Consciousness (viññāṇa)
Parent topics: Aggregates, Nutriment, Dependent origination
23 excerpts, 1:27:08 total duration

All excerpts (23) Questions about (20) Answers involving (2) Quotes (1)

Metta Retreat, Session 4Ajahn Pasanno – Sep. 12, 2008

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9. “What is the difference between awareness and consciousness?” [Knowing itself] [Consciousness] // [Aggregates] [Sense bases] [Volitional formations] [Volition] [Conditionality] [Discernment]


Abhayagiri Monastic Retreat 2013, Session 2Ajahn Pasanno – Nov. 24, 2013

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2. “Could you clarify the difference between perception (sanna), mental formations (sankara) and conscousness (vinnana)?” [Perception] [Volitional formations] [Consciousness]


Abhayagiri Monastic Retreat 2013, Session 4Ajahn Pasanno – Nov. 26, 2013

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1. “Please explain again: When one restores concentration by focusing on the in-and-outtake of the breath, is one using the vinnana/consciousness of the grasping mind?” [Mindfulness of breathing] [Concentration] [Consciousness] [Clinging]


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10. “Could you please explain again the differences between sanna, sankara, and vinnana? I'm still not getting it.” [Perception] [Volitional formations] [Consciousness]


Abhayagiri Monastic Retreat 2013, Session 7Ajahn Pasanno – Nov. 29, 2013

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28. “Why would consciousness not be considered self?” [Consciousness] [Not-self]


Death and Dying, Session 1Ajahn Pasanno – May. 9, 2014

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13. Comment: We can't know the kamma or state of mind of someone who is dying. Because the dying person's consciousness can be very open, it's useful to remind them of their wholesome actions. Contributed by Jeanne Daskais. [Kamma] [Consciousness] [Spaciousness] [Recollection/Virtue] [Death]

Story: Sri Lankans keep a lifelong record of the good things they have done. Friends and relatives read this to them at the time of death. Told by Ajahn Pasanno. [Skillful qualities] [History/Sri Lankan Buddhism]


2014 Thanksgiving Monastic Retreat, Session 6Ajahn Pasanno – Nov. 27, 2014

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15. “Can you please explain whether there is a difference between “mind” and “consciousness,” because everything seems to be experienced in the mind; the body is experienced in the mind; feelings also seem to be experienced by the mind, as well as perceptions, sensations, etc. Thank you for your teaching and explanation.” [Heart/mind] [Consciousness] [Aggregates] [Nature of mind]


Abhayagiri 2015 Winter Retreat, Session 24Ajahn Ñāṇiko – Feb. 6, 2015

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1. “Why does the Buddha describe perception in terms of colors but consciousness in terms of tastes?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno, Ajahn Karuṇadhammo and Ajahn Ñāṇiko. [Perception] [Consciousness] [Sense bases] // [Bhikkhu Bodhi] [Commentaries] [Ven. Analayo] [Memory] [Feeling]

Sutta: SN 22.79: Being Devoured; footnote 114 in Bhikkhu Bodhi translation.

Follow-up: “Could you say that perception is identification whereas consciousness is more refined?” [Aggregates] [Not-self] [Self-identity view] [Rebirth] [Translation] [Similes]


Abhayagiri 2015 Winter Retreat, Session 46Ajahn Karuṇadhammo – Mar. 16, 2015

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2. “How is it that when one feels a pleasant feeling, one cannot feel an unpleasant or neutral feeling?” [Feeling] // [Consciousness] [Similes]


The Middle Way of Not-Self, Session 1Ajahn Pasanno – May. 27, 2015

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2. “What are mental formations and consciousness?” [Aggregates] [Volitional formations] [Consciousness] [Not-self] // [Sense bases] [Contact]

Sutta: MN 44: Cūḷavedalla Sutta


2015 Thanksgiving Monastic Retreat, Session 4Ajahn Pasanno – Nov. 24, 2015

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12. “If the list of the five khandas is intended to be linear, why is sense-consciousness the final one?” [Aggregates] [Consciousness]


