Some part of my mind always watches/is aware of breath whether I am studying, playing, eating, watching movies, etc. Is it ok? Any long detailed answer?

I asked this question recently to understand why consciousness is different from the intellect itself and considering the answer given I now think that Consciousness is not something higher than intellect but just the working of intellect i.e. "consciousness of". But now I encountered another type of consciousness Consciousness without surface (viññanam anidassanam) which seems to be beyond the intellect itself, as Bhikkhu Thanissaro explain it here it is beyond the six sense media. I read somewhere else that it is consciousness of arising of Dhammacakka, The Eye of Wisdom. Could you please direct me to a detailed exposition of this type of consciousness, if any. Thanks a mil.

From MN 49 (trans. Sujato): > Consciousness that is invisible, infinite, radiant all round—that’s > what is not within the scope of experience based on earth, water, > fire, air, creatures, gods, the Creator, Brahmā, the gods of streaming > radiance, the gods replete with glory, the gods of abundant fruit, the > Overlord, and the all. > > *Viññāṇaṃ anidassanaṃ anantaṃ sabbato pabhaṃ* ... The invisible consciousness (*viññāṇaṃ anidassanaṃ*) from MN 49 seems to be different from the sense consciousness described in MN 18 e.g. eye-consciousness, ear-consciousness etc. because it is not within the scope of sense experience, according to MN 49. It is also found in DN 11 . It is also translated as "consciousness without surface" (from here , trans. Thanissaro). Question 1: What is the invisible consciousness or consciousness without surface described in MN 49 and DN 11? Is it a cosmic consciousness like the one found in Hinduism? I guess not. Question 2: This answer implies that this invisible consciousness or consciousness without surface is the re-linking consciousness (*patisandhi-viññana*) that connects one lifetime to the next. This also implies that the re-linking consciousness (*patisandhi-viññana*) which is the invisible consciousness or consciousness without surface (*viññāṇaṃ anidassanaṃ*) is the consciousness that descends into the womb causing materiality-mentality (*nāmarūpa*) to arise (from DN 15 ). Is this right? Question 3: Also, the description of "invisible, infinite and radiant all round" sounds very similar to the "luminous mind" (*pabhassara citta*) from AN 1.51-52 . The same word "*pabham*" (luminosity) or "*pabhassara*" (luminous) is used in both MN 49 and AN 1.51-52. How is the invisible consciousness or consciousness without surface related to the luminous mind?

Is the thought of killing someone without actually killing him bad Karma? How powerful is it? I think it is certainly bad karma. But I am willing to know the Buddhist explanation of it with more detail. What will happen, if a person forcefully resit those thoughts when thoughts are arriving?

For quite some time now, no matter what innocuous thing I do my mind can randomly wonder to some past experience for no reason at all other than a common bond between the memory and present action or experience. A few examples: - I am making a cup of tea and my mind wanders to a conversation I had 15 years ago with a person about brewing a cup of tea. - I make some food and my mind wanders to a person I once cooked food with a decade ago. - I am walking and see leaves on the ground and my mind wanders to a memory of my youth 3 decades ago when I played with leaves. My main practice is a form of mindfulness and observation of any klesha and applying an antidote on its arrival. When these thoughts arise I stop them instantly. The issue is that they can happen randomly at at any time, and that I do not know their cause or how to stop them from arising. Why is this? Is this part of the root poison of desire, to desire to be "I/me" and the memories of the past reinforcing this, clinging? Is it a by product of the mind-stream (past/present/future) that cannot be avoided? Is this something that all beings suffer from up to or even after arhantship? Of course I can bring up a memory for context on command. My mind was not always so calm. It was once unruly and I was able to be completely controlled by kleshas. In the above situations, the memories are not being commanded as well as I am not being controlled by kleshas. I am not asking for personal advice on how to deal with it, because in a more conventional sense it is just a simple distraction that I as a practitioner apply an antidote and alleviate. Is this wandering usual, what is its cause, and can it be completely eradicated? My mind is not defiled by any sort of strong klesha. These do not seem like general defilements. They are short lived, 2 seconds and I am back to sati of the present moment, but this has been going on for so long now. I feel either this is something I would need to do something specific to eradicate (I do not know what) or it is something that others also experience frequently and is just part of the samsaric experience. Something not to be concerned about.

Are there specific causes for a specific disease or illness or cause of death that can be attributed to kamma earned in one of previous lives for a given person? For instance, if a person is suffering from cancer or heart attack, is there a cause in the kammic history that he/she might have earned? And what about causes of unnatural death in an unintentional manner? The question that I am posing is, I know that not all causes of disease/death are caused by past kamma, But are there kammic causes for the rest of the events that cause disease/ailment/death in the present life?

