Understanding the Preceding Mind and Subsequent Mind: The Gateway to Vipassanā

I want to explain to you one of the most profound and subtle points in the entire teaching of the Buddha—the distinction between the preceding mind and the subsequent mind. This is not merely a technical detail. It is, in fact, the very key to vipassanā practice. The entire path of insight, all the stages of wisdom that lead to liberation from saṃsāra, exist only in the tiny gap between these two mind-moments. If we cannot apply mindfulness to this small gap, if we pass over it carelessly, we miss the real Dhamma entirely.

The Preceding Mind: Naked Awareness

Let me begin by clarifying what I mean by the preceding mind. This is the very first moment of consciousness (viññāṇa) that arises when an object—such as a sight, sound, smell, taste, touch, or thought—comes into contact with its corresponding sense door: the eye, ear, nose, tongue, body, or mind. For example, when sound and the ear come into contact, hearing-consciousness (sota-viññāṇa) arises. When air touches the tip of the nose, touch-consciousness (kāya-viññāṇa) arises. This preceding mind-moment is the mind that directly and nakedly knows the ultimate object (paramattha). It is extremely fast—it arises for a single moment and then immediately ceases. This mind is completely free from conceptual views such as “ man,” “ woman,” or “ dog,” and it has no attachments to past or future. It only knows the bare ultimate nature of the object—the raw vibration of sound, the pure color, the simple sensation of touch.

The Subsequent Mind: Conceptual Processing

Now, what is the subsequent mind? It refers to the series of mental processes that arise continuously after the preceding mind-moment has arisen and ceased, taking the object known by the preceding mind as its basis. These subsequent minds involve many worldly mental activities. They register the object of the preceding mind with perception or memory (saññā), checking it against past experiences and asking, “ What could this be?” They form an image, label it with a concept (paññātti)—” This is a dog” —assign meaning, experience like or dislike with feeling (vedanā), plan and arrange with volitional formations (saṅkhāra)—” I should go feed that dog” —and respond with volition. This is the mental process we operate with in our daily, ordinary lives, revolving within the conventional world (sammuti-loka).

Illustrating the Process

Let me clarify this further with an example. Suppose I say the word “ dog.” At the very first instant that the sound “ dog” comes into contact with your ear faculty, a single moment of hearing-consciousness arises that hears the bare sound “ dog.” This is ultimate knowing. This mind only knows the raw vibration of the sound “ dog.” At this point, the meaning and form of a “ dog” are completely absent. After arising, it immediately ceases. This is the preceding mind. After that hearing-consciousness ceases, a series of mental processes arises in the mind door, taking the momentum of that sound as its object. It matches the sound with past memories: “ Oh, this sound is pronounced DOG,” “ This is the English word for ‘khway’ (the Burmese word for dog).” Then it labels it with the concept “ dog.” The form of a four-legged, tailed, barking animal appears in the mind. This entire series of subsequent mental processes constitutes the subsequent mind. This has now become conceptual, worldly knowing.

If you say “ dog” to someone who doesn’t know any English, they will hear the sound “ dog” —the preceding mind arises—but the subsequent mind that knows it as a “ dog” will not arise. This is because they have no associated perception or conceptual memory for that sound. Similarly, hearing a “ putt-putt” sound is the preceding mind; knowing it as a motorcycle is the subsequent mind. Seeing the color white is the preceding mind; knowing it as milk is the subsequent mind. Seeing the color blue is the preceding mind; knowing it as the sky is the subsequent mind. Looking at these examples, you can clearly see how, although the preceding and subsequent minds are very close, they are different, and how concepts are involved in the subsequent mind.

Let me give you more examples to make it clearer. Imagine a thermos on a table. If I ask where the thermos is, how would you answer? You would say it’s on the table. From a worldly perspective, that’s correct. But in reality, the thermos is not on the table. It’s inside your mind. What you actually see in the preceding mind is just the color and shape of the thermos. You don’t see any “ thermos.” It’s only in your subsequent mind that you recognize it as a “ thermos” based on stored perceptions. Another example: I put water in a glass and ask people from around the world what they see. A person from Myanmar will say they see “ yay” (ေရ, water). An Indian person might say “ pānī” (पानी). A Chinese person will say “ shuǐ” (水). A Japanese person will say they see “ mizu” (水). In reality, what everyone sees is the same: a clear color. What is seen in the preceding mind is identical. It’s only in the subsequent mind that the answers differ based on the perceptions they have been programmed or taught with.

