Mindfulness of Consciousness

As in the other foundations of mindfulness, mindfulness of consciousness has a wide range of objects—from the gross to the subtle ones. Naturally, we develop mindfulness of consciousness with regards to grosser objects first. (Usually, we also note body objects first before proceeding to consciousness).

In developing mindfulness of consciousness, the first object that we should get acquainted with is “thinking.” Thinking itself has many forms such as planning, imagining, reflecting, and so on. When we note “thinking,” we just note that there is thinking; we do not go into the contents of the thoughts which will only cause us to think even more. Thinking is usually connected with concepts and things of the past and future. We should just note that there is “thinking,” “planning,” “reflecting,” etc and not dwell on the concepts, or the past and future. If the thinking persists, it means that we are not mindful enough. If we are very mindful and exercise just bare Whose mind stands like a mountain, Steady, it is not perturbed, Unattached to things that arouse attachment, Unangered by things that provoke anger. When his mind is cultivated thus How can suffering come to him? UDANA 4.4

attention, the thinking will disappear the moment we note it. In vipassana, we are always observing change, how things arise and pass away. The ordinary person, however, tends to become attached, even to meditation objects. Sometimes, they like concentration, the samatha type of concentration where concentration is fixed on only one object. That is why some people like to learn samatha first. But if we want insight, we have to come back to vipassana and develop our mindfulness regarding the changing nature of phenomena. In vipassana, momentary concentration is sufficient. Momentary concentration is concentration that is not fixed on one object but moves from object to object. But it can be continuous and unbroken; that is why it can develop insight.

When we note thinking, we should also do so calmly as with other objects such as pain. We watch it to see its true nature, not to make it go away. If we maintain this attitude, the thinking will cease naturally. But if we are too wrapped up in wanting it to go away, it is likely to stay longer. If we note mindfully and with detachment, we will be more aware of the three characteristics of suffering, impermanence and non-self. However, if the thinking persists for too long, we should ignore it completely and switch to another meditation object.

The “trick” behind the watching of mental states, according to one teacher, is to be very energetic and continuous in one’s noting. The mind runs very fast and we must move equally fast to catch it. The current of defilements is also very powerful, and our mindfulness must be more powerful if we are to overcome it. Thinking, restlessness, etc, usually arise because of our defilements of greed, anger and delusion. Even though the thinking may seem to have stopped, the defilements may still be present. We have to be mindful and note the presence of defilements such as greed (thinking about food?) until they vanish. When we are really mindful of the defilements, we not only know their presence, we also comprehend their true nature of impermanence, unsatisfactoriness and non-self.

So, to be very mindful, we should, for example, also know whether we are slightly sleepy or not at all. Unless the defilements disappear altogether, how can we really note the consciousness without lust, without anger, without ignorance?

“The mind is hard to perceive, extremely subtle, flits wherever it wishes. Let the wise one guard it, a guarded mind is conducive to happiness.” It is difficult to watch the mind. Often, people who try to do it end up with a blank sort of dullness or a meaningless wandering mind. The harder they try to watch the mind, the worse they become until they end up seeing stars! Trying to make your mind blank is even worse. The idea here is to be just mindful. If you are mindful, you can be aware of the mindful state of mind. If you are not, then you are mindful of something else—something which is probably clearer, has impinged on your consciousness and demands your attention. In this case, you are also on the right track as you are still mindful of a meditation object.

When we watch the mind, we have to constantly apply mindfulness. Otherwise mindfulness will cease without our knowledge. With progress, we can be mindful of good states of mind and be aware as they change into even subtler states. In the simile of the raft, we are told that even good states of mind have to be abandoned, what more evil states? True, states of mind can be so subtle and blissful that one may actually seem unconscious. Some may even mistake this for enlightenment or true cessation of suffering. Many subtle states of mind occur when one’s consciousness is good. They may be due to joy, quietude, concentration, and equanimity. So, the Satipatthana says: “One is mindful of consciousness that is tranquil, freed, no states higher than it, grown great, etc.”

The third foundation of mindfulness is mindfulness of consciousness or mind. At this point, we will not try to differentiate between what we call mind and mental states. To digress a little on this matter; there is a fourth foundation of mindfulness regarding Dhamma, translated as mental objects. This fourth foundation of mindfulness is more general and there are different interpretations of what it means. Generally, there are two types of interpretations. One interpretation is that Dhamma means certain aspects of the teachings, whereby when we contemplate on it—insight ie vipassana may arise. The other meaning is mental objects. Concerning this, it may also be interpreted as Dhamma in the sense of phenomena because all phenomena can be made the object of the mind. Therefore, the field is very wide; it stretches beyond the fields of the other three forms of objects. For the beginner we will not deal so much with this. We will just deal with the mind. We will include the mental states, which have often been classified under Dhamma or mental objects.

What do we mean when we say “mind”—citta? Citta is often translated as consciousness, that which knows, or that which knows an object. When you know something, you generally say “we” know. Nevertheless, here it is not that “we” know; it is the mind that knows because the mind is so defined as having the quality of knowing. All this is very abstract and metaphysical. For simplicity and ease of understanding, when we refer to it as “mind”—it means consciousness. In the beginning of the practice, we may not be so aware of these mental states. We are more concerned with trying to hold the mind onto the “rising” and “falling,” the “sitting” and “touching,” on the walking and sitting and so forth. However, as we try to do this, we become very aware of the mind. That is so because we are trying to control it. In the past, we have been used to taking it for granted. We may know there is a mind but we do not really look into it. Now you have to control the mind, so finally you need to deal with it.