Can you be aware without thought ?

[saurab]

The following are the thoughts that insert themselves while being aware:

1. Worry of any kind
2. Fear of any kind
3. Anger
4. Naming process (for example as you are moving in the forest you observe your environment and when you look at a tree you implicitly know that this is a tree) . The way around it is to see shapes, colours and sizes but it is impossible to be this way all or even most of the time.
5. Joy
6. Happiness

Dear friends, have you ever observed without thought intruding ?

Also I would like to draw a distinction between consciousness and awareness. Consciousness is the residue of awareness in the mind. Awareness is not of the mind but is the fundamental substratum of existence. The equivalent of awareness in the mind is consciousness or memory or the thinking, naming process.

[saurab]

Awareness is without the naming or ideational process and without thought. The Buddhi or intellect is responsible for all our ideas (the best ones and the worst ones). These ideas are naked and formless (or thoughtless) and implicit. The mind clothes these ideas into thoughts.

That is why, before even beginning to meditate, one must rectify or correct one's ideas and views about most things of lower or everyday consciousness.

How do you cleanse your ideas ?

[saurab]

Continuing from where I left off, ideas persist between rebirths, so that even though we may speak different languages in different rebirths, we have the same ideas coming up in the form of thoughts in the new language.

So, the key is to cleanse the fundamental ideas, and not just focus on thoughts.

[saurab]

I had an educative experience with a plant once. The light in my mother's eyes were dimming. She was not going completely blind but she would have in some years.

We have many plants in our balcony. I prayed to one of the plants to heal my mother's eyes. That day after some hours, my mother's eyes started burning. I am sure it was the healing process worked on by the plant's higher self or something.

I thanked the plant and immediately i felt a glow of energy around my head.

After some months I again asked the plant to heal my mother's mouth and tongue. She was having difficulty eating because her mouth had severe ulcers in it and the tongue had turned a little blue. But my prayer had no effect (maybe because this was karmic and my mother had to face it at least for some time). After some days, the plant died suddenly. I think that was because the plant could not heal my mother.

This brings up several questions but I will address only one. How did the plant understand my request ? It certainly knew no English. I think the answer is that the plant understood the idea coming from the intellect (buddhi) and that is how it understood. So, awareness + intellect (buddhi) can exist without the mind.

Can someone please explain whether after enlightenment the awareness +buddhi is all that remains with the mind appearing when needed and "sinking" into the heart when not needed ? Or is it that the mind is entirely destroyed as per Ramana ?

Originally Posted by saurab

Consciousness is the residue of awareness in the mind.

Awareness = Consciousness = Chit. It's all the same. Ahamkara appropriates Consciousness as its own (I am conscious), but it's not.

[saurab]

Originally Posted by JustASimpleGuy

Awareness = Consciousness = Chit. It's all the same. Ahamkara appropriates Consciousness as its own (I am conscious), but it's not.

You are just repeating the traditional theory. Consciousness is awareness entangled by the mind and body. For example, the eye sees but does not hear. so the eye (body) is the medium for at least a part of your awareness. Ultimately, consciousness = awareness, but until we go beyond the mind and body entirely, consciousness for us = pure awareness + mind/body(senses).

Originally Posted by saurab

You are just repeating the traditional theory.

No, I'm coming from the perspective of experience.

[saurab]

Originally Posted by JustASimpleGuy

No, I'm coming from the perspective of experience.

then, what is the relationship between memory and consciousness ?

Originally Posted by saurab

then, what is the relationship between memory and consciousness ?

Consciousness (Chit) illumines mind but the relationship is best illustrated by analogy. A wave is Water and only Water through and through. Water is not a wave. Replace Water with Consciousness and everything else - including mind - with waves.

[saurab]

you are talking in well worn analogies and i asked you an English question. what is the relationship between memory (not mind) and consciousness ?