The Path from Conflict to Peace

In the same way, no matter what one sees, hears, smells, tastes, touches, or thinks, the phenomena that appear in the preceding mind of all beings are actually the same. There is no difference. Only when it reaches the subsequent mind do concepts enter due to conditioned perception, causing views to diverge and all sorts of likes and dislikes to arise. When views differ, conflicts arise. When one comes to understand the connection between the preceding mind’s ultimate reality and the subsequent mind’s concepts, knowing them as just cause-and-effect processes of object and mind, one no longer truly holds to the idea of “ I” or “ they” as a person or being. One uses these concepts but no longer clings to them. When such clinging decreases, defilements (kilesa) like greed (lobha), anger (dosa), and delusion (moha) also decrease. A little less defilement is a little Nibbāna. A lot less defilement is a lot of Nibbāna. When there are no defilements at all, it is complete Nibbāna.

Core Practice: Contact and Mindfulness

Where is vipassanā? The vipassanā practice, the insight or wisdom, exists in that tiny gap after the preceding mind-moment (ultimate reality) has arisen and ceased, and before the concept enters the subsequent mind. Only if the subsequent mind can closely follow with mindfulness before the concept enters, and can catch the ultimate nature of the preceding mind—such as bare sound, bare color—can vipassanā wisdom begin to arise. Once concepts like “ dog,” “ clapping sound,” “ water,” “ milk,” or “ thermos” enter the subsequent mind, you have already missed the vipassanā moment. Therefore, in vipassanā practice, it is extremely important to be able to distinguish the preceding and subsequent mind-moments and for the subsequent mind to closely follow and know the preceding mind with mindfulness.

Now, in practice, as I teach it, the arising of body-consciousness (kāya-viññāṇa) when the foot touches the floor is the preceding mind. Being mindful of that is the subsequent mind. As the Venerable Mogok Sayadaw explained, defilements have no opportunity to infiltrate between these moments. Contact, knowing, and mindfulness—contact-knowing is body-consciousness. Being mindful of it is the subsequent mind. Contact-knowing is the preceding mind. Following with mindfulness is the subsequent mind. When one is mindful in this way, the attachment to the notion of “ self” in relation to these sensations dissolves. That’s all there is to the practice. This is the essence of Dhamma.

Let me give you practical examples from daily life. While walking, both the foot and the floor fade from perception. Only the sensation of touch remains clearly discernible. While washing the face, both the face and the hand fade from perception. Only the sensation of touch remains clearly discernible. While brushing teeth, both the teeth and the toothbrush fade from perception. Only the sensations of pushing and pressing remain clearly discernible. While eating food, both the food and the tongue fade from perception. Only the taste sensation remains clearly discernible. While drinking water, both the water and the tongue fade from perception. Only the coolness remains clearly discernible. While observing in-breath and out-breath, both the nose and the air fade from perception. Only the sensation of touch remains clearly discernible. While holding a cup, both the hand and the cup fade from perception. Only the sensation of touch remains clearly discernible.

Whenever sense object (ārammaṇa) and sense door (dvāra) meet, the arising of consciousness (the preceding mind) is closely observed with mindfulness by the subsequent mind (mano). The arising of something new when conditions meet is non-self (anattā), and its disappearance when conditions end is impermanence (anicca). When eye and visible object meet, visual consciousness arises. When ear and sound meet, hearing consciousness arises. When nose and smell meet, olfactory consciousness arises. When tongue and food meet, gustatory consciousness arises. When body and tangible object meet, tactile consciousness arises. When mind and mental objects meet, mental consciousness arises. By mindfully attending to the preceding mind with the subsequent mind at the moment consciousness arises, one can eliminate delusion (moha) that prevents true understanding. Dispelling the delusion of not-knowing-the-truth results in the cessation of greed and hatred, leading to liberation.

