Introduction to prakruti

Prakruti is exclusive concept from Ayurveda science. It dictates the resultant output of morphological
appearance of the body, its functional output and mental set up or behavioral pattern. It means mind
contributes one third of the total characteristics of prakruti.

Chief directives of prakruti are dosha. Type of prakruti is decided at the time of union of sperm and
ovum with jeevatma. It evolves and gets expressed on body as differentiation of zygote takes place and
becomes a decisive factor of individuals phenotype.

Introduction to mind

Mind, in Ayurvedic view point is one of nive dravya. Dravya is matter. In Charaka-Samhita Sutrasthana
the list to elementary nine matters is given in verse 1.48. Matter is an entity bearing qualities and doing
functions. Mind has to, and does satisfy this definition. It does bear qualities and is bestowed with very
important functions.

He who knows the receptacle (Ayatana) verily becomes the receptacle of his people. Mind is verily the
receptacle (of all our knowledge).. (Chhandogya Upanishad, V-i-5)

That which separates you from God is mind. The wall that stands between you and God is mind. Pull the
wall down through Om-Chintana or devotion and you will come face to face with God.

Concept of mind do vary in western thoughts and eastern belief. Veda knowledge defines mind as
instrument to handle bi-way communication between dnyanendriya (sense organs) and karmendriya
(organ for action/function). Intellect or buddhi is defined as ‘entity that takes final decision’.

Whereas western scholars think about mind as:

Mind is the aspect of intellect and consciousness experienced as combinations of thought,

perception, memory, emotion, will, and imagination, including all unconscious cognitive
processes. The term is often used to refer, by implication, to the thought processes of reason.
Mind manifests itself subjectively as a stream of consciousness.

They bring mind and intellect together in a merged state in contrast to the vedic proposal of
mind.

Ayurveda adopted Samkhya philosophy for evolution of mind in living body. In Sankhya
philosophy, Mahat is the term used to denote .cosmic mind. or .universal mind. It is the first
principle that is derived from Avyakta. It is the first principle that is manifested out of the
unmanifested Avyakta. The wheel of the bullock-cart rests on the spokes. The spokes rest on
the nave. Even so, the mind rests on Prakriti and Prakriti rests on Brahman. From Mahat comes
Ahankara. From Sattvic Ahankara comes mind; from Rajasic Ahankara comes Prana; from
Tamasic Ahankara, Tanmatras; from Tanmatras, gross elements; from gross elements, the gross
universe. Mind is no other than Ahankara, the idea of .I.. It is, indeed, difficult to eschew this
idea of .I.. Mind always attaches itself to something objective (Sthula). It cannot stand by itself.
It is only this mind that asserts itself as .I. in this body. The idea of .I. is the seed of the tree of
mind. The sprout which first springs up from this seed of Ahankara is Buddhi. From this sprout,
the ramifying branches called Sankalpas have their origin.

Ayurvedic concept of mind

 Entity, which makes a person knowledgeable, is Mann or mind.

 It originates in intra-uterine month, in 3rd month.
 Mind is tool for sense organs to perceive; hence it is called ‘ateendriya’. It is called
‘satva’ also. Cheta is one of the synonyms of mind. Mechanisms of sense organs are
complete with mind correlating soul and perception of sense organs.
 Even if every individual lodges only one mind, it takes up all colors and shades of work
and emotions. It is wondered therefore, whether there is more that one mind. Verses in
Ayurveda compendia strongly postulate theory of only one mind with various kinds of
presentations.
 It is tool for both, sense organs as well as organs of functions
 It is considered as both; sense organ as well as organ of function. Hence it is eleventh
indriya.
 Mind is not visible. Then how to perceive it?

Any kind of perception and functioning of sensory or motor organs is indicative of

presence of mind. Without mind executing as a mediator between external as well as
internal environment, soul does not acquire any perception. Ayurved science strongly
proposes mind as chief convener of all external and internal stimuli to body and a
mediator for motor reactions to all these stimuli. If mann is not doing its duty, nothing is
perceived.

Ayurveda forwards a tool to recognize presence or absence of mind by ability to ‘know’

things. If you are able to grasp things, gain knowledge of any kind, your mind is working.
it’s working status indicates its presence.

Let us take example of student reading this book. ‘Knowledge’ offered in

this book is ‘subject’ for the student. He is going to read it with his ‘eyes’ hence his
‘eyes’ are his ‘sense organs’. If his mind is roaming somewhere away from book, keeping
his eyes on book, he may ‘see’ the lines on the book, yet he may not ‘understand’ what
he is reading. This means sense organs are functioning all right, path to brain centers is
all right but due to deviation of mind he is unable to ‘understand’ what he is reading.

This ‘understanding’ and ‘not-understanding’ is characteristic for presence or absence

of mind.
Genetic effect is observed in intra-uterine life as well as extra-uterine life.

Ayurvedic genetics proposes that six factors are responsible for making genetic
configuration of an individual. They are – mata, pita, atma, rasa, satva, and satmya. Satva is
synonym for mann or mind. When exposed to environmental factors in intra-uterine life;
this configuration somewhat moulds and final phynotype is decided.

Considering all above references, following statements can be forwarded in context to

relation between genetics, prakruti and mind:

 A core mind (factor satvaja) is born by an individual, which is unaltered through out
the life and remains constant till death.

 A circumstancial mind is evolved after the conception takes place and this remains
flexible. It moulds, alters and changes its reciprocation as per the situations and
state of affairs.

 Both types of mind together make one third of expressions of prakruti

 Such is the case of prakruti – a constant range of core characteristics with flexible
features responding the environment.

