own but arise due to reason.
what's that reason?
Just keep breathing in and out like this. Don't be interested in anything else. It doesn't matter even if someone is standing on their head with their ass in the air. Don't pay it any attention. Just stay with the in-breath and the out-breath. Concentrate your awareness on the breath. Just keep doing it. http://www.ajahnchah.org/book/Just_Do_It_1_2.php
Ignorance mean not understanding the true nature of phenomena or the impermanance, un satisfactoryness and soul lessness.
Hence a person think I, me, mine and myself. This is what cause rebirth.
Please also note that the consciousness does not exist its own but arise due to reason.
what's that reason?
not understanding the true nature of phenomena or the impermanance, un satisfactoryness and soul lessness.
“As the lamp consumes oil, the path realises Nibbana”
well, how can you fail to have understanding without consciousness?
Just keep breathing in and out like this. Don't be interested in anything else. It doesn't matter even if someone is standing on their head with their ass in the air. Don't pay it any attention. Just stay with the in-breath and the out-breath. Concentrate your awareness on the breath. Just keep doing it. http://www.ajahnchah.org/book/Just_Do_It_1_2.php
In other words, in order to understand or fail to understand, one must first be conscious.
Just keep breathing in and out like this. Don't be interested in anything else. It doesn't matter even if someone is standing on their head with their ass in the air. Don't pay it any attention. Just stay with the in-breath and the out-breath. Concentrate your awareness on the breath. Just keep doing it. http://www.ajahnchah.org/book/Just_Do_It_1_2.php
I see you point. You can't attain Arahantship bu logic or arguments. You should develop Sila,Samadhi and Panna.
Please read the link below from chapter 15:
You can't attain Arahantship bu logic or arguments.
maybe not. in any case, one can better understand why one might want to attain arahatship in the first place.
Just keep breathing in and out like this. Don't be interested in anything else. It doesn't matter even if someone is standing on their head with their ass in the air. Don't pay it any attention. Just stay with the in-breath and the out-breath. Concentrate your awareness on the breath. Just keep doing it. http://www.ajahnchah.org/book/Just_Do_It_1_2.php
After the death of one idea aka consciousness another is born (i.e. consciousness is re-born) in the aftermath of mentally affirming the former by means of imputing a sense of this idea being more than just an idea. This may be called "perpetuation of consciousness" or "the cycle of rebirths". If affirmation ceases perpetuation ceases which may be called "end of rebirths".
"Whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things."
Billymac29 wrote:If there is no self, no I , no soul.... I'm still a little wrapped up with what actually is reborn at death??????? Can anyone answer this? What might be reborn in another realm if anything?
with metta
I don't understand people's preoccupation with looking for the "what" that gets reborn. I'd counter that question with another question: Why do you think there needs to be a "what" that gets reborn in the first place? What exactly are you looking for in this "what" and why? I think when you look at this question deeply you'll see that it's really the ego doing the talking...it's trying to find something solid to plant itself into. It doesn't like the alternative idea, because it loses footing then and no longer has a firm grip.