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19. “Can you please explain mindfulness or awareness of consciousness? I can understand consciousness arising as a result of stimuli entering the sense doors, but how does one become aware of consciousness itself? Or is this the right question about consciousness?” [Mindfulness of mind] [Consciousness] [Nature of mind]


2015 Thanksgiving Monastic Retreat, Session 5Ajahn Pasanno – Nov. 25, 2015

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10. “Appreciation for becoming aware of consciousness as a nutriment.” [Consciousness] [Nutriment]


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12. “As I've been pondering about consciousness as nutriment, which pointed me to the self. I am wondering, is the self attachment? But attachment is not permanent either. So could we say the self can be either attachment and/or non-attachment, the owner or non-owner? Not trying to find self, rather understanding self? Perhaps pure self as opposed to impure self? Please comment.” [Consciousness] [Nutriment] [Not-self] [Clinging]


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13. “I was a little confused this morning about the nutriments. I'm assuming the nutriments nourish our suffering. What are the nutriments? How would consciousness and mental volition differ in feeding dukkha?” [Nutriment] [Consciousness] [Volition] [Suffering]


2015 Thanksgiving Monastic Retreat, Session 6Ajahn Pasanno – Nov. 26, 2015

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15. “Is it useful to investigate how we can only experience one conscious moment at a time?” [Consciousness] [Investigation of states]


2015 Thanksgiving Monastic Retreat, Session 7Ajahn Pasanno – Nov. 27, 2015

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9. “Can you say more about trusting the seeds of meditation practice after Alzheimer's/dementia kick in? What do you mean by going beyond liberation or consciousness? What do you mean by “many deeper layers” are affected by the practice and the fruits of it will express naturally?” [Sickness] [Consciousness] [Long-term practice]


2015 Thanksgiving Monastic Retreat, Session 8Ajahn Pasanno – Nov. 28, 2015

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25. “Do you think it's possible to experience Nibbana before becoming fully awakened - “moments of enlightenment?” But if Nibbana is beyond consciousness, would you remember that it happened?” [Nibbāna] [Stages of awakening] [Consciousness]


Thanksgiving Retreat 2016, Session 3Ajahn Pasanno – Nov. 21, 2016

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7. “Would you please speak a little bit more about “mindfulness” and the “sati” factor, since it seems to me that most, if not all, things register in consciousness. For example, “discursive” thoughts are registered in consciousness just as thoughts and we are aware of the thoughts themselves. What distinguishes “mindfulness” from lack of mindfulness during this process?” [Mindfulness] [Consciousness]


Two Kinds of Thought and the Removal of Distracting Thoughts, Session 1Ajahn Pasanno – Jun. 4, 2017

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1. “The term 'sense consciousness' is used in the morning chanting, but I didn't hear that [in MN 19]. When the Buddha recognizes a thought and puts it into a certain bin, this seems like a step beyond sense consciousness.” [Consciousness] [Sense bases] [Investigation of states] [Directed thought and evaluation] // [Mindfulness]


Developing Skill in Reflective Meditation, Session 1Ajahn Pasanno and Ajahn Karuṇadhammo – Dec. 1, 2019

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1. “What did you mean by 'lifting up?' Is it an object of attention?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Directed thought and evaluation] [Recollection] // [Restlessness and worry] [Sloth and torpor] [Postures] [Energy]

Quote: “Namo viññaṇa dhatu (Homage to the element of consciousness).” — Ajahn Chah [Ajahn Chah] [Consciousness] [Elements] [Knowing itself]


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7. “You mentioned Ajahn Chah reflecting on viññaṇadhatu. Was this the consciousness of the six senses or something more fundamental like citta?” Answered by Ajahn Pasanno. [Ajahn Chah] [Consciousness] [Elements] [Sense bases] [Recollection] [Heart/mind] // [Release] [Liberation]


Tea Time Q&A with Ajahn PasannoAjahn Pasanno – May. 16, 2021

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9. “Is it true that consciousness, the universal energy in all living organisms, exists within us and outside of us? Is it everywhere?” [Consciousness] [Nature of mind] [Nature of the cosmos] // [Clinging] [Proliferation]