The Mind - an Indian perspective

The four faculties or functions of the mind (Anthakarana)

Indian Philosophy has for long understood the four functionality of the mind: Manas, Buddhi, Chitta and Ahamkara.

One’s thought is a combination of memory and intelligence. The retained memory is what sets up the psychological drama which is personal. One’s thoughts are hashed and rehashes of one’s own retained thoughts. Nothing new can be experienced. This process of regurgitation of thought is what is described as intellect. Intellect is the socialized process of education of ‘learnt thoughts’. It is quite different to intelligence. Intellect wants to dissect everything. It continues to ask questions. The intellect can only doubt, not trust. For trust comes from intelligence. 

Manas:

To explain Manas, this is the thinking mind, the faculty that is engaged with senses, the processing mind. The manas interacts with the ten indriyas. The Indriyas are in two parts: Karmendriyas (active expressions) such as eliminating, reproducing, moving, grasping and speaking. In the second category, there is Jnanendriyas which comprises the cognitive senses of smelling, tasting, seeing, hearing and touching. It is to be remembered that one is independent of one’s senses and actions. As part of mediation one lets go off the Karmendriyas, by sitting still and letting go off all active expressions. That follows the suspension of the Jnanendriyas: becoming aware of the cognitive senses itself and going beyond to the dweller. This sense withdrawal or Pratyahara is the journey to Samadhi. By one’s own awareness and understanding of the ten indriyas, one is able to break old habits. It is not about the regulation of the mind by the act of withdrawal. It is more about focusing the mind, and having the senses flow inwards. For just as bees follow the queen bee, all the indriyas follow where the mind is focused.

Swami Vivekananda says in Raja Yoga:
The theory of creation is that matter is subject to five conditions: ether, luminous ether, gaseous, liquid, and solid. They are all evoked out of one primal element, which is very finest ether.
The name of the energy in the universe is Prana, which is the force residing in these elements. Mind is the great instrument for using the Prana. Mind is material. Behind the mind is Atman which takes hold of the Prana. Prana is the driving power of the world, and can be seen in every manifestation of life. The body is mortal and the mind is mortal; both, being compounds, must die. Behind all is the Atman which never dies. The Atman is pure intelligence controlling and directing Prana.

Chakras and the Elements 

The ten Indriyas operate from the first five chakras (root, genital, navel, heart, throat), along with the five elements:

Adi Shankaracharya says:

I am not mind, nor intellect, nor ego, nor the reflections of inner self.
I am not the five senses. I am beyond that.
I am not the ether, nor the earth, nor the fire, nor the wind.
I am indeed, That eternal knowing and bliss, Shiva, love and pure consciousness.

Buddhi: knows, decides, judges and discriminates

Buddhi (Viveka) is the ideal decision maker but normally clouded by Chitta (memory mind) or Ahankara (the ego mind). Buddhi is like a mirror, that reflects everything. Yet it can be clouded by manas, whirling merry go around of thoughts or Chitta of remembered memories. By removing the cloud of spiritual ignorance (avidya) one can purify the Buddhi and cause deep reflective meditative experience. It is Buddhi that saw the universe in division from its unity.

Chitta:

The mental function is to store and organize all experiences in samskaras – memories, impressions and emotional patterns. These shape our overall character and when clouded can distort manas to create psychological projections and false perceptions. Chitta carries both emotions and passive memories. Chitta is like the lake and upon which thoughts form like waves. Yoga is finally the control of the modifications of Chitta mind field. Then the dweller abides in his own true nature.

Ahamkara:

It is the ‘I-maker’ or ego. This is the false identification with Chitta. A self gets created which is coloured (klishta) with attraction or aversion. The source of suffering is here: its attachment falsely with chitta, the mind field. It seeks attention for itself. One way to manage this is to change the ‘I-want’ to ‘It wants”.

Also, the Four Functions of Mind operate at the various levels of consciousness. In the waking state of consciousness, the four operate. In the dreaming state, the four operate. In the deep sleep state, the four functions become less active, as if they are partially receding back into the latent part of mind, the Chitta from which all of the activity arises in the dreaming and waking states. 

The first quarter (Pāda) is Vaiśvānara whose sphere (of activity) is the waking state, who is conscious of external objects, who has seven limbs and nineteen mouths and whose experience consists of gross (material) objects.

These seven limbs include: space, air, fire, water, earth and individuation from the whole and Shakti energy.

The nineteen mouths are the four faculties of mind (Anthakarana), the ten Indriyas, and the five pranas  (prana - heart, asana -torso, samara - navel, adana -throat, and vyana - operates throughout).