Over the years I observed in myself and others a tendency to get stuck (to be biased) in our views, thoughts and behaviour. This appears to be the result of [cognitive biases in the mind](https://www.verywellmind.com/what-is-a-cognitive-bias-2794963) resulting in adverse effects to ourselves and others as the examples below illustrate: **Case 1:** Someone with end stage renal failure and had to undergo a graft placement in her arm to prepare her for haemodialysis. The first operation failed as there was non-stop bleeding and the surgeon re-do the surgery but that too failed with the same issue. A third attempt was scheduled but the surgeon warned if that fails too then the patient is considered unsuitable for haemodialysis. The patient’s daughter who was not medically trained, decided to check the daily medication the hospital was giving her mother and noticed that she was still on aspirin, a known anti-coagulant. Luckily, the discovery turned things around swiftly. **Case 2:** Years ago there was a shipping accident involving a ferry ship called [MV Sewol in South Korea](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sinking_of_MV_Sewol) . The tragedy would have been avoided if steps were taken to improve safety but those in charge assumed that it was business as usual. **Case 3:** Analysts believed the [current war between Ukraine and Russia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Russian_invasion_of_Ukraine) arose due an overconfident Russia miscalculating [its military capabilities](https://www.japantimes.co.jp/opinion/2022/07/20/commentary/world-commentary/putin-ukraine-miscalculation/) and assuming it will be another “Crimea-like” walk in the park. My question are as follows: 1. What could be the cause(s) for such biases from the perspective of Buddhism? 2. From Buddhist teachings, what can be done to reduce or stop such biases? Please answer freely from any insights you may have. I believe this is a problem that has grave consequences to the world with its effects greatly magnified with modern technology. Therefore, any contribution or idea would be appreciated. **Appendix (I)** Some time back, I came across a study that linked [mindfulness practice and its positive effects on cognitive biases](https://www.nature.com/articles/s41599-021-00712-1) . As it is popularly known, [mindfulness practice has its roots in Buddhism](https://web.northeastern.edu/matthewnisbet/2017/05/24/the-mindfulness-movement-how-a-buddhist-practice-evolved-into-a-scientific-approach-to-life/) . Thus, I suspect Buddhism compared to other religions may be able to suggest cause(s) and solution(s) to this problem which is plaguing us and the world.

I have some hunch that when rising from the deep meditative states / jhanas, the mind becomes so slow that the world is perceived in frames. Is this true? My guess is that the speed of human brain perception is proportionate to how much craving there is, the lesser the craving the slower the mind due to disenchantment. Experienced ones please shed some light on this.

A few years ago, I listened to a dharma talk given by Ajahn Succito. In it, he said that we can think of the mind as having three aspects to it: awareness, feeling, and thinking (thinking includes memory ability). And I think that it was in the same talk where he casually threw out this statement: *Thinking is basically just measuring and comparing.* It's a rather humbling statement, isn't it? He didn't expand on the statement, so it comes back to me every once in a while, and I wonder: Can it really be that simple? I don't know, but it does seem right to me for some reason. Not sure it matters much, but I do think he included the word "basically", as I quoted above. What do you think? Is there anything important missing from his statement?

I've heard this quote in a few places, attributed to the Buddha. Prominently, Tara Brach uses it . It varies sometimes: - "Everything rests on the tip of one's motivation." - “Everything rests on the point of intention.” But the gist is always the same. 1. Where in the Tripiṭaka (or elsewhere) does this quote originate? 2. How can we understand this quote? What is this "tip of intention"? Is it perhaps translated from [mano, as in 'intending mind']( https://discourse.suttacentral.net/t/on-the-first-lines-of-the-dhammapada/18718?replies_to_post_number=16) , or some link in the chain of dependent origination, or something else?

Right now sometime if i try to concentrate i can feel the calmness in mind. Before 2 years i used to feel inner joy after doing meditation. If i do meditation everyday for 2 -3 hours, how much time will it take for me to leave the rupa jhana? Or simply, is their any time intervals in which meditator experiences all the jhanas one by one?

*I have learned.....* When a receptor (eyes,ears,nose,tongue,body,mind) meet with the preferred input (light,sound,smell,taste,touch,thoughts) if the dedicated "Vinyana" is born to accept it the being will feel that particular sensation. *So my question is....* Eyes can't see when they are closed Ears can't hear when we sleep Nose can't sense when we sleep Tongue can't sense when we sleep Body can't feel when we sleep But the mind does not seem to share the same condition with the rest of receptors.Because when we sleep some part of it function and when we are awake it is fully functioning. **So does mind ever stop?** **Does mind start with the birth and keeps going till the last minute?** What does the Suttas say?