Being incredibly instable, mind is needed to pin down to body and soul. Its objects are:

 To think practically as well as impractically

 To consider right or wrong with previous experience

 To take judgment about near future that certain thing may happen
 To keep an objective
 To be consistent about certain things
It is needed for day-to-day routine that mind should be able to remain in body, think
appropriately, convey proper knowledge to soul and buddhi should reciprocate properly.
Failure of this sequence anywhere is responsible for generation of mental an physical
diseases. If right and wrong is not thought of; person may eat anything, remain anyhow,
behave in any fashion, and will be at stake health wise.
Entire information catered above offers clue to remain healthy and enjoy the status of well
being.
Following passage will add to the direction for retaining this status:
Vritti of mind is status in which it remains.
Vrittis have been classified into five kinds: (1) Mano-Vritti, (2) Buddhi Vritti, (3) Sakshi
Vritti, (4) Akhandakara Vritti and (5) Akhanda Ekarasa Vritti.
(1) Mano-Vritti belongs to the instinctive mind. Nos. 2, 3, 4 and 5 belong to the Sattvic mind.
Mano-Vritti is the Vishayakara Vritti of
 worldlings. Buddhi Vritti belongs to Vivekins. When you identify yourself with the Sakshi
Vritti,
you can witness the modifications of the mind. When you try to feel that you are the Infinite
Self,
the Akhandakara Vritti is generated. It is also known as Brahmakara Vritti. There is no Vritti
in
Brahman.
From Mano-Vritti, you must jump to Viveka Vritti. Mano-Vritti concerns Manomaya
Kosha. Viveka Vritti belongs to Vijnanamaya Kosha. By developing the Vijnanamaya Kosha,
Mano-Vrittis are conquered. From Viveka Vritti, you must jump to Sakshi Vritti. From Sakshi
Vritti, you must jump to Akhandakara Vritti. From Akhandakara Vritti, you must jump to
Akhanda
Ekarasa which is Brahma Svarupa. This is Kaivalya or final goal of life.
ANTARMUKHA VRITTI AND BAHIRMUKHA VRITTI
When the outgoing tendencies of the mind are arrested, when the mind is retained within
the
heart, when all its attention is turned on itself alone, that condition is Antarmukha Vritti.
The
Antarmukha Vritti is the indrawing energy of the mind owing to increase in Sattva. The
Sadhaka
can do a lot of Sadhana when he has this inward Vritti.
The Bahirmukha Vritti is the outgoing tendency of the mind due to Rajas. When the vision
is turned outward, the rush of fleeting events engages the mind. The outgoing energies of
the mind
begin to play. Further, on account of force of habit, the ears and eyes at once run towards
sound and
sight. Objects and desire are externalising forces. A Rajasic man full of desires can never
dream of
an inner spiritual life with Antarmukha Vritti. He is absolutely unfit for the practice of
introspection.
You will get Antarmukha Vritti (inward-moving mind) only after you have destroyed all the
externalising powers of the mind. Vairagya and introspection help a lot in the attainment of
this
mental state. You must starve the mind by Vairagya and Tyaga (renunciation of desires,
objects and

THE MIND.A MYSTERY

The vast majority of men know not the existence of the mind and its operations. Even the
so-called educated persons know very little of the mind subjectively or of its nature and operations.

They have only heard of a mind.

Ayurvedic view point of mind differs a lot from modern

Wellness of mind –

What is wellness and what is mind?

Well ness is feeling of being well; giving pleasure and contented sensation to individual. Physical and
mental wellness offer health.

Mind is the aspect of intellect and consciousness experienced as combinations of thought,

perception, memory, emotion, will, and imagination, including all unconscious cognitive
processes. The term is often used to refer, by implication, to the thought processes of reason.
Mind manifests itself subjectively as a stream of consciousness.

Theories of mind and its function are numerous. Earliest recorded speculations are from the likes
of Zoroaster, the Buddha, Plato, Aristotle, Adi Shankara and other ancient Greek, Indian and,
later, Islamic philosophers. Pre-scientific theories grounded in theology concentrated on the
supposed relationship between the mind and the soul, a human's supernatural, divine or god-
given essence.

Which attributes make up the mind is much debated. Some psychologists argue that only the
higher intellectual functions constitute mind, particularly reason and memory. In this view the
emotions—love, hate, fear, joy—are more primitive or subjective in nature and should be seen as
different from the mind as such. Others argue that various rational and emotional states cannot be
so separated, that they are of the same nature and origin, and should therefore be considered all
part of what we call the mind.

In popular usage mind is frequently synonymous with thought: the private conversation with
ourselves that we carry on "inside our heads." Thus we "make up our minds," "change our
minds" or are "of two minds" about something. One of the key attributes of the mind in this
sense is that it is a private sphere to which no one but the owner has access. No one else can
"know our mind." They can only interpret what we consciously or unconsciously communicate.

The original meaning of Old English gemynd was the faculty of memory, not of thought in
general. Hence call to mind, come to mind, keep in mind, to have mind of, etc. Old English had
other words to express "mind", such as hyge "mind, spirit".

The generalization of mind to include all mental faculties, thought, volition, feeling and memory,
gradually develops over the 14th and 15th centuries.[1]
The meaning of "memory" is shared with Old Norse, which has munr. The word is originally
from a PIE verbal root *men-, meaning "to think, remember", whence also Latin mens "mind",
Sanskrit manas "mind" and Greek μένος "mind, courage, anger".

Thought is a mental process which allows individuals to model the world, and so to deal with it
effectively according to their goals, plans, ends and desires. Words referring to similar concepts
and processes include cognition, idea, and imagination. Thinking involves the cerebral
manipulation of information, as when we form concepts, engage in problem solving, reasoning
and making decisions. Thinking is a higher cognitive function and the analysis of thinking
processes is part of cognitive psychology.

Memory is an organism's ability to store, retain, and subsequently recall information. Although
traditional studies of memory began in the realms of philosophy, the late nineteenth and early
twentieth century put memory within the paradigms of cognitive psychology. In recent decades,
it has become one of the principal pillars of a new branch of science called cognitive
neuroscience, a marriage between cognitive psychology and neuroscience.

Imagination is the ability to generate mental representations of objects or experiences, and is

based on internal goals or processes rather than perceptual stimulation by the current
environment. The term is technically used in psychology for the process of reviving in the mind
percepts of objects formerly given in sense perception. Since this use of the term conflicts with
that of ordinary language, some psychologists have preferred to describe this process as
"imaging" or "imagery" or to speak of it as "reproductive" as opposed to "productive" or
"constructive" imagination. Imagined images are seen with the "mind's eye". Among the many
useful applications of imagination is the ability to simulate possible futures, and make decisions
that maximize imagined future benefits.

