By means of this definition we can quite easily see how its converse (the Death state) would be defined, for it would be when

The after-death state has been the subject of much study and publicity in recent years, both in the popular media and literature. Accounts have been given of experiences which have arisen in hospital patients undergoing life threatening operations [2]. and by those who recall transitions between and within previous existences. [2a]

Desite the fact that many of these accounts may seem to be very new their findings have been foreshadowed and paralleled in the teachings of Buddhist doctrine for over 2000 years.

As Buddhism teaches a doctrine of mental continuity (see the definition given above), the condition of Consciousness is not said to cease at either physical or mental death but to continue as before.

Although it exhibits some differences in nature to that characterised in what we usually term the 'living', in Buddhist teaching such differences are not as great as we may assume.

In Buddhism it is held that at the moment in the stream of Manas consciousness [3] following on immediately after physical 'death' has taken place, manas continues its formative actions & pattern just as before. This pattern includes of course memories of all the mind-body interaction series and patterns from which it previously arose.

The after-death Manas retains this form of continuity until it reaches a point at which the rupa (physically derived) skandha series no longer has the power to give rise to its self-renewing 'pulse'. If and when this occurs, Manas is forced to undergo a change in the nature of its series, for it can no longer function or maintain, the same balance of factors it did before. It has to alter its state or kind of being.

To some it is at this point of change, i.e. in the basic pattern of the constituents of Manas, that what is called 'death' occurs in the sense of an irrevocable process.

Those of this view hold that there must therefore exist an 'intermediary' state during which this final 'fading away' occurs and into which Manas enters and continues before undergoing rebirth into another realm. However, others point out that consciousness continually undergoes change at every moment of its existence as it continually accumulates and connects different experiences or influences which serve to modify its balance.

To those holding this latter view the concept of an intermediary state between existences is neither meaningful nor relevant, as in this view rebirth occurs continually at each and every moment of consciousness and thus, after death will occur quite naturally. This is in fact the orthodox Theravada doctrine of Sri Lankan, Thai and Burmese Buddhism. Coincidentally, it is within these nations that we find some of the most authenticated cases of both rebirth and after death experiences [See ref in Note2] The concept of intermediary existence is widely held in the Mahayana schools and is often used to explain the phenomena of Ghosts etc.

Now we should ask ourselves, what kind of changes are possible in Manas? To answer such a query we must turn to both the popular views and then to Vasubandhu's teachings concerning them. This is not always easy as he often presents and re-presents them in different manners, according to his audience.

Descriptions of the results of radical changes in the consciousness series, such as may occur at the moment of death or in the after-life state are often presented from either a moral or an experiential aspect.

In the first, change is presented as an alteration predominantly within the various subjective qualities of consciousness. That is, with an emphasis upon its development and acquisition of virtues or vices, according to certain practices and understandings.

In the second, alterations are presented, somewhat anthropomorphically, as 'rebirths' of consciousness into different places (such as heavens or hells). These two views should not be regarded as contradictory for each simply serves to illustrate different emphases.

In the popular Buddhist image life itself manifests in 6 different forms. These 6 are often regarded simply as supernatural realms of reward or punishment for previous deeds (as is common in Christianity), but they equally may represent quite natural, but different, states of being within which consciousness may re-manifest. They are all as 'real' as each other.

The 6 are popularly described and presented as consisting of the realms of Gods, Hells, Animals, Humans, Titans, and Ghosts. Each serves to portray a specific range of opportunities or possibilities open to consciousness and summarises the different results and responses to or from which we create the content of our mental series.

Within the 6 there exist various sub-realms which are concerned with more specific characteristics or features of retributive existence. Thus there are said to be burning Hells, freezing Hells, Heavens of sensuality, of exalted happiness, of shining beings etc.
None of these conditions are regarded as permanent and thus the suffering states resemble more the idea of a purgatory or a 'testing ground' rather than a permanent place, even though they may seem very 'real' to those experiencing them.
As in this present life, it is always possible to transcend those states by recognising and overcoming the causes which have brought us to them. Birth in the human realm is regarded as the most beneficial as only here can one attain that Enlightenment which is the state beyond all the sufferings of change.

All such realms exist within one of the '3 Spheres' of existence (Triloka) of which the whole universe is composed. These are known as the sphere of Desire (Kamaloka) the sphere of Form (Rupaloka) and the Formless sphere (Arupaloka).

In the Kamaloka all the senses are readily available and are able to experience whatever they desire in its full potential. The Kamaloka includes all the lower realms along with certain realms of Gods. The world we now inhabit is part of this sphere.

In the Rupaloka the actions of the senses of smell and taste are suspended. One only sees and hears here. This sphere is said to be able to be experienced through practice of the 4 meditative absorptions (Jhana).

In the Arupaloka all the physical sense bases and their associated responses are absent and only a mental sense exists.

We should note that the latter two spheres describe higher states available to consciousness within this lifetime through perfecting one's study and practice of the Teaching.
An even simpler overall classification describes all such realms as being [1] those connected with the ebb and flow of the creation of suffering, [2] those free of suffering and [3] that of the Enlightened ones.

Tormented beings in a hell realm

Irrespective of what this appears to indicate, the suffering experienced by persons 'in' these states is experienced in all its intensity. Vasubandhu also makes clear that persons may just as easily experience such suffering states within the present mental or physical lifetime.

He also shows that changes take place in only 3 ways i.e. in potential, in location, or in state of being. It is in this latter form that the changes we are considering occur, for death is just that.

Vasubandhu teaches us that the purpose of understanding the doctrine of change is to understand fully the causes of suffering. He sees that this understanding is an essential part of liberating oneself from the often glamourous but unbeneficial mental states (akusala samskara) which in turn prompt the responses that lead us to increase our sufferings.

In the Karmasiddhi Prakarana and later writings such as his Madhyantavibhaga ('Discerning the Middle from the Extremes/) and Trisvabhavanirdesa ('Teaching of the Three Own Beings'), he speaks of another type of change in consciousness, quite apart from the three discussed above, which comes about through truly recognising the dependent nature of consciousness and the fictions it creates.

Vasubandhu explains this type of change as 'Parinama', a complete transmutation of the mental series as it evolves out of all its previous imperfections and constrictions to undergo a revolution at its basis ('Asrayaparavritti') and from which the three ever present mental 'stains' of greed, ignorance or hatred can no longer rise because their very basis has been totally dissolved. This exalted state forms part of the final path leading to total Enlightenment.

The path to this transmutation is achieved initially through developing the Bodhisattva orientation within systematic meditational practice, observation and analysis until it becomes possible for the practitioner to pierce through all the fictions to our perceptions of the states of being.

The path to the clearing of the 'battlefield of the consciousness' is an important prerequisite practice which enables the most effective type of result to occur. In order to know your enemy it is necessary to separate him from the camouflage.

One such enemy Vasubandhu also clearly sees is that of language. He takes great pains to make clear what some of the old doctrinal terms really indicate and, if necessary, he replaces them with others of more subtlety and appropriateness. Eventually he points us towards a state beyond words and indeed all language or communication whatsoever.

We can see that Vasubandhu's Yogacara method is teaching a highly dynamic and fully engaged spiritual path, and that he is not the abstract intellectual 'clever clogs' he is often presented as being. Nor should his teaching be classified as either an 'idealism' [5] [7] or a doctrine of 'realistic pluralism' [6]. Nor did Vasubandhu ever teach that the world is 'Mind Only' [7]