Expert: Anandapanyo Bhikkhu - 12/6/2009

Question
QUESTION: how does buddhism view and understand the hindu insight into ultimate reality as sat (being) cit (consciousness) ananda (bliss)? specifically, do buddhists view satcitananda as unconditioned? or are these just aggregates?
i believe the 5th aggregate is usually translated as consciousness but does it not refer to the stream of consciousness rather than the field of consciousness? do buddhists see being consciousness and bliss as unconditioned aspects of nirvana or as conditioned aggregates?

ANSWER: Dewnada,

Thank you for the opportunity to answer your question.

I'd like to start off by saying that I'm not an expert on Hinduism, and I haven't heard of "saticitananda." Ultimate reality isn't a concept we have in Buddhism.

Consciousness is only a state of mind that can be used to focused on the topic of thought at hand. We must be alert and conscious to see our thoughts.

Stream of consciousness- is the train of thought, stream of thought
Field of consciousness- are the things that we perceive

As for the fifth aggregate, I am assuming that you are referring to "vinyana?" This aggregate is perception.

According to this definition, vinyana better falls under the field of consciousness definition.

Nirvana in Buddhism is defined as the cessation of all aggregates. Bliss or happiness is typically desired as a sort of end result in many religions, but it is merely the other side of suffering. Happiness and suffering are different sides of the same coin. Thus, to get away from suffering, we will also have to walk away from happiness. To gain more happiness, we will also gain more suffering. As such, on the path to nirvana, bliss and suffering must also ultimately be shed.

If you need more information, please feel free to answer a follow-up question. I hope I have answered your question.

Sincerely

Phra Anandapanyo

---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: thanks for trying to clarify things. but now i am confused about vinyana, which u translate as perception. i thought the third aggregate, sanna, was perception? this is what wikipedia states:

Buddhist doctrine describes five aggregates:

"form" or "matter" (Skt., Pāli rūpa, Tib. gzugs):
external and internal matter. Externally, rupa is the physical world. Internally, rupa includes the material body and the physical sense organs.
"sensation" or "feeling" (Skt., Pāli vedanā, Tib. tshor-ba):
sensing an object as either pleasant or unpleasant or neutral.
"perception", "conception", "apperception", "cognition", or "discrimination" (Skt. samjñā, Pāli saññā, Tib. 'du-shes):
registers whether an object is recognized or not (for instance, the sound of a bell or the shape of a tree).
"mental formations", "impulses", "volition", or "compositional factors" (Skt. samskāra, Pāli saṅkhāra, Tib. 'du-byed) :
all types of mental habits, thoughts, ideas, opinions, prejudices, compulsions, and decisions triggered by an object.
"consciousness" (Skt. vijñāna, Pāli viññāṇa, Tib. rnam-par-shes-pa):
In the Nikayas: cognizance.
In the Abhidhamma: a series of rapidly changing interconnected discrete acts of cognizance.
In Mahayana sources: the base that supports all experience.

most importantly, this is what i am asking.   is there a being, a consciousness and a bliss that is unconditioned? or is all being, all consciousness and all bliss conditioned and composed of the aggregates? i think in your previous answer u r suggesting all that is conditioned. is this the case? yes or no?  

Answer
Dear Dewnada,

The thing with wikipedia, or any definition really, is that it goes through countless translations, and things can get lost or inadequately described. For example, if you know a term in two languages, sometimes it is preferable to apply language A's definition, and sometimes language B's take more clearly embodies the meaning. From my understanding (through two languages), and in simple terms,

the five aggregates
rupa= form (physical, tangible form)
sanna= memory (what we "know")
sankhara= imagination (thoughts about things that aren't real)
vedana=feeling (like vs dislike)
vinyana=perception (consciousness or what we take in through 5 sense organs)

"most importantly, this is what i am asking.   is there a being, a consciousness and a bliss that is unconditioned? or is all being, all consciousness and all bliss conditioned and composed of the aggregates?"

All living beings that can think and that exist on this earth are comprised of the 5 aggregates. Objects, that are not capable of consciousness are only 1 aggregate: rupa, or the form aggregate. Devas do not possess the form aggregate, so they are only comprised on the 4 intangible aggregates. The only beings that do not possess the aggregates are those who have attained nirvana.


"i think in your previous answer u r suggesting all that is conditioned. is this the case? yes or no?"

It is difficult to answer with a decisive yes or no until we can establish that by "conditioned" we mean the same thing.

Everything in the world is based on sommuti which can be defined as convention or condition.

I hope I have answered your questions

Sincerely,

Phra Anandapanyo