MAN THE UNKNOWN:WORKING OF THE MIND: VEDANTIC VIEW 

 

Thousands of years ago Indian sages conducted elaborate in-depth explorations of the human mind, its function and relation to the gross body. The oldest accounts of these psychological studies have been detailed in the Sānkhya System of philosophy of Sage Kapila and the Upanishads which are the essence of Vedic wisdom. As per ancient Indian wisdom mind belongs to the subtle body which is formed out of the fundamental particles (tanmātras) of the five essential elements called panchabhūtas. The grossification (panchikaranam) of the tanmātras gives rise to the panchabhūtas or five elements namely space (ākāṡa), air (vāyu), fire or energy (Tejas or Agni), water (apas) and earth (pṛthvi). Materials of all living and nonliving entities in the universe are made of these five elements. Thus the physical basis of the mind is the subtle aspect of the body and the difference between brain and mind is  only in terms of a measure of subtlety. Subtle matter is more pervasive and that explains the presence of a conscious mind in each and every cell of the body complex in a multicellular body and in the subtle realms of the body of a unicellular organism. According to Vedānta thoughts are vibrations (energy?) as a reaction to the impact of sensory stimuli brought to the mind by the sensory system more or less like the impact of stone creating waves of water in a lake. These thoughts are analysed in deeper realms of the mind called intellect (buddhi) and the discriminated thoughts are recognised by the soul which is but the reaction of the light of the Spirit or Ātman, the Supreme Consciousness. This concept of awareness of the conscious mind is first enunciated by the Sānkhya system and adopted by the Vedāntic system.

 

. Vedānta subscribes to the same philosophy and psychology when it says, “It (the Ātman) is the ear of the ear, the mind of the mind, the speech of the speech, the prāṇa of the prāṇa, and the eye of the eye. Wise men separating the Ātman from these (sensory system) rise out of sense-life and attain immortality” (Kenopanishad, ).

 

Modern physiology also would vouch for the fact that external sense organs are not the real organs of sense, but that they are in the various nerve centres of the brain. Modern science also agrees on the fact that subtle centres which constitute the mental apparatus are also formed of the same material (the embryonic ectoderm) as the brain itself. The Sānkhyas arrived at this truth centuries before modern science had any

 MAN THE UNKNOWN:

MIND IN DEATH, REBIRTH AND LIBERATION 

 What happens to the mind at the time of the death of the individual? Does it survive or perish along with the body as such? Indian sages have discovered that it is only the gross body composed of the seven ingredients namely marrow, bones, fat, nerves, flesh, blood, skin and consisting of parts such as legs, arms, head, chest and back which are the products of the five fundamental elements namely space (ākāṡa), air (vāyu), energy (Tejas), water (Apah) and earth (pṛthvi) that perishes at the time of death. The subtle body composed of the five great elements which have not undergone grossification, and consisting of the five sense organs, the five organs of action, the five prāṇas, the mind and the intellect, survives death and destruction to be carried to the next life.

Incessant cogitation of the mind regarding the objects of desire prompts generation of intense desire for them and results in the execution of various activities to fulfil such desires. These actions, reactions and impressions of the unfulfilled desires create impressions (vāsanas) in the subtlest recesses of the body called causal body and this is the cause of transmigration of the soul to other bodies, in other words the cause of rebirth.

 

The Bṛhadāranyaka Upanishad vividly describes the process of detachment of the subtle body from the gross body at the time of death (4..5-6). The Upanishad brings out the essential difference between death and deep sleep very clearly. In deep sleep although the mind and senses are withdrawn from the gross body to the subtler realms, the prāṇas remain in the gross body so that it is kept alive whereas in death, along with the mind and senses, the prāṇas are also withdrawn from the gross body. The gross body is completely separated from the subtler body and there is no connection whatsoever between the subtle and the physical bodies at the time of death. In sleep this connection is maintained and the individual returns to the waking life once again through this body. The sensation one feels in the body is the sensation conveyed through the agency of the physical body to the subtle body whose ‘presiding deity’ is the mind. In death the mind is withdrawn along with the prāṇas from the gross body.

