Mindstream (citta-santāna) in Buddhist philosophy is the moment-to-moment continuum (Sanskrit: saṃtāna) of sense impressions and mental phenomena,[1] which is also described as continuing from one life to another.[2]
Citta-saṃtāna (Sanskrit), literally "the stream of mind",[3] is the stream of succeeding moments of mind or awareness. It provides a continuity of the personality in the absence of a permanently abiding "self" (ātman), which Buddhism denies. The mindstream provides a continuity from one life to another, akin to the flame of a candle which may be passed from one candle to another:[4][5][a] William Waldron writes that "Indian Buddhists see the 'evolution' of mind i[n] terms of the continuity of individual mind-streams from one lifetime to the next, with karma as the basic causal mechanism whereby transformations are transmitted from one life to the next."[6]
According to Waldron, "[T]he mind stream (santāna) increases gradually by the mental afflictions (kleśa) and by actions (karma), and goes again to the next world. In this way the circle of existence is without beginning."[7]
The vāsanās "karmic imprints" provide the karmic continuity between lives and between moments.[8] According to Lusthaus, these vāsanās determine how one "actually sees and experiences the world in certain ways, and one actually becomes a certain type of person, embodying certain theories which immediately shape the manner in which we experience."[8]
EtymologyEdit
SanskritEdit
Citta mean "that which is conscious".[9]Citta has two aspects: "...Its two aspects are attending to and collecting of impressions or traces (Sanskrit: vāsanā) cf. vijñāna."[9]Saṃtāna or santāna (Sanskrit) means "eternal", "continuum", "a series of momentary events" or "life-stream".[10]
TibetanEdit
Citta is often rendered as sems in Tibetan and saṃtāna corresponds to rgyud. Citta-saṃtāna is therefore rendered sems rgyud.Rgyud is the term that Tibetan translators (Tibetan: lotsawa) employed to render the Sanskrit term "tantra".[11]
The Chinese equivalent of Sanskrit citta-saṃtāna and Tibetan sems-kyi rgyud ("mindstream") is xin xiangxu (simplified Chinese: 心相续; traditional Chinese: 心相續; pinyin: xīn xiāngxù; Wade–Giles: hsin hsiang-hsü). According to the Digital Dictionary of Buddhism, xīn xiāngxù means "continuance of the mental stream" (from Sanskrit citta-saṃtāna or citta-saṃtati), contrasted with wú xiàngxù 無相續 "no continuity of the mental stream" (from asaṃtāna or asaṃdhi) and shì xiāngxù 識相續 "stream of consciousness" (from vijñāna-saṃtāna).
This compound combines xin 心 "heart; mind; thought; conscience; core" and xiangxu "succeed each other", with xiang 相 "form, appearance, countenance, phenomenon" and xu 續 or 续 "continue; carry on; succeed". Thus it means "the continuum of mind and phenomena".
Xin xiangxu is pronounced sim sangsok in Korean and shin sōzoku in Japanese.
Origins and developmentEdit
The notion of citta-santāna developed in later Yogacara-thought, where citta-santāna replaced the notion of ālayavijñāna,[13] the store-house consciousness in which the karmic seeds were stored. It is not a "permanent, unchanging, transmigrating entity", like the atman, but a series of momentary consciousnesses.[14]
Lusthaus describes the development and doctrinal relationships of the store consciousness (ālaya-vijñāna) and Buddha nature (tathāgatagarbha) in Yogācāra. To avoid reification of the ālaya-vijñāna,
The logico-epistemological wing in part sidestepped the critique by using the term citta-santāna, "mind-stream", instead of ālaya-vijñāna, for what amounted to roughly the same idea. It was easier to deny that a "stream" represented a reified self.[15]
Dharmakīrti (fl. 7th century) wrote a treatise on the nature of the mind stream in his Substantiation of Other mind streams (Saṃtãnãntarasiddhi).[16] According to Dharmakirti the mind stream was beginningless temporal sequence.[17]
The notion of mind stream was further developed in Vajrayāna (tantric Buddhism), where "mind stream" (sems-rgyud) may be understood as a stream of succeeding moments,[18] within a lifetime, but also in-between lifetimes. The 14th Dalai Lama holds it to be a continuum of consciousness, extending over succeeding lifetimes, though without a self or soul.[19]
Anon (n.d.). "Glossary of Buddhist and Western Terms for the Practice of Buddhist Yoga". DharmaFellowship.org. Dharma Fellowship. Retrieved 13 December 2007.
