The Suffering in Each Vijñāna

Question: When an animal's body is being dismembered and still convulsing, does the mental faculty (manas) experience particularly severe suffering? Does the dismembered body still feel intense pain?

Answer: The mental faculty (manas) does not experience physical suffering or pleasure arising from contact with objects (sparsha) in the body; this is the physiological suffering perceived by the body consciousness (kaya-vijnana). The suffering experienced by the mental consciousness (mano-vijnana) is mental in nature. When circumstances oppose its desires or contradict its will, the mental faculty experiences unhappiness, which constitutes suffering. The mental faculty is extremely attached and prone to hatred and resentment. Due to its clinging, the more it clings, the more it craves and refuses to let go, and the more hatred and resentment it generates. The mental faculty does not wish to die; it does not wish to be killed or eaten, so it harbors resentment and experiences suffering. If it is rescued, it may also feel gratitude. Therefore, the mental faculty can repay kindness, bear grudges, and seek revenge. The poison of hatred within the mental faculty is sufficient to cause discomfort to others, and its vows born of hatred are potent enough to cause others to suffer negative karmic retribution and consequences.