Synonyms for Awareness

From the Tibetan Book of the Dead (Penguin Classics, Deluxe Edition, page 50)

[Synonyms for Awareness]

This Awareness, free from the eight extremes, such as eternalism and nihilism [and so forth],
Is called the “Middle Way”, which does not fall into any extremes.
It is called “awareness” because mindfulness is uninterrupted.
It is given the name “Nucleus of the Tathagata”
Because emptiness is [naturally] endowed with this nucleus of awareness.
If one understands this truth, one reaches perfection on all respects,
For which reason, this [awareness] is also called the “Perfection of Discriminative Awareness”.
Furthermore, it is called the “Great Seal” because it transcends the intellect and is atemporally free from extremes,
And, further, it is called the “Ground-of-all”,
Because [this awareness] is the ground of all joys and sorrows associated with cyclic existence and nirvana –
The distinction between theses being contingent on whether or not this [awareness] is realized.
[Further], this radiant and lucid awareness is itself referred to as “ordinary consciousness”,
On account of those periods when it abides in its natural state in an ordinary non-exceptional way.
Thus, however many well-conceived and pleasant-sounding names are applied to this [awareness],
In reality, those who maintain that these names do not refer to this present conscious awareness,
But to something else, above and beyond it,
Resemble someone who has already found an elephant, but is out looking for its tracks [elsewhere].

Though one were to scan the [entire] external universe,
[Searching for the nature of the mind], one would not find it.
Buddhahood cannot be attained other than through the mind.
Not recognizing this, one does indeed search for the mind externally,
Yet, how can one find [one’s own mind] when one looks for it elsewhere?
This is like the fool, for example, who, when finding himself (or herself) amidst a crowd of people,
Becomes mesmerized by the spectacle [of the crowd] and forgets himself (or herself),
Then, no longer recognizing who he (or she) is, starts searching elsewhere for himself (or herself),
Continuously mistaking others for himself (or herself).

[Similarly], since one does not discern the abiding nature,
Which is the fundamental reality of [all] things,
One is cast into cyclic existence, not knowing that appearances are to be identified with the mind,
And, not discerning one’s own mind to be buddha, nirvana becomes obscured.
The [apparent] dichotomy between cyclic existence and nirvana is due to [the dichotomy between] ignorance and awareness,
But there is [in reality] no temporal divide between these two, [even] by a single moment.

Seeing the mind as extraneous to oneself is indeed bewildering,
Yet bewilderment and non-bewilderment are of a single essence.
Since there exists no [intrinsic] dichotomy in the mental continuum of sentient beings,
The uncontrived nature of the mind is liberated just by being left in its natural state.
Yet if you remain unaware that bewilderment [originates] in the mind,
You will never understand the meaning of actual reality.
So you should observe that which naturally arises and naturally originates within your own [mind].
[First], observe [the source] from which these appearances initially originated,
[Second, observe the place] in which they abide in the interim,
And [third, observe the place] to which they will finally go.
Then, one will find that, just as, for example, a pond-dwelling crow does not stray from its pond,
Even though it flies away from the pond,
Similarly, although appearances arise from the mind,
They arise from the mind and subside into the mind of their own accord.

This nature of the mind, which is all-knowing, aware of everything, empty and radiant,
Is established to be the manifestly radiant and self-originating pristine cognition,
[Present] from the beginning, just like the sky,
As an indivisible [union] of emptiness and radiance.
This itself is actual reality.
The indication that this is [the actual reality] is that all phenomenal existence is perceived in [the single nature of] one’s own mind;
And this nature of mind is aware and radiant.
Therefore, recognize [this nature] to be like the sky!
However, this example of the sky, though used to illustrate actual reality,
Is merely a symbol, a partial and provisional illustration.
For the nature of mind is aware, empty and radiant in all respects,
While the sky is without awareness, empty, inanimate and void.
Therefore, the true understanding of the nature of mind is not illustrated by [the metaphor of] the sky.
[To achieve this understanding], let the mind remain in its own state, without distraction!