People say consciousness is difficult to understand and to define.
GUTUL says consciousness is the collection of our intuitions, sensations, concepts, ideas, feelings and discoursed (or “chatters”). See Table 4-2.
GUTUL also says consciousness is “physical” as substance like anti-depressants clearly affects how people physically feel.
Hence, consciousness, like all substance, has its material and natural aspects:
(1) our consciousness of xxx being as itself, which is our consciousness of xxx being, and
(2) our consciousness of xxx being in itself, which is the nature or property of our consciousness of xxx being. (See Table 1-3.)
It is hard for many to wrap their heads around the idea that consciousness has its material and natural aspects as both aspects are “invisible” and seemingly the same. It is often a source of confusion in studies of philosophy and religion.
For example, in Buddhism, “yi (意) or yi shi (意识)” which is “consciousness being as itself” is often confused with “shi (识) or yun (蕴) meaning ‘hidden’ literally” which is what is hidden in consciousness and is “consciousness being in itself.”
Such distinction is extremely important as consciousness being as itself, being a substance, does not transcend space, but consciousness being in itself, being a property and, hence, the content of space, does transcend space. This is of particular importance when one talks about reincarnation, rebirth, resurrection and immortality and what can possibly gets reincarnated, reborn, resurrected and to become immortal.
So, the only meaningful topics about the Universe and life are,
(1) xxx being,
(2) xxx being as itself,
(3) xxx being in itself,
(4) our consciousness of xxx being in itself, and
(5) our consciousness of xxx being as itself. (See Table 1-4.)
Now, we have established a framework for GUTUL,
a Grand Unifying Theory for the Universe and Life.