Momentary consciousness and the Suttas

[jackson]

Hi everyone,
I have a quick question, is momentary consciousness taught in the suttas? It seems plausible that because consciousness is dependent upon a sense base and an object that instead of consciousness being a continual process it's actually a series of different consciousnesses dependently arising, but I'd like to know if this is in accord with the suttas. Thank you kindly for your time and responses,
Jackson

[pegembara]

"Ear" makes contact with vibrations and a sound(ear consciousness) is heard. Different sounds both near and far eg. ticking clock, sniffles, throat clearing, speech etc represent different moments of ear consciousness.

How many different sounds can you hear per second? Each sound represent an arising and passing of ear consciousness.

Now do the same for the other senses.

"'The six classes of consciousness should be known.' Thus was it said. In reference to what was it said? Dependent on the eye & forms there arises consciousness at the eye. Dependent on the ear & sounds there arises consciousness at the ear. Dependent on the nose & aromas there arises consciousness at the nose. Dependent on the tongue & flavors there arises consciousness at the tongue. Dependent on the body & tactile sensations there arises consciousness at the body. Dependent on the intellect & ideas there arises consciousness at the intellect. 'The six classes of consciousness should be known.' Thus was it said. And in reference to this was it said.

http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka ... .than.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[mikenz66]

Hi Jackson,

This fourth (out of four) type of concentration seems to be momentary concentration. It mentions the rise and fall of the aggregates, not the sense bases, but sense bases and aggregates are just different ways of classifying experience, and both rise and fall.
http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka ... .than.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

"And what is the development of concentration that, when developed & pursued, leads to the ending of the effluents? There is the case where a monk remains focused on arising & falling away with reference to the five clinging-aggregates: 'Such is form, such its origination, such its passing away. Such is feeling, such its origination, such its passing away. Such is perception, such its origination, such its passing away. Such are fabrications, such their origination, such their passing away. Such is consciousness, such its origination, such its disappearance.' This is the development of concentration that, when developed & pursued, leads to the ending of the effluents.

Mike

[daverupa]

The closest it gets, that I can recall:

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.

Otherwise,

"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."

[jackson]

Thanks for your replies, they were helpful.