According to Buddhism,life is a combination of mind and matter.Mind consists of the combination of sensation,perceptions,volitional activities and consciousness.Matter consists of the combination of the four elements of solidity,fluidity,motion and heat.Life is the co-existence of mind and matter.Decay is the lack of co-ordination of mind matter.Death is a separation of mind and matter.Rebirth is the combination of mind and matter.After passing away the physical body,the mental forces recombine and assume a new combination in a different material form and condition another existence.
Buddhism teaches that life is not the property of matter alone ,and the life-process continues or flows as a result of cause and effect.By studying and experiencing these realities we will gain insight into.
1) What we truly are
2)What we find around us.
3)What we aspire to reach a spiritual goal.
Whatever exists,arises from causes and conditions.
Strictly speaking our existence in a human form is dependent on not just matter (or form), but also it is dependent on the other 4 aggregates of feeling, perception, mental volition and consciousness. All these 5 aggregates make up the human form basically. Form consists of the elements of earth, water, fire and wind. Perception is derive from consciousness and the senses (touch, sight, hearing, taste and smell). From that derive feelings. Strictly speaking, feelings and perception are part of the mental volition but since it is the most important ones, the Buddha deemed it fit to be mentioned separately as an aggregate by itself.
So, my point here is that it is not as simple as "mind and matter". There are the other aggregates that need to be inputted as well. Hence, we have the gross, subtle and subtle subtle mind. Gross mind is basically derive from the results of gross perceptions and feelings from the 5 senses ie the brain. Subtle mind are seen as our sub conscious, more from our mental volition. Subtle subtle mind is our Buddha nature ie our true mind. This is the mind that goes from life to life. The above is a generally technical understanding and is not in any means exhaustive as there are many factors that can affect the categorization. It is more an attempt to put labels for our limited wisdom and for gross understanding. Nevertheless it give us a good overall picture.
So to say "mind and matter" while it is not wrong, it is rather simplistic. Anyhow, Hope Rainbow, asked it matter itself is the result of the mind. My answer would be yes but not that it exist because of an individual mind but rather from our collective mind. The universe exist because of our collective karma and matter in the gross form came about as a result of the existence of the universe. A steel spoon exist because somebody made it. The material was mined and refined and produce by more then 1 person most likely. The energy, iron and carbon needed to make the spoon is from the earth. The earth is from a Supernova explosion and the star that exploded into a supernova is from the another star (possibly) or from the big bang and the big bang is from collective karma. The explains the basic material needed to make forms. Our throwing karma, "throws" us into the present life ie from our mothers womb. This comes from our ignorance and from that karmic or mental volition and consciousness. From that our name and form and sense. From contact of the senses with others, derive perception and feeling and that leads to craving and clinging.
There is however another school of thought that say that matter do not exist until the mind perceive it. That means the spoon exist only in potential and it come into existence only when we perceive it. It goes back into potentiality when no one perceive it.
Well, this rather simple topic is very interesting and can be complicated. The main reason is that the human mind (gross and subtle) has limited wisdom. Hence, the main task for us upon gaining this optimum human rebirth is accumulation of merits and wisdom. This is while we are practicing boddhicitta. With merit comes wisdom. Merit is define as selfless acts that benefit others. Wisdom can also be accumulated through study and contemplation. Once we have enough merit we will see the Ultimate true nature of reality.
So collect merit, study especially the Lamrim, contemplate and aspire to be a Buddha for the sake of all beings!
