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The Foundation of Cosmic Consciousness
This title has been reviewed for accuracy.
Transcending Birth and Death Through a Deep Understanding of Reality.
Thay introduces the concept of the cosmic body (dharmadhātutākaya). Using the concepts of store (ālaya) and store consciousness, he explains that just as a wave has both a wave body and a water body, individuals have both a physical body and a cosmic body.
Thay deepens key concepts: store and store consciousness, seeds (bījas), and the totality of seeds (sarvabījaka); the relationship between object and subject of cognition; interactions among senses, their objects, and resulting consciousness forming the eighteen realms of existence; and the impermanence and inter-being of all formations.
All formations lack a separate self, being composed of non-self elements, like a flower depending on sunshine and rain. This principle applies to all formations, including the body and consciousness. Mind consciousness creates separation through categorization, prevents us from experiencing the true nature of reality (svalakṣaṇa). Inter-being meditation dissolves this illusion, transforming suffering into compassion. Through deep meditation, one attains non-discriminative wisdom (nirvikalpajñāna), seeing all things as interconnected, eliminating suffering. Thay concludes with the eight characteristics of seeds.
This the sixth talk in a series of thirteen given during the What happens When We Die?, twenty-one-day retreat in the year 2014. Thay offered this talk at the Upper Hamlet, Plum Village. France.