This is a third attempt at formulating a question. This question and this question have been asked, but not formulated in a way that conveyed the question. So now, in a third attempt, the formulation shall be: **what is volition?** **EDIT:** The answers still do satisfy the question in the mind, although they are answers to the question on 'paper'. Apologies for the lack of skill in phrasing the question. Let us see if the following clears up what is being asked: *Imagine life as a series of moments; one moment after another in a line infinitely long. Imagine that there is a decision that must be made, to chose A or B, both equally likely to be chosen (for whatever reason, such as lack of understanding which is the right choice). This decision is present only in a single moment within the infinite series of moments. __What is that single moment of choice? What is that single moment made of, what substance, what phenomena? Who/What is doing the choosing? Why A over B, or B over A, if both are equally likely?__*

Is there a visual representation of how mind looks like with kamma, feelings, emotions, perceptions, attachments etc. Like for example, I tend to visualize lust as a tether that binds us to this human place and locks our mind from our understanding and penetrating the true nature of things as it prevents development of concentration, and thus wisdom. Likewise I am looking for somewhat intuitive understanding of mind and kamma. Any one?

As e.g. if somebody harms you, you don't feel because you know that the people is only harming this body, that is just a pile of cells, and the people is incapable to harm your mind. If yes, do have some teachings to contemplate the separation of mind and body, preferably some mindfulness technique?

Do Buddhist teachings or scripture say anywhere whether or not a reincarnated soul has memory of their past lives? Referenced passages are encouraged.

In this Dhamma Talk, Venerable Ajahn Chan expound about Buddho the one who knows which is above the mind as quoted below, what is it? is it just part of the mind? I'm looking for further reference on this if possible from the Pali canon... Many Thanks > ... For us it's the same. Only this mind is important. That's why they say to train the mind. Now if the mind is the mind, what are we going to train it with? By having continuous sati and sampajañña we will be able to know the mind. **This one who knows is a step beyond the mind, it is that which knows the state of the mind. The mind is the mind. That which knows the mind as simply mind is the one who knows. It is above the mind. The one who knows is above the mind, and that is how it is able to look after the mind, to teach the mind to know what is right and what is wrong.** In the end everything comes back to this proliferating mind. If the mind is caught up in its proliferations there is no awareness and the practice is fruitless.

Our reality is quite violent. Observing the violence of others causes mental conflict, And it will ruin your state of mind during meditation. What should be the reaction of a person to violence? Put Nirvana aside, Can you even think of a simple meditation when there is growing violence around you? How to deal with violence?

What's the difference? I'm having difficulty thinking of any real neutral feelings I actually experience. For example, there's eating a food that is perceived as pleasant, and eating a food that is perceived as unpleasant. If your senses were unguarded, you would then experience respectively a pleasant or unpleasant feeling. But, when I eat something that is bland or that could not be considered pleasant or unpleasant, then even thinking back to when I didn't remain mindful and guarded, I can't remember ever feeling neutral about it. I didn't feel *anything* about it. I just ate it. Is it simply a matter of how I'm using and understanding the word "feeling" itself? Edit: It seems what I was getting hung up on was simply a translation/language/connotations issue. This page explains that it's somewhat different from the common way the word feeling is often used in English. Thank you for your responses.

Anatman/Anatta says that the 'self'is a momentary flux of Cittas-Vijnanas.There can be no stable permanent Citta,in kshanabhangavada a dharma perishes before its successor arises.one citta arises then perishes and another takes its place all going on until Nirvana is established.However,when one citta perishes,from where and what does the next Citta arise?it cannot be a nothing.but the Citta also cannot preexist as that would be absurd and there would be infinite mes or yous right now somewhere.it would also mean that the world would be Fate.but such a notion is Absurd anyway.it cannot also be that there is an infinite set of predetermined Cittas in a dormant state.as Cittas are all that' Exist' in the Mahayana and Tibetan schools.They cannot be dormant.dormant where?in a concrete external world?if such a receptacle existed wich was permanent and unchanging and not momentary it would be a Self! Citta can be equated with Vijnana Skandha or alaya vijnana aswell,as the alayavijnana is momentary within Buddhism. it cannot be that the Citta has the same substance as the former Citta because then it would just be the same Citta and Cittas are not Substantial according to Nagarjuna. It cannot be that a Citta endures until the next arises because this would confer confused Experience and still the former Citta has no Causal power to create another Citta Exnihilo. So how does the momentary flux of Cittas work?