Mind, Mentality and Consciousness

Just as a monkey roaming through the forest grabs hold of one branch, lets that go and grabs another, then lets go and grabs still another, so too that which is called "mind" and "mentality" and "consciousness" arises as one thing and ceases as another by day and by night.

-Buddha, "The Connected Discourses of the Buddha"


Here's the quote in context of the source:

So here is the original translation by Master Thanissaro: http://www.accesstoinsight.org/canon/sutta/samyutta/sn-12-061-tb0.html

"Just as a monkey, swinging through a forest wilderness, grabs a branch. Letting go of it, it grabs another branch. Letting go of that, it grabs another one. Letting go of that, it grabs another one. In the same way, what's called 'mind,' 'intellect,' or 'consciousness' by day and by night arises as one thing and ceases as another."

Commentary:

The purpose of this quote is to show that "mind", "mentality" or "intellect", and "consciousness" are just conventional objects.

They are temporary objects of thought, and do not exist outside of the context of worldliness.

Thus, the sutra from which this quote is taken describes the nature of consciousness and the mind.