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Sixteen Exercises of Mindful Breathing
Consciousness usually operates except in five cases where the sixth consciousness temporarily ceases to function, with rebirth in the Heaven of Non-Perception (Vô Tưởng) being the first case. In this realm, only the eighth consciousness (Alaya) and the seventh consciousness (Manas) are active; the sixth consciousness does not perceive, but there is still an energy that clings to the self. These five cases include:
- being born in the Heaven of Non-Perception
- attainment of the non-perception concentration (Asamsnika samapatti)
- attainment of the cessation concentration (Nirodha-samapatti)
- dreamless sleep
- unconsciousness
All phenomena are manifestations of the energy of consciousness-only, interbeing and interpenetrating within the eight great elements (earth, water, fire, air, space, time, direction, consciousness)—each element contains the other seven. Reality transcends the eight notions of being-nonbeing, coming-going, one-many, birth-death; with the three Dharma seals (impermanence, non-self, nirvana), we come into direct contact with the undivided reality, where “this is that” and each part contains the whole.