Consciousness in mammals (this includes humans) is an aspect of the mind generally thought to
comprise qualities such as subjectivity, sentience, and the ability to perceive the relationship
between oneself and one's environment. It is a subject of much research in philosophy of mind,
psychology, neuroscience, and cognitive science. Some philosophers divide consciousness into
phenomenal consciousness, which is subjective experience itself, and access consciousness,
which refers to the global availability of information to processing systems in the brain.[2]
Phenomenal consciousness has many different experienced qualities, often referred to as qualia.
Phenomenal consciousness is usually consciousness of something or about something, a property
known as intentionality in philosophy of mind.

[edit] Brain and mind

See also: Cognitive science

In animals, the brain, or encephalon (Greek for "in the head"), is the control center of the central
nervous system, responsible for thought. In most animals, the brain is located in the head,
protected by the skull and close to the primary sensory apparatus of vision, hearing,
equilibrioception, taste and olfaction. While all vertebrates have a brain, most invertebrates have
either a centralized brain or collections of individual ganglia. Primitive animals such as sponges
do not have a brain at all. Brains can be extremely complex. For example, the human brain
contains more than 100 billion neurons, each linked to as many as 10,000 others[citation needed].

Understanding the relationship between the brain and the mind — mind-body problem is one of
the central issues in the history of philosophy — is a challenging problem both philosophically
and scientifically.[3] There are three major philoosphical schools of thought concerning the
answer: dualism, materialism, and idealism. Dualism holds that the mind exists independently of
the brain;[4] materialism holds that mental phenomena are identical to neuronal phenomena;[5] and
idealism holds that only mental phenomena exist.[5]

The most straightforward scientific evidence that there is a strong relationship between the
physical brain matter and the mind is the impact physical alterations to the brain have on the
mind, such as with traumatic brain injury and psychoactive drug use.[6]

In addition to the philosophical questions, the relationship between mind and brain involves a
high number of scientific questions, including understanding the relationship between mental
activity and brain activity, the exact mechanisms by which drugs influence cognition, and the
neural correlates of consciousness.

Through most of history many philosophers found it inconceivable that cognition could be
implemented by a physical substance such as brain tissue (that is neurons and synapses).[7]
Philosophers such as Patricia Churchland posit that the drug-mind interaction is indicative of an
intimate connection between the brain and the mind, not that the two are the same entity.[8]
Descartes, who thought extensively about mind-brain relationships, found it possible to explain
reflexes and other simple behaviors in mechanistic terms, although he did not believe that
complex thought, and language in particular, could be explained by reference to the physical
brain alone.[9]

[edit] Philosophy of mind

See also: Philosophy of mind

Philosophy of mind is the branch of philosophy that studies the nature of the mind, mental
events, mental functions, mental properties, consciousness and their relationship to the physical
body. The mind-body problem, i.e. the relationship of the mind to the body, is commonly seen as
the central issue in philosophy of mind, although there are other issues concerning the nature of
the mind that do not involve its relation to the physical body.[10]
"Aristotelian thought has permeated most Occidental philosophical system until modern times,
and the classification of man's function as vegetative, sensitive, and rational is still useful. In
present popular usage, soul and mind are not clearly differentiated and some people, more or less
consciously, still feel that the soul, and perhaps the mind are not clearly differentiated and some
people, more or less consciously, still feel that the soul, and perhaps the mind, may enter or leave
the body as independent entities. "- Jose M.R. Delgado [11]

Dualism and monism are the two major schools of thought that attempt to resolve the mind-body
problem. Dualism is the position that mind and body are in some way separate from each other.
It can be traced back to Plato,[12] Aristotle[13][14][15] and the Samkhya and Yoga schools of Hindu
philosophy,[16] but it was most precisely formulated by René Descartes in the 17th century.[17]
Substance dualists argue that the mind is an independently existing substance, whereas Property
dualists maintain that the mind is a group of independent properties that emerge from and cannot
be reduced to the brain, but that it is not a distinct substance.[18]

Monism is the position that mind and body are not physiologically and ontologically distinct
kinds of entities. This view was first advocated in Western Philosophy by Parmenides in the 5th
Century BC and was later espoused by the 17th Century rationalist Baruch Spinoza.[19]
According to Spinoza's dual-aspect theory, mind and body are two aspects of an underlying
reality which he variously described as "Nature" or "God". Physicalists argue that only the
entities postulated by physical theory exist, and that the mind will eventually be explained in
terms of these entities as physical theory continues to evolve. Idealists maintain that the mind is
all that exists and that the external world is either mental itself, or an illusion created by the
mind. Neutral monists adhere to the position that perceived things in the world can be regarded
as either physical or mental depending on whether one is interested in their relationship to other
things in the world or their relationship to the perceiver. For example, a red spot on a wall is
physical in its dependence on the wall and the pigment of which it is made, but it is mental in so
far as its perceived redness depends on the workings of the visual system. Unlike dual-aspect
theory, neutral monism does not posit a more fundamental substance of which mind and body are
aspects. The most common monisms in the 20th and 21st centuries have all been variations of
physicalism; these positions include behaviorism, the type identity theory, anomalous monism
and functionalism.[20]

Many modern philosophers of mind adopt either a reductive or non-reductive physicalist

position, maintaining in their different ways that the mind is not something separate from the
body.[20] These approaches have been particularly influential in the sciences, particularly in the
fields of sociobiology, computer science, evolutionary psychology and the various
neurosciences.[21][22][23][24] Other philosophers, however, adopt a non-physicalist position which
challenges the notion that the mind is a purely physical construct. Reductive physicalists assert
that all mental states and properties will eventually be explained by scientific accounts of
physiological processes and states.[25][26][27] Non-reductive physicalists argue that although the
brain is all there is to the mind, the predicates and vocabulary used in mental descriptions and
explanations are indispensable, and cannot be reduced to the language and lower-level
explanations of physical science.[28][29] Continued neuroscientific progress has helped to clarify
some of these issues. However, they are far from having been resolved, and modern philosophers
of mind continue to ask how the subjective qualities and the intentionality (aboutness) of mental
states and properties can be explained in naturalistic terms.[30][31]

[edit] Science of mind

[edit] Psychology

See also: Sigmund Freud, Carl Jung, and Unconscious mind

Psychology is the scientific study of human behaviour, mental functioning, and experience;
noology, the study of thought. As both an academic and applied discipline, Psychology involves
the scientific study of mental processes such as perception, cognition, emotion, personality, as
well as environmental influences, such as social and cultural influences, and interpersonal
relationships, in order to devise theories of human behaviour. Psychology also refers to the
application of such knowledge to various spheres of human activity, including problems of
individuals' daily lives and the treatment of mental health problems.

