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Chapter 6 The Vinhdnakkhandha In the traditional enumeration of the aggregates, vinnana is fifth and is commonly translated as "consciousness." As with the previous four aggregates, six kinds of vinnana exist, with each designation dependent upon the sense organ through which the faculty performs its function.1 Therefore, we find vinnana associated with each of the six sense-doors. The canonical definition of this aggregate is, again, as obscure as those of the previous khandha. The Pali canon tells us that vinnana is so called because it "vinnanizes."2 This definition could make sense only to native speakers of Pali who had already interiorized through linguistic and cultural reinforcement the significance of "to vinnanize." Unfortunately, most of us are left without the slightest hint as to its meaning. In looking elsewhere for clues that will help define this aggregate, we find that vinnana displays the characteristics of all conditioned phenomena: namely the truths of impermanence and selflessness. For example, the Cullavedallasutta condemns the attempt to regard not only vinnana but any of the five aggregates as the seat of individuality (atta),3 while the Alagaddupamasutta stresses that vinnana itself is impermanent.4 And it is mentioned elsewhere that those who believe that vinnana has a destiny of its own, distinct from the other four khandha, are misled as to its true nature.5 Therefore, it is clear that within the realm of Pali Buddhism, neither vinnana nor any of the 1 Chayime dvuso vinndnakdyd: cakkhuvinhdnam sotavinndnam ghdnavinndnam jivhdvinndnam kdyavinndnam manovinndnam (M. i, 53; also M. i, 259; iii, 216, 281). 2 Vijdndti vijdndfiti kho dvuso, tasmd vinndnan ti vuccafiti (M. i, 292). 3 Sutavd ariyasdvako ... na ruparh attato samanupassati... na vedanam ... na sannam ... na sankhdre ... na vinndnam attato samanupassati, na vinndnavantam attdnam, na attani vinndnam na vinndnasmim attdnam (M. i, 300). 4 Tarn kim mannatha bhikkhave. Vinndnam niccam va aniccam vd ti? Aniccam bhante (M. i, 138; also S. iv, 67-68). 5 Yo bhikkhave evam vadeyya: aham annatra rupd annatra vedandya annatra sanndya annatra sakkhdrehi vinndnassa dgatim vd gatim vd cutim vd upapattim vd vuddhim vd virulhim vd vepullam vdpanndpessdmi ti n'etarh thdnam vijjati (S. iii, 53.) 113 114 The Five Aggregates other aggregates can be considered as permanent or as occupying the place of an everlasting self. Yet scholars such as Mrs. Rhys Davids6 argue that textual evidence does not always portray vihnana as an impermanent element. Their main argument is that vinnana is often approached as the seat of individuality, the residing place of the self, or of a permanent entity. They support their theory by canonical evidence which, according to them, refers to vinnana in the sense of "self." There are at least two of these occurrences.7 After the death of certain monks who had reached arahanthood (Bhikkhu Godhika and Vakkhali), the evil spirit Mara searched in vain for their vinnana since the latter had utterly ceased to arise. According to Mrs. Rhys Davids, this definitely indicates that after death, the vinnana of a non-liberated person is expected to go somewhere before being "reborn"—therefore implying the existence of some sort of permanent entity which travels from body to body. Mrs. Rhys Davids also notes that the verb "to arise" (uppajjati or uppatti), usually used in reference to vinnana, is occasionally replaced by "to descend" (avakkhanti).* Once again, she interprets this as alluding to a permanent entity, a kind of "soul" which descends into the body. Viewed in this manner, these few examples contradict the core doctrine of impermanence in general, the changing nature of vinnana itself,9 and the view that the body is existing permanently (sakkayaditthi).10 Mrs. Rhys Davids suggests that, therefore, the notion of a transmigrating entity must have been an intrusion of popular belief into Buddhism—mere "folklore speech"11 —for, when contrasted with the emphasis given to the concepts of anicca and sakkayadit thi throughout the entire realm of Buddhist literature, these pieces of evidence are far too scarce to be taken seriously. However, her interpretation of these passages is, I believe, a result of a misunderstanding of the concept of impermanence and of the core theory of dependent origination. Vinnana is characterized by impermanence in the sense that it arises and passes away at every 6 C.A.F. Rhys Davids, trans., Buddhist Psychology: An Inquiry into the Analysis and Theory of Mind in Pali Literature (London: Luzac, 1924), p. 22. 7 S. iii, 124; S. i, 121. 8 Rhys Davids, Buddhist Psychology, p. 22. 9...

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