To the most important question, how does one Control one's thought.Maharishi Ramana urges one to focus on the question, Who am I? If other thoughts emerge, ask the question, to Whom is the thought arising? Who is that I? 

Both mind and Breath are from the same source, one quietens the other. Breath is the gross form of mind. it is the one pointed mind that controls the Indriyas. All residual thoughts on objects disappear as one moves higher in one's mediation. Both auspicious and inauspicious impressions creates the notion of 'good' and 'bad'. 


Said Chanakya in Niti-Sastra:

If you wish to gain control of the world by the performance of a single deed, then keep the following fifteen, which are prone to wander here and there, from getting the upper hand of you: the five sense objects (objects of sight, sound, smell, taste, and touch); the five sense organs (ears, eyes, nose, tongue and skin) and organs of activity (hands, legs, mouth, genitals and anus).

The nature of the self, is what exists in truth. 
The self is where there is no 'I'. Just as Desire, Resolve and Effort is not needed to allow for movements in nature, so too should the human being realise that all is part of the cosmic movement and should surrender to it. 


 

Varanasi

Kashi. Later named Varanasi now called Benares. 

Mark Twain quipped, "Benares is older than history, older than tradition, older even than legend, and looks twice as old as all of them put together!"

Look at the picture above. 

Across the top is the sacred river Ganges that had flowed for so many thousands of years, the river that draws thousands of devotees to its bank, and those that enter to take a dip to wash themselves of their sins, and cleanse themselves. 

Below is the buffalo a common sight that you would find in small town right in the middle of the road, claiming its space, admist the traffic that flows around it, and adding to the colourful sights and cacophony of sounds of the typical street. 

Then to the right, the more recent public urinals, open and in public view for those who would wish to relieve themselves.  Earlier, a public wall substituted for the urinal, now thankfully the presence of these few urinals in the midst. 

Then to the right, the sight of an open barber saloon, with a two high stools, a plastic sheet above, with a poor attempt to shield the scorching sun, as a thick scraggy beard gives way to a clean chin. 

There you are, a few images of ubiquitous India, that you see weaved together in one strange collage, and what I am describing is a place called Assi Ghat at Benares. 

The scorching sun, slows everything down. Cars move around slowly avoiding cyclist, obstructions man made and buffaloes. The horns bellow stridently clearing the way forward. Men, cyclist, animals, and cars jostle along together in a chaos, that while it seems muddling invariably falls into a safe rhythmic pattern. 

A few tourist cars are parked nearby, testimony to those who are curious to catch and witness this antiquity. 

Later in the afternoon, we take a private boat and float down lazily from Assi Ghat towards Panchgani's ghat in the north. On the way, the boatman pointed out the various ghats and the history of some of them. 

Notable amongst them was the Kedar Ghat, Manikarnika ghat, Harishchandra Ghat. We saw cremation underway on some of them. 

It was soon dusk as we swung back towards Dashashwamedh Ghat, where the Aarti was to begin shortly. A large crowd had gathered on the Ghat, even as boats jostled alongside each other to catch a ring side view from the shore. Soon the Arti began, first at one place then another, than altogether. 

Sitting on the boat, watching the spectacle ahead was fascinating as the entire event was so beautifully choreographed. The incantation perfectly rhythmic even as the lit lamps cast essence of smoke across the ghat. Saffron clad Brahmin priests in training conduct the worship of the Ganga by blowing conches, ringing bells and rotating heavy fire torches. A few young boys trampled across the various boats, selling lamps to the crowds to be lit and placed on the river Ganges. It was beautiful to see these bobbing light move across the waters and eventually to be swept away into the distance. 

Once the Arti was over, the boats moved back toward Assi Ghat, keeping close to the banks, to provide once again a floodlight bathed view of each Ghat. The chugging sound of the boat, caused by an old motor, caused  a mild vibration across the boat, creating an ambience that was so different and as if time had frozen for a while.  

As we passed my cremations along the way, it became clear, that our live is but transient, ephemeral and short lived.  It is believed that those who pass their last breath at Kashi, escape the inevitable multiple cycle of death and re-birth. They achieve moksha, freedom from the reincarnation of multiple lives. The ultimate wish of every Hindu is to achieve the ultimate union with the Brahman, freedom from re-birth, Moksha.  

Most places in India at such crowded places, you would notice a riot of colour and noise: a rising cacophony of sounds, that would drown all conversations. But not here. Here sound was dimmed, voice muted, the overall presence larger. 

