The Course in Buddhist Reasoning and Debate by Daniel E. Perdue

Author:Daniel E. Perdue
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Shambhala Publications

Believing in Something That Is Real

Is it possible to mature a belief to the point of knowledge? Of course. Think of the many things that formerly you merely believed but now you know to be true. It does not have to be profound. This process happens all the time. We often move from a mere belief to actual knowledge. Think of the many instances in the history of science when people moved from believing the opposite of what is true to correct theory and on to knowledge.

In relation to something that is real, a person may have any of these seven consciousnesses. In relation to something that is not real, a person may have only the first four, from wrong consciousness through to an uncertain consciousness leaning toward believing something that is factual. Clearly, we all understand that the question of what is real and what is not real is today, as always, hotly contested. So for the purposes of these illustrations, let us assume, in accordance with the pervasive Buddhist assertion, that sound is indeed impermanent. The seven consciousnesses in relation to the impermanence of sound would be:

1. Wrong consciousness: the confident beliefo that sound is not impermanent

2. Uncertain consciousness leaning toward believing something that is not factual: an uncertain consciousness tending to believe that sound is probably not impermanent

3. Equivocating uncertain consciousness: an equivocating uncertain consciousness wavering between believing that probably sound is not impermanent and believing that probably sound is impermanent

4. Uncertain consciousness leaning toward believing something that is factual: an uncertain consciousness tending to believe that sound is probably impermanent

5. Correctly assuming consciousness: a confident belief that sound is impermanent, though that belief has not arisen from inference or experience

6. Inferential cognition: the inferential cognition that sound is impermanent by the sign of being a product

7. Direct perception: a direct perceiver realizing that sound is impermanent

Although it is possible to have had (at different times) all seven of these consciousnesses in relation to something that is real, such as the impermanence of sound, a person would not necessarily have had all seven. It is possible that a person will never progress through to the seventh, or it is possible that a person may never have had any of the erroneous ideas. Also, it is possible that even if a person eventually moves from wrong consciousness to direct perception, he or she would not necessarily go through all seven of these stages. Just look at a light in your room. In all likelihood, you have direct perception of that light. You had no period of doubt and uncertainty, wondering if that was light. You just knew. This points out another important factor to remember here: direct perception is the highest-ranked type of consciousness, but it is not necessarily a big deal. However, if indeed such a thing is possible, a yogic direct perception realizing selflessness would be a big deal. It is especially in regard to such an understanding of selflessness that Buddhists describe the process for

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