Momentary blanking out of consciousness

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m0rl0ck
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Momentary blanking out of consciousness

Post by m0rl0ck »

I experienced a moment of blanking out of consciousness and seem to remember reading about this as a side effect of insight meditation (which i do not practice, i do a chan method).
It was disconcerting, like being completly gone for a split second while wide awake and then blinking back into existence. I wasnt doing anythign special at the time, watching a youtube video.
Does anyone know what this phenomena is called in the context of the path of insight meditation?
“The truth knocks on the door and you say, "Go away, I'm looking for the truth," and so it goes away. Puzzling.” ― Robert M. Pirsig
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aflatun
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Re: Momentary blanking out of consciousness

Post by aflatun »

I think some (whether this accurately reflects the insight tradition or not, I won't comment) consider this blanking out to be true cessation, which occurs at the moment of stream entry, or attainment of higher paths, and is tantamount to the experience of Nibbana, i.e. all conditioned phenomena stop, however briefly.

You might find this thread interesting:

Pitch-black emptiness and Mahasi Sayadaw technique
Nyana wrote: Fri Jan 21, 2011 9:32 pm
Alexei wrote:So, it seems that some traditions differ with their opinion on the goal of practise.
Indeed. If the jhāna factors are not present then it isn't supramundane path or fruition attainment either. This blackout emptiness notion is the inevitable consequence entailed by a realist view of dhamma, wherein all conditioned dhammas are considered to be "truly existing things," and therefore path cognitions and fruition cognitions of each of the four paths and fruits must occur within an utterly void vacuum state cessation, which is considered to be the ultimately existent "unconditioned." This notion of path and fruition cognitions is not supported by the Pāli canon. It's largely based on an unsustainable interpretation of the first chapter of the Paṭisambhidāmagga. Also, there is nothing specifically Buddhist about utterly void vacuum state cessations. In fact, precisely this type of stopping the mind is the goal of some non-Buddhist yogic traditions. Therefore, this contentless absorption cannot be equated with Buddhist nibbāna. Moreover, there are now a number of people who've had such experiences sanctioned by "insight meditation" teachers, and who have gone on to proclaim to the world that arahants can still experience lust and the other defiled mental phenomena. Taking all of this into account there is no good reason whatsoever to accept this interpretation of path and fruition cognitions. Void vacuum state cessations are not an adequate nor reliable indication of stream entry or any of the other paths and fruitions.

All the best,

Geoff
Last edited by aflatun on Sat Dec 16, 2017 9:03 pm, edited 1 time in total.
"People often get too quick to say 'there's no self. There's no self...no self...no self.' There is self, there is focal point, its not yours. That's what not self is."

Ninoslav Ñāṇamoli
Senses and the Thought-1, 42:53

"Those who create constructs about the Buddha,
Who is beyond construction and without exhaustion,
Are thereby damaged by their constructs;
They fail to see the Thus-Gone.

That which is the nature of the Thus-Gone
Is also the nature of this world.
There is no nature of the Thus-Gone.
There is no nature of the world."

Nagarjuna
MMK XXII.15-16
Bundokji
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Re: Momentary blanking out of consciousness

Post by Bundokji »

If you blanked out of consciousness, how can you recall it?
And the Blessed One addressed the bhikkhus, saying: "Behold now, bhikkhus, I exhort you: All compounded things are subject to vanish. Strive with earnestness!"

This was the last word of the Tathagata.
2600htz
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Re: Momentary blanking out of consciousness

Post by 2600htz »

Hello:

The truth is that "blanking outs" are used to describe a very different number of experiences (you can have "blanking outs" because of drowsiness,lack of attention, some of the higher jhanas, attaining the cessation of perception and feeling, etc.)

You should first hear the answer of someone who uses your same method of meditation, and then check for yourself if it matches with the suttas.

Regards.
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m0rl0ck
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Re: Momentary blanking out of consciousness

Post by m0rl0ck »

2600htz wrote: Sat Dec 16, 2017 9:28 pm Hello:

The truth is that "blanking outs" are used to describe a very different number of experiences (you can have "blanking outs" because of drowsiness,lack of attention, some of the higher jhanas, attaining the cessation of perception and feeling, etc.)

You should first hear the answer of someone who uses your same method of meditation, and then check for yourself if it matches with the suttas.

