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GEORGEA. KEYWORTHCONSCIOUSNESS, THEORIES OF
The English word consciousnessusually translates the
Sanskrit word vijñana (Pali, viññana), although in
some contexts vijñanacomes closer to the concept of
subconsciousness.In Buddhism in general (except in the
Yogacara tradition), vijñanais considered to be syn-
onymous with two other Sanskrit words—cittaand
manas—that roughly correspond to the English word
mind.Buddhism denies the existence of a substantial
and everlasting soul (atman), but unlike materialistic
traditions, Buddhism never negates the existence of
consciousness (or mind). From a Buddhist point of
view, consciousness is differentiated from the soul in
that the former is an ever-changing, momentary, and
impermanent element. Consciousness, however, is
considered to continue like a stream and is thought to
be somehow transmitted from one life to the next, thus
enabling karmic causality over lifetimes. This conti-
nuity of consciousness represents, in a sense, the per-
sonal identity. Consciousness also keeps the body alive
and distinguishes animate beings from inanimate ele-
ments. Therefore, consciousness is one of the key fac-
tors of Buddhism.
When the word consciousnessis used, it appears to
refer mainly to the cognitive function directed to its
object. Thus, this word is defined in the Samyutta-
nikaya(Kindred Sayings) III:87 as: “Because it recog-
nizes [something], it is called consciousness.”
More specifically, six types of consciousness are
enumerated in Buddhist texts: visual consciousness,
auditory consciousness, olfactory consciousness, gus-
tatory consciousness, tactile consciousness, and men-
tal consciousness. These six consciousnesses must be
supported by the corresponding, unimpaired sense
faculties (eye, ear, nose, tongue, body, and mind) in
order to recognize their respective objects (color/form,
sound, smell, taste, tactile sensation, and concepts).
When these three elements (sense faculty, object, and
consciousness) come together (“contact,” spars ́a), cog-
nition comes about.
The word consciousness, however, often appears
without specification regarding sense faculty or object,
as, for example in the list of the five SKANDHA(AG-
GREGATE): body/matter (rupa), sensation (vedana),
ideation (samjña), volition (samskara), and con-
sciousness (vijñana). This type of bare “consciousness”
is also found in several other important contexts.Rebirth and the theory of
dependent origination
The notion of consciousness plays a cardinal role in
the context of REBIRTH, within the large framework of
PRATITYASAMUTPADA(DEPENDENT ORIGINATION). In
those early scriptures that propound very simple forms
of Buddhist causation there are two basic patterns: one
centering on consciousness and psycho-physical exis-
tence (namarupa), and the other centering on desire
(trsna) and appropriation (upadhi, upadana). Accord-
ing to the scriptures that put forth the first pattern, as
long as the consciousness has objects (alambana) to be
conceived and to be attached to, it stays in the realm
of SAMSARA, and the psycho-physical existence will en-
ter the womb (i.e., one will be reborn in the next life
without being liberated from samsara). Scriptural ad-
monitions to guard the “doors” of one’s sense facul-
ties so that one does not grasp at cognitive objects
would be closely related to this idea of consciousness.
Since several expressions meaning desirealso appear
in the context of consciousness attached to its objects,
these two patterns are in fact closely related. Eventu-
ally these two patterns were combined into more de-
veloped systems of dependent origination, consisting
of ten or twelve items. Even the full-fledged system of
the twelve causal links basically consists of two por-
tions: the first (one through seven; ignorance through
sensation) centering on consciousness, and the second
(eight through twelve; desire through old age and
death) centering on desire. (Later Sarvastivada and
Yogacara interpretations of dependent origination,
though differing greatly from each other, also support
this division.) Therefore, the full-fledged theory of
dependent origination is in a way an elaboration of
the simpler causation theories described above. In thisCONSCIOUSNESS, THEORIES OF