Quotes About Mind

Consciousness is not wholly, nor even primarily a device for receiving sense-impressions.

The mind-stuff is not spread in space and time. But we must presume that in some other way or aspect it can be differentiated into parts. Only here and there does it arise to the level of consciousness, but from such islands proceeds all knowledge. The latter includes our knowledge of the physical world.

Consciousness is not sharply defined, but fades into sub-consciousness; and beyond that we must postulate something indefinite but yet continuous with our mental nature. This I take it be the world-stuff.

The mind-stuff of the world is, of course, something more general than our individual conscious minds.... It is difficult for the matter-of-fact physicist to accept the view that the substratum of everything is of mental character. But no one can deny that mind is the first and most direct thing in our experience, and all else is remote inference.

The actuality of Nature is like the beauty of Nature. We can scarcely describe the beauty of a landscape as non-existent when there is no conscious being to witness it; but it is through consciousness that we can attribute a meaning to it. And so it is with the actuality of the world. If actuality means 'known to mind' then it is a purely subjective character of the world; to make it objective we must substitute 'knowable to mind'.

Since the mind occupies so high a place in the scale of our beings, and since it is the most active of our inward faculties, ever working, then what a fearful state for the soul to be blind! John Flavel said it is "like a fiery, high-mettled horse whose eyes cannot see, furiously carrying his rider upon rocks, pits and dangerous precipices.

The most extensive ideas that a finite mind can frame about divine love, are infinitely below its true nature.

There is no danger of the individual saint being overlooked amidst the multitude of supplicants who daily and hourly present their various petitions, for an infinite Mind is as capable of paying the same attention to millions as if only one individual were seeking its attention.

Había aprendido que lo malo no era la espera, sino las cosas que imaginas mientras esperas".

Don Jaime relied on this to conserve what he defined as serenity: peace of mind and soul, the only fragment of wisdom to which human imperfection could aspire. His whole life lay before him, smooth, broad, and definitive, as untroubled by uncertainty as a river flowing to the sea.

I would say that chess has more to do with the art of murder than it does with the art of war.

He did not want to think, but it was inevitable that he would.

La palabrota que ensucia la lengua termina por ensuciar el espíritu. Quien habla como un patán, terminará por pensar como un patán y por obrar como un patán. Hay una estrecha e indisoluble relación entre la palabra, el pensamiento y la acción. No se puede pensar limpiamente, ni ejecutar con honradez, lo que se expresa en los peores términos soeces. Es la palabra lo que crea el clima del pensamiento y las condiciones de la acción".

Delusion with respect to the body, idle talk with respect to speech, forgetfulness with respect to the mind, mental agitation in terms of not resting evenly in meditative equipoise, ideation of duality in terms of samsara and nirvana being viewed differently, indifferent equanimity in terms of not being alert and analyzing: the Sage is without any of these.

Space does not rest upon any of the elements of wind, water, or earth. Likewise skandhas, elements, and senses are based upon karma and mental poisons. Karma and poisons are always based upon improper conceptual activity. The improper conceptual activity fully abides on the purity of mind. Yet, the nature of the mind itself has no basis in all these phenomena.

The nature of mind as the element of space does not [depend upon] causes or conditions, nor does it [depend on] a gathering of these. It has neither arising, cessation, nor abiding.

This clear and luminous nature of mind is as changeless as space. It is not afflicted by desire and so on, the adventitious stains, which are sprung from incorrect thoughts. It is not brought into existence by the water of karma, of the poisons, and so on. Hence it is also not consumed by the cruel fires of dying, falling sick, and aging.

At the time when emptiness or Mahamudra is realized, the essence of one's own mind is realized by itself in such a way that there is no duality between an object to be realized and a realizing subject.

The only difference between the inseparable union of spaciousness and awareness, which is the nature of the minds of all sentient beings, and this union being endowed with twofold purity is the fact that the latter is free from all the adventitious stains, while the former is still obscured by these. The essence of the true state of mind is naturally pure, and with regard to this aspect there is not the slightest difference between an ordinary and an enlightened being.

If an inexhaustible treasure were buried in the ground beneath a poor man's house, the man would not know of it, and the treasure would not speak and tell him "I am here!" Likewise a precious treasure is contained in each being's mind. This is its true state, which is free from defilement. Nothing is to be added and nothing to be removed. Nevertheless, since they do not realize this, sentient beings continuously undergo the manifold sufferings of deprivation.

Within unborn mind there is supreme immortality. The characteristics of being born and dying are liberated of themselves. How happy I am in the firm vision of the highest view!

Emptiness endowed with all supreme aspects" (Tib. rnam kun mchog ldan stong pa nyid) is a name for the true nature of mind, or the way the mind truly exists, which is the inseparable union of emptiness and clear light.

Likewise skandhas, elements, and senses are based upon karma and mental poisons. Karma and poisons are always based upon improper conceptual activity. The improper conceptual activity fully abides on the purity of mind. Yet, the nature of the mind itself has no basis in all these phenomena.

The object to be realized is the true state, or in other words, suchness, the way all phenomena actually are. This is emptiness: the nature of mind, the element, or the sugatagarbha.