Regards.
This wasnt drowsiness or lack of attention, im very familiar with those states
:)
“The truth knocks on the door and you say, "Go away, I'm looking for the truth," and so it goes away. Puzzling.” ― Robert M. Pirsig
Lombardi4
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Re: Momentary blanking out of consciousness

Post by Lombardi4 »

m0rl0ck wrote: Sat Dec 16, 2017 8:43 pm I experienced a moment of blanking out of consciousness and seem to remember reading about this as a side effect of insight meditation (which i do not practice, i do a chan method).
It was disconcerting, like being completly gone for a split second while wide awake and then blinking back into existence. I wasnt doing anythign special at the time, watching a youtube video.
Does anyone know what this phenomena is called in the context of the path of insight meditation?
Just for a split second? Earlier this year I lost consciousness in the toilet for 6 or so minutes after constipation! I woke up on all fours shivering and trembling for about 10 seconds, got up and was okay. But losing of consciousness was very weird. Total blank. :toilet:
Lombardi4
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Re: Momentary blanking out of consciousness

Post by Lombardi4 »

Bundokji wrote: Sat Dec 16, 2017 8:56 pm If you blanked out of consciousness, how can you recall it?
If you slept, how can you recall it?

I just remembered what happened before I lost consciousness, and when I "woke up" after the loss of consciousness I looked at the time and it was 6 or so minutes; for some reason, I had looked at the time before blanking out.

But anyway, it's about m0rl0ck.
ToVincent
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Re: Momentary blanking out of consciousness

Post by ToVincent »

I don't think it has to do with the Buddhist "consciousness". Just about awareness.

One must redefine consciousness.
Vedanā means an experience, which when it occurs at satta's level, at the living being's level, in particular - in the Buddhist "world" of the saḷāyatana - is "felt" sensorially. And this experience demands some more inquiry.

Then comes sañña ("perception"?) - which indeed is the said inquiry - plus the assumptions that follow.
One put some postulates on his examinations.

This is the purely mental level (cittasaṅkhāra).
One could add that vitakka & vicāra, that come later on to enrich consciousness (viññānna), might be the verbal (vacisaṅkhāra) match of these mental processes.
Vitakka being the doubtful abstract verbal match, of the doubtful abstract felt purely mental experience; and vicāra the concrete verbal examination and probe match, of the purely mental inquiries and assumptions; leading to a possible naming (vaca).


Then comes viññāṇa, which is the final knowledge that concludes the (usually rational) investigations. It encompasses the above (the bodily, mental and verbal, plus the manosañcetana, papañca, etc., part of the process).
Consciousness is everything that has been known through the bodily, mental and verbal processes - through mano (the great orchestrator of the khandhas).

Consciousness is a secondary consequence of citta (viz. the result of the synergy (saṅkhāra], between vedanā & sañña).
Moreover, at satta's level, it includes the interference of mano.


Note on the side:
If viññāṇa is equal to citta (as one often hears say), then what would be the need for mano? - what would saḷāyatana be useful for? - where would be the will? - where would be the escape? - what would be the need to liberate citta from mano? - What would Buddhism be good for?


Now your "blank" sounds more like mano stopping its act for a while (without citta picking up from there).
Certainly that can be explained scientifically (the mano part).
Just a break.

One should redefine vipassana as well, while we are at it.
Last edited by ToVincent on Sat Dec 16, 2017 10:48 pm, edited 1 time in total.
In this world, there are many people acting and yearning for the Mara's world; some for the Brahma's world; and very few for the Unborn.
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m0rl0ck
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Re: Momentary blanking out of consciousness

Post by m0rl0ck »

ToVincent wrote: Sat Dec 16, 2017 10:36 pm I don't think it has to do with the Buddhist "consciousness". Just about awareness.

One must redefine consciousness.

I was using the word in its most mundane sense ie:
con·scious·ness
ˈkän(t)SHəsnəs/
noun
noun: consciousness

the state of being awake and aware of one's surroundings.
"she failed to regain consciousness and died two days later"
“The truth knocks on the door and you say, "Go away, I'm looking for the truth," and so it goes away. Puzzling.” ― Robert M. Pirsig
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m0rl0ck
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Re: Momentary blanking out of consciousness

Post by m0rl0ck »

aflatun wrote: Sat Dec 16, 2017 8:55 pm I think some (whether this accurately reflects the insight tradition or not, I won't comment) consider this blanking out to be true cessation, which occurs at the moment of stream entry, or attainment of higher paths, and is tantamount to the experience of Nibbana, i.e. all conditioned phenomena stop, however briefly.