Psychology differs from the other social sciences (e.g., anthropology, economics, political
science, and sociology) due to its focus on experimentation at the scale of the individual, or
individuals in small groups as opposed to large groups, institutions or societies. Historically,
psychology differed from biology and neuroscience in that it was primarily concerned with mind
rather than brain. Modern psychological science incorporates physiological and neurological
processes into its conceptions of perception, cognition, behaviour, and mental disorders.

[edit] Evolutionary psychology

Evolutionary psychology (EP) is an approach within psychology that examines psychological

traits — such as memory, perception, or language — from a Darwinian evolutionary perspective.
It seeks to explain how many human psychological traits are evolved adaptations, that is, the
functional products of natural selection or sexual selection. Adaptationist thinking about
physiological mechanisms, such as the heart, lungs, and immune system, is common in
evolutionary biology. Evolutionary psychology applies the same thinking to psychology.

Evolutionary psychologists argue that much of human behavior is originates as psychological

adaptations that evolved to solve recurrent problems in human ancestral environments.[32]

Further information: Evolutionary neuroscience, Konrad Lorentz, E O Wilson, The Adapted

Mind, and Steven Pinker

[edit] Evolutionary history of the human mind

The evolution of human intelligence refers to a set of theories that attempt to explain how human
intelligence has evolved. The question is closely tied to the evolution of the human brain, and to
the emergence of human language.

The timeline of human evolution spans some 7 million years, from the separation of the Pan
genus until the emergence of behavioral modernity by 50,000 years ago. Of this timeline, the
first 3 million years concern Sahelanthropus, the following 2 million concern Australopithecus,
while the final 2 million span the history of actual human species (the Paleolithic).

Many traits of human intelligence, such as empathy, theory of mind, mourning, ritual, and the
use of symbols and tools, are already apparent in great apes although in lesser sophistication than
in humans.
There is a debate between supporters of the idea of a sudden emergence of intelligence, or "Great
leap forward" and those of a gradual or continuum hypothesis.

Theories of the evolution of intelligence include:

 Robin Dunbar's social brain hypothesis[33]

 Geoffrey Miller's sexual selection hypothesis[34]
 The ecological dominance-social competition (EDSC) [35] explained by Mark V. Flinn,
David C. Geary and Carol V. Ward based mainly on work by Richard D. Alexander.
 The idea Intelligence as a signal opf good health and resistance to disease.
 The Group selection theory contends that organism characteristics that provide benefits to
a group (clan, tribe, or larger population) can evolve despite individual disadvantages
such as those cited above.
 The idea that intelligence is connected with nutrition, and thereby with status[36] A higher
IQ could be a signal that an individual comes from and lives in a physical and social
environment where nutrition levels are high, and vice versa.

[edit] Mental health

Main article: Mental health

By analogy with the health of the body, one can speak metaphorically of a state of health of the
mind, or mental health. Merriam-Webster defines mental health as "A state of emotional and
psychological well-being in which an individual is able to use his or her cognitive and emotional
capabilities, function in society, and meet the ordinary demands of everyday life." According to
the World Health Organization (WHO), there is no one "official" definition of mental health.
Cultural differences, subjective assessments, and competing professional theories all affect how
"mental health" is defined. In general, most experts agree that "mental health" and "mental
illness" are not opposites. In other words, the absence of a recognized mental disorder is not
necessarily an indicator of mental health.

One way to think about mental health is by looking at how effectively and successfully a person
functions. Feeling capable and competent; being able to handle normal levels of stress,
maintaining satisfying relationships, and leading an independent life; and being able to "bounce
back," or recover from difficult situations, are all signs of mental health.

Psychotherapy is an interpersonal, relational intervention used by trained psychotherapists to aid

clients in problems of living. This usually includes increasing individual sense of well-being and
reducing subjective discomforting experience. Psychotherapists employ a range of techniques
based on experiential relationship building, dialogue, communication and behavior change and
that are designed to improve the mental health of a client or patient, or to improve group
relationships (such as in a family). Most forms of psychotherapy use only spoken conversation,
though some also use various other forms of communication such as the written word, art,
drama, narrative story, or therapeutic touch. Psychotherapy occurs within a structured encounter
between a trained therapist and client(s). Purposeful, theoretically based psychotherapy began in
the 19th century with psychoanalysis; since then, scores of other approaches have been
developed and continue to be created.

[edit] Animal intelligence

Animal cognition, or cognitive ethology, is the title given to a modern approach to the mental
capacities of animals. It has developed out of comparative psychology, but has also been strongly
influenced by the approach of ethology, behavioral ecology, and evolutionary psychology. Much
of what used to be considered under the title of animal intelligence is now thought of under this
heading. Animal language acquisition, attempting to discern or understand the degree to which
animal cognition can be revealed by linguistics-related study, has been controversial among
cognitive linguists.

[edit] Artificial intelligence

This section needs additional citations for verification.
Please help improve this article by adding reliable references. Unsourced material may be challenged and
removed. (September 2007)
Main article: Philosophy of artificial intelligence

In 1950 Alan M. Turing published "Computing machinery and intelligence" in Mind, in which he
proposed that machines could be tested for intelligence using questions and answers. This
process is now named the Turing Test. The term Artificial Intelligence (AI) was first used by
John McCarthy who considers it to mean "the science and engineering of making intelligent
machines".[37] It can also refer to intelligence as exhibited by an artificial (man-made, non-
natural, manufactured) entity. AI is studied in overlapping fields of computer science,
psychology, neuroscience and engineering, dealing with intelligent behavior, learning and
adaptation and usually developed using customized machines or computers.

