Ven. Acariya Mun - Spiritual Biography + photos

thinking of the “mind” as essentially cerebral and located in the
head.
There is a strong tendency to think that consciousness results
purely from complex interactions within the human brain, and that
when the brain dies, consciousness ceases. This mechanistic view is
wholly mistaken. While there is evidence that certain parts of the
brain can be identified with certain mental functions, that does not
mean that the brain produces consciousness. In essence, the brain is
a complex processing organ. It receives and processes incoming data
impulses that inform about feelings, memory, thoughts, and con-
sciousness, but it does not generate these mental functions; nor does
it generate conscious awareness. That is entirely the province of the
citta. (for a more detailed discussion see Appendix II, page 455)
‘converge’: When the citta gathers all of its outflowing currents into one
point, this is known as the citta ‘converging’. The practice of samãdhi
meditation is a method for concentrating all of these diverse cur-
rents into one focal point, thus centering the citta into a condition
of complete stillness and calm.
deva: Literally, “shining one”; an inhabitant of one of the celestial realms
of sensual bliss, which are located immediately above the human
realm. With bodies composed entirely of ethereal light, devas exist
in a spiritual dimension that lies beyond the range of normal sense
faculties. These beings are usually associated with such qualities as
splendor, mobility, beauty, goodness, and radiance. The upper and
lower celestial devas referred to by Ãcariya Mun are the brahmas and
the upper Sensual World devas respectively. On a still lower level are
the terrestrial devas who, having an affinity for the earth, inhabit
a realm of existence located just above the human realm and just
below the celestial realms.
devarãja: King of the devas. This is a reference to Sakka, a preeminent
follower of the Buddha who presides over the Tãvatiÿsa celestial
realm.
Dhamma (skt. Dharma): Supreme Truth; the basic principles of that