Buddhist Psychology

Question 1

What is mind?

Answer 1

The agent of clarity and cognition which is clear and knowing.

Question 2

Seven Fold Division of Mind

Answer 2

1) Direct Valid Perceiver
2) Inferential Cognizer
3) Subsequent Cognizer
4) Correctly Assuming Consciousness
5) Non-discerning Direct Perceiver
6) Doubting Consciousness
7) Deceptive/ Wrong Consciousness

Question 3

Define direct valid Perceiver

Answer 3

A direct valid Perceiver is a non-mistaken knower that is free from conceptuality.

Question 4

4 Types of Direct Valid Perceivers:

Answer 4

1) Sense direct perceiver
2) Mental direct perceiver
3) Self-cognizant direct perceiver
4) Yogic direct perceiver

Question 5

Three conditions necessary for Sense Direct Perceiver:

Answer 5

1) Observed object condition
2) Uncommon empowering condition (sense powers)
3) Immediately preceding condition (consciousness)

Question 6

Define Inferential Cognizer

Answer 6

A determinative knower, which by dependence on a correct sign as its basis, is incontrovertible with regard to a hidden phenomenon as its object of comprehension.

Question 7

Three Types of Phenomenon

Answer 7

1) Evident Phenomenon - things we can directly experience
2) Slightly hidden phenomenon - things we can indirectly observe like smoke = fire even if the flames are not visible
3) Very Hidden Phenomenon - phenomena we come to know through others telling us like our own birthday

Question 8

2 Aspects of Mind

Answer 8

1) Cognitive aspect - recognizes an object
2) Affective aspect - mind feels neutral, attachment or aversion

Question 9

3 Types of Inferential Cognizers

Answer 9

1) Inference through the power of fact
2) Inference through confidence (belief)
3) Inference through renown (convention)

Question 10

2 Types of Valid Cognition

Answer 10

1) Direct Valid Perceiver
2) Inferential Cognizer

Question 11

Define Subsequent Cognizer

Answer 11

A knower which realizes that which has already been realized.

Question 12

2 Types of Subsequent Cognizers

Answer 12

1) Direct Subsequent Cognizer
2) Conceptual Subsequent Cognizer

Question 13

Define Correctly Assuming Consciousness

Answer 13

An awareness that correctly assumes a fact but does not fully ascertain its principle object of engagement through direct perception or inference.

Question 14

3 Ways to Generate Correctly Assuming Consciousness

Answer 14

1) Without a reason
2) Without ascertaining the reason
3) Depending on a facsimile of reason

Question 15

Define Non-Discerning Direct Perceiver

Answer 15

A knower to which the specifically characterized phenomenon which is its object of engagement clearly appears but is unable to induce ascertainment with respect to it.

Question 16

3 Types of Non-Discerning Direct Perceivers

Answer 16

1) Non-Discerning Sense Direct Perceiver
2) Non-Discerning Mental Direct Perceiver
3) Non-Discerning Self- Cognizant Direct Perceiver

Question 17

Define Doubting Consciousness

Answer 17

A knower which by its own power has qualms in two directions.

Question 18

3 Types of Doubting Consciousness

Answer 18

1) Doubt tending towards fact
2) Doubt tending towards distortion
3) Doubt tending towards both equally

Question 19

Define Deceptive (Wrong) Consciousness

Answer 19

A knower which is mistaken with regard to its object of engagement.

Question 20

The Difference Between Mistaken Mind and Deceptive/ Distorted Mind

Answer 20

Mistaken Mind is in regards to the object or act of appearance.
Deceptive/ Distorted Mind is in regards to the object or act of apprehension.