 MAN THE UNKNOWN: 

 

PSYCHOLOGY OF DEEP SLEEP:

 

 

The complete cessation of the activity of the mind, due to exhaustion, is deep sleep known as sushupti. Āchārya Ṡankara defines this state thus: “The state about which one says that ‘I did not know anything, I enjoyed good sleep’ is the deep sleep state” (Tattvabodha). In both the waking and dream states the ‘ego’ interacts with objects either of the waking world or the objects conjured up in the dream world. In the deep sleep state the human personality does not experience the feeling of egoism and is not aware of the objects. Actually the sense of “I” gets temporarily suspended. That is why a person in deep sleep is completely oblivious of his surroundings and even his own body. However, when he wakes up his report about his sleep is “I slept soundly and I knew nothing.” In this state which is normally described as unconscious state from the reports of the deep sleep later, it is obvious that the person was conscious of a blissful experience deep within the recess of his mind. As Ṡankarāchārya says in Vivekachūdāmani (0), “In profound sleep we experience the bliss of the Ātman independent of sense objects. This fact is clearly attested by ṡruti, direct perception, tradition and inferenc

1. The mind, which appears to be a little conscious in dream, and more conscious in waking, is not conscious at all in deep sleep. The erroneous conclusion of the Nyāya and Vaiṡeshika schools of philosophy, that consciousness is possible only when there is contact of the mind with objects, is an offshoot of this observation. In deep sleep all perceptions and cognitions converge into a single mode of the mind. It becomes a mass of consciousness, which is not projected outside. Mind in deep sleep is without any modifications so that there is no external consciousness. Man is not aware of the world outside in the state of deep sleep, because of the absence of agitations, psychoses (vṛttis) of the mind. When mind becomes extrovert it regains consciousness of thexternal world. The happiness one experiences in deep sleep is greater than all other forms of happiness or pleasure generated by the contact of the mind with sense objects, and this bliss is the same experienced by a king or a beggar. This bliss or ānanda one experiences is the reason for the feeling of refreshment and renewal that one feels when one gets up from such a sleep. “Consciousness of sleep is equal to Samādhi. If sleep is to be coupled with consciousness, it becomes ātma- sakshātkāra, the realization of Ātman. This is what they call super-consciousness. This is nirvāṇa, moksha, kevalata - liberation” (Swami Krishnānanda, Mandukya Upanishad, p.0).
2. In deep sleep one does not know whether one is a man or woman, tall or short, black or white, learned or otherwise. All miseries of the waking or dream state are forgotten along with the worldly joys. There is only a uniform state of unconscious bliss. It is said that during deep sleep the personality is withdrawn and it merges in the Absolute Bliss, as rivers go into the ocean, a mental state akin to the state of samādhi attained by spiritual seekers at the end of their spiritual endeavour, where the individual spirit merges into the Absolute Spirit.

 

 MAN THE UNKNOWN

 

DREAMS’ PSYCHOLOGY:

 

 Psychologists and psychoanalysts have made deep strides into the dream world and unravelled the nature and causes of dreams to a gre extent. Such analyses of dreams have made Freud, Adler and Jung in the West to conclude that dreams are due to certain complexes in the human personality. Freud attributed these complexes to sex, Adler to inferiority feelings and Jung to a general urge for growth and harmony between the extrovert and introvert nature of human personality (Swami Krishnānanda, Mandukya Upanishad, The Divine Life Society, p.80). These opinions however provide a partial picture only, although the information revealed by them is very valuable and worth learning. These studies do not expose the spiritual foundation of dreams. Human beings are bundles of complexes caused by the unfulfilled desires during their waking world of existence. The reasons for the unfulfilment of desires are probably what the psychoanalysts call the ‘the reality principle:’ the reality of the society, the reality of the world outside, which operate as opposing forces against the successful fulfilment of desires. These opposing forces compel individuals to repress and suppress their many genuine desires in order to be in harmony with the social, political, ethical and moral fabric of the society. (The psychological complexes thus developed may often result in the manifestation of physical and psychological illnesses). However, the subtle desires repressed within the mental apparatus are manifested in dreams. In the dream world as there is no ‘reality principle’ operative to oppose the desires they find full expression. Hence the manifestation of the desires is quite instinctive and not under the “will” of the human personality.

  UPANISHADS:THE SCIENCE OF HUMN POSSIBILITIES 

  An in-depth perusal of the contents of all Upanishads reveals the homogeneity of the principal theme underlying an apparent diversity of presentation. It is true that these philosophical treatises often extol many apparently differing conceptions; one Upanishad may emphasize certain ideas or certain views more than the rest; some of them seem to specialise in a particular topic. Such differences in perceptions are unavoidable as these are revelations that occurred to different sages over a period of time, each of them trying to express what he realized in his inimitable style. However the central theme of all Upanishads is Brahma Vidyā and the ways and means of achieving it. An important feature of Upanishads is that these are reports of the insights that occurred to ancient Indian sages and saints who were ‘not builders of systems but recorders of experience’.

