The Concept of Viññāna (Consciousness) in Buddhist Philosophy

Abstract

The objective of this academic article is to study the Viññāna (Consciousness) in the Theravana Buddhist Scripture and then analyze the concept of Viññāna in Buddhist Philosophy. The results from the study revealed that according to Buddhist Philosophy, life of human beings is composed of the Five Aggregates. Those are Rupa-khandha (corporeality), Vedanā-khanda (feeling or sensation), Saññā-khandha (perception), Saṅkhāra-khandha (mental formation or volitional activities), and Viññāna-khandha. Viññāna is an important part of human life. Lack of Viññāna will cause the human life to be extinguished. And human life will be born if Viññāna is born together. In addition to being an awareness of emotions from the 6 sense-doors, i.e., eyes, ears, nose, tongue, body and mind when touching a picture, sound, smell, taste, touch and Dhammarammana (mind-object). It also means the Viññāna or mind in the body. It is this mind that make human beings to be good or evil. When the body had already passed away Bhavaṅga-Citta or the life-continuum will leave the body to a new landscape. The Viññāna is one of the important things in the chain that causes samsara (the round of rebirth) to cause Jara (the situation of being old age), Marana (death), Soka (grief or sorrow), Parideva (lamentation or deep sadness) Dukkha (suffering), Domanassa (painful mental feeling), and Upāyāsa (despair) which has its root of ignorance. The Viññāna is caused by Saṅkhāra (volitional activities). If the Saṅkhāra is extinguished, the Viññāna is extinguished, which will result in the end of all suffering.