Research in AI is concerned with producing machines to automate tasks requiring intelligent

behavior. Examples include control, planning and scheduling, the ability to answer diagnostic
and consumer questions, handwriting, natural language, speech and facial recognition. As such,
the study of AI has also become an engineering discipline, focused on providing solutions to real
life problems, knowledge mining, software applications, strategy games like computer chess and
other video games. One of the biggest difficulties with AI is that of comprehension. Many
devices have been created that can do amazing things, but critics of AI claim that no actual
comprehension by the AI machine has taken place.

The debate about the nature of the mind is relevant to the development of artificial intelligence.
If the mind is indeed a thing separate from or higher than the functioning of the brain, then
hypothetically it would be much more difficult to recreate within a machine, if it were possible at
all. If, on the other hand, the mind is no more than the aggregated functions of the brain, then it
will be possible to create a machine with a recognisable mind (though possibly only with
computers much different from today's), by simple virtue of the fact that such a machine already
exists in the form of the human brain.
[edit] Religious perspectives
Various religious traditions have contributed unique perspectives on the nature of mind. In many
traditions, especially mystical traditions, overcoming the ego is considered a worthy spiritual
goal.

Judaism teaches that "moach shalit al halev", the mind rules the heart. Humans can approach the
Divine intellectually, through learning and behaving according to the Divine Will as enclothed in
the Torah, and use that deep logical understanding to elicit and guide emotional arousal during
prayer. Christianity has tended to see the mind as distinct from the soul (Greek nous) and
sometimes further distinguished from the spirit. Western esoteric traditions sometimes refer to a
mental body that exists on a plane other than the physical.

Hinduism's various philosophical schools have debated whether the human soul (Sanskrit atman)
is distinct from, or identical to, Brahman, the divine reality.

Buddhism posits that there is actually no distinct thing as a human being, who merely consists of
five aggregates, or skandhas. According to Buddhist philosopher Dharmakirti, mind is defined as
"that which is clarity and cognizes"—where 'clarity' refers to the formless nature of the mind and
'cognizes' to the function of mind, namely that every mind must cognize an object.[38] The Indian
philosopher-sage Sri Aurobindo attempted to unite the Eastern and Western psychological
traditions with his integral psychology, as have many philosophers and New religious
movements.

Taoism sees the human being as contiguous with natural forces, and the mind as not separate
from the body. Confucianism sees the mind, like the body, as inherently perfectible.

See also: Buddhism and psychology

[edit] Other perspectives

[edit] Parapsychology

Parapsychology is the scientific study of certain types of paranormal phenomena, or of

phenomena which appear to be paranormal.,[39] for instance precognition, telekinesis and
telepathy. The term is based on the Greek para (beside/beyond), psyche (soul/mind), and logos
(account/explanation) and was coined by psychologist Max Dessoir in or before 1889.[40] J. B.
Rhine later popularized "parapsychology" as a replacement for the earlier term "psychical
research", during a shift in methodologies which brought experimental methods to the study of
psychic phenomena.[40] Parapsychology is controversial, with many scientists believing that
psychic abilities have not been demonstrated to exist.[41][42][43][44][45] The status of parapsychology
as a science has also been disputed,[46] with many scientists regarding the discipline as
pseudoscience.[47][48][49]

[edit] Memetics
Memetics is a theory of mental content based on an analogy with Darwinian evolution, which
was originated by Richard Dawkins and Douglas Hofstadter in the 1980s. It purports to be an
approach to evolutionary models of cultural information transfer. A meme, analogous to a gene,
is an idea, belief, pattern of behaviour (etc.) which is "hosted" in one or more individual minds,
and which can reproduce itself from mind to mind. Thus what would otherwise be regarded as
one individual influencing another to adopt a belief is seen memetically as a meme reproducing
itself. As with genetics, particularly under Dawkins's interpretation, a meme's success may be
due its contribution to the effectiveness of its host (i.e., a the meme is a useful, beneficial idea),
or may be "selfish", in which case it could be considered a "virus of the mind".

Definitions of mind on the Web:

 that which is responsible for one's thoughts and feelings; the seat of the faculty of reason;
"his mind wandered"; "I couldn't get his words out of my head"
 be offended or bothered by; take offense with, be bothered by; "I don't mind your
behavior"
 recall or remembrance; "it came to mind"
 be concerned with or about something or somebody
 judgment: an opinion formed by judging something; "he was reluctant to make his
judgment known"; "she changed her mind"
 take care: be in charge of or deal with; "She takes care of all the necessary arrangements"
 thinker: an important intellectual; "the great minds of the 17th century"
 heed: pay close attention to; give heed to; "Heed the advice of the old men"
 attention; "don't pay him any mind"
 beware: be on one's guard; be cautious or wary about; be alert to; "Beware of telephone
salesmen"
 your intention; what you intend to do; "he had in mind to see his old teacher"; "the idea of
the game is to capture all the pieces"
 keep in mind
 knowledge and intellectual ability; "he reads to improve his mind"; "he has a keen
intellect"
wordnetweb.princeton.edu/perl/webwn
 Mind is the aspect of intellect and consciousness experienced as combinations of thought,
perception, memory, emotion, will and imagination, including all unconscious cognitive
processes. The term is often used to refer, by implication, to the thought processes of
reason. ...
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mind
 MIND (Moving In New Directions) (est. 1975) is an alternative education high school in
Montreal, Quebec, Canada. ...
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/MIND

INTRODUCTION

Understanding the functioning of our mind forms the basis of Buddhist philosophy and practice;
as the first verse of the Dhammapada (quotations from the Buddha) states:
 "All things are preceded by the mind, led by the mind, created by the mind."

Similarly, in the Abidharma (the earliest attempt at a systematic representation of Buddhist

philosophy and psychology), the world is regarded as a phenomena originating in the mind.

Mind is defined in Buddhism as a non-physical phenomenon which perceives, thinks,

recognises, experiences and reacts to the environment.
The mind is described as having two main aspects: clarity and knowing; meaning that the mind is
clear, formless and allows for objects to arise in it, and that the mind is knowing, an awareness, a
consciousness which can engage with objects.

