The fifth aggregate consciousness is said to be the “beguiler of fools” (P., māyāyaṃ bālalāpini). As I have pointed out before consciousness is the rebirth transmigrant which is always looking for a resting-place, for example, an embryo. As with all the five aggregates (pañca skandha) they are said by the Buddha to be murderers. Each aggregate is slayer of the other. And by clinging to these aggregates we are caught up in their slaying.
"He [the uninstructed worldling] does not understand as it really is murderous form as 'murderous form' … murderous feeling as 'murderous feeling' … murderous perception as 'murderous perception' … murderous volitional formations as 'murderous volitional formats' … murderous consciousness as 'murderous consciousness’” (S. iii. 114).
The Buddha tells us that we should, instead, make a refuge for the self or ātman rather than become engaged in the mutual slaying of the aggregates which constitute our psychophysical body. The Buddha warns us that by such an engagement or clinging one suffers for a very long time.
Most of us identify with these murderous aggregates because that is all we perceive and know. But they are not who we are; they are not our self but we have no other choice but to believe they are us. At the same time we can believe that with the destruction of these murderous aggregates which is death, we don’t have to worry anymore. This is the end of suffering. But consciousness, our beguiler, has deceived us again. It has found another resting-place because we have never transcended consciousness where it is unable to find rest for itself.
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