Awareness in Buddhist Meditation
A detailed description of awareness in Buddhist Meditation.
A detailed description of awareness in Buddhist Meditation.
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counter-balance to delusion (moha), superficiality and forgetfulness.<br />
Forgett<strong>in</strong>g must be seen as a form of protest, an unconscious expression<br />
of dislike which is suppressed. It is <strong>in</strong>deed <strong>in</strong> the unconscious<br />
m<strong>in</strong>d that our likes and dislikes are hidden; it is here that karma<br />
grows out of those tendencies. As long, however, as those likes and<br />
dislikes do not become associated with full consciousness (viññāṇa),<br />
there is no fruit-bear<strong>in</strong>g reaction (vipāka). There may be action,<br />
but <strong>in</strong>hibited as regards its effects (ahosī kamma), just as the seeds<br />
of an unripe fruit will not grow up, but rema<strong>in</strong> unproductive.<br />
But, as it is <strong>in</strong> the unconscious m<strong>in</strong>d (abhisaṅkhara-viññāṇa)<br />
that our potentialities are accumulat<strong>in</strong>g with each fresh volitional<br />
activity, it will be here that we have to learn to understand our<br />
own character and its complexes, latent and repressed, but ready to<br />
show themselves whenever an opportunity is given. Psychic <strong>in</strong>fluences<br />
are never lack<strong>in</strong>g. Thus, accord<strong>in</strong>g to Sigmund Freud <strong>in</strong> his<br />
psychopathology, ‘mistaken actions express either a subconscious<br />
desire, or represent a repetition of a previously erroneously carriedout<br />
action.’<br />
An un<strong>in</strong>tentionally wrong action shows that the act was performed<br />
aga<strong>in</strong>st the order of the <strong>in</strong>tellect (citta). Yet, it could<br />
not have been performed without consciousness (viññāṇa). However,<br />
there was not present the full discrim<strong>in</strong>at<strong>in</strong>g m<strong>in</strong>d, and hence,<br />
the natural tendencies and characteristic <strong>in</strong>cl<strong>in</strong>ations (saṅkhāra) repressed<br />
the order issued by the <strong>in</strong>tellect, which made manifest the<br />
actual like or dislike. ‘The forgett<strong>in</strong>g <strong>in</strong> all cases is proved to be<br />
founded on a motive of displeasure’ (Freud ibid.). The unconscious<br />
m<strong>in</strong>d may expect unpleasant consequences from the record<strong>in</strong>g of a<br />
name, and will therefore keep that name back, hidden <strong>in</strong> the stor<strong>in</strong>g<br />
consciousness (abhisaṅkhara viññāṇa). The result will be that<br />
one cannot remember such a name. Several other names may be<br />
suggested, but every time consciousness will reject the substitute as<br />
false, prov<strong>in</strong>g all the more that the true name is not really forgotten,<br />
but only hidden. As soon as the true name would be mentioned, the