"What is the mind? It is a phenonmenon that is not body, not substantial, has no form, no shape,
no color, but, like a mirror, can clearly reflect objects."
Lama Zopa Rinpoche

The two main types of mind are explained as the conceptual and the non-conceptual. The
conceptual is the "normal" mind aspect we use to survive in daily life, but is ultimately mistaken
about the way in which reality exists. The non-conceptual type of mind is also called the Buddha
nature, rigpa (Tib.), fundamental pure nature of mind which realises emptiness (see the page on
Wisdom).
Study and training the mind in wisdom uses the conceptual mind, like preparing the mind before
the underlying non-conceptual Buddha-nature of the mind can appear.

In Buddhist psychology, much emphasis is given to the so-called delusions, which we need to
diminish and ultimately even eliminate for spiritual progress.

An over 1800 year old 'one-liner' by Nagarjuna:

"Without the discipline of guarding the mind, what use are any other disciplines?"

Ayya Khema:

"In Pali, heart and mind are one word (citta), but in English we have to differentiate between the
two to make the meaning clear.
When we attend to the mind, we are concerned with the thinking process and the intellectual
understanding that derives from knowledge, and with our ability to retain knowledge and make
use of it.
When we speak of "heart" we think of feelings and emotions, our ability to respond with our
fundamental being.
Although we may believe that we are leading our lives according to our thinking process, that is
not the case. If we examine this more closely, we will find that we are leading our lives
according to our feelings and that our thinking is dependent upon our feelings. The emotional
aspect of ourselves is of such great importance that its purification is the basis for a harmonious
and peaceful life, and also for good meditation."
For more information on counteracting these delusions, like anger and attachment, see the pages
on delusions.

THE AGGREGATES

A 'person' can be described as a number of phenomena into a single working unit. In Western
philosophy, one usually refers to Body, Mind and (sometimes) Soul or Spirit. In Buddhism, the
Five Aggregates (Skandhas in Skt.) are used to analyse a person. Please note that the
terminology can be confusing, as e.g. the term 'Feeling' refers to something very specific here: :

1. Form (rupa Skt.) - the body

2. Primary Consciousness (vijnana in Skt.) - Awareness, experience, in the sense that the
presence of consciousness together with the sense organ and the object of the sense organ
produces a sense experience or awareness.
3. Perception (samjna Skt.) - the five sense consciousnesses (smell, touch, taste, seeing and
hearing) and mental consciousness, in other words, direct perception. Perception also refers to
the activity of recognition, or identification, such as attaching a name to an object of experience.
It includes the formulation of a concept about a particular object.
4. Feeling (vedana in Skt.) - this refers only to the mental separation of perceptions into pleasant,
unpleasant and neutral (nothing more).
5. Compositional Factors, Volition (samskara Skt.) - these are all other remaining mental
processes, in general "thoughts".

To begin with, it is interesting to see that four out of five aggregates are concerning the mind,
and they do not directly correspond to the divisions made in Western psychology at all.
Furthermore, the distinctions in Buddhist psychology are made from the point of view of how to
obtain liberation and buddhahood; and certainly not to figure out how 'the brain works'.
Simply said, in Buddhism, the brain is considered a part of the body where many of the
instructions of the mind are led to the other parts of the body, it is not regarded as the 'factory of
thoughts'; thoughts are purely a function of the non-physical mind.

"From contact comes feeling.

From feeling comes reaction.
This is what keeps us in the cycle of birth and death.
Our reactions to our feelings are our passport to rebirth."
Ayya Khema

To use a simple example of how this works, let's say: something touches our hand:

- This is physical contact, and (as we know from Western science) our nerve cells pick up the
movement of the skin, and translate it into energy (more subtle part of the Body).
- This energy is then picked up by Primary Consciousness, which is an aspect of the mind, in
Buddhism, this is actually called the Contact (see below as the 5th. Omnipresent Mental Factor);
the contact between the physical and the mental aspects.
- Next, the mental process of Feeling evaluates the Perception and decides it to be pleasant,
unpleasant or neutral.
- Simultaneously, Perception (Recognition/Discrimination) gets to work in finding out what the
thing is that touches my hand, is it pressure or heat, etc. and is it related to other information;
maybe I see a table near my hand and consider it likely that my hand must be touching the table.
- Based on the Feeling and Discrimination, the mind creates the Compositional Factors/Volition,
which are for example, the reaction to the hand to withdraw if it is unpleasant, an instruction to
the eyes to check what is touching the hand, possibly projections/thoughts like 'it must be this
bothersome fly again' or 'I am touching the table I am walking past' etc.

^Top of Page

THE MIND AS OUR SOFTWARE

To illustrate the Buddhist approach to the mind, let us compare our body and mind to a
computer. In this simile, the body is the hardware and the mind is the software.
As mentioned above, the mind is defined as a non-physical phenomena which perceives, thinks,
recognises, experiences and reacts to the environment, not unlike computer software.
Although software needs to be imprinted or registered in something like the hard-drive before it
can do anything, in itself, a program represents a lot of thinking by the software manufacturer.
Without software (mind), the hardware (body) is just a 'dead thing'. The hardware (body) is of
course important in what the computer can do; how fast it is, which programs can be run, and
how the computer can interact with the world. However good the hardware is, it can ultimately
only perform what the program 'knows'. The hardware can get damaged, or even 'die', and the
software can be moved onto another set of hardware; not unlike rebirth!
The software needs to use the 'senses' of the hardware, like the keyboard, the mousea, a video
camera, a modem etc. to receive 'input'; just like the mind needs the senses the receive the 'input'
of the outside world.

This leads to an important observation: it is easy to recognise that a computer is not 'objective'
about the world; depending on what kind of video camera, microphone or modem we connect it
to, the input will be different. Similarly, our bodily senses cannot really be objective: people's
ears are different, the eyes are different etc., so how can someone ever claim to be an 'objective
observer'? Above and beyond that lies the software; the more advanced this is, the more
'intelligent' it will be able to read the world and determine what is the best thing to do. Similarly,
the more advanced our mind is, the more intelligent and wise we will be, providing we are not
hampered by serious physical problems. As the software actually determines what the hardware
does, so is the mind the master of the body - within the physical limitations of the body. But the
Buddha made it clear that a human body is the best type of available hardware!

