The Mind as per Veda

DR ANADI SAHOO, SEP 11, 2014 01:41PM 9K 15

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Mind as per Veda

When we (subject) perceive an object (or an idea), we first evolve that object with in ourselves.
Then as per our conditioning, we categories the object as good or bad (duality), which gives us
pain or apparent pleasure. Lets explode the transaction between an object and subject. Objects
are made of five gross elements viz Space, Air, Fire, Water and Earth. These objects are
perceived by five senses i.e. Sound, Touch, Form, Taste and Smell respectively. For example
when we look at a menu in a restaurant, our senses passes on the perceived menu items to the
mind, which has three steps - Lower mind (Mann) : Lower mind is directly connected with
five senses and controls choices, emotions and feelings etc. Flipping through various menu
items is an activity carried out by lower mind. Intelligence (Buddhi) : Lower mind passes on
the menu choices to intelligence, which sits between lower mind and Chitta. Intelligence
controls discrimination, decision, thought and rationality etc. The final selection of a menu item
is made by intelligence. Chitta : Chitta is the basic faculty through which mind operates i.e.
combination of conscious, subconscious, unconscious, memory and more. Chitta controls
higher wisdom (Viveka).

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Mind and Spiritualism ..

And final action is carried out by ego by ordering an item from the menu. In the whole
process the ego keeps on flipping from senses to lower mind to intelligence to Chitta and back.
Body and Separated Consciousness are two extreme, but complimentary (not opposite) ends, and
mind lies in between. Depending upon our will and past Samskara, ego can be placed at
either end. A materialistic and spiritual person will keep his ego at body and Chitta respectively.
While doing creative work, Scientists and artists, keeps their ego is at Chitta, which is different
from spiritualism because still the energy is being used on external material world. Energy has a
tendency to drain out through five senses. If we try to block out one channel, water flows to
rest of the available channels. Thats why blind people possess extra-ordinary smelling and
hearing powers. Ever since only a small percentage of mind is used on the external material
world and therefore mind has become atrophied. Mind is thought, and thought is time. No
thought means no-mind and thus timelessness, which leads to an experience beyond five
senses. For example deep sleep experience is without mind and senses. From material angle,
spiritualism is irrational teaching to a rational mind. Our knowledge (base of the logic) is
based upon five imperfect senses and relativity. Thus spiritualism is beyond five senses and
logic. From spiritual perspective, spiritualism is rational teaching to an irrational mind.

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Five Sheaths...

Our internal organs are covered with various layers made of skeleton, bio-magnetism, muscles
and skin etc. Similarly, Separated Consciousness is covered with five sheaths (Kosha). Food
sheath (Annmaya Kosha), is made up of the essence of food, and finally it returns to food i.e.
earth or matter. It belongs to gross material body. Subtle life force sheath (Pranmaya Kosha) is
made of Prana and the five organs of action. This sheath controls hunger, thirst, heat and cold.
The gross subtle life force does the functions of breathing, digestion, excretion, circulation etc.,
and subtle life force generates thoughts. The mind sheath (Manomaya Kosha) consists of the
emotional mind, the Chitta and the sense organs of knowledge. This sheath controls thinking and
doubting, anger, lust, exhilaration, depression and delusion. The intellectual sheath (Vijyanmaya
Kosha) consists of the intellectual and the ego working with the help of the five sense organs of
knowledge. Discrimination and decision or determination, agency of doer-ship and enjoyer-ship
are the functions of this sheath. The bliss sheath (Anandamaya Kosha) gives bliss during deep
sleep state and at the time of experiencing the effect of a sattva deeds. Atama is after bliss sheath
and beyond this is the Cosmic Consciousness the Source.