The river Ganges flowed quietly without notice. Almost nothing conspicuous about its presence. And even otherwise there was nothing conspicuous by its absence. It reminded me, of time that was the greatest master: its existence before and its existence long after I would fade. 

Lanes of Varanasi

We sauntered off the lanes of Varanasi starting off at Godhowalli area. Along the way, we came across the Kashiraj Kali Mandir, innocuously a few metres from the main busy road. From there to the flower market. 

And finally at one point we veered inside to the famous Kachori lane. 

As we walked through the lanes we saw several temples and, shops selling all kinds of things and scooters and motorcycles whizzed past frenetically blowing on their horns on what would be at best a four feet wide road. On account of buffalos moving around too there was replete a fair amount of dung that one had to navigate through. There was ever present the stench from open sewers adjoining the narrow lane. Flies whizzed by overhead and the scorching sun overhead blazed forth. We saw an old library, Vishwanath Pustakalya, which houses ancient Sanskrit texts, books that require you to read there and cannot be taken out. 

Ambling along we came across a Nepali temple, built as a replica of the Pashupati Temple in Kathmandu. Several students from Nepal stay there to learn the scriptures. 

From there we went to the Mannikarnika Ghat, and jostling our way through piles of wood we approached the burning ghat. Almost all people could be creamated here except our guide revealed the following five: pregnant, under ten years, gay, people dying by snake bites and sadhus. 

We retraced our steps passing the govt bhang shop, bought a few things: pickles, papads, etc 

We stopped at the blue lassi shop and had thick lassi which was just awesome. 

And back in an auto we see shrines dotting the street. We were taken to a famous step well at Assi which built by the raja of Cooch Bihar. Then to the birthplace of Rani Lakshmi Bhai more well known as the Rani of Jhansi. 

Benares is everything and more. A place, where you pause and reflect. As history arches it back and cast shadows onto the future.

East and West approach the ultimate differently but meet

'East is East and West is West and never shall the twain meet' said Rudyard Kipling. 

Not so. It does meet. East moves towards West, and West moves towards East. At one point, they meet, no matter how they approach it.

For long, there has been debate around Vedic truth of ‘ultimate reality’ – brahman and its scientific integrity. Science is a hard taskmaster. Unless experiments and Causal relationship is established by repeated occurrences, it will render all Sabda (divine knowledge) as bunkum. Science disregards the experienced, and values the mathematical.

Five thousand years ago, living in forest, our sages experienced the ultimate reality, through the technology of staying deep in one’s own interiority, through the technique of mediation. Back then, it was clear that one had to transcend both body, nor mind to delve deeper. Rightly so, little time was spent explaining the mind, or body, as they were seen as mere tools to move elsewhere. That said, comprehensive work has been written by way of Ayurveda to support harmony of the body (the three doshas: Vata, Pitha, Kapha).

In the East, the notion of the Universe is explained as an Infinite field of Infinite Silence, with infinite potential, (the Purusha) that takes form and manifest through the forces of Prakriti, and the energy of Shakti is unleashed

Which is somewhat similar to what is explained in Science as the Unified field. In physics, these bubbling emergent geometric structures are called super strings – tiny infinitesimal plastic loops. Interestingly, this was termed Sutratma (the silver cord in metaphysical studies and literature, also known as the sutratma or life thread of the antahkarana, refers to a life-giving linkage from the higher self (atma) down to the physical body) the emerging reality of Prakriti in Vedic literature. Vedas and Science now agree that all experiences exist in vibrations. When Science calculates the energy of the superstrings, it confirms that the higher energies have more mass, than lower energies. Science confirms that the Universe is made up of five ingredients (Five Spin types) that are part of the unified field existing in three super fields.

For example, it is stated in the Bhagavata Purana:

“The material manifestation’s ultimate particle, which is indivisible and not formed into a body, is called the atom – Param anuh. It exists always as an invisible identity, even after the dissolution of all forms. The material body is but a combination of such atoms, but it is misunderstood by the common man. ” (Bhagavata Purana 3.11.1)

In Vedas, there are five basic elements: Akasha (sky), Wind (Vayu), Earth, Ether and Fire (agni)

On the surface (like waves on the surface of the Ocean) there is every changing dynamism, movement, energy, and restlessness. Yet it is to be remembered, that these are all ‘one and the same’, not distinctive and separated, though maya may cause it to be perceived as such. The vedas repeatedly call out, that the ultimate consciousness is ‘never created, never ending’ – it is.

