Another way, to talk about vinnana is as established or not-established.
Such as in SN4.23
“That, bhikkhus, is Maara the Evil One searching for the consciousness of the clansman Godhika, wondering: ‘Where now has the consciousness of the clansman Godhika been established?’ However, bhikkhus, with consciousness unestablished, the clansman Godhika has attained final Nibbana.”
What does this refer to…can Mara not find Godhika because he just does not exist anymore?
Not reasonable. Ofcourse one cannot find something that does not exist. Why even talk about this?
This is not meant i believe. Why can Mara not find Godhika? I will do an attempt:
Vinnana establishes in the mind when there is yet things that can cause clinging. When there are yet those voltional formations that trigger the mind, and due to which it becomes directed upon sensing, inclines towards a sense object, engage with sense-objects. Then vinnana establishes. And it can even grow. I believe, a consciousness that is established is like a consciousness that is landed upon something, as it were. Mind or knowing lands upon something specific.
But in this very life there can allready be an end to vinnana’s establishing, not taking root, and not landing in the mind. That is also why the mind becomes ensured that ‘rebirth has ended’, i believe.
This is never the knowledge of an arahant but of a mind that is without clinging. There is no such thing as knowledge of an arahant. There are also no such things as worldling or arahant but only body and mind in different conditions and different ways of experiencing body and mind.
When vinnana does not establish and grow anymore in the mind because lack of all what can cause clinging (7 anusaya), it is not that mind has now been erased and has ceased or that there is unconsciousness. I believe, there is now an extremely subtle state of knowing, a peace, a detached awareness (MN10.81) that cannot be seen nor traced by senses. One cannot grasp it.
That is why Mara cannot find Godhika, i believe.
The sutta’s express it like this:
“There is, mendicants, that dimension where there is no earth, no water, no fire, no wind; no dimension of infinite space, no dimension of infinite consciousness, no dimension of nothingness, no dimension of neither perception nor non-perception; no this world, no other world, no moon or sun. There, mendicants, I say there is no coming or going or remaining or passing away or reappearing. It is not established, does not proceed, and has no support. Just this is the end of suffering.” (Ud8.1)
Other great sutta’s about the establishing of consciousness are SN12.38-40. Those have the same message. When there are still that kind of volitional formations in the mind that can cause direction or a certain orientation in the mind, such as arising plans, arising intentions, arising tendencies, then there is a still a base for consciousness to establish in the mind.
Vinnana is also here connected to load, to mind with direction or orientation, to engagement. That is the condition for establising of vinnana, as rebirth vinnana, but also as sense vinnana. Vinnana is like the mind or knowing that has again now landed upon something. It is again in a state of sensing and feeling. Must it be No, and that is the escape of suffering.
This threat is about vinnana and how this is used in the sutta’s. Let not also this discussion end up in a discussion about the nature of parinibbana. But maybe we cannot avoid this because all is closely related. But lets focus on vinnana and use other threats to discuss mere cessation or not.