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In this following context, what does the phrase 'above all' mean?

Does it mean 'especially'?

Context:

This condition of co-nascence applies, above all, to consciousness and its concomitant mental phenomena, such as feeling, perception, volition, sense-impression, attention, etc.

Source: P.29

''Fundamentals of Buddhism'' by Nyanatiloka Mahåthera

2 Answers 2

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I think you could simply look it up in a dictionary.

It means more than anything or most importantly.

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It is stronger than "especially".

In this context, the implication is that the condition of co-nascence could apply to many things. Examples might be, emotions, thoughts, sensations, and so on. But then the writer is saying that although co-nascence may well apply to all those things, the thing that it most applies to, or that it applies to most of all, is consciousness (and its concomitant processes...).

If you imagine arranging in a list the various things to which co-nascent might apply, then the writer wants to place "consciousness" as the top item on that list -- i.e. literally above all of the other items.

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  • Thanks you very much, @tkp.
    – Sakya Kim
    May 17 at 11:01

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