Attention, Awareness, Mindfullness – comparision

1. Ontology of Awareness

Vedānta (Advaita)

• चैतन्यम् / आत्मा / साक्षी
• Nitya, nirvikāra, asaṅga, svayam‑prakāśa
• Awareness is siddha‑vastu (ever‑present reality)
• Mind’s cognitions (vṛttis) are illumined by chit

Yoga (Sāṅkhya–Yoga)

• पुरुषः
• Kevala‑draṣṭā, śuddha‑caitanya, distinct from prakṛti
• Awareness is puruṣa‑svarūpa, not prakṛti
• Mind (citta) reflects puruṣa

Buddhism (Abhidharma)

• विज्ञान-स्कन्धः
• Awareness is क्षणिकम्, conditioned (saṃskṛta‑dharma)
• No permanent Self (अनात्मन्)
• Cognition arises via प्रतित्य-समुत्पादः

2. Nature of Mental Events

Vedānta

• वृत्ति‑ज्ञानम् / संवेदनम्
• Object‑directed cognition
• Arises in antaḥkaraṇa; illumined by chit
• Limited, momentary, dependent on senses

Yoga

• चित्त-वृत्तयः
• Mental modifications of prakṛti
• Must be restrained (योगश्चित्त-वृत्ति-निरोधः)
• Cognition is prakṛti‑pariṇāma

Buddhism

• चित्त + चेतसिकाः
• Cognition is a dharma‑stream
• Momentary, conditioned, non‑substantial
• No witness-consciousness behind it

3. “Awareness of Something” vs “Awareness Itself”

Vedānta

• Awareness of something = संवेदनम् (vṛtti‑jñāna)
• Awareness itself = चैतन्यम्
• Vṛtti is changing; chit is changeless

Yoga

• Awareness of something = चित्त-वृत्ति
• Awareness itself = पुरुष-दर्शनम्
• Citta is prakṛti; puruṣa is distinct

Buddhism

• Awareness of something = विज्ञानम्
• Awareness itself = no separate entity
• Cognition is momentary; no underlying Self

4. Equivalent of “Mindfulness”

Vedānta

• No “mindfulness” as a standalone practice
• Functional equivalents:
  • शमः (mind mastery)
  • दमः (sense mastery)
  • उपरति (withdrawal)
  • तितिक्षा (forbearance)
  • समाधानम् (one‑pointedness)
• Purpose: प्रमाण-योग्यता for आत्म‑ज्ञानम्

Yoga

• Direct parallels to mindfulness:
  • प्रत्याहारः (sense withdrawal)
  • धारणाः (attention holding)
  • ध्यानम् (continuous flow of attention)
• Purpose: समाधिः and पुरुष–प्रकृति‑विवेकः

Buddhism

• सतिः (mindfulness)
• A कुशल-चेतसिकः cultivated through practice
• Purpose: अनित्य–दुःख–अनात्म insight
• Leads to निर्वाणम्

5. Goal of Mental Training

Vedānta

• अन्तःकरण-शुद्धिः
• Removal of विक्षेपः and मलः
• Mind becomes fit for श्रवण–मनन–निदिध्यासन
• Final goal: आत्म-विवेकः → मोक्षः

Yoga

• चित्त-निरोधः
• Stillness of mental modifications
• Leads to समाधिः
• Final goal: कैवल्यम् (puruṣa’s isolation)

Buddhism

• अनुप्रवेशन-रहित-प्रत्यवस्थितिः
• Non-clinging observation
• Insight into अनात्मन्
• Final goal: निर्वाणम्

6. Structure of Cognition

Vedānta

• वृत्ति arises → चैतन्यम् illumines → संवेदनम् occurs
• Duality belongs to mind, not Self

Yoga

• चित्त-वृत्ति arises in prakṛti → puruṣa reflects it
• Duality belongs to prakṛti

Buddhism

• विज्ञानम् arises due to causes → ceases
• No witness; only dharma-stream

7. Temporality

Vedānta

• Vṛttis = क्षणिकाः
• Chit = नित्यं

Yoga

• Citta-vṛttis = क्षणिकाः
• Puruṣa = नित्यः

Buddhism

• All dharmas = क्षणिकाः
• No eternal entity

8. Ultimate Insight

Vedānta

• अहं ब्रह्मास्मि
• Non-dual Self-knowledge

Yoga

• द्रष्टा द्रश्य-विवेकः
• Puruṣa distinct from prakṛti

Buddhism

• अनात्म-दर्शनम्
• No enduring Self