There are limits to the development of the hardware; for example, the amount of electrical
circuits on chips is getting larger and larger, but there are physical limits which the developers
encounter. With the software, the limit appears to be much less clear; the first types of computers
behaved with the intelligence of an on/off switch, but already they can beat a grandmaster at
chess and nobody can say where it will end. Similarly, Buddhism teaches that there is no real
limit to the development of our mind, and in fact omniscience is possible. At that stage, all our
normal values and concepts dissolve as limited and non-objective. Buddhism encourages us to
develop the software of our mind to enter into a different state which is beyond limitations,
suffering and problems.

The method to develop our mind is summarised as study and meditation. Initially, we need to
understand how the programs of our mind work and how they can be improved, and then do the
reprogramming in meditation. This is why psychology and meditation are so important.

Below listing of aspects of the mind may appear very dry and boring, but remember, so are
computer manuals...

CLEAR-LIGHT MIND

In Tibetan Buddhism, often the so-called 'clear-light mind' is mentioned. This is the most subtle
level of mind (see also death & rebirth), which we are normally not even aware of. It appears to
the very advanced meditator and during the death process, but in this case, also only advanced
meditators will be able to notice it. It is a non-conceptual, 'primordial' state of mind.

From a talk given by HH Dalai Lama. Oct. 11-14, 1991 New York City. Path of Compassion
teaching preliminary to Kalachakra:
Question: When people hear of luminosity of clear light that dawns at the moment of death they
ask why it is called clear light. What has this got to do with light as we know it?
Dalai Lama:

"I don't think that in the term clear light, light should be taken literally. It is sort of metaphoric.
This could have its roots in our terminology of mental will. According to Buddhism, all
consciousness or all cognitive mental events are said to be in the nature of clarity and luminosity.
So it is from that point of view that the choice of the term light is used. Clear light is the most
subtle level of mind, which can be seen as the basis or the source from which eventual
experience or realisation of Buddhahood, Buddha's wisdom might come about, therefore it is
called clear light. Clear light is a state of mind which becomes fully manifest only as a
consequence of certain sequences or stages of dissolution, where the mind becomes devoid of
certain types of obscurations, which are again metaphorically described in terms of sun-like,
moonlike and darkness. These refer to the earlier three stages of dissolution which are
technically called, including the clear light stage, the four empties. At the final stage of
dissolution the mind is totally free of all these factors of obscuration. Therefore it is called clear
light. Sort of a light. It is also possible to understand the usage of the term clear light in terms of
the nature of mind itself. Mind or consciousness is a phenomena which lacks any obstructive
quality. It is non-obstructed."

A teaching from Venerable Ajahn Chah (Pra Bhodinyana Thera):

"About this mind... In truth there is nothing really wrong with it. It is intrinsically pure. Within
itself it's already peaceful. That the mind is not peaceful these days is because it follows moods.
The real mind doesn't have anything to it, it is simply (an aspect of) Nature. It becomes peaceful
or agitated because moods deceive it. The untrained mind is stupid. Sense impressions come and
trick it into happiness, suffering, gladness and sorrow, but the mind's true nature is none of those
things. That gladness or sadness is not the mind, but only a mood coming to deceive us. The
untrained mind gets lost and follows these things, it forgets itself. Then we think that it is we
who are upset or at ease or whatever.
But really this mind of ours is already unmoving and peaceful... really peaceful! Just like a leaf
which is still as long as no wind blows. If a wind comes up the leaf flutters. The fluttering is due
to the wind -- the 'fluttering' is due to those sense impressions; the mind follows them. If it
doesn't follow them, it doesn't 'flutter.' If we know fully the true nature of sense impressions we
will be unmoved.
Our practice is simply to see the Original Mind. So we must train the mind to know those sense
impressions, and not get lost in them. To make it peaceful. Just this is the aim of all this difficult
practice we put ourselves through."

^Top of Page

51 MENTAL FACTORS

In the Abhidharmakosha of Vasubandu, 51 types of mind states or mental factors are

distinguished. They are mainly categorised by the way they are related to the main delusions of
attachment, anger and ignorance, (see below) and their relevance to mind training. Note that the
English terms used often have different connotations than the actual definitions in Buddhism.
Although below list may appear a dull list of definitions, a careful study of it can explain much
of the Buddhist attitude towards the mind.
The list does not have the intention to be complete in describing all possible mental states, but
describes merely the most important ones in relation to spiritual practice.

THE 5 OMNIPRESENT (EVER-RECURRING) MENTAL FACTORS

1. Feeling (the first aggregate)

2. Recognition / discrimination / distinguishing awareness (the second aggregate)
3. Intention / mental impulse - I will ...
4. Concentration / attention / mental application - focused grasping of an object of awareness
5. Contact - the connection of an object with the mind, this may be pleasurable, painful or
neutral as experienced by the aggregate of Feeling.

THE 5 DETERMINATIVE MENTAL FACTORS

6. Resolution / aspiration - directing effort to fulfil desired intention, basis for diligence and
enthusiasm.
7. Interest / appreciation - holding on to a particular thing, not allowing distraction
8. Mindfulness / Recollection - repeatedly bringing objects back to mind, not forgetting
9. Concentration / Samadhi - one-pointed focus on an object, basis for increasing intelligence
10. Intelligence / Wisdom - "common-sense intelligence", fine discrimination, examines
characteristics of objects, stops doubt, maintains root of all wholesome qualities.
 THE 4 VARIABLE (POSITIVE OR NEGATIVE) MENTAL FACTORS

11. Sleep - makes mind unclear, sense consciousness turns inwards

12. Regret - makes mind unhappy when regarding a previously done action as bad, prevents the
mind from being at ease.
13. General examination / coarse discernment - depending on intelligence or intention, searches
for rough idea about the object.
14. Precise analysis / subtle discernment - depending on intelligence or intention, examines the
object in detail.

THE 11 VIRTUOUS MENTAL FACTORS

(Note that 18 and 19 are not necessary always virtuous. The first 3 are also known as roots of
virtue.)