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Law of Karma...
Events of our life are based upon relationship of cause and effect. Our past karmas (thought, speech and deeds)
give us current results and thus influence our future karma too. Our karmas act as a propeller and decide the
next course of action for us. Because of karma, we become conditioned and go through the purification process
created by matter (Prakriti). There are various categories of karma-s, which can be explained via Bowman's
analogy Accumulated actions (Sanchit karma) are the bundle of arrows in the quiver. Fructifying actions
(Prarabdh karma) are the arrow shot, which cannot be recalled. Current actions (Kriyaman karma) are the
arrow, which is about to shoot from the bow. We have control over accumulated and current karma, provided
we use fructifying karma correctly. We do have free-will, but limited by our past karma. River of free-will
can change its course in the pre-defined field of karma. From quality perspective, karma can also be divided in
the following four types - Negative. Positive and negative. Positive. Neutral i.e. neither positive nor negative.
For most of us, karma-s can be neither being absolute positive nor negative. If you do some action, it will do
some good and some evil at the same time. So, we must try to do such actions that can bring the maximum
good and minimum evil. Common man does 1st and 2nd type of karma, where proportions of negative karma
are considerably high. Only yogi can achieve 4th type of karma. Accumulated karma in the latent form is
called Samskara, which is the subtle base of our manifested desires (Vasanas). Samskara further gets
strengthened by wrong-knowledge (Avidya), and because of ignorance one starts considering The short-lived
as eternal. The impure as pure. The painful as pleasurable. The non-Soul (body, mind etc.) as Soul. Result is
worldly afflictions (Klesha). Pain and pleasure are two faces of the same coin, which is called pain.

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Interplay of Consciousness and matter
In order to understand the overall concept, we will take an analogy. In the dark, when light falls on moving
fog, it creates various shapes and illusions. For illusions to exist, both fog and light are necessary. Illusions are
nothing but interplay (emulsion or fusion) of reflection-of-source-of-light and moving fog. In the above
analogy, source of light is the Pure Consciousness, where as fog represents ever changing and inert matter,
which is made of ever changing qualities (Gunas) i.e. light (Satava), action (Rajas) and inertia (Tammas). The
overall reflection-of-source-of-light on the matter is known as Atama, which is one because there is one to one
relation between the source of light and reflection-of-source-of-light. Both Pure Consciousness and matter are
eternal i.e. without beginning and no end. Since Pure Consciousness and matter are eternal, Pure
Consciousnesss reflection is also eternal. Also, matter is dependent upon Pure Consciousness. Pure Satava
portion of this emulsion is known as Ishwar (Puresh Vishesh, Sagun Bhram, Shabal Bhram, Apar-Bhram),
which is Collective Mind (Chitta) the controller and owner. Like a magnet, Ishwars proximity makes cyclic
changes in the matter i.e. manifestation at gross, subtle and causal level. Following 24 cascading changes takes
place in matter From root matter (Moola Prakriti where Sattav, Rajas and Tamas are in equilibrium) to
Collective I-am-ness (Mahatattava) From Collective I-am-ness to Ego or I (Amhankara) From Ego to five
subtle senses (Tanmatras) From five subtle senses to five gross elements (Butha) i.e. ether, air, fire, water and
earth From Ego to five organ of actions (Karamindriya) i.e. speech, hand, feet, genital and anus From Ego to
five senses of knowledge (Jyanindriya) i.e. hear, touch, see, taste and smell From Ego to mind (Anthakarna) At
the same time, this emulsion crystallizes into uncountable number of individual Chittas. Because of wrong-
knowledge (Avidya i.e. Consciousness gets identified with matter) and I-am-ness (Asmita), these individual
Chittas binds a small portion of Atama to a portion of matter, which is known as Pursha. Its somewhat similar
of digging up a well and then labeling it as yours. Underneath each well water (Atama) is common, but you
have labeled it as yours because of I-am-ness. Because of this wrong-knowledge, Pursha identifies itself with
ever changing matter and creates sufferings for itself. With the help of Sadhana (right understanding and right
actions), Pursha realizes that "Atama is different from matter" (Vivek-Khayati) and gets established in its true-
self (Samadhi). When Atama is realized by Pursha, then Pure Consciousness can be understood by inference,
because Atama is the reflection of the Pure Consciousness. Then Pursha no longer identifies itself with matter
and thus appears to gain freedom, which was never lost. Then individual Chitta gets absorbed (Kaivlya) in to
Collective Chitta i.e. Ishwar. This completes the interplay (Leela) between Pursha and Prakriti (matter)!

