Mind, In and Of Itself is a mahāmantra; a concept central to the Awareness meditation—samādhi aspect of Buddhism, so powerful and potent, that it is said that it could even separate water with a blow of a stick.
In conclusion of Satipatthana Sutta discourse on the awareness meditation, the Buddha is supposed to have said,
Briefly, this is Buddha Consciousness of a being. As per Buddha's teachings during his lifetime,
a) Consciousness cannot 'exist' independent of its subject or object;
b) Consciousness is always an attribute, to be attributed to;
c) or, to look from the other direction, consciousness is formulated, through a process by vijñāna, in the mind-body;
d) there is no consciousness "out there", akin to some spirit body; or "in here" akin to some spirit;
This is the fundamental precept proposed by the Buddha leading towards cardinal doctrines of Dependent Origination - Pratītyasamutpāda, and Impermanence - anicca.
A samādhi with complete awareness (sati) of vijnān makes it a samyak-samādhi; the only samādhi which can destroy new and old samskāra, and which is qualified for prajyā (destruction of ignorance), which then leads to nirvāna.
What is Mind, In and Of Itself? Simply put, 'mind, in and of itself' is to observe objectively and equanimously rather than in a consumate manner.
To discern, that it is a vibration that reached our brain-samjñā.
The vibration is neither pleasant, not unpleasant.
Suffering does not 'happen' out there, in the sound wave, but happens in our mind-body (nāmarūpa).
The pleasantness or unpleasantness is not in the sound per say, but in the interpretation and classification of the sound - saṃskāra. (For instance, it could very well be the sound of our pet dog sensing our proximity and eagerly showing affection by howling; while the sound of guitar chords could be a heavy-metal disturbance by a neighbor while we are trying to meditate.)
Hearing, in and of itself, is to observe objectively, the process within our mind-body, associated with this sound vibration; While remaining mindful, alert, and equanimous, and to avoid creating a saṃskāra.
As in this case of hearing faculty, the same mindfulness is applicable to all the other four sense-doors, namely, sight, smell, taste and touch.
Mind, itself as a sense-organ: Then, finally, after the five sense-doors, when the faculty of mind discerns that it is completely aware of itself, that this awareness is mindful of all saṃskāra and the vijñāna that arise and pass away within its faculty, is the awareness of Mind, In and Of itself. In his commentary on Satipatthana Sutta called Frame of References, Thanissaro Bhikkhu notes the following:
Preventing generation of new saṃskāra, to not judge, is samyak-samādhi.
To not formulate cravings or aversions, to remain equanimous, is prajyā.
To quote the Buddha again, "This is the direct path for the purification of beings."
In conclusion of Satipatthana Sutta discourse on the awareness meditation, the Buddha is supposed to have said,
"'This is the direct path for the purification of beings,As the commentators have observed, the primary focus area of the teaching during the Buddha's lifetime have been around vijnān p: vinnan (and not on dhammā per say). One way of understanding vijnān is as formulations through the consumption of an object (rupa) by the mind via it's five sense-doors (each door having it's own perception, objects for perception, with the respective vijnān). The mind, in this respect, consumes all five sense-doors, in addition to having vijnān for itself. Further, to consume is to create new samskāra, which leads to dukkha (follow the example below).
for the overcoming of sorrow and lamentation,
for the disappearance of pain and distress,
for the attainment of the right method, and
for the realization of Unbinding
— in other words, the four frames of reference.'
Thus was it said, and in reference to this was it said."
Briefly, this is Buddha Consciousness of a being. As per Buddha's teachings during his lifetime,
a) Consciousness cannot 'exist' independent of its subject or object;
b) Consciousness is always an attribute, to be attributed to;
c) or, to look from the other direction, consciousness is formulated, through a process by vijñāna, in the mind-body;
d) there is no consciousness "out there", akin to some spirit body; or "in here" akin to some spirit;
This is the fundamental precept proposed by the Buddha leading towards cardinal doctrines of Dependent Origination - Pratītyasamutpāda, and Impermanence - anicca.
A samādhi with complete awareness (sati) of vijnān makes it a samyak-samādhi; the only samādhi which can destroy new and old samskāra, and which is qualified for prajyā (destruction of ignorance), which then leads to nirvāna.
