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sutta about speed of consciousness?

Posted: Fri Feb 08, 2013 5:33 am
by alan...
someone mentioned it one here but didn't give a reference. they said it was something about how consciousness changes way faster than anything else.

anyone know of something like this?

Re: sutta about speed of consciousness?

Posted: Fri Feb 08, 2013 6:31 am
by lojong1
This here assutava sutta says that significant changes of the mind are seen by the average joe to be faster than the body, but not that they are actually faster:

“Better, monks, to let the ordinary person, in all ways unlearned in spiritual knowledge, proceed from the assumption that the self is this physical body made up of the four great elements, rather than mind. [5] What is the reason for this? This physical body, Monks, comprising the four great elements, is seen standing for one rainy season, standing for two rainy seasons,... for three... four... five... ten... twenty... thirty... forty... fifty... standing for a hundred or more rainy seasons.

“But, indeed, that which, monks, is called ‘mind’, or ‘thought’, or ‘consciousness’, that, by night and by day, as other, indeed, arises, as other ceases. [6] Just as, monks, a monkey in the mountain-side forests, moving itself, [7] grasps a branch, then releasing that, grasps another, then releasing that, grasps another; even so, indeed, monks, that which is called ‘mind’, or ‘thought’, or ‘consciousness’: that, by night and by day, as other, indeed, arises, as other ceases.

Re: sutta about speed of consciousness?

Posted: Fri Feb 08, 2013 8:00 am
by cooran
Hello alan,

I think it is explained in detail in the Abhidhamma:
Speed of Processes
http://www.abhidhamma.org/forums/lofive ... p?t81.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

with metta
Chris

Re: sutta about speed of consciousness?

Posted: Sat Feb 09, 2013 7:41 am
by alan...
lol someone else found it on another thread:

"I don't envision a single thing that is as quick to reverse itself as the mind — so much so that there is no feasible simile for how quick to reverse itself it is."

http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka ... .than.html

and

But what's called 'mind,' 'intellect,' or 'consciousness' by day and by night arises as one thing and ceases as another. Just as a monkey, swinging through a forest wilderness, grabs a branch. Letting go of it, it grabs another branch. Letting go of that, it grabs another one. Letting go of that, it grabs another one. In the same way, what's called 'mind,' 'intellect,' or 'consciousness' by day and by night arises as one thing and ceases as another.

http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka ... .than.html