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Three bodies are -
Gross body (Sathula Shrir) is what we can see and feel the material outer shell. Subtle body (Sukshma Shrir)
drives gross body, which can be understood by our intellect. It consists of five organs of knowledge, five
organs of action, five Prana, Mind, Intellect, Individual ego and Chitta, which is basic faculty through which
mind operates i.e. combination of conscious, subconscious, unconscious, memory and more. Casual body
(Karan Shrir) is based on wrong-knowledge (Avidya) and is the cause of the gross and subtle body. The outer
peel of a Mango corresponds to gross body. The pulp represents subtle body and seed corresponds to casual
body. Four states of consciousness are - Wake (Jagrat) state, where full ego gets identified with gross material
body and karma comes into play, because "I" becomes doer and enjoyer. Dream sleep (Svapana) state, partial
ego gets identified with casual body and subtle body. Only enjoyer remains and no doer. Deep sleep i.e. no
dreams (Shushpti) state, dormant ego gets identified with casual body and there is neither a doer nor enjoyer.
At this stage we get maximum peace without senses and mind, with no concept of time, space and unit.
Though deep sleep experience is without mind and senses, but bliss of deep sleep is incomparable to sensual
pleasure. In deep sleep, ego is dormant, but still there is an experiencer other than ego. After deep sleep is over,
one wakes up, gets associated with ego and again starts manifesting universe of duality. 4th satge (Turiya)
stage means total absorption. This state is whole and encompasses all the above three states. It is
transcendental, non-dual and supreme bliss. First three states are experienced by all of us in our normal day-to-
day life. 4th stage is to be discovered in meditation. Each state exists, but negates other's experience and
objects. For example dream-thirst cannot be quenched with real water. In Dream state, we project the dream
objects, which are as real as any worldly objects.

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Direct perception of Self (Adhyatam) from Vedas perspective
All living beings, consciously or unconsciously, are trying to get rid of pain or suffering. Throughout the life,
we keep running after pleasure, but are unable to attain the true bliss. If we examine deeply, we will realize
that all pleasures are pain underneath - which means that pain is attached to all phases of the pleasure i.e.
attainment, safeguard, consumption, destruction and violence. That's why Indian philosophers have meditated
on the following four basic questions What should be eradicated? What is the source of pain? What is that
state, where there is no pain? How to achieve the state, where there is no pain? If we try to analyze these
questions, the following four facts will be revealed Who is feeling pain? What is its true-nature (Dharma)? If
suffering is true-nature, then we should not like to avoid it. This means that there is an element (Tattava),
whose true-nature is not pain, and that is known as consciousness (Pursha). Second element, which is opposite
to consciousness known as matter (Prakriti), whose true-nature is pain. Matter is ever changing and inert. We
dont like the pain, but we experience it. This means there is an amalgamation (union, emulsion, fusion or
interplay) of consciousness and matter. In the process of amalgamation, Consciousness gets identified with
matter, which is the source of the pain. This establishes the presence of third element, which is responsible for
above amalgamation between consciousness and matter. This is known as Pure Consciousness (known as
Shudh Chetan Tattava, Pramatama, Pra-Bhram), which is omnipresent. Only omnipresent element can be
omniscient, controller and owner of the amalgamation. Now we have answers to all the four questions Q.
What should be eradicated? A. Pain, which is due in the future. Q. What is the source of pain? A.
Consciousness and matters union, which is based upon wrong-knowledge (Avidya), where consciousness gets
identified with matter. Q. What is that state, where there is no pain? A. Having no wrong-knowledge. Q. How
to achieve the above state? A. Through right-knowledge (Vivek-Khyati) i.e. consciousness is separate from
matter.

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What is Ego (Spiritualy)
Whole is pure existence, consciousness and bliss. Whole is complete, one, beyond, infinite, omnipresent,
omniscient, owner and controller. Process of unfolding or emulsion (consciousness and matter) starts when
dormant-ego becomes active, which with the help of wrong-knowledge metaphorically demarcates a fraction
from the Whole. This gives rise to I and Mine, which tries to expand in a wrong direction i.e. externally, to
complete itself. From Whole, the apparent-fragmentation, inherits the ability to-know, to-desire and to-act.
Knowledge in apparent-fragmentation creates incompleteness and desire to attain, which finally leads to
act to complete the incompleteness. Since this incompleteness can never be completed externally, the
know/desire/act vicious circle never comes to an end. At the same time, the experience after an act gets
categorized as good or bad. A good and bad experience defines likes and dislikes pattern, which gives
happiness or sadness respectively. Then apparent-fragmentation tries to ensure that likes should be repeated
and dislikes should be avoided at all cost. Any obstruction on the way is dealt with anger and violence. Anger
and violence further leads to misery. Happiness is less sadness and sadness is less happiness. Happiness
emerges, stays and merges back on the substratum of sadness and vice versa. Happiness and sadness are two
sides of the same coin. Happiness and sadness are distorted and impure version of bliss and non-bliss
respectively. In fact to attain pleasure or happiness, one has to go through the series of pain such as efforts
involved in attainment of an object, safeguard the attained object, pain after the object life cycle is over and
violence involved in the above process. Therefore apparent happiness is sadness. Apparent-fragmentation
infected by ego, directly or indirectly, tries to attain eternal existence, consciousness and bliss externally,
which is not possible, because they all belong to Whole. When this is understood fully, then the process of
folding back starts - ego becomes dormant and it merges back in the Whole, which is pure existence,
consciousness and bliss.