     Brahma Vidyā or Atma Vidyā: The science that is elaborated in Upanishads deals with God, world and man, the eternal curiosities of human mind. Upanishads (Vedānta) presented God as Sat-chit-Ᾱnanda, pure existence or Truth, pure Consciousness and pure Bliss. That is, in other words, the infinite Brahman. All Upanishads emphasize only one aspect and they are all engaged in only one task: to prove that “Just as by the knowledge of one lump of clay we have the knowledge of all the clay (and its modifications) in the universe, so what is that knowledge knowing which we know everything in the universe?” The central theme of all Upanishads is the ‘spiritual unity and solidarity’ of all existence.

    Although the fundamental theme of Upanishad doctrine is god-realization and thereby attaining the ultimate, everlasting liberation from all human miseries, certain ideas emerge as central to the teaching of almost all Upanishads. The most important of them are the value of knowledge (jñāna) and the need for complete detachment (vairāgya).  To the great Ṡankara Bhagavatpada these two aspects represent ‘the two wings that are indispensable for the spirit to sour to the heights of spiritual  splendour .

 THE TWO FACES OF SCIENCE : THE CREATOR AND DESTROYER

Science has played a pivotal role in the progress of human life. All our comforts and conveniences are due to the progress we have made in  science and technology. However, science is a double edged  sword which can cut on both sides; in other words the influence of science is both positive and negative in our life. It can create, at the same time it can be a destroyer as well.

THE CREATOR

    The advent of science revolutionized human life in all its varied facets. Science has contributed to human values such as Truth, Beauty, and Goodness, and has become such a useful instrument in the hands of man that he has not only produced innumerable items to live in comfort and luxury, but is now thinking in terms of extending his life span and youth. The spectacular advancement of science and technology has generated a faith in the omnipotence of science. As Russel says, ‘one hundred and fifty years of science have proved more explosive than five thousand years of pre - scientific culture’. At present science has infiltrated into every aspect of human life, even though many are unaware of its presence. Thanks to scientific progress people can speak across continents and oceans, see events occurring thousands of miles away, photographs speak and sing, and rapid advancement in communication and mode of transport has reduced distances between nations and the world as such has become a global village! New drugs and drug delivery systems, spectacular advancement in surgical procedures, and rapid methods of diagnosis, all have alleviated human suffering to a large extent and progress in medical sciences has reflected in the advancement of human life span all over the world.  Psychical anomalies are cured through proper counselling, methods of hypnosis, dream analysis, electric shock treatment and mental hygiene. No longer do people believe that demons cause diseases and priests cure them.

     Food production, food processing, catering are areas where science has played a stellar role and the contribution of science in agricultural production and farm output has definitely helped in the fight against poverty and hunger. So also the new scientific disciplines developed in the latter half of the 20^th century, such as genetic engineering, biotechnology, and nuclear medicine have immensely contributed towards alleviation of human suffering and enhancement of human welfare. The electronic and technological inventions have revolutionized human activities in every sphere of life. Machines are programmed as per requirement and robots replace human labor and scientists are thinking of creating artificial intelligence. Revolution in communication systems has made continents nearer, countries smaller and human beings closer.

    Scientists have been making new discoveries, formulating new theories, and inventing new machines, at a growing pace for the past four hundred years, although this period represents only a minuscule of the recorded history of mankind. In such a short time man has achieved a remarkable insight into the mysterious working of nature and used such information to make his life more comfortable. Man has achieved this feat by making himself more flexible in his adaptation to the outside world.  No other animal has achieved so much. Today man has the technological skill to survive in extreme climates, to travel over land, to tunnel or to swim, or to fly as he wishes. Electronic revolution that we have witnessed in the 20^th century has enabled man to do his banking, shopping and an array of jobs he wants, by sitting in his bedroom and simply using a phone or computer. He has invented language, communication skills and innumerable mechanisms of information storage so that knowledge accumulated in one generation can easily be transmitted to the next generation or generations to come, a feat which comes very near to the Lamarckian dream of progenics acquiring the skills developed by their parents in their lifetime. By developing technologies such as genetic engineering and cloning, man today can even produce made-to-order progeny, almost like playing God!

