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Consciousness, Subject and Object
Thay details the interconnectedness of mindfulness, consciousness, and karma in Buddhism, emphasizing the transformative power of mindful breathing and appropriate attention. A Winnie-the-Pooh story illustrates enlightenment and interconnectedness, akin to astrophysicist Sir Arthur Eddington’s “footprints analogy.”
Thay reminds us that the Buddha’s main concern in teaching is understanding suffering and its transformation. This requires the practice of deep looking into the four domains of mindfulness as described in the Sutra on the Four Establishments of Mindfulness, the most basic sutra on meditation.
The three objects or realms of consciousness are outlined: the realm of mere images, the realm of representation, and the realm of things in themselves. Consciousness flows continuously, influenced by wholesome, unwholesome, or neutral actions. Appropriate attention, yoniso manaskāra, is described as the art of living, arranging our lives to direct our minds toward peace, siblinghood, healing, and reconciliation.
Thay finally implores us to remember that we are not only our body, but also our environment. The Buddha’s teaching on retribution shows that a beautiful future can be assured by taking care of our thoughts, speech, and bodily actions.
This is the second talk in a series of five given during the Scientists in the Field of Consciousness retreat in the year 2006. Thay offered this talk at the New Hamlet, Plum Village, France.
Part of the following collections
Exercises in Mindful Breathing and the Energy of Total Relaxation