Consciousness as a means

A rough sketch of consciousness in Buddhism is that it is twofold or binary in that there is awareness and the object of that awareness. This consciousness is more at sensory consciousness. E.g. visual consciousness, auditory consciousness, olfactory consciousness, gustatory consciousness, tactile consciousness and mental consciousness (awareness of mental objects or dharmas).

Whatever we imagine our true or ultimate nature to be, it is not something apprehensible or conceived of by sensory consciousness.  It is not figuratively outside of it, either.  We could say that our true nature is the very substance of sensory consciousness in which sensory consciousness is its mode.  By our inability to see this substance we are stuck; you could even say, deluded, by the constant bewitching activity of consciousness. 

It is only with the instantaneous collapse of consciousness that our true nature appears followed by luminosity or clear light.  For the first time the Zen adept begins to see that sensory consciousness and its world is illusory.  The adept also sees the five skandhas or aggregates, which make up his psychophysical body as being unreal. Turning to the older Pali canon, physical shape is, by the Buddha, likened to foam, feeling to a bubble, perception to a mirage, impulses to a hollow plantain trunk, and consciousness to a magician’s illusion (S. iii. 142). 

Consciousness, like the magician's illusion deceives us most.  Off we go trying to see our true nature through consciousness.  But we are only deceiving ourselves.  Then years later we wonder why we haven't managed to see our true nature.  We are still in the dark, and likely will never see the light by relying on sensory consciousness as a means.

Comments

[Adasatala]

Excellent!