<p><strong>care to explain how 'witnessing the present moment awareness' is any different than Mindfulness of the present moment that we as Buddhist practice.</strong></p>
<p>It may be that &quot;witnessing&quot; might be taken to imply the existence of &quot;a witness&quot; or &quot;the witness&quot;, which is then reified or even deified (i.e. identified with Atman or Brahman or something like that).</p>
<p>Perhaps that's similar to the &quot;I think therefore I am&quot; kind of idea.</p>
<p>Whereas I think that, conversely, Buddhism talks about mindfulness or awareness, skillfulness or unskillfulness -- that these qualities exist, and that they can and should be distinguished -- while still being careful not to identify or promote the idea of a &quot;subject&quot; or self.</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2021-03-21T12:27:25.553Z
2021-03-21T12:27:25.553Z
ChrisW
<p>Regarding &quot;subject&quot; and &quot;object&quot;, the Buddha acknowledges these perceptions as:</p>
<blockquote>
<p><a href="https://suttacentral.net/mn146/en/sujato#mn146:6.27" rel="nofollow noreferrer">MN146:6.27</a>: ‘So these six interior sense fields are impermanent.’”<br />
<a href="https://suttacentral.net/mn146/en/sujato#mn146:7.27" rel="nofollow noreferrer">MN146:7.27</a>: ‘So these six exterior sense fields are impermanent.’”</p>
</blockquote>
<p>The Buddha also declares that for spiritual growth, it is important to understand that:</p>
<blockquote>
<p><a href="https://suttacentral.net/mn146/en/sujato#mn146:7.20" rel="nofollow noreferrer">MN146:7.20</a>: “But if they're impermanent, are they suffering or happiness?”<br />
<a href="https://suttacentral.net/mn146/en/sujato#mn146:7.21" rel="nofollow noreferrer">MN146:7.21</a>: “Suffering, sir.”</p>
</blockquote>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2021-03-18T20:17:10.973Z
interior vs exterior does not mean 'subject' vs 'object'
Dhamma Dhatu
CC BY-SA 4.0
2021-03-19T00:15:54.123Z
@Dhammadhatu I suppose your discrimination above is at their words' conventional level since the words do not exactly match. However, Buddhism is all about perceptions (sufferings), even at conventional level, same word may be perceived differently by different people during different times, sometimes it's hard to definitely judge like above situation. At the ultimate level all are empty. I think OyaMist just wanted to point out "discriminating intellect" is like our normal senses, impermanent, dependently originated, thus is also a kind of suffering, not proud as many intellects may feel...
cinch
CC BY-SA 4.0
2021-03-20T12:36:33.673Z
Thank you both for your kind comments. I have nothing to add.
OyaMist
CC BY-SA 4.0
2021-03-18T14:58:59.717Z
2021-03-18T14:58:59.717Z
OyaMist
<p>As far as I am aware the Buddhist meditation doesn’t focus on discrimination between observer and observed. We focus on the element which is causing stress. We can focus feelings , perception , form , choices and consciousness.... we do not indulge in any meditation which develops any idea of self (observer)  We can also focus on awakening factors ... we can meditate on love ,joy , ashubh , equanimity , impermanence etc but there is no room for self indulgence ....</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2021-03-21T13:54:52.463Z
2021-03-21T13:54:52.463Z
SacrificialEquation
<p>Buddhism teaches.</p>
<p>1)Internal - I suppose this is the subject</p>
<p>2)External - I suppose this is the object</p>
<p>3)Internal External</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2021-03-18T15:01:20.180Z
To the folks who insist on downvoting, please note that downvoting is extremely unhelpful and actually qualifies as divisive and harsh speech. Be kind to others and please explain what an answer is missing. Better yet, simply provide a better answer.
OyaMist
CC BY-SA 4.0
2021-03-19T06:55:37.353Z
@OyaMist Here's just a guess (not my downvote) from looking at the format of the answer, maybe someone didn't understand this answer; or found it too short -- not enough explanation of the sutta and of how that relates to the question. In general a downvote is meant to signal that, "This answer is not useful".
ChrisW
CC BY-SA 4.0
2021-03-18T09:59:18.930Z
2021-03-18T09:59:18.930Z
SarathW
<p>I was watching this Youtube video about 'witnessing self':</p>
<blockquote>
<p><a href="https://youtu.be/kAk3sD4LP94" rel="nofollow noreferrer">3 Stages in Witnessing Meditation - On the Journey towards Spiritual Enlightenment</a></p>
<p>This video describes the three stages in witnessing meditation. It is a technique known as Shakshi Bhav in Vedanta.</p>
</blockquote>
<p>In it he talks about developing intellect that discriminates between '<strong>subject and object</strong>'. He says discrimination between the '<strong>contents of consciousness</strong>' and '<strong>consciousness or awareness</strong>' has to be cultivated for spiritual growth.</p>
<p>I haven't come across any Buddhist term which relates to this. Is this Vipassana? If not whats this in Buddhist terms?</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2021-03-18T10:53:38.643Z
the video is Hinduism therefore it cannot be expected there is as equivalent in Buddhism
Dhamma Dhatu
CC BY-SA 4.0
2021-03-18T13:03:19.057Z
@Dhammadhatu care to explain how 'witnessing the present moment awareness' is any different than Mindfulness of the present moment that we as Buddhist practice.
The White Cloud
CC BY-SA 4.0
2021-03-18T20:16:10.950Z
buddhism does not teach 'witnessing the present moment awareness'. you appear to be mixing up buddhism with Western New Age Jewish ideas about Buddhism
Dhamma Dhatu
<personal-practice><texts>
Is there anything like discriminating intellect in Buddhism?
# Is there anything like discriminating intellect in Buddhism?

