Understanding the right Dhamma

1. Buddhism: A full transformation of the Mind
Buddhism is a philosophy that explores the luminosity of the mind. The Buddha
has mentioned that mind is the forerunner of all states. In other words, the mind is
ultimately responsible for interpreting the existence under the circumstances of
duality – phenomenon arises. Therefore, what exists is defined as that which can
be known. If it cannot be known by the mind, then it does not exist. And
conventionally, things can exist as in fallacy or in reality i.e. subject to the
discriminating activities being carried out by the mind. Furthermore, mind is
dependent arising and it is a pattern of consciousness that is born from
awareness. In fact, mind is known as consciousness in individuality and it is more
objective and involves clear discrimination – differentiates and understands the
characteristics of objects.
If one refers to the cycle of Dependent Origination, manas that unfolds against the
backdrop of consciousness (preliminary) is an architect that activates mind and
body creations. Mind and body are simply two aspects of the same thing. Manas
would vibrate in a certain unique frequency pattern – a wave of collated high and
low vibrations. This blueprint of vibrations would subsequently bring forth a
conflation of mind and body. The principle in effect: the lower the frequency, the
slower the vibration; the higher the frequency, the faster the vibration. Slower
vibration would lead to the body and the sense bases formation and faster
vibration would lead to the mind formation. Collectively, it brings about a new life
existence with a unique individuality that would not allow the disruption by any kind
of external interference; thus it maintains a self-identity. In other words, mind and
body are present in every created thing as one integrated whole. Even an atom
has a kind of mind that is unique or individualised. The nucleus of the atom,
around which electrons vibrate in standing waves, constitutes the atom’s
individuality. As a result, one atom distinguishes from another atom – just as one
person is different from another person or as one thing is different from another
thing.
Nevertheless, the mind is comprised with two terms i.e. prevailing consciousness
and subtle consciousness. Both the prevailing and the subtle mind
consciousnesses would arise in the sentient beings but for other things, merely
subtle mind consciousness would arise. In addition, it is the mind, the
consciousness of individuality, which holds together the atoms and molecules as
one integrated body in a lifetime. Scientifically, the atoms are held together by
covalent chemical bonds but the synergies of it would give rise to the mind, the
consciousness of individuality.

2. As a summary, no duality or multiplicity would arise in the non-existence of the
mind. This is because there is no subject to ponder on the object or
matter. When there is no mind arising, no phenomenon would arise. When there is
no phenomenon arising, no dependent nature would arise. When there is no
dependent nature, there would be no perception, no conception, no label, no
boundary, no name, no activity, no shape, no relation, no description, no
stereotyping, no beginning, no ending, etc. An ultimate reality is a truth that exists
beyond mind and beyond concepts and words in the sense that it is beyond our
usual ways of perceiving things.
Luminosity of the Mind
The pure nature of the mind is luminous and it is due to the presence in the waves
of dependent phenomena that has clouded it from discerning the reality of
circumstances i.e. ignorance arises. As such, Buddhism is a philosophy that
focuses on transforming an ignorant state of mind into an enlightened one. An
enlightened mind can be described as prevailing mind consciousness with liberation
from the thoughts i.e. instead of being the thoughts; the perspective is shifted to
watching the thoughts churned out by subtle mind consciousness. The role of
prevailing conscious mind is like mind-in-command i.e. the mind that can lead, take
charge, concentrate, make decision and convey action. In other words, it means
prevailing conscious mind would make observation without identifying with the
thoughts – the subtle conscious mind. This liberation from thought identification
to thought observation is called the experience of the Buddha nature.
During the process of observation, the awakened prevailing conscious mind could
also discern with the so-called memory fragments of the previous lives subdued
within the subtle conscious mind. This is because within the elements of subtle
consciousness one would discover the elements of subtle memory. Within the
elements of subtle memory one would discover the elements of subtle information.
In other words, the awakened prevailing conscious mind could see through the
‘seed treasures’ of kamma accumulated from the retained subtle information
throughout the series of one’s past lives in crystal clear and without hesitation.
Besides seeing through the past life events, an awakened mind could also foresee
into the future events. In a layman term, it is named as a de-ja vu experience or
some kind of time travelling to the future condition. This is because an awakened
mind is highly luminous and vigilant to any development of circumstances and
surpassing time. In Buddhism, it is mentioned that only a human can attain
enlightenment as a fully enlightened Buddha. This is because humans are just one
type of sentient being with both the prevailing and the subtle conscious mind

3. stream that can find balance between happiness and suffering via the meditating
processes. Therefore, in the absence of the prevailing conscious mind, the
attaining of full enlightenment is not possible.
Basically, there are two types of meditation in Buddhism. One is samatha and the
other is vipassanā meditation. Samatha meditation is to calm or tranquil the mind
by means of concentration. Whereas, vipassanā meditation is to mould the mind
into seeing all things as they really are – an insight into the true nature of reality.
The main focus of vipassanā meditation is to attain pure awareness via
mindfulness. Vipassanā is often preceded by samatha but nonetheless, both types
are inter-dependable throughout the practices in order to achieve favourable
results in meditation.
Upon entering deeply into a meditative state (in full concentration), the prevailing
mind consciousness would separate from the subtle mind consciousness. The
main reason for engaging samatha meditation is to calm or tranquil the wilderness
of the subtle mind consciousness. Thereafter, the prevailing conscious mind
enters a state of pure observation (mindful) without identification on the flow of
thoughts conjured up by the subtle conscious mind until pure awareness is
attained.
Moreover, when one has gained enlightenment while sustaining with a living body,
the mind would still exist but with a paradigm shift to seeing all the things or
happenings in the ultimate perspectives without delusion or hesitation. The mind
has not gained with a complete liberation yet and this circumstance is also known
as cessation with remainder. The ultimate liberation or cessation without
remainder can only be achieved without sustaining a living body i.e. the passing
into parinibbāna.
During one last time of disintegrating process, the subtle conscious mind would be
absorbed into the black hole of emptiness and then followed by the prevailing
conscious mind. In the absence of the mind, the dependent phenomenon would die
out concurrently. Ultimately, there is no mind remaining in the infinite, unchanging,
permanent and unconditional state of nibbāna and this is the ambience for an
eternal bliss.