It is said that the mind resides in the heart area

[iloveds]

Then what is the function of the brain in Buddhism if its not mind functions?

[Heartspoon]

In the heart area:

First, five very subtle lights are manifesting : vacuity, light, movement, solidification and continuous flow. They are the qualities or virtues of the five elements.

Then, from those five very subtle lights appear the five elements: space, fire, wind, earth and water.

All the perceptions are based on them. First, the mental body, then the skandhas.

In the brain area:

Then, all the elements are mixed with the external elements (father's semence and mother's blood...) : the resulting physical body is a combination of the five elements constituting the whole of the forms.

Thus, at the brain area, the elements have been mixed with the external elements producing the physical brain.

[hope rainbow]

In the heart area:

First, five very subtle lights are manifesting : vacuity, light, movement, solidification and continuous flow. They are the qualities or virtues of the five elements.

Then, from those five very subtle lights appear the five elements: space, fire, wind, earth and water.

All the perceptions are based on them. First, the mental body, then the skandhas.

In the brain area:

Then, all the elements are mixed with the external elements (father's semence and mother's blood...) : the resulting physical body is a combination of the five elements constituting the whole of the forms.

Thus, at the brain area, the elements have been mixed with the external elements producing the physical brain.

Thus the 5 elements are results from the 5 very subtle lights:

vacuity  generates space
light  generates  fire
movement  generates  wind
solidification  generates earth
continuous flow  generates water

Is that correct?
From what are the 5 very subtle light generated?
You say they are the qualities or virtues of the 5 elements, but then you say that the elements are generated from them, I am a bit confused...

Can you also explain the skandhas?
And its relationship with the mental body?

Thank you Heartspoon.

[Lineageholder]

the brain is of no interest and no importance to a Buddhist, simply because it's not the mind.

[thaimonk]

Dear Heartspoon,

I am interested in the brain and it's relations to the mind. As the body and mind are connected at least karmically for a period of time. Of course there are formless beings without a physical brain and yet have a mind.

It's all very fascinating. Please share more with us.

[Heartspoon]

The five very subtle lights manifesting first are the Buddha nature (sugathagarba).

Not being able to recognize this indestructible wakefulness, on the basis of our mistaken consciousness, we will think that:

Vacuity is “the self”
Light is ”the other”

And thus, from the movement, solidification and continuous flow,
we will wish to be associated with what pleases us, to be separated from what displeases us and
will be indifferent to what neither attracts us nor displeases us.

[Heartspoon]

The five very subtle lights manifesting first, not being known by us as the Buddha nature itself, are obscured  and thus existing in a diffused way as our consciousness : in this state (our consciousness), it will be the basis for all that can happen in samsara.

[Heartspoon]

Attached to our consciousness are the aggregates of sensation, perception and volitional formations.
those elements are mixed with the external elements (father's semence and mother's blood...) : the resulting physical body is a combination of the five elements constituting material form.

[Heartspoon]

The five physical sense organs (eye, ear, nose, tongue, body) are based on the resulting physical body.
And so there are five types of consciousness, one for each internal physical sense organ, and one
consciousness that arises from mind.

[Heartspoon]

Now, we should remember  that even though yet we are unable to know the Buddha nature, nonetheless the five very subtle lights are “the essence” or “heart” of all that can be perceived.

[Heartspoon]

Presently, we can do basically two different things with our mind:

1. Striving to know the qualities or virtues of the five elements
2. Pursuing mental fabrications

Our consciousness having the indestructible wakefulness of the Buddha as its basis,
using jnana or pure awareness that is derived from the five very subtle lights, we can strive to know the qualities or virtues of the five elements.

Our consciousness being obscured by ignorance and delusions,
using vijnana or divided knowing that is derived from the concepts of “self” and “other”, we can strive pursuing mental fabrications.

[Heartspoon]

Remembering  that even though yet we are  unable to know the Buddha nature, nonetheless the five very subtle lights are “the essence” or “heart” of all, we should understand that not only “vijnana or divided knowing” but also “pure awareness or jnana” is using what is perceived by the sense organs.

This is so, because even though we are unable to “see” correctly the five very subtle lights, due to ignorance and delusions obscuring our consciousness, they are present in whatever is perceived and “pure awareness or jnana” can thus know the qualities or virtues of the five elements.

[Zhalmed Pawo]

The five physical sense organs (eye, ear, nose, tongue, body) are based on the resulting physical body.
And so there are five types of consciousness, one for each internal physical sense organ, and one
consciousness that arises from mind.

In Buddhism there are classically ("classical" as in non-tantra, or even non-mahayana) of course six senses and six consciousnesses - the sixth sense being the mind, and it's sense organ being something mysterious. Brains perhaps.

Latter Day Buddhists, like Yogacarins, have of course rewritten the Abhidharma, and so forth.

[Heartspoon]

The objects of the mental are the sixth type of object, the dharmas, the attributes that are seized by the mental.

[Heartspoon]

The five physical sense organs (eye, ear, nose, tongue, body) are based on the resulting physical body.
And so there are five types of consciousness, one for each internal physical sense organ, and one
consciousness that arises from mind.

In Buddhism there are classically ("classical" as in non-tantra, or even non-mahayana) of course six senses and six consciousnesses - the sixth sense being the mind, and it's sense organ being something mysterious. Brains perhaps.

Latter Day Buddhists, like Yogacarins, have of course rewritten the Abhidharma, and so forth.

The organ is the vijnana or divided knowing