The continuity of life in Buddhism is referred to as Bhavanga. Appearing first in ‘Milinda Panho’, the Buddhist theory of a subconscious stream being the cause of unbroken continuity of life, was borrowed from Sarvastivada. The term is made up of bhava (being) and anga (limb or part). Buddhaghosha (5th century CE) and his followers connect the continuity of life of an individual at the time of his death to this bhavanga at the time of his next birth, and establish continuity throughout this wandering in samsara (the world).
Bhavanga (this Pali term) signifies the subconscious stream
of becoming in which all experience is stored. Patthana and Milinda Panho
develop the idea of Bhavanga, a type of chitta (mind), which is seen as the
resting state of consciousness, as in a dreamless sleep.
The early Buddhist theory of anatta (having no atman) gradually
gave place to the theory of a life-continuum ‘bhavanga’ which is conscious and subliminal.
The Abhidhamma scholars consciously introduced vinnana into Buddhism under the
theory of bhavanga. Buddhaghosha used it as a synonym for vinnana and equated
it with rebirth consciousness.
Personal ‘continuities’ perform two functions for a self –
Each ‘existence’ is marked as separate from the others
It is constantly there, though not permanently
The Buddhists reject a ‘self’ which runs like a single
thread through a string of pearls. Later the Theravadins put forward the theory
of a life-continuum ‘bhavanga’ which is subconscious (never completely unconscious)
but always accompanied by some degree of awareness.