Abstract

This thesis had three objectives; to study the Viññāṇa-Khandha in the Theravada Buddhism, to study the Insight Meditation Practice in the Theravada Buddhism, and to study the rise and fall of Viññāṇa-Khandha in the Insight Meditation Practice. Clarified data are taken from the Theravada Buddhist scriptures and other related documents, and then composed, summarized, analyzed, explained in details, corrected and verified by Buddhist scholars. From the study it found that;

Viññāṇa in the Theravada Buddhist scripture has two meaning that as a knowing means mind called Viññāṇa-Dhatu, and as a composite of mind which can be enlighten, is the characteristic of perfecting the feeling called Viññāṇa -khandha. So Viññāṇa in the Buddhist scripture means the perception arise from the contacting of the Twelve Sphere (Ayatana) Phassa and Viññāṇa Viññāṇa always rise and fall and have the fast interconnection which we cannot observe. It is compare to the electricity switch on and off until we cannot know about the rise and fall of the electric light. Thus Viññāṇa in the Buddhist scripture is not a non- sense story, and can study from the Three Characteristics which are the impermanence (Aniccaṁ), suffering (Dukkham), and non-self (Anatta). That means the Natural rule which nobody can be above this rule and Viññāṇa also under this rule.

The Insight Meditation Practice in the Theravada Buddhism refers to the training to generate the wisdom for enlightenment in the natural truth of all things by considering the form and name. Contemplation on the form and name until seeing the Three Characteristics that it is impermanence, it is suffering, it is not a self, and free from all clinging. To find out the truth for the cessation of suffering from life, and liberate from all defilements. The Insight Meditation Practice thus is found only in the Buddhism.

The rise and fall of Viññāṇa-Khandha can be seen in two categories: 1) Rough side, we can observe from our daily life such as the changing of out thought from this story to another story. This kind of changing is called the rise and fall of Viññāṇa-Khandha or mind. This is the roughly rise and fall which we can observe in our daily life. 2) In details, the rising and falling process is very fast and difficult for normal wisdom to be aware; exceptional is for higher Samadhi or Vipassanā-ñāṇa. When Viññāṇa has been raised and fallen according to the cause & effect, the status of Viññāṇa is under the rule of the Three Characteristics which is rising existing and falling. Viññāṇa is immortal but not the sacred items. Buddhism refuses the permanence the stable of Viññāṇa but confirms for Santati which is the continuity of Viññāṇa with infinity.

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