awakening
Who Am I?
When asked “Who am I?”, many people likely think of their physical body, their consciousness, and their possessions—such as property, relationships, fame, and knowledge. But have you ever observed closely to see which of these things is truly “you” and which are merely external manifestations formed under certain conditions? Or do you simply accept a concept or a definition of “Who am I?” just because it fits your views, personal biases, or someone’s reputation, without questioning whether it is the truth?
Therefore, please temporarily set aside your existing knowledge about “Who am I?” so that we can explore together how this body and consciousness are structured and how they function, enabling you to discover for yourself: “Who am I?”
This conscious body can be classified into six group elements (Expand for details)
1. Earth
Consists of what is personal, solid, and conditioned, such as hair, body hair, nails, teeth, skin, flesh, bones, internal organs, and the food inside the body.
2. Water
Any liquid belonging to or produced by the body and maintained within it, including blood, fat, saliva, urine, sweat, lymph, phlegm, and pus.
3. Fire
Any heat belonging to or produced by the body and maintained within it, by which the body is warmed, food is digested, or the body is aged.
4. Wind
Any thing belonging to or produced by the body that has the nature of motion and is maintained within it, such as the breath and the air circulating through the body.
5. Space
Any empty space inside the body, such as the ear canals, nostrils, the mouth, and the passages through which food enters, passes, and is expelled.
6. Consciousness
Contains the entirety of experience and learning accumulated from the past to the present. It is through consciousness that we are aware of emotions, feelings, perceptions, and thoughts.
Among these, the first five groups of elements, when conditions are sufficient, combine to form the body. When they are not in harmony, the body becomes ill; when the conditions cease, the body disintegrates. Therefore, this body is truly not stable; it is fragile and does not bring true satisfaction. Thus, it is entirely unreasonable for someone to regard this body as “me,” “mine,” or “my essence.”
The sixth element is Consciousness, which is transparent and pure. It is present where sensations (greed), feelings (delight in craving), and perceptions (craving) arise. Imagine a house at sunrise: the light passes through the north, south, or east windows and shines on the western wall. If there were no western wall, it would shine on the ground; if there were no ground, it would shine on the water; if there were no water, the light would have no place to land.
Similarly, this consciousness is as transparent and pure as clear white light. If, when the sense bases contact an object, there is no greed; when there is feeling, there is no delight in craving; and when there is perception, there is no craving—then that consciousness will have no place to land.
Indeed, this conscious body interacts and communicates with the outside world through the six sense bases and their respective objects: the eye sees forms, the ear hears sounds, the nose smells odors, the tongue tastes flavors, the body feels tactile sensations, and the mind cognizes mental objects (objects of the mind including memories, concepts, ideas, and psychological states).
The Process of Human Interaction and Karmic Reactions via Visual Perception
Form - Eyes
From eyes and forms, eye-consciousness is born
Contact
Where eyes, form, and consciousness meet
Feeling
With the presence of contact, feeling arises.
Perception
With the presence of feeling, perception arises
- Dependent on perception, there is thinking and the weaving of thoughts that create illusory concepts; then, by clinging to these illusory concepts, one makes decisions and expresses will through the actions of body, speech, and mind.
- If, at this point, we realize that the illusory objects woven by the mind are not worth clinging to, then right there, we end the karma of mind, body, and speech. This means ceasing the karmic actions that form the “field” where the “moisture of craving” would otherwise cause the “seed of consciousness” to sprout.
- Similarly, we observe the other five pairs of bases and objects: ear–sound, nose–odor, tongue–flavor, body–touch, and mind–mental objects.
Thus, dependent on contact, feelings arise. If we clearly know a feeling exactly as it is without giving rise to illusory thoughts, we recognize the impermanent nature of that feeling; from there, disenchantment, non-attachment, and non-delight arise. Afterward, only pure equanimity remains: bright, malleable, easy to use, and radiant.
If the practitioner no longer creates volitional formations, no longer ponders over “being” or “non-being,” they do not cling to anything in the world. Because they do not cling, they do not worry; the mind is completely extinguished (at peace). They know for themselves: “Birth is ended, the holy life has been fulfilled, what had to be done has been done, there is no more coming back to this state.”
Therefore, the entire content of consciousness forms the perceived “self”; but if all six groups of elements are relinquished, only the Ever-Pure Knowing remains—and that is Wisdom.
