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The 39th Mindfulness Training of Plum Village
Conditions, feelings, aggregates, sense bases, realms, and consciousness are presented in many different models, not fixed or opposed to each other, but merely as skillful means for practice. For example, conditions can be divided into 4, 6, 9, 10, or 12 links—the 12 links of dependent arising (from delusion to formations, consciousness, name-and-form, etc.) are just a familiar model. Feelings are often spoken of as three types (pleasant, unpleasant, neutral), but in the Plum Village tradition, a fourth type is added—mixed feeling (both painful and pleasant at the same time). Regarding aggregates, besides the five aggregates (form, feeling, perception, mental formations, consciousness), one can speak of two aggregates (name and form) or four aggregates (body, feeling, mind, objects of mind), because consciousness is the ground of all mental formations.
Sense bases and realms are also flexible: the twelve sense bases (six sense organs—eye, ear, nose, tongue, body, mind; six sense objects—form, sound, smell, taste, touch, mental objects) when combined give rise to the six consciousnesses, forming the eighteen realms. Expanding further to include the seventh consciousness (Manas), the eighth (Alaya), and the ninth (Amala), one can arrive at 21, 24, or even 27 realms. Similarly, the “16 breathing exercises” (divided into four breaths for body, feelings, mind, and objects of mind) were originally designed for easy memorization, but now can be expanded to more than 20 breaths, adding breaths on impermanence, non-self, non-desire, dependent arising, and the breath of cessation (Niroda), which reminds us of the ontological ground of no birth and no death. These models are not absolute truths but serve the practice, encouraging flexibility, creativity, and letting go of dogmatism.
