<body><script type="text/javascript"> function setAttributeOnload(object, attribute, val) { if(window.addEventListener) { window.addEventListener('load', function(){ object[attribute] = val; }, false); } else { window.attachEvent('onload', function(){ object[attribute] = val; }); } } </script> <div id="navbar-iframe-container"></div> <script type="text/javascript" src="https://apis.google.com/js/platform.js"></script> <script type="text/javascript"> gapi.load("gapi.iframes:gapi.iframes.style.bubble", function() { if (gapi.iframes && gapi.iframes.getContext) { gapi.iframes.getContext().openChild({ url: 'https://www.blogger.com/navbar.g?targetBlogID\x3d4053797\x26blogName\x3dMystery+of+Existence\x26publishMode\x3dPUBLISH_MODE_BLOGSPOT\x26navbarType\x3dTAN\x26layoutType\x3dCLASSIC\x26searchRoot\x3dhttps://absentofi.blogspot.com/search\x26blogLocale\x3den_US\x26v\x3d2\x26homepageUrl\x3dhttp://absentofi.blogspot.com/\x26vt\x3d-6959398066445382627', where: document.getElementById("navbar-iframe-container"), id: "navbar-iframe", messageHandlersFilter: gapi.iframes.CROSS_ORIGIN_IFRAMES_FILTER, messageHandlers: { 'blogger-ping': function() {} } }); } }); </script>

Conscious Use of "Consciousness"

Joel at Center for Sacred Sciences prefer to use the "consciousness" among the many words for God, Brahman, Buddha Mind, Spirit and so on.

Personal consciousness

I typically avoid using that word as most people associate with a personal psyche, as the ego.

For instance, if we say the content of consciousness is consciousness itself, people tend to take it that way - as just referring to our individual psyche, and although that is accurate it is also a (very) limited view.

Impersonal consciousness

What it refers to is of course the impersonal consciousness - God, Brahman, Buddha Mind, Spirit and so on. That which shows up as personal psyche when it temporarily identifies itself exclusively as a human being. That which shows up as all there is, the whole world of phenomena.

Good reasons & drawbacks

So, there are good reasons for using the word consciousness - it is neutral and you can't really argue with its existence. But the drawback is just that it can be mistaken for (exclusively) the personal psyche.

What it comes down to is of course skillful means. Selecting words according to the topic and the audience, and making clear what is meant by it.

You can leave your response or bookmark this post to del.icio.us by using the links below.
Comment | Bookmark | Go to end