Wisdom, Mindfulness, and Name-and-Form Stopped by the Stopping of Consciousness

‘Wisdom and mindfulness’, said Venerable Ajita, ‘and name-and-form’, sir; tell me this when asked, where is this stopped?

I shall answer this question which you have asked, Ajita;

Where name-and-form is completely stopped. By the stopping of consciousness, there it is stopped.

(Reference: Ne 5)

In this Teaching from Gotama Buddha, he shares how to end The Cycle of Rebirth by stopping name-and-form and consciousness (i.e. the mind).

Name-and-Form is described in Dependent Origination as “Feeling, perception, volitional formation (choices/decisions), contact, consciousness: this is called name. The four great elements and the form derived from the four great elements: this is called form. Thus this name and this form are together called name-and-form”.

Name-and-Form is essentially, the coming together of physical body and the mind (i.e. consciousness).

The Buddha is describing in this Teaching that the elimination of rebirth (i.e. name-and-form) is accomplished through the elimination of consciousness.

It is craving that is the fuel that leads to continued rebirth. Through the elimination of craving, the condition that causes rebirth is eliminated.

Eliminating craving/desire/attachment not only eliminates discontentedness but it also eliminates rebirth in The Cycle of Rebirth as there is no longer support for the continuation and maintenance of consciousness when craving/desire/attachment is fully extinguished.