Saturday, 7 February 2026

What is Mind? How it differs from Brain?

'Mind: Experienced as the habitual stream of clear and conscious experiencing. In its unenlightened state it expresses its ability to think, perceive, and remember through the consciousness. Its true enlightened nature is free of any self-centeredness and perceives itself as not separate from space - as indesctructible, limitless awareness. The recognition of its nature leads to fearlessness,
self-arisen love, and active compassion'.

-- Quoted from: 'Fearless Death' by Lama Ole Nydahl.

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Blog author's comments:

Brain and Mind are not the same. Brain is part of physical body, it's filter of the Consciousness. Mind itself is immaterial, indestructible, and can be experienced as process.

Difference between Reincarnation and Rebirth.

I was searching for answers in the internet, and found answer from Google's AI that aligns well with my current knowledge.

Reincarnation (primarily Hindu) involves the transmigration of a permanent, individual soul (atman) from one body to another, essentially remaining the same person. Rebirth (primarily Buddhist) denotes the continuation of karmic tendencies and consciousness without a permanent soul, where the new life is a result of, but not identical to, the previous one.

Key Differences:
- Core Belief: Reincarnation relies on a permanent soul (essence); Rebirth rejects a permanent self (no-soul or anatta),
- Mechanism: Reincarnation is the transfer of the same 'being'; Rebirth is the causal continuation of energy/karma,
- Scope: Reincarnation usually refers to moving between human bodies; Rebirth can encompass transitioning between various realms of existence (human, animal, hungry ghosts, etc.),
- Tradition: Reincarnation is central to Hinduism; Rebirth is central to Buddhism.

Essentially, reincarnation is a 'type' of rebirth, but the two concepts diverge on whether the essence, or merely the consequences, of a life moves forward.

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Blog's author's speculative elaboration:

As I understand for now, death is one of the Mind-States. At the moment of death, state of mind changes and this can be felt like loss of a body and teleportation to another world, 'realm of death' of sorts. Rebirth is another radical mind-state change. I understand that consciousness itself does not die, it's just mind state that changes. Mind itself is indestructible, immortal.

See also, if You wish:
- Reincarnation, quote from: 'The Way Things Are' by Lama Ole Nydahl,
- What is Mind? How it differs from Brain?