Weekly Practice (5 Aggregates: Mental Formations)

Last week we focused on the first two of the five aggregates, body and feeling tone, and continued with impermanence. You may have noticed that what we consider neutral often gets ignored. Pay more attention to what you feel as neutral. You’ll make some interesting discoveries.

So far you’ve discovered that everything we’ve examined so far is impermanent.  Continue checking for impermanence in every aspect of your life, and this lesson as well. This week we’ll examine the last three aggregates: Perception, Fabrication, and Consciousness. All three of these are mental formations, what the mind does.

In Buddhist teachings consciousness is more granular than we tend to think of it in modern day. Buddha recognized that whatever we become conscious of, we do so through one of our senses. When eye consciousness arises, we become conscious of some object in our vision. When ear consciousness arises, it’s because some sound has reached our ear. So, everything we become conscious of comes through our senses, or is born of the mind.

Once we are conscious of something, we form a perception of it. Perceptions are created through thoughts, impressions, emotional reactions, memories, etc. Our perceptions then may build into fabrications where are minds can build elaborate judgements, opinions, stories, and drama.

Most important to notice is how the feeling of self arises from consciousness, perceptions, and fabrication. With indignation, for instance, a very powerful feeling of self can arise, and we can cling to that in such a way as to make it a solid feeling. But is it? With the growl of a stomach, the feeling of self may arise on the thought, “I’m hungry.” But is that thought you? Are we our thoughts, perceptions, and the stories the mind creates?

What Buddha Said

“In the same way, a monk investigates form, however far form may go. He investigates feeling… perception… fabrications… consciousness, however far consciousness may go. As he is investigating form… feeling… perception… fabrications… consciousness, however far consciousness may go, any thoughts of ‘me’ or ‘mine’ or ‘I am’ do not occur to him.”

— SN 35.205

Buddha claims that if we investigate these five aggregates closely, we will see for ourselves that none of the aggregates can be me, mine, or I. None can be an unchanging self. The problem, according to Buddha, is that we cling to the aggregates as though they are a self. By clinging to what we think is self, we create suffering, we make matters worse. The aggregates are all impermanent. They are not static things. Are they dynamic process? What’s they’re function?

Previously I had identified very closely with my intellect, my thought processes. I considered all those mental machinations to be who I was. I was determined to prove Buddha wrong on this matter. But what I discovered instead was fascinating. I eagerly go on this investigation again to see what else I can discover. I hope you’ll join me and share what you learn as well.

Warning for the following meditations. Thoughts can be slippery and elusive. They can also be sneaky, and before you know it you may be caught up in a whole mental drama. This is normal, and as you become more mindful, the mind settles down.

Sitting meditation:

• Once seated and comfortable, close your eyes and bring your attention to your breathing. Breathe in and out naturally. Follow the breath in and out. Allow your attention to notice the body as you breath in and out.
• Do a body scan as you did last week, checking for feeling tones for the pleasant, unpleasant, and neutral areas of your body. By the way, if you are uncomfortable, note it, check the feeling tone, then with intention get into a more comfortable position.
• Focus on the breath as usual, using it for your point of concentration, noting the strength, length and texture of each breath. Is there is a feeling tone in each breath?
• Work on your concentration with the breath as you have done previously.
• If a sound arises, notice how awareness shifts to the ears. Note the feeling tone of the sound. Then go back to the breath.
• If you find it difficult to return to the breath because of sound or thought interruptions, note if the interruption gave rise to a feeling of self. What is that feeling?
• If thoughts arise, note whether the thought is a reminder, an opinion, or if the thoughts want to converge on a story of some kind.
• Just take note of any mental activity that breaks your concentration, then let them go and return to the breath.

Moving Meditation

• Moving meditation can be done through walking, yoga, tai chi, or simply moving your body in a designated, safe area.
• Bring your awareness to the top of your head and bring it slowly down to your neck, shoulders, arms, torso, hips, legs, and feet. Notice any sensations, lack of sensations, etc. Take your time doing this.
• Begin your movements in your preferred form. Pay attention to how each  muscle feels as you move. Notice your breath, in and out. Keep your movements small and deliberate, your attention on your body, as you move your arms or legs. Notice how muscles contract and release. Is there tension in your body anywhere? Can you relax the muscles you are not using?
• Continue using your body and movements as your point of concentration.
• If a sound arises, notice how awareness shifts to the ears. Note the feeling tone of the sound. Then go back to the body movements.
• If you find it difficult to return to the breath because of sound or thought interruptions, note if the interruption gave rise to a feeling of self. What is that feeling?
• If thoughts arise, not whether the thought is a reminder, an opinion, or if the thoughts want to converge on a story of some kind.
• Just take note of any mental activity that breaks your concentration, then let them go and return to your movement meditation.

Bringing Meditation into Daily Living

Bring mindfulness into your daily activities, noting how thoughts arises and fall away. How some thoughts you tend to get more caught up in. Notice the nature of clingy thoughts, how alluring a story can be. Examine the nature of your beliefs. Where did the belief originate? Do you have to hold the belief? Is the belief you?

What about opinions? Does an opinion define who you are? What is an opinion? How changeable are your opinions? Do you take pride in your opinions or beliefs? If so what is pride? Is it more thoughts and opinions? How far down the rabbit hole are you willing to investigate your own thought processes? Where is this self to be found in the continual flurry of thoughts, reminders, memories, etc.?

What triggers the thought of I? What is your feeling tone in the absence of thoughts that create of a feeling of self?

How do the five aggregates: body, feelings, perceptions, mental formations, and consciousness converge to create a feeling of self? Or do they? Do you cling to any of these aggregates, think of them as me, mine or I? Are these active processes, arising and falling throughout the day?

Be mindful of the aggregates as you go through your day. When you have a free minute or two, stop and contemplate one or more of the aggregates. Is there a self to be found in any of them? How dependent are any of the aggregates on the body, on our environment, on our interactions with each other?

Repeat this daily, continuing investigating the five aggregates. Notice sounds. What feeling arises with the sound. How does the mind respond if at all? How long can you stay with neutrality? Does boredom arise with objects you consider neutral? Do you cling to that which is neutral? What does non-attachment mean?

Investigate deeply, and then share your discoveries here!

See All Weekly Practice Exercises