[not2too]

I hate to be the first (and only so far) responder to this question, but here goes...

I discussed this with a Buddhist friend of mine (who is not a member of ToeQuest) and he sent me the following discussion of the question (maybe I asked the question the wrong way) from a Buddhist site...

Mind is a contracted form of Consciousness. Mind makes consciousness an activity while being nothing different from Consciousness at the same time. Different yet the same, so incomparable really and therefore un-definable even while seemingly of definition and dimension. A Hologram made of Consciousness is the Cosmos, is Samsara.

Consciousness is free as it is. Conditioned by attachment to duality as reality action takes place and thus reaction due to attachment to action as reality. This is mind. A contracted form of Consciousness, as the Pratyabhinjahridayam states as a matter of fact. So, though mind seems to be contracted and locatable to an individual, it is still nothing but the omnipresent consciousness in a seeming confinement due to it's mistaken attachment to appearance which seemingly contracts it's true nature from infinite to multiple finites appearing within the infinite. Yet, all is only consciousness of no parts, yet seemingly many parts defined by co-dependent arising. Yet what all the differences arise in and through is nothing but consciousness. Like water drops in the ocean. But in this case the drops think that they have a separate and self sustained identity. Since it's all only seemingly different, but essentially the same, there is nothing to compare to, as in a one to compare to the other, so really it's un-definable, and conceptual systems of metaphysics, or co-dependent arising fall short in their power to truly define that which is utter freedom, total Nirvana already. It's all a Hologram made of a seeming substance that only appears substantial as material and spiritual nature only due to a dream of attachment which creates something like a hologram. It's actually quite interesting to see right through everything just like a hologram, all the different dimensions reveal themselves right before your very eyes even while you are seeing matter, you see through the subtle layers. One even sees atomic structure and beyond that too. Inter-dimensional viewing is very interesting. But is not quite liberation in itself.

In the light of this discussion, maybe my question asks one to compare apples and oranges. Not sure though...

Further -
not2too