Does newly born child think in terms of “i”, “me”, “myself”?

[SarathW]

Does newly born child think in terms of “i”, “me” and “myself”?
If not, why he/she is not an Arahant?

[retrofuturist]

Greetings,

A child has avijja, therefore has dependently originated experience.

Metta,
Retro.

[ground]

Does newly born child think in terms of “i”, “me” and “myself”?

I do not remember.

If not, why he/she is not an Arahant?

You may call it Arahant then it is Arahant.

[Sylvester]

Does newly born child think in terms of “i”, “me” and “myself”?
If not, why he/she is not an Arahant?

Because -

“And, Māluṅkya,putta, to whom do you remember the five lower fetters as having been taught
thus by me.
Would not the wanderers of other sects prove you, Māluṅkya,putta, false with the simile of the infant?

(1) For, Māluṅkya,putta, even a young tender infant, lying on its back, does not have the notion of
„self-identity‟ (sakkāya); for, how could the self-identity view arise for him?
Yet, the the latent tendency of self-identity view lies in him.

(2) For, Māluṅkya,putta, even a young tender infant, lying on its back, does not have the notion of
„dharma‟ (dhamma); for, how could doubt regarding dharmas arise for him?
Yet, the the latent tendency of doubt lies in him.

(3) For, Māluṅkya,putta, even a young tender infant, lying on its back, does not have the notion of
„virtue‟ (sīla); for, how could attachment to rituals and vows with regards to moral virtue arise for him?
Yet, the the latent tendency of attachment to rituals and vows lies in him.

(4) For, Māluṅkya,putta, even a young tender infant, lying on its back, does not have the notion of
„sense-desire‟ (kāma); for, how could sense-desire in sense-pleasure arise for him?
Yet, the the latent tendency of sense-desire lies in him.

(5) For, Māluṅkya,putta, even a young tender infant, lying on its back, does not have the notion of
„being‟ (satta); for, how could ill will towards beings arise for him?
Yet, the the latent tendency of ill will lies in him.

Would not the wanderers of other sects prove you, Māluṅkya,putta, false with the simile of the infant?”

MN 64, transl Piya Tan - http://dharmafarer.org/wordpress/wp-con ... 4-piya.pdf

We seldom pay attention to the anusaya, those silent and unconscious sankhara that condition the establishment of consciousness...

The best time to confront these, especially lust and aversion, would be when we become conscious and aware of how we react to the presence of the 2 main defilements in mindfulness practice.

[kirk5a]

We seldom pay attention to the anusaya, those silent and unconscious sankhara that condition the establishment of consciousness...

I agree. But I wouldn't say unconscious. I would say sub-rational.

[Sylvester]

Why not unconscious?

[kirk5a]

Why not unconscious?

Because that sounds like they are inaccessible to awareness, not part of our current experience.

[danieLion]

Does newly born child think in terms of “i”, “me” and “myself”?
If not, why he/she is not an Arahant?

Not according to William James. And as he and Retro note, the experience of new-borns is mostly if not all pure ignorance and confusion.

[beeblebrox]

Does newly born child think in terms of “i”, “me” and “myself”?
If not, why he/she is not an Arahant?

Hi SarathW,

I think it's because an Arahant is never reborn... that is why we never see a baby who is already an Arahant, or a Buddha.

[SarathW]

We seldom pay attention to the anusaya, those silent and unconscious sankhara that condition the establishment of consciousness...

I agree. But I wouldn't say unconscious. I would say sub-rational.

Thanks for all your replies. Special thanks for Sylvester providing for Sutta referance which I never heard before!
By the way I thought latent tendancies are in Bhava Consciouness. Any thoughts?

[Sylvester]

Why not unconscious?

Because that sounds like they are inaccessible to awareness, not part of our current experience.

Thanks for that. But SN 12.25 does appear to be a little more generous, insofar as it allows for one to construct (abhisaṅkharoti) the 3 different kinds of volitional constructions unknowingly or unawares (asampajāno) -

Sāmaṃ vā taṃ, ānanda, manosaṅkhāraṃ abhisaṅkharoti yaṃpaccayāssa taṃ uppajjati ajjhattaṃ sukhadukkhaṃ. Pare vā taṃ, ānanda, manosaṅkhāraṃ abhisaṅkharonti yaṃpaccayāssa taṃ uppajjati ajjhattaṃ sukhadukkhaṃ. Sampajāno vā taṃ, ānanda…pe… asampajāno vā taṃ, ānanda, manosaṅkhāraṃ abhisaṅkharoti yaṃpaccayāssa taṃ uppajjati ajjhattaṃ sukhadukkhaṃ.

Either on one’s own initiative, Ananda, one constructs that mental volitional construction
conditioned by which pleasure and pain arise internally; or prompted by others
one constructs that mental volitional construction conditioned by which pleasure and pain
arise internally. Either knowingly, Ananda, one constructs that mental volitional construction
conditioned by which pleasure and pain arise internally; or unknowingly one constructs that mental
volitional construction conditioned by which pleasure and pain arise internally.

According to SN 12.38, the anusayas belong to saṅkhārā, and it seems to suggest from its progressively refined graduation that the anusayas are the most subtle and persistent of the saṅkhārā. Now, if SN 12.25 which captures the coarsest expression of volition in the form of abhisaṅkharoti allows for this to be constructed unawares, how much more so for the subtlest of volition such as the latent tendencies?

Although I am in favour of the interpretation of the Aggregates as experiential bodies, I do not think I'm prepared to limit "experience" to the conscious receptive. The saṅkhārakkhandha is clearly reactive, the sequel to bare contact. You are probably correct that the anusayas operate at the sub-rational level, but SN 12.25 does allow them to sneak up on us and drive emotional responses without us being aware. I think that is why mindfulness practice is critical, not because it furnishes us with the rationalisation to understand the latent tendencies, but more to the point, it brings awareness fully on the defilements, especially in the contemplation of states.



Pls excuse the terseness of my query yesterday. Lying supine with a tiny Android competing with the telly for my attention does make me economise my words...