four parts/segments of mind in vipassana

In these video https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yWcgvxlyrkw how come one part of mind(the first part) is again mind? ### Summary of Video Content: The Four Major Portions of the Mind This video presents an in-depth explanation of the **four major segments of the mind** as described in the language of the Buddha’s time. Understanding these segments and their functions is crucial for recognizing how mental experiences arise and how they influence behavior and suffering. --- ### Core Concepts and Definitions | Term (Original) | English Equivalent | Description | |-----------------|--------------------|---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | **Vinyana** | Consciousness | The first part of the mind that cognizes sensory input through the six sense doors (eye, ear, nose, tongue, body, mind). Each sense has a separate consciousness. | | **Sannya** | Perception | The second part that recognizes and identifies the sensory input, using past experience and memory to evaluate it. | | **Vedana** | Sensation | The third part that experiences sensations on the body as pleasant, unpleasant, or neutral based on the evaluation of the perception. | | **Sankhara** | Volition / Reaction| The fourth part that reacts to the sensations; it represents mental actions or motivations that create karmic "fruits" or consequences. | --- ### Detailed Explanation of the Four Segments 1. **Consciousness (Vinyana)** - Function: To cognize or register sensory inputs from the six sense doors: - Eye → visual consciousness - Ear → auditory consciousness - Nose → olfactory consciousness - Tongue → gustatory consciousness - Body → tactile consciousness - Mind → mental consciousness (thoughts, emotions) - Example: When a sound hits the ear, ear-consciousness arises to register the sound. 2. **Perception (Sannya)** - Function: Recognizes and identifies the nature of the sensory input. - Uses past memories and conditioning to evaluate what the input is (e.g., recognizing words of praise or abuse). - This evaluation assigns meaning and value to the sensory data. 3. **Sensation (Vedana)** - Function: Experiences bodily sensations correlated to the evaluation—pleasant sensations arise from positive evaluations, unpleasant sensations from negative ones. - Example: Words of praise lead to subtle pleasant vibrations in the body, while words of abuse create unpleasant sensations. 4. **Volition / Reaction (Sankhara)** - Function: Reacts to the sensations; it is the **mental action** or motivation that follows cognition, perception, and sensation. - This reaction is **not just a passive feeling** but an active process that leads to karmic consequences or "fruits." - Examples of reactions include craving (from pleasant sensations) and aversion or hatred (from unpleasant sensations). - Sankhara is described as a **heap of actions** that form mental habits and tendencies. --- ### Types and Characteristics of Sankhara (Volitional Formations) - **Sankhara is crucial because it generates karma**; unlike the first three mind functions, sankhara produces consequences that affect future experiences. - There are **three types of sankharas** based on their persistence and impact: | Type | Description | Example / Analogy | |---------------------------|-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|------------------------------------------------------------| | **Transient (like a line on water)** | Very short-lived; eliminated almost immediately after arising. | A line drawn on water that disappears instantly. | | **Temporary (like a line on the beach)** | Lasts for a short period (hours); disappears by the evening if not reinforced. | A line drawn on sand that fades within hours. | | **Deep-rooted (like a line on rock)** | Very persistent; takes years to eliminate, deeply ingrained and difficult to eradicate. | A deeply chiseled line on rock that lasts a very long time. | - The **deep-rooted sankharas are the most dangerous** because they produce powerful and lasting karmic effects. - Negative mental habits like repeated **anger, hatred, passion, fear, worry, anxiety, depression** deepen sankharas, reinforcing suffering and misery. --- ### Key Insights and Conclusions - The mind functions in a **sequential and interdependent manner** starting from simple cognition, moving through recognition and evaluation, experiencing sensations, and finally reacting with volition. - **Consciousness alone does not create karma; it is the volitional reactions (sankhara) that generate karmic results.** - Habitual mental reactions (sankharas) are responsible for deepening suffering and shaping one’s future experiences. - Understanding these four components helps in **recognizing how mental conditioning and repeated reactions lead to persistent defilements or wholesome states**. - The video emphasizes the importance of **mindfulness and awareness** of these processes to intervene before sankhara solidifies negative patterns. --- ### Timeline Table: Mental Process Flow | Step | Segment of Mind | Function | Outcome/Result | |-------|------------------|----------------------------------------------|------------------------------------------------| | 1 | Consciousness (Vinyana) | Cognizes sensory input | Awareness that "something has happened" | | 2 | Perception (Sannya) | Recognizes and identifies the input | Assigns meaning (e.g., words of praise or abuse) | | 3 | Sensation (Vedana) | Experiences bodily sensation (pleasant/unpleasant) | Physical/mental feeling arises | | 4 | Volition (Sankhara) | Reacts to sensation; creates mental action | Craving, aversion, or other reactions form karmic seeds | --- ### Summary of Quantitative and Qualitative Data | Aspect | Details | |-----------------------|-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | Number of Sense Doors | Six (eye, ear, nose, tongue, body, mind) | | Number of Mind Segments | Four (Consciousness, Perception, Sensation, Volition) | | Types of Sankharas | Three (transient, temporary, deep-rooted) | | Impact of Sankharas | Deep-rooted sankharas produce long-lasting and difficult-to-eradicate karmic results | --- ### Additional Notes - The video repeatedly stresses the **importance of sankhara** as the critical factor in mental conditioning, volition, and karmic consequences. - The speaker uses vivid metaphors (lines on water, sand, rock) to illustrate the persistence and difficulty of eradicating different types of sankharas. - Mental defilements such as anger, hatred, fear, and anxiety are emphasized as examples of negative sankharas that deepen suffering. - The discussion is grounded in the **Buddhist psychological framework** and uses terminology from ancient Buddhist texts. --- ### Keywords and Concepts - **Vinyana (Consciousness)** - **Sannya (Perception)** - **Vedana (Sensation)** - **Sankhara (Volition, Mental Action)** - **Six Sense Doors** - **Karma and Karmic Fruits** - **Mental Conditioning** - **Defilements (Anger, Hatred, Fear, Anxiety)** - **Mindfulness and Awareness** --- This comprehensive explanation of the four major portions of the mind provides a foundation for understanding how sensory input is processed and how mental reactions form the basis for karmic consequences and continued psychological suffering. Recognizing and interrupting the reactive volitional process (sankhara) is key to reducing suffering and fostering wholesome mental states.