Gradual Understanding vs. Instant Miracles

Now, I must address a common misconception. We used to think that one day, we’d suddenly see all mental and physical phenomena in one go. We were fascinated by the idea of miracles, expecting to see everything at once. But that’s not how it works. Understanding comes gradually through continuous observation. This is the only path we have to follow—the path of observing the preceding mind with the subsequent mind. To help you understand this, I explain it this way: When you see water, it’s not the concept “ water” that you perceive first. What you perceive is the visual object of clearness (the preceding mind), and then you identify it as water (the subsequent mind). We need to learn to continuously observe the preceding mind with the subsequent mind. Similarly, when you see milk, you don’t perceive the concept “ milk” right away. You see whiteness. Only when the subsequent mind observes and recognizes the preceding mind—during seeing, during hearing, during movements—do you realize, “ Ah, these are just materiality and mentality. There’s no ‘I’ here.” This is how insight begins to arise.

Knowing the Mind Through Characteristics

Let me also explain how we know the mind, since we cannot directly see it. We cannot directly see the mind (consciousness) because only one mind-moment can arise at a time, and it ceases immediately after arising. The subsequent mind cannot see the preceding mind simultaneously while the preceding mind is occurring. The subsequent mind knows the preceding mind only after it has ceased. So how do we know the mind? We know it by its characteristics. This means the mind has the nature of knowing an object. By looking at this “ characteristic of knowing an object,” we infer, “ Ah, a mind-moment has arisen.” It can be said that when the preceding mind ceases, it leaves behind the characteristic of the object it knew, like a footprint, for the subsequent mind.

For example, when food and the tongue make contact, a sweet taste appears. By knowing the characteristic of “ the taste appearing,” the subsequent mind infers, “ Oh, I know this taste because a tasting-mind (jivhā-viññāṇa) has arisen.” You don’t see the taste-consciousness itself as if with your eyes. But what we must understand with wisdom is that without the arising of the taste-consciousness, this taste cannot be known. We must understand and accept with wisdom the cause-and-effect relationship that the mind (taste-consciousness) arises because of the object (taste). In practice, as you become skilled at catching the third phenomenon, it will gradually become clear in your wisdom that there is only the nature of taste.

The Third Phenomenon

Now, what do I mean by “ the third phenomenon” ? It refers to the newly arisen effect that is created when causes—such as an object and a sense door, or two objects—make contact. This effect is the very first newly arisen knowing mind (consciousness) or the ultimate reality known by consciousness, such as the nature of touch, the nature of taste. When the causes are complete, the effect cannot choose not to arise. This is the essence of what I teach as “ Be mindful of the third phenomenon, observe the present moment directly.” This is my re-presentation based on the mirror simile of the Venerable Ledi Sayadaw. That is why it is extremely important in vipassanā to understand this “ third phenomenon” —the knowing of consciousness, the ultimate knowing—with insight and to be able to apply it in practice.

Overcoming Hindrances Through Concentration

Finally, I want to emphasize the practical benefit of this understanding. One of the benefits of concentration (samādhi) is the ability to overcome the Five Hindrances (nīvaraṇa): craving for sensual objects, ill-will, sloth and torpor, restlessness and worry, and skeptical doubt. When do these hindrances tend to arise? They arise when the subsequent mind fails to observe the preceding mind with mindfulness—when there is no concentration present. If the subsequent mind cannot stay connected with the preceding mind, the hindrances enter the subsequent mind, which is wandering with conceptual objects. But the moment the subsequent mind follows the preceding mind with mindfulness, there is no more room for any hindrance to arise. That’s it—finished. What is needed for the subsequent mind to stick to the preceding mind? Concentration is needed. Concentration is like glue—it sticks. When there is concentration, the subsequent mind is already stuck to the preceding mind. The moment you have concentration and the minds are already connected, the hindrances are automatically abandoned. There’s nothing special you need to do. The key is simply to cultivate mindfulness, effort, and concentration.

This, then, is the heart of the practice. By continuously observing the preceding mind with the subsequent mind, by catching the ultimate reality before concepts enter, you will gradually see that there is no “ I,” no “ mine” —only the arising and ceasing of mental and physical phenomena according to causes and conditions. This is the path to liberation.

Dr. Soe Lwin (Mandalay)

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