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What is God as per Veda
Om Form Nature To be worshiped Worshipper Level of worshipper's Consciousness Attribute Body/Kosha A-
kara Gross Bhrama the creator Virat is the owner and controller of Collective Consciousness + gross inert
nature Vishav is individual Consciousness + gross inert body Wake, where worshipper is enjoyer and doer
Tamas = non-action, Annmay U-kara Subtle Vishnu the sustainer Hirnyagarbha is the owner and controller of
Collective Consciousness + subtle inert nature Tejas is individual Consciousness + subtle inert body Dream,
where worshipper is enjoyer and non-doer Rajas = action, Pranmay, Manomay, Vigyanmay M-kara Cause
Shiv the re-cycler Ishvara is the owner and controller of Collective Consciousness + causal inert nature Pragya
is individual Consciousness + causal inert body Deep-Sleep, where worshipper is neither enjoyer nor doer, but
suspended ego Sattav = Light, Anandmay Stop, Source Parmatama or Bhram Parmatama or Bhram is the
owner and controller of all above Atma 4th stage where worshipper is neither enjoyer nor doer and dorment
ego Without attributes, Atma

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Atma, physical body and mind
Atma (Soul) is apparently clad in three bodies and enjoys three corresponding states. The physiological system
of my body is called Sthula-Deha (Physical Body). The Vital, Psychic, and Intellectual system of my body is
called the Sukshma-Deha (Subtle Body). The Blissful Consciousness, the awareness principle is called the
Karana-Deha (Causal Body). Bhasmi-bhutasya dehasya punaragamanam kutah rnam krtva ghrtam pibet
yavad jivet sukham jivet Meaning- once your present physical body is burnt to ashes there is no question of
coming back, so long as you live, live happily, incur debt and relish ghee. - in other words they encourage
Svechachara path of one's own will which is close to selfish and self-centered nature.there is no mind or soul
independent of the body, the body is all, after the death of the body there is nothing else since the body is all...
They are logically correct as they are talking only of the Sthula-deha (Physical body) but what happens to the
Sukshma-deha (Subtle body) also called Astral body. Our Subtle body which consists of our mind and intellect
has the impressions of our unfulfilled ambitions and untold desires at the time of death in our previous birth.
To fulfill those ambitions and desire a new body is required in the subsequent life. Let us try to know what
happens to the three bodies at the time of death? At death the Physical body is either buried or consigned to
flames at cemetery but the Subtle body is airborne and it travels astral after physical death. It experiences the
requital and is full of remorse recalling the events that had happened in the life span at that period. Subtle body
does have thirst and hunger though it does not have physical senses to project those sensations. Hence Hindus
believe in offering pinda (rice balls) to the departed soul, the subtle body by merely looking at the offerings
gets sated. Causal body does not travel anywhere as it is it is the Mula Garbha (Original Embryo) or the source
of the body often related as Paramjyothi (Light of Paramatma). It is the puddle into which Physical body and
Subtle body merge in death and emerge out again at birth. It is more important to know the connection
between the three bodies. Subtle body is not an essential matter, but happens to be existent due to Vasanas
(Tendencies) and Samskaras (Impressions) that are stuck to it over the period of many births. Let us suppose
there is a mirror and I place it before the sun, if the sun ray is incident ray a reflected sunlight falls on the wall
towards which I hold the mirror. What is the cause for the reflected ray? Is it not the lead behind the mirror?
That lead is what I presume to be the Vasanas (Tendencies) and Samskaras (Impressions) that are stuck over
the past births on the Subtle body which was at the beginning a crystal clear glass plane. It is the lead behind
the clear glass plane which makes it behave like a mirror. If the Subtle body is non existent then there is no
requirement of yet another Physical Body after the fall of the existing one. Therefore Vasanas and Samskaras
are the reasons for Punarapi jananam punarapi maranam, Punarapi janani jatare sayanam- Again and again we
are born, again and again we die, thus again and again we sleeps in the mothers womb.Mind has to be free
from tendencies and impressions it has to survive on present alone. Once this happen Atma which was clad
with the three bodies get merge with Supreme Soul and annihilating the cycles of birth and death.