What is Mind, In and Of Itself? Simply put, 'mind, in and of itself' is to observe objectively and equanimously rather than in a consumate manner.
Panc' upadanakkhanda: Rupupadanakkhando, Vedanupadanakkhando, Sannupadanakkhando, Sankharupadanakkhando, Vinnanupadanakkhando. - Abhidhammattha Sangaha / Acariya Anuruddha Chap VII-35The classical way of beautifully illustrating the precept of Panc upadanakkhanda (five aggregates) employes an analysis of the faculty of hearing. Let's try a similar example:
When we hear a soundHearing, In and Of Itself, is to discern that a sound is a sound.
The sound-wave is generated by an object (e.g. a howling dog; a guitar)
This is rūpa. (Rupupadanakkhando)
The vibrations or sound waves travel through a medium
The vibrations hit our earlobes, and are channeled inside
The vibrations are transfered to the mechanism of 'hearing' within the ear
This is sparśa.
This produces neurological gross sensations
The sensations are the signals that the brain can perceive
The sensations travel through the nerves up to the brain
This is vedanā. (Vedanupadanakkhando)
The sensations are perceived by the hearing faculty of the brain
The perception is put through recognition ("this is the sound of a dog"; "this is a guitar chord")
The perception is interpreted ("this is a noisy dog"; "this are guitar chords by The Beatles")
This is samjñā or saññā. (Sannupadanakkhando)
The perception is judged
The perception is categorized as either pleasant (the howling dog), or
The perception is categorized as unpleasant (the guitar chord), or neutral
This is saṃskāra. (Sankharupadanakkhando)
The mind formulates craving if the sensation is pleasant (your favorite guitar chord)
The mind formulates aversion if the sensation is unpleasant (the howling dog disturbing your meditation)
This is vijñāna. (Vinnanupadanakkhando)
Not understanding that cravings or aversions are delusions
This is avidyā.
Avidyā leads to suffering-dukkha.
To discern, that it is a vibration that reached our brain-samjñā.
The vibration is neither pleasant, not unpleasant.
Suffering does not 'happen' out there, in the sound wave, but happens in our mind-body (nāmarūpa).
The pleasantness or unpleasantness is not in the sound per say, but in the interpretation and classification of the sound - saṃskāra. (For instance, it could very well be the sound of our pet dog sensing our proximity and eagerly showing affection by howling; while the sound of guitar chords could be a heavy-metal disturbance by a neighbor while we are trying to meditate.)
Hearing, in and of itself, is to observe objectively, the process within our mind-body, associated with this sound vibration; While remaining mindful, alert, and equanimous, and to avoid creating a saṃskāra.
As in this case of hearing faculty, the same mindfulness is applicable to all the other four sense-doors, namely, sight, smell, taste and touch.
Mind, itself as a sense-organ: Then, finally, after the five sense-doors, when the faculty of mind discerns that it is completely aware of itself, that this awareness is mindful of all saṃskāra and the vijñāna that arise and pass away within its faculty, is the awareness of Mind, In and Of itself. In his commentary on Satipatthana Sutta called Frame of References, Thanissaro Bhikkhu notes the following:
"And how does a monk remain focused on the mind in & of itself? There is the case where a monk, when the mind has passion, discerns that the mind has passion. When the mind is without passion, he discerns that the mind is without passion. When the mind has aversion, he discerns that the mind has aversion. When the mind is without aversion, he discerns that the mind is without aversion. When the mind has delusion, he discerns that the mind has delusion. When the mind is without delusion, he discerns that the mind is without delusion. [...]Being aware, always, of any provocation of vedana as it is, of a rupa as it is, is mindfulness.
"In this way he remains focused internally on the mind in & of itself, or externally on the mind in & of itself, or both internally & externally on the mind in & of itself. Or he remains focused on the phenomenon of origination with regard to the mind, on the phenomenon of passing away with regard to the mind, or on the phenomenon of origination & passing away with regard to the mind. Or his mindfulness that 'There is a mind' is maintained to the extent of knowledge & remembrance. And he remains independent, unsustained by (not clinging to) anything in the world. This is how a monk remains focused on the mind in & of itself.
Preventing generation of new saṃskāra, to not judge, is samyak-samādhi.
To not formulate cravings or aversions, to remain equanimous, is prajyā.
To quote the Buddha again, "This is the direct path for the purification of beings."