ABSTRACT

The intrapersonal communication is a modern science in the west and also in Buddhism in which there are a few people who are interested in studying this subject. Thus the objectives of the study of this subject in Buddhism are to research about intrapersonal communicational concept in the west, to analyze intrapersonal communication in Buddhism and to study the substance of intrapersonal communication in Buddhism. To research in these objectives is to answer the questions about what intrapersonal communication in Buddhism is and what the importance of it is.

The way to the analysis in this research is on documentary study about intrapersonal communication concept in the west. However, in Buddhism, there are the concept of mind (citta), the mental concomitant (cetasika) and the process of consciousness (citta-vīthi) as well as the principle and the way of practice in Buddhism which are the approach of this study.

The answers to the question about what the intrapersonal communication in Buddhism is are separated into three headings, namely (1) definition, feature type and pattern (2) the beginning and the process and (3) factors which are concerned. The essential point of the first heading is summarized in :- the intrapersonal communication in Buddhism is mental action, its perception process occurs in one’s line of mental entrance process which occurs individually in oneself. This communication has oneself as a receiver, not to intend to communicate with others whether it emerges or not. It may be one-way or two-way communication which occurs all the time, can be in the direction of meritorious actions (kusalas) or demeritorious actions (akusalas) and can  appeared in the verbal language and image language. From the second heading, it is found that the beginning of intrapersonal communication in Buddhism occurs immediately when the mind does its function such as to think, to feel, to remember and to recognize. The intrapersonal communication process is considered from the process of the arising of mind or the process of doing the function of mind called the line of mind process. For the third heading, the factors which are concerned with the intrapersonal communication are the outer factors and the inner ones. The outer factors are six sense-objects and the inner ones are six entrances, the acting of mind and the mental concomitant as well as the unidentified factors called Kamma Vipāka (the consequence of one’s action).

There are three headings for the answer to the question about what the importance of the intrapersonal communication in Buddhism is. They are (1) the importance of intrapersonal communication (2) the advantages and the disadvantages of intrapersonal communication  and (3) the usage of intrapersonal communication in Buddhism. From the first heading, it is found that the intrapersonal communication is significant to the communication, the behavior, the life, the self development, the Dhamma practice and enlightenment. From the second heading of the answer, it is opened that the advantages or the disadvantages of the intrapersonal communication depend on the direction of intrapersonal communication. If it is in the direction of Kusala it will bring about the advantages, but if it is in the direction of Akusala, it will bring about the disadvantages in these aspects which are the perception of oneself and others, the self development, the behavioral change, the usage of self potentiality, the life and the living in societies, and the factor of enlightenment. Finally, from the study, it is found that usage of the intrapersonal communication in Buddhism is based on principle of Indriyasaṁvara : control of senses, Satipaṭṭhāna : foundations of mindfulness, Saṁvara Sutta and Padhāna Sutta which is separated in two subhead that are the caution of usage and the usage which should be. The caution of usage are try to be careful and abandon akusala intrapersonal communication. In the other hand, the usage which should be are try to progress and maintain kusala intrapersonal communication