What Are We Born For?
We know that as ordinary people, everyone wants to live and does not want to die; everyone wants pleasure and does not want suffering. However, our lives are limited by time; everyone who is born must eventually die. We are shrouded by old age and constantly overwhelmed and terrorized by death. This is truly the ultimate suffering, yet most of us accept it by default and regard it as fate. Instead of finding a way to resolve this “birth and death bottleneck,” we pour our minds into a restless search for worldly pleasures related to fame, profit, romance, or religious beliefs. As time passes, we remain submerged in sensual pleasures and pain until one day we startle awake with questions about human existence.
Do you see how diverse and abundant the current world is? This world has been formed from ideas arising from the consciousness of all sentient beings, accumulated over many years. Yet, these ideas are only a small part of the inner world of beings. This shows that our inner world is far more diverse and abundant. Because we constantly wander, chasing and clinging to these ideas, we become trapped in this world; our inner minds become as tangled as a ball of silk, with no way to find the end. The thoughts of beings create the world; because beings possess a “craving for the world,” they weave and create illusory thoughts in their minds, then cling to and grasp those illusions, forming a loop with no beginning and no end.
Thus, in the beginning, we only had one core problem: the suffering caused by the fear of death. But because we did not see it clearly and were not determined to overcome it, we instead pursued things to “escape pain and seek pleasure.” This gave rise to many consequences such as: sorrow, lamentation, pain, grief, and despair—collectively known as a mass of suffering, or the Sufferring Aggregate (Dukkha-kkhandha).
Therefore, if in the past we strove to achieve things that brought us external joy and happiness, from now on, let us “turn around” to understand the true root of suffering. Let us practice the path that leads to the cessation of the cause of this suffering aggregate: which is Craving (Tanha), combined with Lust (Raga) and Delight (Nandi), seeking fulfillment here and there, leading to rebirth and serving as the condition for aging, death, sorrow, lamentation, pain, grief, and despair—that is, the entire mass of suffering.
Where Do We Go When We Die?
There is a mechanism of rebirth that we must understand: at the moment of death, wherever our thoughts are directed, that is where we will be reborn. Our actions (Karmic Formations) create the “field” (the Three Realms); when the “moisture” of Craving is present, it serves as the condition for the “seed” of Consciousness—accumulated over countless lifetimes—to sprout and grow at the right time.
However, that is a matter of the future after the breaking up of the body. For now, what must we prepare and how must we practice to pass this crucial “final exam”? If we live according to the Dhamma and fulfill what needs to be done, we will step through this stage with confidence and serenity, knowing clearly for ourselves. Knowing what?
Awareness of Body’s End
Knowing clearly, when feeling a sensation terminating in the body: "I am feeling a sensation terminating in the body."
Awareness of Life’s End
Knowing clearly, when feeling a sensation terminating in life: "I am feeling a sensation terminating in life."
The Cooling of Feelings
Knowing that after the breaking up of the body, all feelings will become cool and no longer be something to delight in.
Dependent on Contact, a corresponding feeling arises; if the condition of contact ceases, the corresponding feeling also ceases. Just as two pieces of wood rubbing together create fire and heat; if they are pulled apart and no longer touch, no spark is ignited and no heat is produced. Similarly, when a feeling arises through contact, if we see that feeling clearly “as it is,” that feeling will become cool. No thoughts or desires will arise, and right there, the chain of contact is severed.
At that point, one no longer creates volitional formations and has no intention toward rebirth or non-rebirth. Because there is no more creating and no more pondering over becoming or non-becoming, one does not cling to anything in the world. Being unattached, there is no more anxiety or fear. Having no fear, one is completely extinguished (at peace). One knows for oneself: “Rebirth is ended, the holy life has been fulfilled, what had to be done has been done, the burden has been laid down, there is no more coming back to this world.”
Conversely, if we do not live according to the Dhamma and do not fulfill what needs to be done, our thoughts will be violently agitated by anxiety, fear, regret, and doubt. From there, Craving (the moisture) combined with Delight and Lust will arise, causing Illusory Thoughts (the seed) to sprout. Clinging to these illusions then leads to rebirth in the corresponding “field” (realm) to partake in the karmic results one has created. Thus, for such a person: birth is not yet ended, the holy life is not yet fulfilled, there is still work to be done, the burden has not been laid down, and they will return to this world.