Wednesday, April 24, 2013

Work of consciousness: A magic trick




It all starts here. What ever is associated with consciousness is an illusion. It is another clever trick of the magician. We need to get friendly with the magician and learn all his tricks. This is the work of insight. Then it's all over. No more magic. They are only different tricks. Now we see them clearly. Just watch the tricks as they are being played. Then you smile.


"Now suppose that a magician or magician's apprentice were to display a magic trick at a major intersection, and a man with good eyesight were to see it, observe it, & appropriately examine it. To him — seeing it, observing it, & appropriately examining it — it would appear empty, void, without substance: for what substance would there be in a magic trick? In the same way, a monk sees, observes, & appropriately examines any consciousness that is past, future, or present; internal or external; blatant or subtle; common or sublime; far or near. To him — seeing it, observing it, & appropriately examining it — it would appear empty, void, without substance: for what substance would there be in consciousness?-Buddha


*Viññana [vi~n~naa.na]:
Consciousness; cognizance; the act of taking note of sense data and ideas as they occur. See khandha.