--- sx3tony <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote:
>
> Hi All!
>
> Can someone explain the nature of the mind and its
> relationship with
> the brain?
I can only give it a try:
The mind is a dependently originated phenomenon that
is defined in relation to the objects of cognition.
The objects of cognition (i.e. manifested phenomena)
cannot arise without the mind, and conversely, the
mind cannot arise without the objects of cognition.
As such, both are devoid of any substantiality and
reality.
A lot of ink has been wasted over the issue of
self-awareness, reflexive awareness, and similar. The
thing is that all these problems are imaginary. Same
as the lamp does not have to illuminate itself in
order to be able to illuminate other objects, the mind
does not have to cognize itself in order to be able to
cognize other objects (and the sword does not have to
cut itself in order to be able to cut other objects,
and the finger does not need to touch itself in order
to be able to touch other things, and so on).
The mind simply cognizes. The lamp does not have to
illuminate itself for the simple reason that darkness
does not darken it. Darkness may darken other objects
(i.e. objects of cognition), but when the light of the
lamp shines forth, darkness cannot darken it. If it
could, we would witness the birth of an infinite
regress, because then the lamp would need its
meta-lamp to illuminate it and ensure that it can
function as a lamp. But then that meta-lamp, that
illuminates the first lamp, will need its own
meta-lamp, and so on. Vitious cycle.
In the Buddhist teaching, the mind is viewed as simply
functioning perfectly, with no impediments whatsoever.
Alex
No karma was produced during the composition of this letter
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