 THE DESTROYER

     Spectacular achievements in science and the marvels of technology have provided man with immense power to mould nature for his own selfish interests. Man used the power of science and technology to enhance his comforts and conveniences without the necessary social wisdom and enlightened consciousness to use them well. The result is innumerable instances of the dark side of the scientific knowledge and its application. The achievements in science and technology and the resultant comfort and convenience have whetted human greed to acquire more and more, beyond what he really needs. He has become so selfish about his own needs that he is not often bothered about other species of animals in the biosphere. Environmental degradation, pollution, habitat destruction, over-utilization of natural resources etc. are but a few examples of the consequences of human greed and selfishness aided by science and technology. The total degradation of the value based living is a result of the materialistic outlook, which in turn  is the by-product of enormous power and wealth generated by human beings with support from science and technology. At present the technological marvels such as internet, computers and cell phones, which make human life on this planet very comfortable and easy, are also toys in the hands of a few men to create violence, discord and endless miseries to fellow human beings. Science has definitely helped nations to accumulate weapons of mass destruction, and the threat of a nuclear war appears very much real. Unfortunately, a situation has emerged in which man is afraid of his own shadow. It is certain that the gifts of science and technology are wrapped up with so many undesirable elements which pose a threat to the very survival of human species.

VEDᾹNTA AND HUMAN NATURE

     Science provides information which man can use or misuse. Man is unique among organisms in this world in that he has the discretionary power of choosing the right or wrong path of action. Science and technology are mere tools which man chooses for whatever end he likes to achieve. However, to arrive at a conscientious decision, human nature has to get civilized and man must know himself thoroughly. The wrong steps man takes are due only to the aberrations in human behaviour, owing to a breakdown in the moral value system. Human nature and values are all out of step. Science is not responsible for such a state of affairs in society, but man himself is to be blamed. As Einstein stated, ‘science can denature plutonium, but it cannot denature evil in the heart of man’.

    Ancient sages of India embarked on a mission to understand human nature, and the science they developed for the emancipation of human mind is Vedānta, the science of human possibilities. Vedānta is a system of philosophy, a religion and a science all three combined. As a philosophy it reveals the inner core of man as Ᾱtman, and paves the way for the realization or experience of the absolute Reality, Brahman. It gives a unified vision of the universe, at the same time revealing the relationship between individual beings and the absolute Reality. As a religion it provides the personal aspect of God as Ῑṡvara, for the ordinary mortal to love and worship. However, religion, according to Vedānta, is the super sensual, transcendental, knowledge of the Absolute. It has to be emphasized, at the same time, that this knowledge is not a supernatural revelation. As a science Vedānta gives valuable insights into the phenomena of cosmology, creation, evolution and the facts of human nature and practical ways of further evolution of human species by the development of the positives and the degeneration of the negatives of human mind. Vedānta gives a practical methodology for the ethical and moral emancipation of Homo sapiens.

 

 ANALYSIS OF THE MIND : VEDANTIC VIEW

     Psychology, in simple terms, can be defined as the study of the mind and its operation. According to Vedānta (Upanishads) the mind, the sensory system and the vital force (manas, indriyas and prāņa) constitute what is called the subtle body of man (sukshma ṡariram). This comprises our psycho-physical system which is the source of all our experiences, emotions and awareness of the phenomenal world. Of these the mind is the principal organ responsible for our existence, awareness and the total experience that constitutes life itself. Ᾱchārya Ṡankara makes this amply clear, “When it (mind) is destroyed, everything else is destroyed, and when it is manifested, everything else is manifested” (Vivekachudāmani, 169). All human experiences are rooted in the mind and our world of experiences is woven out of the mental sheath. Once this source is destroyed, the universe ceases to exist for man. However, yogis through rigorous practices arrive at this no-mind state and at this state they transcend the phenomenal world to reach Samādhi, the spiritual unity with the Absolute. The Zen philosophy also speaks of such transcendental state.

    “The universe is moved to and fro by the mind in the manner of clouds moved by the wind” (Yenaiva bhrāhmyate viṡvam vayuneva abhra mandalam); that is how Ᾱchārya Ṡankara describes the operation of the mind (Vivekachudāmani, 180). At the operational level mind has many layers each pertaining to a particular aspect of experience. All sense objects, gross or fine, without exception are products of the mind. The differentiation of objects in terms of body, name, caste, order of life, and tribe (ṡarira varnāṡrama jatibhedān) are all products of the mind. The differences in. The sense of likes, dislikes, pleasure and pain etc are all mental creations. Even the sense of communal and social identities of human beings originates at the level of the mental faculty.