You might find this thread interesting:

Pitch-black emptiness and Mahasi Sayadaw technique
Nyana wrote: Fri Jan 21, 2011 9:32 pm
Alexei wrote:So, it seems that some traditions differ with their opinion on the goal of practise.
Indeed. If the jhāna factors are not present then it isn't supramundane path or fruition attainment either. This blackout emptiness notion is the inevitable consequence entailed by a realist view of dhamma, wherein all conditioned dhammas are considered to be "truly existing things," and therefore path cognitions and fruition cognitions of each of the four paths and fruits must occur within an utterly void vacuum state cessation, which is considered to be the ultimately existent "unconditioned." This notion of path and fruition cognitions is not supported by the Pāli canon. It's largely based on an unsustainable interpretation of the first chapter of the Paṭisambhidāmagga. Also, there is nothing specifically Buddhist about utterly void vacuum state cessations. In fact, precisely this type of stopping the mind is the goal of some non-Buddhist yogic traditions. Therefore, this contentless absorption cannot be equated with Buddhist nibbāna. Moreover, there are now a number of people who've had such experiences sanctioned by "insight meditation" teachers, and who have gone on to proclaim to the world that arahants can still experience lust and the other defiled mental phenomena. Taking all of this into account there is no good reason whatsoever to accept this interpretation of path and fruition cognitions. Void vacuum state cessations are not an adequate nor reliable indication of stream entry or any of the other paths and fruitions.

All the best,

Geoff
Thanks. Im pretty sure the jhana factors were not present at the time, unless you can get youtube jhana :) I appreciate the sane, meaningful response :twothumbsup:
“The truth knocks on the door and you say, "Go away, I'm looking for the truth," and so it goes away. Puzzling.” ― Robert M. Pirsig
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aflatun
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Re: Momentary blanking out of consciousness

Post by aflatun »

m0rl0ck wrote: Sat Dec 16, 2017 10:49 pm

Thanks. Im pretty sure the jhana factors were not present at the time, unless you can get youtube jhana :)
I dunno, I'm pretty sure I've had a few youtube jhana experiences myself :rofl:

m0rl0ck wrote: Sat Dec 16, 2017 10:49 pm I appreciate the sane, meaningful response :twothumbsup:
:thumbsup:

If you don't mind sharing, what Chan method do you practice?
"People often get too quick to say 'there's no self. There's no self...no self...no self.' There is self, there is focal point, its not yours. That's what not self is."

Ninoslav Ñāṇamoli
Senses and the Thought-1, 42:53

"Those who create constructs about the Buddha,
Who is beyond construction and without exhaustion,
Are thereby damaged by their constructs;
They fail to see the Thus-Gone.

That which is the nature of the Thus-Gone
Is also the nature of this world.
There is no nature of the Thus-Gone.
There is no nature of the world."

Nagarjuna
MMK XXII.15-16
ToVincent
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Re: Momentary blanking out of consciousness

Post by ToVincent »

m0rl0ck wrote: Sat Dec 16, 2017 10:46 pm I was using the word in its most mundane sense ie:
con·scious·ness
ˈkän(t)SHəsnəs/
O, I see!
You might find your answer at 1:00

I think it's all about frëk(t)eSHi/an.



:)
In this world, there are many people acting and yearning for the Mara's world; some for the Brahma's world; and very few for the Unborn.
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m0rl0ck
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Re: Momentary blanking out of consciousness

Post by m0rl0ck »

aflatun wrote: Sat Dec 16, 2017 11:42 pm

If you don't mind sharing, what Chan method do you practice?
After doing a huatou (who is this?) for a while my last instructions were to "abide with mind"
“The truth knocks on the door and you say, "Go away, I'm looking for the truth," and so it goes away. Puzzling.” ― Robert M. Pirsig
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m0rl0ck
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Re: Momentary blanking out of consciousness

Post by m0rl0ck »

ToVincent wrote: Sat Dec 16, 2017 11:54 pm
m0rl0ck wrote: Sat Dec 16, 2017 10:46 pm I was using the word in its most mundane sense ie:
con·scious·ness
ˈkän(t)SHəsnəs/
O, I see!
You might find your answer at 1:00

I think it's all about frëk(t)eSHi/an.



:)
Good stuff :jumping:
“The truth knocks on the door and you say, "Go away, I'm looking for the truth," and so it goes away. Puzzling.” ― Robert M. Pirsig
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aflatun
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Re: Momentary blanking out of consciousness

Post by aflatun »

m0rl0ck wrote: Sat Dec 16, 2017 11:58 pm
aflatun wrote: Sat Dec 16, 2017 11:42 pm

If you don't mind sharing, what Chan method do you practice?
After doing a huatou (who is this?) for a while my last instructions were to "abide with mind"
Awesome, I love huatou, but I don't have a teacher, so I can't say I really practice it (but I do in a way :embarassed: 8-) )
"People often get too quick to say 'there's no self. There's no self...no self...no self.' There is self, there is focal point, its not yours. That's what not self is."

Ninoslav Ñāṇamoli
Senses and the Thought-1, 42:53

"Those who create constructs about the Buddha,
Who is beyond construction and without exhaustion,
Are thereby damaged by their constructs;
They fail to see the Thus-Gone.

That which is the nature of the Thus-Gone
Is also the nature of this world.
There is no nature of the Thus-Gone.
There is no nature of the world."

Nagarjuna
MMK XXII.15-16
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