Berzin, Alexander (n.d.). "Making Sense of Tantra". StudyBuddhism.com. Retrieved 29 November 2021.
Bodhi, Bhikkhu (1999). The Noble Eightfold Path: The Way to the End of Suffering(PDF) (Access to Insight ed.). Buddhist Publication Society.
Dalai Lama (1997). Healing Anger: The Power of Patience from a Buddhist Perspective. Translated by Geshe Thupten Jinpa. Snow Lion Publications.
Davids, C.A.F. Rhys (1903). "The Soul-Theory in Buddhism". The Journal of the Royal Asiatic Society of Great Britain and Ireland: 587–588. doi:10.1017/S0035869X00030902. S2CID 162761652. Retrieved 1 February 2009.
Dunne, John D. (2004). Foundations of Dharmakirti's Philosophy. Wisdom Publications. ISBN978-0-86171-184-0.
Karunamuni, N.D. (12 May 2015). "The Five-Aggregate Model of the Mind". SAGE Open. 5 (2). doi:10.1177/2158244015583860.
Keown, Damien, ed. (2003). A Dictionary of Buddhism. Oxford: Oxford University Press. ISBN0-19-860560-9.
Kyimo (2007). The Easy Buddha. Paragon Publishing.
Lusthaus, Dan (2002). Buddhist Phenomenology: A Philosophical Investigation of Yogācāra Buddhism and the Chʼeng Wei-shih Lun. Psychology Press. ISBN978-0-7007-1186-4.
Lusthaus, Dan (2014). Buddhist Phenomenology: A Philosophical Investigation of Yogacara Buddhism and the Ch'eng Wei-shih Lun. Routledge.
Lusthaus, Dan (n.d.). . Archived from the original on 31 March 2010. Retrieved 12 January 2016.
Panjvani, Cyrus (2013). Buddhism: A Philosophical Approach. Broadview Press.
Sharma, Ramesh Kumar (1985). "Dharmakirta On The Existence of Other Minds". Journal of Indian Philosophy. 13: 55–71. doi:10.1007/BF00208527. S2CID 170313612.
Tsadra Foundation Research Department (30 May 2021). "thugs rgyud". Dharma Dictionary. Tsadra Foundation. Retrieved 29 November 2021.
Waldron, William S. (2003). "Common Ground, Common Cause: Buddhism and Science on the Afflictions of Identity". In Wallace, B. Alan (ed.). Buddhism & Science: Breaking New Ground. New York: Columbia University Press. ISBN0-231-12335-3.
Waldron, William S. (n.d.). "Buddhist Steps to an Ecology of Mind: Thinking about 'Thoughts without a Thinker'". PurifyMind.com. from the original on 23 December 2007. Retrieved 1 November 2007.
