What is the unsurpassed mind?

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Not two, not one, modified 5 Years ago at 1/27/19 1:39 PM
Created 5 Years ago at 1/27/19 1:39 PM

What is the unsurpassed mind?

Posts: 1038 Join Date: 7/13/17 Recent Posts
Hi there, can anyone help me with mindfulness of consciousness? I get most of it, but there is one piece I don't quite understand.

Here are the key components as translated from the from the Sattipathana Sutta by Nyanasutta Thera (sourced from Access to Insight).  I have put my interpreations in parentheses.

Mindfulness of the presence or absence of:

Lust - (Passion obsession or grabbing)
Hate - (Resistance obsession or pushing/anger)
Delusion - (Ignorant perception of the world as unfabricated)
Shrunken consciousness - (Dullness as discussed in TMI)
Distracted consciousness - (Distraction as discussed in TMI)
Developed consciousness - (Expanded sense sphere, openness/spaciousness/bigness/luminosity)
Unsurpassed consciousness - (This is the one I don't get)
Concentrated consciouness - (Unified mind as discussed in TMI / samadhi)
Freed state - (Fetters cut offf and fetters remaining)

I think unsurpassed consciousness is probably shorthard terminology for something very specific. I have read somewhere that it might refer to the unified state of joyous mind, but that seems to be covered by the next one, concentrated consciousness. I also read a suggestion that it refers to awareness of jhana attainments, or of being in the highest attainement achieved so far. But these seem like guesses to me, particularly as the obsession with jhana states eventually has to be abandoned, and as any single jhana is enough for final liberation.

So does anybody want to weigh in on what they think unsurpassed consciousness is?  All speculations or corrections gratefully received!
Keshin lu, modified 5 Years ago at 1/27/19 9:37 PM
Created 5 Years ago at 1/27/19 9:37 PM

RE: What is the unsurpassed mind?

Posts: 34 Join Date: 7/31/18 Recent Posts
Hi Curious,
There is white lotus and red lotus. White lotus is arahant by dry insight path. While red lotus is arahant liberated both ways ; meaning he has attained immaterial jhanas (awareness released) and insight ( discernment released). The mind of a red lotus arahant is most sumpreme and unsurpassed. 
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Not two, not one, modified 5 Years ago at 1/28/19 12:00 PM
Created 5 Years ago at 1/28/19 12:00 PM

RE: What is the unsurpassed mind?

Posts: 1038 Join Date: 7/13/17 Recent Posts
Thank you Keshin Lu, that makes sense to me.  Much appreciated.

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