One of the teachings of the Buddha that I was never quite able to grasp is how he described enlightenment as "the awakening of awareness, and the end to consciousness". How can one end consciousness and be fully aware? I think GardenKnowm's post cleared this up for me beautifully. Thought, like breathing or digestion, are only functioning parts of the whole. It is part of 5 aggregates that make up consciousness. Most buddhists with enough experience understand that the body and mind are separate, yet at the same time one and the same. Yet the nature of mind, the understanding that it (like everything) is a collection of impermanent processes constantly arising and fading, takes a little more time to understand.