mindstream, this, article, contains, indic, text, without, proper, rendering, support, question, marks, boxes, misplaced, vowels, missing, conjuncts, instead, indic, text, citta, santāna, buddhist, philosophy, moment, moment, continuum, sanskrit, saṃtāna, sens. This article contains Indic text Without proper rendering support you may see question marks or boxes misplaced vowels or missing conjuncts instead of Indic text Mindstream citta santana in Buddhist philosophy is the moment to moment continuum Sanskrit saṃtana of sense impressions and mental phenomena 1 which is also described as continuing from one life to another 2 Contents 1 Definition 2 Etymology 2 1 Sanskrit 2 2 Tibetan 2 3 Chinese Korean and Japanese 3 Origins and development 4 See also 5 Notes 6 References 6 1 Citations 6 2 Works cited 7 Further reading 8 External linksDefinition EditCitta saṃtana Sanskrit literally the stream of mind 3 is the stream of succeeding moments of mind or awareness It provides a continuity of the personality in the absence of a permanently abiding self atman which Buddhism denies The mindstream provides a continuity from one life to another akin to the flame of a candle which may be passed from one candle to another 4 5 a William Waldron writes that Indian Buddhists see the evolution of mind i n terms of the continuity of individual mind streams from one lifetime to the next with karma as the basic causal mechanism whereby transformations are transmitted from one life to the next 6 According to Waldron T he mind stream santana increases gradually by the mental afflictions klesa and by actions karma and goes again to the next world In this way the circle of existence is without beginning 7 The vasanas karmic imprints provide the karmic continuity between lives and between moments 8 According to Lusthaus these vasanas determine how one actually sees and experiences the world in certain ways and one actually becomes a certain type of person embodying certain theories which immediately shape the manner in which we experience 8 Etymology EditSanskrit Edit Citta mean that which is conscious 9 Citta has two aspects Its two aspects are attending to and collecting of impressions or traces Sanskrit vasana cf vijnana 9 Saṃtana or santana Sanskrit means eternal continuum a series of momentary events or life stream 10 Tibetan Edit Citta is often rendered as sems in Tibetan and saṃtana corresponds to rgyud Citta saṃtana is therefore rendered sems rgyud Rgyud is the term that Tibetan translators Tibetan lotsawa employed to render the Sanskrit term tantra 11 Thugs rgyud is a synonym for sems rgyud 12 Chinese Korean and Japanese Edit The Chinese equivalent of Sanskrit citta saṃtana and Tibetan sems kyi rgyud mindstream is xin xiangxu simplified Chinese 心相续 traditional Chinese 心相續 pinyin xin xiangxu Wade Giles hsin hsiang hsu According to the Digital Dictionary of Buddhism xin xiangxu means continuance of the mental stream from Sanskrit citta saṃtana or citta saṃtati contrasted with wu xiangxu 無相續 no continuity of the mental stream from asaṃtana or asaṃdhi and shi xiangxu 識相續 stream of consciousness from vijnana saṃtana This compound combines xin 心 heart mind thought conscience core and xiangxu succeed each other with xiang 相 form appearance countenance phenomenon and xu 續 or 续 continue carry on succeed Thus it means the continuum of mind and phenomena Xin xiangxu is pronounced sim sangsok in Korean and shin sōzoku in Japanese Origins and development EditThe notion of citta santana developed in later Yogacara thought where citta santana replaced the notion of alayavijnana 13 the store house consciousness in which the karmic seeds were stored It is not a permanent unchanging transmigrating entity like the atman but a series of momentary consciousnesses 14 Lusthaus describes the development and doctrinal relationships of the store consciousness alaya vijnana and Buddha nature tathagatagarbha in Yogacara To avoid reification of the alaya vijnana The logico epistemological wing in part sidestepped the critique by using the term citta santana mind stream instead of alaya vijnana for what amounted to roughly the same idea It was easier