How "the mind" defined?

Hi all,

In the specific context of Buddhist Philosophy, what is the mind?

I got this idea: There are some ( like French professor De La mettrie) who see the mind not exactly existing but a human as a simple machine without a consciousness but only energy like other in the cosmos. A bit like a fleshi PC.

In relationship with Buddhism did His Holiness The Dalai Lama investigation to come to a point of understanding which is talking of moment moment moment stream. Or continuum of energy. Mind is immaterial no form, no color, but is the capacity for experience. Phylosophers can agree with that point.

More in Buddhist Phylosophy are there degrees of subtlety. As other Phylosophers are often focussed on mental energy in relationship with the body; is this showing consciousness depends on the physical but doesn't arise from same matter as that body. Stars do not derives from butter, and consciousness come from subtle continuum of consciousness.

Mind-consciousness is changing on surface, but underlying these changes in there continuity, the fundamental capacity for clarity and knowing that arises from an earlier instance of the same capacity.

Innate mind is luminosity, clarity and awareness. These qualities can be seen as permanent as being a continuum without end and begin. Or they can be seen as impermanent and transitory as being processes, composed by instances.

Source of these words: some helpful phylosophers and some investigations of His Holiness The Dalai Lama. :hands:

Maybe other views? _/\_