When a patient is seriously ill and at the moment of
death, the person�s mind drops into an unconscious
state. During this state, the patient cannot control his
mind at all. However, if the mental state of the patient
is calm and good before the stream of active
consciousness falls into the unconscious state, the
process of his unconscious mind will also be in a good
state.
The time of transformation is very important. The
patient may look unconscious but the function of karmic
consciousness has not completely ceased at this moment
since the subtle consciousness is now under the process
of a good or bad Karmic energy. During this moment, two
mental states operate. The first is called the sign of
action (kamma nimitta) which affects the patient�s
consciousness. If he is supposed to be born into a good
realm, he will see the good things that he has done. If
he is to be born into a lower realm, he similarly
relives what bad things he had done. After this, his
subtle mind transforms into the sign of place (gati
nimitta) and he perceives the realm into which he will
be reborn. These two states of subtle consciousness
precede the moment of death. Immediately after, the flow
of consciousness departs from this body, as the
functions of the body are no longer able to operate.
Then the body loses its heat, decays and finally
decomposes.
According to the Mahavedalla Sutta, the life force (Ayu),
survives under the energy of heat (husma). When one
dies, this heat disappears. We cannot see this force,
just as we cannot see the energy it generates, only its
effect upon matter. The process of consciousness
transforms into the psycho-physical process (namarupa),
through the combination of our parents, especially if
one is to be born into the physical realm of humans,
animals and so on. The theory of rebirth process
suggests that the visible form of the psycho-physical
process manifests when we take conception in our
mother�s womb. If we look at this process from the point
of view of dependent origination (paticca samupada),
consciousness gives rise to mind and body, not only at
the point of conception but also throughout our
existence, regardless of time and condition. But, how
can the mind-body process take place continuously in the
present? Take for example the moment that I see you.
Here we can analyse the process by which I see you.
First, of course, there is my own eye. Because of this
eye contact, we have pleasant or unpleasant feelings.
Though we don�t notice it, this process is constantly
coming into being and passing away.
In the discourse where he explains, this, the Buddha
makes the further analysis that upon contact between
eyes and object, there arises eye-consciousness. When
the three objects (eyes, object and consciousness) are
present together, proper contact can arise. When the
eyes contact the object, if we pay close attention (manasikara),
perception will arise spontaneously. Through this
process we recognise the objects we previously perceived
and name them as Jack, Jill, and hill, etc. If we don�t
give attention to what we see or hear, contact between
the eyes or ears and objects cannot give rise to proper
perception.
There are many times you don�t know what you�re doing.
For instance, you are drinking a cup of tea but you
don�t heed what you are doing, nor do you know what is
happening to your at that moment. Your attention is
wandering around. It is because we haven�t cultivated
proper attention and awareness of mind that these blank
periods in our existence take place. If you pay
attention, you will know what is what. When you see an
object, you will be aware of eye, contact and
eye-consciousness coming together.
The object from which you drink tea is form (rupa), the
attention to that teacup is mind in action (nama).
Therefore, perception arises as a result of the physical
contact of eye and image as well as mental attention
given to that object. At that moment, mind+body
(namarupa) is born. So mind and form arise always on the
basis of our attention to the object, moment after
moment. If we don�t pay attention, only the
consciousness can arise-eye-consciousness in the case of
eye contact, body-consciousness in the case of physical
contact, and so on. But this is not a complete state of
perception or mind. With our attention to what we do, we
distance ourselves from the process by naming things
glass, tea, table, etc. Such perception is still only at
the ordinary, conventional level of the psychophysical
process.
The intention of this little article is to develop the
spiritual level of perception. During the meditation
period, you�re requested to be mindful of everything
that comes into contact with you. This is because you
can achieve spiritual insight into the psycho-physical
(namarupa) process. By doing so, you can become aware of
what you are doing. This awareness can help you to
overcome suffering. If you discern what is form and what
is mental process when contact arises, it will
eventually bring about a state of realisation by which
you can penetrate things as they really are. This
practice however should not be an intellectual act but
the ability of alertness to perceive things
spontaneously.
This spiritual process is different from the ordinary
process that began in our mother�s womb. We don�t need
parental conditioning to give birth to the spiritual
Nama-rupa. Because when we arise in the womb, we require
our own state of consciousness (vinnyana) combined with
the positive and negative force of our parent�s desire,
where as the spiritual process does not need such carnal
reactions. But we need to know how to transform the
process from the ordinary to the spiritual through
proper perception (yoniso-manasikara). That�s why the
Buddha teaches self-salvation. What we need is our own
effort to control and to purify the mind. The practice
of such awareness can bring spiritual knowledge and
wisdom. Aspire to the spiritual birth.
පසෙලාස්වක
අව
අටවක
අමාවක
පුර අටවක