The Nature of Consciousness

A monk came to Ananda and asked, is it possible to explain the nature of consciousness thus for such a reason this consciousness is not self? The very same thing I've just been talking about. So Ananda replied, it is possible, friend. And he goes on, doesn't seeing consciousness arise in dependence on eyes and visible forms? Would we be seeing if we didn't have eyes? No. We wouldn't see if there were invisible forms; so seeing consciousness arises dependent on these two. If the cause and conditions for the arising of seeing consciousness would cease completely, would seeing consciousness be discerned? No. Could we see without the causes and conditions for seeing to occur? No