A term widely used in pop circles of Buddhism and Zen is duality. I hope to shed a little more light on it. One could say that duality or dvaya (two-fold, double, of two kinds or sorts) is at the heart of vijñāna (often translated by 'consciousness') which really means, in two-parts knowing since the prefix vi- can mean “in two parts” whereas jñāna just means “knowing.” This would apply, for example, to subject and object knowing, observer and observed knowing, and so on. What did the Buddha say about consciousness?
Whatever suffering arises in the world, all is caused by consciousness. With the cessation of consciousness, there is no arising of suffering. Knowing this danger, that suffering is caused by consciousness, with the stilling of consciousness, one is wishless, quenched (Sutta Nipata, Dvayatānupassanā sutta).
The Buddha also said:
At Sāvatthī. Mendicants, what you intend or plan, and what you have underlying tendencies for become a support for the continuation of consciousness. When this support exists, consciousness becomes established (SN 12:38).
The cessation of consciousness is really the cessation of dvaya which reveals advaya this being ultimate reality. This would also be the One Mind or Mind-only in which the dualizing nature of consciousness has not come forth to dominate.
When in Zen we attain kenshō we have transcended duality and with it consciousness. This is the stilling of consciousness. But more importantly, we have put an end to transmigration because it is consciousness which is the transmigrant. This is something very seldom touched upon. Pop Buddhists believe there is no transmigrant since the Buddha denied the Ātman. They are wrong on both counts.
"Pop Buddhists believe there is no transmigrant since the Buddha denied the Ātman. They are wrong on both counts".
This is a realisation I have just arrived at. There is a genius Pali translator, Ken Wheeler posting on YouTube about the mistranslation of key Pali words/terms which has completely turned everything on its head for me. If only more stubborn 'Buddhists' would just open their minds and give this guy a listen/watch.
Incredible stuff and totally in-line with everything here. Thank you for posting this very important information.
Best wishes.
Posted by: Mark Errington | May 30, 2019 at 10:17 AM
In my experience, many pop Buddhists (good term for them) do believe in a transmigrant, they just get picky about what to call it. They will call it the "mindstream." Say the word "soul" and they huff and puff about how they don't believe in a soul and they don't believe in God because Buddhism is "non-theistic." But they have no problem believing in yidam deities and vast arrays of other non-corporeal beings of which they have no experience or evidence whatsoever, they just take it on faith.
Posted by: Jack | May 29, 2019 at 09:30 PM
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Non-abidance
Posted by: White Cloud | May 29, 2019 at 04:07 PM