Let me delve further into structures explained by Unified field and the Vedas. Beyond the Planck Scales. Let me take some numbers: 8 ~24~64~192, which explains the humming and frequency of vibrations. In physics, if we take a guitar string, to explain, it can vibrate independently up/down (2) and independently sideways (2), and it exists in a three dimensions space – it has 3 aspects. In physics, the universal vibrations (super string) exists in 9 dimensions and in space, the 10^th dimension. The unified field therefore has 8 independent vibrations (tones), although it has just one string. In the process of creation, the strings, at a transcendental level, undergo many transformational changes (26), to the Bosinic level, (of 24 independent levels of tone/sounds) which converts to the Fermionic Scale of 64 tones, which moves finally to the stage of space time super compactification of  192 tones. That is, 192 vibrations reverberating within itself.

In the Vedas, the one sound is captured in ‘Aum’, and explained in the Apaurusheya bhashya (Rig Veda). The Vedas unfold, from 8 to 64, from 64 to 192, explaining the same spectrum. Vedas confirms that it is the ultimate reality. The absolute giving rise to the ever changing.

The Vedic technologies of Yoga, Vedas, Ayurveda are based on unified and holistic living.

In Vedas, there is no separation of mind and body, it is one ‘mindbody’ – subtle to gross. Consciousness, in vedas, the mind has a parallel structure – superficial to profound. Starting with Vaikari (articulated thoughts), Madhyama (abstract conceptual), Pashyanti (subtle feelings) and then Athma (beyond the mind). Compare this to mathematical world of numbers, whole numbers, integers, and fractions, one set of articulated maths. The next level of Madhyama maths (real numbers, complex numbers and function spaces. Most expansive concepts, limits of function spaces (at the Pashyanti level), finally to the Universe of Sets, the final part, admittedly beyond human sense.

Vedic civilization is truly founded upon the complete and ultimate knowledge.

(Inspired by Dr. John Hagelin,an eminent Physicist )

Inspiring self and others with Purpose

Inspiring self and others with Purpose

Living with Purpose is what we all strive for. For effectiveness, one’s Personal Purpose requires alignment with the Organisation Purpose, One’s Personal Values with that of the Organisation Values, and one’s Personal Possibilities, to Organisation’s Possibilities. Embracing a calling, purpose or personal vision in one's vocation, as well as the feeling of living out a calling, is linked to a positive work experience and well-being. 


















True knowledge comes from four sources: Observation, Inference, comparsion and Sabda (divine). Let me refer to divine knowledge quoting from the last verse of the Bhagwad Gita.


TEXT 78, Bhagwad Gita
yatra yogesvarah krsno
yatra partho dhanur-dharah
tatra srir vijayo bhutir
dhruva nitir matir mama

Wherever there is Krsna, the master of all mystics, and wherever there is Arjuna, the supreme archer, there will also certainly be opulence, victory, extraordinary power, and morality. That is my opinion.

Shri Krishna, is the sustainer of the four purusharthas (dharma, artha, kama, moksha)
















We all have a desire for a meaningful life. The purusharthas are the means that can help us achieve it.

Dharma is about that which gives life order—about stepping up to your own responsibilities, about working within the structure to serve yourself and society. There is a universal dharma, known as sanatana dharma, which is thought to underlie the very structure of existence. It is the source of the fundamental ideas of right and wrong that are deeply embedded in human consciousness. But along with that universal order, we each have our own unique, individual dharma, or svadharma, the result of our birth circumstances, karma, and talents, and the choices we make in life as it unfolds for us.

Artha is the material comfort you need to live in the world with ease. Moreover, artha is the stuff—the capital, the computer, the business suit—you need to get your dharma done. Artha is, simply put, that which supports your life's mission. What artha asks us to do is learn to live skillfully in a world of material objects that exist for our benefit. It's not about rejecting the world, but about figuring out how to be content with the things you own, borrow, or steward. And it requires that you ask yourself: What do I see as truly valuable?"

Kama, or the desire for pleasure, is what makes the world go 'round. "Desire for pleasure is what drives all human behavior. Every accomplishment has been sought for the pleasure that it provides. We live in service to a higher purpose, but along that path there is the pleasure we take from family and friends, art, love, and harmony in the world around us. Ask yourself these key questions: What am I passionate about? What brings me pleasure? Am I enjoying my life? Am I happy? What do I care about? What do I most desire? Am I hooked on anything? Are my pleasures leading me toward or away from my life's purpose?

Moksha means achieving nirvana, or the complete liberation from the cycle of incarnation. Moksha is about getting off the wheel of samsara [the cycle of suffering caused by birth, death, and rebirth].