All States of Consciousness Are Without Self

Observing the non-self of the five aggregates and eighteen elements primarily involves observing the non-self of consciousness. The states of consciousness are numerous, ranging from coarse to subtle, pure to impure, empty to non-empty. To observe consciousness, one must experience the impermanence, suffering, emptiness, and non-self of all states of consciousness. Consciousness manifests various characteristic states, such as states of afflictions, states of purity, states of emptiness, states of knowing, states of discrimination; states with language and words, states without language and words; states with sound, states without sound; states of stillness, states of clamor, and so forth. These characteristics and states are all conditioned phenomena subject to arising and ceasing, impermanent and changing. None are the self; all are empty.

Including when the mind quiets down and not a single thought arises—this is the still state of consciousness. Seeing through its illusory nature, not recognizing it as real, as the self, as the Dharma-body, or as the Tathagata, one severs the view of self associated with consciousness at that time. However, there are other instances of the view of self related to consciousness, such as the gap between the cessation of the previous thought and the arising of the next, which may seem pure and still. In essence, it is still a state of consciousness. Only by seeing through it can one sever the view of self regarding consciousness.