(Asked by: username_0 on 2021-03-18)

I was watching this Youtube video about 'witnessing self':

> [3 Stages in Witnessing Meditation - On the Journey towards Spiritual Enlightenment](https://youtu.be/kAk3sD4LP94)
>
> This video describes the three stages in witnessing meditation. It is a technique known as Shakshi Bhav in Vedanta.

In it he talks about developing intellect that discriminates between '**subject and object**'. He says discrimination between the '**contents of consciousness**' and '**consciousness or awareness**' has to be cultivated for spiritual growth.

I haven't come across any Buddhist term which relates to this. Is this Vipassana? If not whats this in Buddhist terms?

**Tags:** personal-practice, texts

> **Comments:**
> **username_1**: the video is Hinduism therefore it cannot be expected there is as equivalent in Buddhism  
> **username_0**: @Dhammadhatu care to explain how 'witnessing the present moment awareness' is any different than Mindfulness of the present moment that we as Buddhist practice.  
> **username_1**: buddhism does not teach 'witnessing the present moment awareness'. you appear to be mixing up buddhism with Western New Age Jewish ideas about Buddhism  

---

## 4 answers

### Answer by username_2 on 2021-03-21. Score: 1

**care to explain how 'witnessing the present moment awareness' is any different than Mindfulness of the present moment that we as Buddhist practice.**

It may be that "witnessing" might be taken to imply the existence of "a witness" or "the witness", which is then reified or even deified (i.e. identified with Atman or Brahman or something like that).

Perhaps that's similar to the "I think therefore I am" kind of idea.

Whereas I think that, conversely, Buddhism talks about mindfulness or awareness, skillfulness or unskillfulness -- that these qualities exist, and that they can and should be distinguished -- while still being careful not to identify or promote the idea of a "subject" or self.


---

### Answer by username_3 on 2021-03-18. Score: 1

Regarding "subject" and "object", the Buddha acknowledges these perceptions as:

> [MN146:6.27](https://suttacentral.net/mn146/en/sujato#mn146:6.27): ‘So these six interior sense fields are impermanent.’”  
> [MN146:7.27](https://suttacentral.net/mn146/en/sujato#mn146:7.27): ‘So these six exterior sense fields are impermanent.’”

The Buddha also declares that for spiritual growth, it is important to understand that:

> [MN146:7.20](https://suttacentral.net/mn146/en/sujato#mn146:7.20): “But if they're impermanent, are they suffering or happiness?”  
> [MN146:7.21](https://suttacentral.net/mn146/en/sujato#mn146:7.21): “Suffering, sir.”

> **Comments:**
> **username_1**: interior vs exterior does not mean 'subject' vs 'object'  
> **username_4**: @Dhammadhatu I suppose your discrimination above is at their words' conventional level since the words do not exactly match. However, Buddhism is all about perceptions (sufferings), even at conventional level, same word may be perceived differently by different people during different times, sometimes it's hard to definitely judge like above situation. At the ultimate level all are empty. I think username_3 just wanted to point out "discriminating intellect" is like our normal senses, impermanent, dependently originated, thus is also a kind of suffering, not proud as many intellects may feel...  
> **username_3**: Thank you both for your kind comments. I have nothing to add.  

---

### Answer by username_5 on 2021-03-21. Score: 0

As far as I am aware the Buddhist meditation doesn’t focus on discrimination between observer and observed. We focus on the element which is causing stress. We can focus feelings , perception , form , choices and consciousness.... we do not indulge in any meditation which develops any idea of self (observer) We can also focus on awakening factors ... we can meditate on love ,joy , ashubh , equanimity , impermanence etc but there is no room for self indulgence ....


---

### Answer by username_6 on 2021-03-18. Score: -2

Buddhism teaches.

1)Internal - I suppose this is the subject

2)External - I suppose this is the object

3)Internal External

> **Comments:**
> **username_3**: To the folks who insist on downvoting, please note that downvoting is extremely unhelpful and actually qualifies as divisive and harsh speech. Be kind to others and please explain what an answer is missing. Better yet, simply provide a better answer.  
> **username_2**: @username_3 Here's just a guess (not my downvote) from looking at the format of the answer, maybe someone didn't understand this answer; or found it too short -- not enough explanation of the sutta and of how that relates to the question. In general a downvote is meant to signal that, "This answer is not useful".  

---

