[Buddha-l] redwood trees, memory, and entity-ness

[r.g.morrison]

Ron Leifer writes:

: I have heard a Buddhist definition of consciousness as "that which relates
: to other." It's the best definition I know and it embraces all phenomena, 
even
: simple positive and negative charges.

There are a few definitions of viññaa.na/vijñaana, 'consciousness', in the 
suttas, but the root of the term is 'to know [jña] by means of 
discrimination [vi-]'.  So we could say that consciousness as defined here 
is what discriminates one thing from another, be it a taste, a tactile 
sensation, a visual form, or even an idea - depends upon what the 'object' 
is. It is what notices 'difference'.  So some tralat the term as 
'discernment', but then we are left wondering what 'consciousness' is. But 
it cannot do or act; just show.  Mind you, according to the suttas, it is 
also viññaa.na that carries the results of karma from life to life, which is 
very confusing!!!

Robert Morrison