luminous mind

Brightly shining mind

I need to understand this concept more clearly because I am trying to point towards it in creating luminous works.  It is a phrase used by meditation teachers describing the mind state that meditation can lead to e.g.

'By letting the mind be uncontrived, in its natural state, the gross concepts will cease.  The experience of luminous emptiness will arise.'  (Gotsangpa)

'The consciousness is transparent, radiating and clear, without drowsiness and dullness, and one thinks one understands all phenomena.'  (Karmapa Wangchug Dorje)

I've had some experience of this myself - it's like going into a completely different realm of being and understanding.  But what is it, what is going on?

In an early sutra, the Buddha is said to have stated to his followers: 'Luminous monks is the mind.  And it is defiled by incoming defilements.'  (Anguttara Nikaya)  There has been ongoing disagreement as to the correct interpretation as this, broadly falling into two schools.  One claims that luminous mind is the 'ground of becoming' i.e. a fundamental consciousness out of which all individual mental activity arises.  The other disputes this on the grounds that it implies some kind of essence to our nature which the Buddha always denied, teaching that everything is subject to change; this school of thought sees luminous mind as an underlying 'dynamic continuum'.

Whatever its ontological status, both schools teach that clarity and luminosity of consciousness is obscured ('defiled') both by the clutter of everyday thoughts and, more deeply, by entrenched views and habits - like blue sky covered by clouds.  Various methods are taught to clear away what obscures: primarily different methods of meditation, enquiry and ethical practice.

Complete luminosity equates with nirvana, a free mind that does not clutter a situation with its subjectivity but can respond spontaneously and creatively.

In working with light sources (natural and artificial), in works that are about mind and attention, I can prompt the viewer to connect with some sense (depending on their own level of experience) of luminous mind.