2. SENSORY AWARENESS AND THE OPERATIONS OF ATTENTION

We have shown that the first TOTAL AWARENESS is sent to the RIGHT HEMISPHERE to the operation we call FUNCTION.

Let us carry the concept of the mirror one step further, remembering that the IMAGE reflected in the MIRROR is not directly conscious.

Note also that the external world has only certain characteristics captured by the mirror face and that the quality of the interface depends upon the characteristics of the mirror.

Now let us in this model allow that the mirror itself allows the reflected image to flow to the reverse side. That transformation allows a particularization of the information by way of the sense doors so that there is information which stems from vision, audition, olfaction, taste and touch.

There arises then a SENSORY AWARENESS.

But that sensory awareness does nothing. It simply is a state of detection which informs consciousness that the five sense doors are in operation.

THERE IS NO SENSORY AWARENESS OF ANY PARTICULAR PHENOMENON.

That information is also sent to the operation which we call ESSENCE in the RIGHT HEMISPHERE.

The information captured by the sense doors we can imagine upon a screen of pre-consciousness as undifferentiated information.

Now we come to another important event. We call it CLEAR COMPREHENSION.

This is another process rather like AWARENESS as it actually does nothing. It is the act of "pulling out" from the pre-conscious screen information of that which is NOVEL that impinges upon the sensory system.

There cannot be a clear comprehension of anything in the sense used here, but with cognitive intellect one can speak of a clear comprehension of a sensory phenomenon or an idea.

Here the CLEAR COMPREHENSION is the signal that informs that a form has been extracted from an undifferentiated mass by one or more sense doors.

ATTENTION PARAMITAS

Previous to that CLEAR COMPREHENSION we say that the system is in REPOSE (PASSADDHI), followed by a wakened state which we call ALERT.

Now that STATE OF ALERT (APPAMADA) is quite important, for that state opens wide the detectors to the totality of the apparent external world and to the state of reception.

This PREDISPOSITION FOR THAT STATE of ALERT is sent to the RIGHT HEMISPHERE as READINESS (USSAHA). This signals the correct function of READINESS. But remember it is not a readiness for anything.

This is followed by an ORIENTATION (MANASIKARA) of the sense doors and mind towards the novel event. 

Then the object is not known with conscious thought but by unconscious thinking which is DETERMINED to be with SPECIFIC FORM. We call this operation CAPTURE (VITAKKA).

This is immediately followed by ONE-POINTEDNESS (EKAGGATA) upon that form.

Then ATTENTION is first APPLIED and then SUSTAINED consciously, so that there is a continuing exercise of the mind (VICARA) upon the object.

Remember that these processes are extremely rapid and below the threshold of any possible normal distinguishing of time and, consequently, order.

So we have the process of ATTENTION as:

1. REPOSE (PASSADDHI), the RESTING STATE

2. ALERT (APPAMADA)

3. ORIENTATION (MANASIKARA)

4. CAPTURE (VITAKKA)

5. ONE-POINTEDNESS, CONCENTRATION (EKAGGATA), which also means tranquility of mind, suggesting perhaps the terminal point of the ALERT.

SPECIAL NOTE FOR MEDITATORS

Before the ALERT, ORIENTATION, CAPTURE and ONE-POINTEDNESS there is a mind-moment which consists of the transition or predisposition for the following phase.

These mind moments are :

READINESS (USSAHA)

CLEAR COMPREHENSION (ADHIGAMA), in the sense of Attain.

VACUITY (RITTATTA), which is not the same as vacuity-SUNYATA.

COMPLETION OF UNDIFFERENTIATED FORM

While all these are subliminal and not normally conscious, Unity, Clear Comprehension, Impermanence, Vacuity and the Life Force can be accessed by the paramita meditations. But these are not the same founts of the Chan Contemplation experiences.

Unity or Totality is experienced during the mind moments of ALERT.

Clear Comprehension experienced at the predisposition mind moment of ORIENTATION.

Impermanence with repeated moments of CLEAR COMPREHENSION during ORIENTATION.

Vacuity is experienced at the predisposition mind-moment of CAPTURE.

The Life Force with the repeated mind-moments of CAPTURE.

Information sent to the Right Hemisphere is :

AWARENESS

SENSORY AWARENESS

READINESS from the predisposition mind-moment of ALERT

COMPLETION OF UNDIFFERENTIATED FORM from the predisposition mind-moment of ONE-POINTEDNESS