Question 21

2 Types of Deceptive/ Wrong Consciousness

Answer 21

1) Conceptual Deceptive Consciousness
2) Non-Conceptual Deceptive Consciousness
A) Non-conceptual Sense Deceptive Consciousness
B) Non-conceptual Mental Deceptive Consciousness

Question 22

3 Fold Division of Mind

Answer 22

1) Conceptual Consciousness- always mistaken mind
2) Non-Conceptual Non-Mistaken Consciousness- synonymous with direct valid perceiver
3) Non-Conceptual Mistaken Consciousness- synonymous with non-conceptual deceptive/ wrong consciousness

Question 23

4 Types of Relationships

Answer 23

1) Synonymous
2) Contradictory
3) Three Mode
4) Four Mode

Question 24

Two Fold Divisions of Mind

Answer 24

1) Prime Cognizer and Non-Prime Consciousness
2) Conceptual Consciousness and Non-Conceptual Consciousness
3) Mistaken Consciousness and Non-Mistaken Consciousness
4) Mental Consciousness and Sense Consciousness
5) Eliminative Engager Awareness and Collective Engager Awareness
6) Minds and Mental Factors

Question 25

6 Groups of 51 Mental Factors

Answer 25

1) Five Omnipresent Mental Factors
2) Five Object Ascertaining/ Determinative Mental Factors
3) Eleven Virtuous Mental Factors
4) Six Root Afflictions
5) Twenty Secondary Afflictions
6) Four Variable Mental Factors

Question 26

5 Omnipresent Mental Factors

Answer 26

1) Contact
2) Attention
3) Discrimination
4) Feeling
5) Intention

Question 27

5 Object Ascertaining/ Determinative Mental Factors

Answer 27

1) Aspiration
2) Admiration
3) Mindfulness/ recollection
4) Concentration
5) Wisdom/ Intelligence

Question 28

11 Virtuous Mental Factors

Answer 28

1) Faith (3 types admiration, aspiration, conviction)
2) Sense of shame out of self respect
3) Sense of shame out of respect for others
4) Non-attachment
5) Non-aversion (3 types towards perpetrators, suffering, causes of suffering)
6) Non-ignorance
7) Enthusiasm/ perseverance/ joyous effort
8) Pliancy/ Suppleness
9) Conscientiousness
10) Equanimity
11) Harmlessness

Question 29

6 Root Afflictions

Answer 29

1) Attachment/ Desire
2) Anger/ Aversion
3) Pride (7 types: pride, pride of superiority, extreme pride, pride of ego, empty pride, pride of inferiority, pride of wrong view)
4) Ignorance
5) Afflictive View (5 kinds: view of the perishable collection, view of the extremes, distorted view, view of the supremacy of view, view of the supremacy of morality and conduct)
6) Afflictive Doubt

Question 30

3 Familes of Afflictions (3 Poisons)

Answer 30

1) Attachment
2) Aversion
3) Ignorance

Question 31

20 Secondary Afflictions

Answer 31

1) Belligerence
2) Resentment
3) Concealment
4) Spite
5) Envy/ jealousy
6) Miserliness
7) Dishonesty/ deceit
8) Pretension/ Dissimulation
9) Vanity/ Haughtiness
10) Harmfulness
11) Shamelessness
12) Non-embarrassment
13) Dullness/ Lethargy
14) Excitement
15) Faithlessness
16) Laziness (3 kinds: being attached to trivial purposes, procrastination, undermining one’s own potential)
17) Unconscientiousness
18) Forgetfulness
19) Non-introspection
20) Distraction/ Mental wandering/ Discursiveness

Question 32

4 Variable Mental Factors

Answer 32

1) Sleep
2) Regret/ Contrition
3) General Analysis
4) Subtle Analysis

Question 33

5 Aggregates

Answer 33

1) Form
2) Feeling
3) Discrimination
4) Compositional Factors
5) Consciousness

Question 34

The 4 Wrong Views

Answer 34

1) Mistaking the impermanent to be permanent
2) Mistaking the painful to be pleasant
3) Mistaking the impure to be pure
4) Mistaking the lacking to be possessed of self

Question 35

8 Mundane Concerns

Answer 35

Excitement of spirit or loss of spirit triggered by:
1&2) Gain or loss of material things
3&4) Praise or Defamation
5&6) Pleasant or Unpleasant Words
7&8) Happiness or Suffering

Question 36

The 4 Mindfulnesses

Answer 36

1) Mindfulness of the body (as unclean and foul)
2) Mindfulness of feeling (as of the nature of suffering)
3) Mindfulness of mind (as momentary)
4) Mindfulness of phenomena (as empty of selfhood)