to deny that a stream represented a reified self 15 Dharmakirti fl 7th century wrote a treatise on the nature of the mind stream in his Substantiation of Other mind streams Saṃtanantarasiddhi 16 According to Dharmakirti the mind stream was beginningless temporal sequence 17 The notion of mind stream was further developed in Vajrayana tantric Buddhism where mind stream sems rgyud may be understood as a stream of succeeding moments 18 within a lifetime but also in between lifetimes The 14th Dalai Lama holds it to be a continuum of consciousness extending over succeeding lifetimes though without a self or soul 19 See also EditLuminous mind Metempsychosis Personal identity Reincarnation Saṃsara Subtle body Svabhava TrikayaNotes Edit Compare the analogies in the Milinda Panha References EditCitations Edit Karunamuni 2015 Bodhi 1999 p page needed Keown 2003 p 62 Kyimo 2007 p 118 Panjvani 2013 p 181 Waldron n d Waldron 2003 p 178 a b Lusthaus 2002 p 473 a b Anon n d entry for citta Anon n d entry for santana Berzin n d Tsadra Foundation Research Department 2021 Lusthaus 2014 p 7 Davids 1903 Lusthaus n d Sharma 1985 Dunne 2004 p 1 Wangyal 2002 p 82 Dalai Lama 1997 p page needed Works cited Edit Anon n d Glossary of Buddhist and Western Terms for the Practice of Buddhist Yoga DharmaFellowship org Dharma Fellowship Retrieved 13 December 2007 Berzin Alexander n d Making Sense of Tantra StudyBuddhism com Retrieved 29 November 2021 Bodhi Bhikkhu 1999 The Noble Eightfold Path The Way to the End of Suffering PDF Access to Insight ed Buddhist Publication Society Dalai Lama 1997 Healing Anger The Power of Patience from a Buddhist Perspective Translated by Geshe Thupten Jinpa Snow Lion Publications Davids C A F Rhys 1903 The Soul Theory in Buddhism The Journal of the Royal Asiatic Society of Great Britain and Ireland 587 588 doi 10 1017 S0035869X00030902 S2CID 162761652 Retrieved 1 February 2009 Dunne John D 2004 Foundations of Dharmakirti s Philosophy Wisdom Publications ISBN 978 0 86171 184 0 Karunamuni N D 12 May 2015 The Five Aggregate Model of the Mind SAGE Open 5 2 doi 10 1177 2158244015583860 Keown Damien ed 2003 A Dictionary of Buddhism Oxford Oxford University Press ISBN 0 19 860560 9 Kyimo 2007 The Easy Buddha Paragon Publishing Lusthaus Dan 2002 Buddhist Phenomenology A Philosophical Investigation of Yogacara Buddhism and the Chʼeng Wei shih Lun Psychology Press ISBN 978 0 7007 1186 4 Lusthaus Dan 2014 Buddhist Phenomenology A Philosophical Investigation of Yogacara Buddhism and the Ch eng Wei shih Lun Routledge Lusthaus Dan n d What is and isn t Yogacara Archived from the original on 31 March 2010 Retrieved 12 January 2016 Panjvani Cyrus 2013 Buddhism A Philosophical Approach Broadview Press Sharma Ramesh Kumar 1985 Dharmakirta On The Existence of Other Minds Journal of Indian Philosophy 13 55 71 doi 10 1007 BF00208527 S2CID 170313612 Tsadra Foundation Research Department 30 May 2021 thugs rgyud Dharma Dictionary Tsadra Foundation Retrieved 29 November 2021 Waldron William S 2003 Common Ground Common Cause Buddhism and Science on the Afflictions of Identity In Wallace B Alan ed Buddhism amp Science Breaking New Ground New York Columbia University Press ISBN 0 231 12335 3 Waldron William S n d Buddhist Steps to an Ecology of Mind Thinking about Thoughts without a Thinker PurifyMind com Archived from the original on 23 December 2007 Retrieved 1 November 2007 Wangyal Tenzin 2002 Healing with Form Energy and Light Ithaca New York Snow Lion Publications ISBN 1 55939 176 6 Further reading EditWaldron William S 1995 How Innovative is the Alayavijnana The alayavijnana in the context of canonical and Abhidharma vijnana theory PDF GampoAbbey org Archived from the original PDF on 14 August 2012 Welwood John 2000 The Play of the Mind Form Emptiness and Beyond PurifyMind com Retrieved 13 January 2007 External links Edit Look up mindstream in Wiktionary the free dictionary Rebirth what happens to the body and mind at death a talk by Thubten Chodron Reincarnation a talk by 14th Dalai Lama Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Mindstream amp oldid 1170163332, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