15. Faith / confidence / respectful belief - gives us positive attitude to virtue and objects that are
worthy of respect. Three types are distinguished, with the last one being the preferred type:
  a. uncritical faith: motivation is for no apparent reason
  b. longing faith: motivation is by an emotionally unstable mind
  c. conviction: motivated by sound reasons
16. Sense of Propriety / self-respect - usually the personal conscience to stop negative actions
and perform positive actions
17. Considerateness / decency - avoids evil towards others, basis for unspoiled moral discipline.
18. Suppleness / thorough training / flexibility - enables the mind to engage in positive acts as
wished, interrupting mental or physical rigidity.
19. Equanimity / clear-minded tranquility - peaceful mind, not being overpowered by delusions,
no mental dullness or agitation
20. Conscientiousness / carefulness - causes avoiding negative acts & doing good; mind with
detachment, non-hatred, non-ignorance and enthusiasm
21. Renunciation / detachment - no attachment to cyclic existence and objects
22. Non hatred / imperturbability - no animosity to others or conditions; rejoicing
23. Non-bewilderment / non ignorance / open-mindedness - usually understanding the meaning
of things through clear discrimination, never unwilling to learn
24. Non violence / complete harmlessness - compassion without any hatred, pacifist
25. Enthusiasm / diligence - doing positive acts (specifically mental development and
meditation) with delight

^Top of Page

THE 26 NON-VIRTUOUS MENTAL FACTORS

THE 6 ROOT DELUSIONS (Delusion is defined as any secondary mental factor that, when
developed, brings about suffering and uneasiness to self or others.)

26. Ignorance - not knowing karma, meaning and practice of 3 Jewels, includes closed-
mindedness, lack of wisdom of emptiness.
27. Attachment / desire - definition: not wanting to be separated from someone or something.
Grasping at aggregates in cyclic existence causes rebirth & suffering of existence
28. Anger - definition: wanting to be separated from someone or something, can lead to
relentless desire to hurt others; causes unhappiness
29. Pride -  inflated superiority, supported by one's worldly views, which include disrespect of
others
30. Doubt / deluded indecisive wavering - being in two minds about reality; usually leads to
negative actions
31. Wrong views / speculative delusions - based on emotional afflictions. Distinguished in 5
types: belief in the self as permanent or non-existent (as opposite to the view of emptiness);
denying karma, not understanding the value of the 3 Jewels; closed-mindedness (my view -which
is wrong- is best); wrong conduct (not towards liberation)

THE 20 SECONDARY NON-VIRTUOUS MENTAL FACTORS

Derived from anger:

32. Wrath / hatred - by increased anger, malicious state wishing to cause immediate harm to
others
33. Vengeance / malice / resentment - not forgetting harm done by a person, and seeking to
return harm done to oneself
34. Rage / spite / outrage - intention to utter harsh speech in reply to unpleasant words, when
wrath and malice become unbearable
35. Cruelty / vindictiveness / mercilessness - being devoid of compassion or kindness, seeking
harm to others.

Derived from anger and attachment:

36. Envy / jealousy - internal anger caused by attachment; unbearable to bear good things others
have

Derived from attachment:

37. Greed / avarice / miserliness - intense clinging to possessions and their increase
38. Vanity / self-satisfaction - seeing one's good fortune giving one a false sense of confidence;
being intoxicated with oneself
39. Excitement / wildness / mental agitation - distraction towards desire objects, not allowing
the mind to rest on something wholesome; obstructs single pointed concentration.

Derived from ignorance:

40. Concealment - hiding one's negative qualities when others with good intention refer to them
this causes regret
41. Dullness / muddle-headedness - caused by fogginess which makes mind dark/heavy - like
when going to sleep, coarse dullness is when the object is unclear, subtle dullness is when the
object has no intense clarity
42. Faithlessness - no belief of that which is worthy of respect; it can be the idea that virtue is
unnecessary, or a mistaken view of virtue; it forms the basis for laziness (43)
43. Laziness - being attached to temporary pleasure, not wanting to do virtue or only little;
opposite to diligence [25])
44. Forgetfulness - causes to not clearly remember virtuous acts, inducing distraction to
disturbing objects - not "just forgetting", but negative tendency
45. Inattentiveness / lack of conscience - "distracted wisdom" after rough or no analysis, not
fully aware of one's conduct,  careless indifference and moral failings; intentional seeking mental
distraction like daydreaming

Derived from attachment and ignorance:

46. Hypocrisy / pretension - pretend non-existent qualities of oneself
47. Dishonesty / smugness - hiding one's faults, giving no clear answers, no regret, snobbery &
conceit, self-importance and finding faults with others

Derived from attachment, anger and ignorance

48. Shamelessness - consciously not avoiding evil, it supports all root and secondary delusions
49. Inconsiderateness - not avoiding evil, being inconsiderate of other's practice, ingratitude
50. Unconscientiousness / carelessness- 3 delusions plus laziness; wanting to act unrestrained
51. Distraction / mental wandering - inability to focus on any virtuous object
 

Links
Click on the link for a List of Sample Meditations.
An interesting page on The Science Of Collective Consciousness, by Robert Kenny
More on the mental delusions in this article by Ven. Traleg Kyabgon Rinpoche.

Just for fun:

Consciousness: That annoying time between naps.
?
What is mind? No matter. What is matter? Never mind.
George Berkeley
Who are you going to believe, me or your own eyes?
Groucho Marx
Our knowledge can only be finite, while our ignorance must necessarily be infinite.
Sir Karl Raymund Popper

Once upon a time, there was a great mind;

but it had a weak soul as its king.

The soul willed it wrong, and it wasn't too long;

peace and joy it never did bring.

Its life filled with much lack, 'cause it didn't have the knack;
'cause it was new and green at this thing.

Tried every which way, to brighten its day;

but peace and joy kept refusing to cling.
You see the soul was blind, about the workings of its mind;
and its life never had that true ring.

But the soul got wise, and opened its eyes,

and a mentor took it under his wing.

Taught it tricks of all kind, on how to use its great mind;

now sweet songs of peace and joy it can sing.