RELIGION or POLITICS - Why Buddhism????? (Cont'd)

(Again much of the contents herein are taken from the book "Unlocking the Mysteries of Birth and Death, byDaisaku Ikeda, President of Soka Gakkai International.)


Greetings, friends, and welcome to a new week. If you follow my important blogs, you will know that I am now explaining to, possibly new potential Buddhists, as well as some who already are. And the subject is the incredible Nine Consciousnesses, and the last sentence was that the Ninth consciousnes is equal to Buddhism. All of this will fall into place, as we proceed.
 
EACH LIVING BEING ASSIMILATES INFORMATION FROM ITS SURROUNDINGS AND ADUSTST ITSELF ACCORDINGLY. BEINGS DEPEND FOR THEIR SURVIVAL ON THE ABILITY TO PERCEIVE AND RESPOND TO THEIR ENVIRONMENT. EVEN PLANTS CAN SENSE THE CHANGE IN SEASONS AND ADJUST TO THE DIFFERENCES IN WINTER AND SUMMER WEATHER. IN WINTER, FOR INSTANCE, DECIDUOUS TREES SHED THEIR LARGE LEAVES SO AS NOT TO LOSE TOO MUCH MOISTURE THROUGH THEM.
 
LIKEWISE, HUMAN BEINGS HAVE THE ABILITY TO RESPOND TO THEIR ENVIRONMENT. FOR EXAMPLE, WE CAN DISCERN WHAT IS AND ISN'T EDIBLE. jUST LOOKING AT FRUIT IN A BOWL, WE CAN USUALLY TELL IF IT IS MADE OF WAX. BUT EVEN IF OUR SENSES OF SMELL AND TOUCH WERE DECEIVED, WE COULD TRY TASTING A PIECE AND QUICKLY FIND OUT IF IT IS IMITATION. DISCERNMENT OR PERCEPTION IS NECESSARY FOR LIVING BEINGS TO SURVIVE.
 
Now, out of the nine consciousnesses we look at the first six: Sensory Perception and Intergration.
 
The first five of the nine consciousnesses correspond to the conventional notion of the five senses: Sight, Hearing, Smell, Taste and Touch. They are activated whenever our five sensory organs -- eyes, ears, nose, tongue, and skin -- interact with our environment. The five sense organs are like windows, or perhaps pathways, by which the external world is connected to the internal, and they function in a relatively passive manner.
 
The sixth consciousness integrates the perceptions of the five senses into coherent mental images and makes judgements about the external world. If any of the five sensory organs are not functioning well, the mind likewise can be limited in its ability to accurately perceive the outer world. Conversely, even if a "window" is clouded, one's mind still can make sound judements if the other senses function well. The sixth consciousness can also function independent of the five senses as in dreams or uses of the imagination.
 
More often than not, the function of the five senses is distorted. Negative influences arising from the sixth, seventh and eightth consciousnesses, as we shall see, distort the mind's perception of the outer world. Our perceptions are influenced by our attitudes, by the effects of our karma and by the inner workings of consciousness. To a healthy person filled with vitality, even simple food will taste delicious, while for one plunged in grief, even the most sumptuous feast will taste bland. Phenomena such as these are mysterious yet commonplace.
 
O.K., friends, I don't want to overwhelm you on a monday, so will tie it off here and continue on Wednesday, good old hump day.     Cheers      CJ