memo

[Gummuluru Murthy]

On Wed, 20 May 1998, Nanda Chandran wrote:

> GMurthy writes :
>
> >In this analogy, I equate the
> >truck with incriminating evidence to the mind with the thoughts going
> >through; the mafia behind the crime to the viveka of the human that
> >allows the (bad) thoughts to go through; we should look for that real
> >culprit, our own viveka.
>
> But than with what do *we* exercise our viveka? - the mind.
>
> Am I'm mistaken in aligning the sense of discrimination with the mind?
> But wouldn't it make more sense to actually consider the whole
> contraption as the mind and the rest as it's various functions ie 1.
> Ego, 2. The faculty of reasoning - the intellect, 3. Mind Stuff -
> thoughts and 4. the Memory.
>

Namaste.

I was hoping that some of the more technically knowledgeable members
of the list will answer the above query in response to my earlier
post. In the absence of anyone coming forward, let me venture a
response, however incorrect or incomplete it might be. This is my
understanding.

Technically, there is no mind in a physical sense. It is not a
human organ. It is the flow of thoughts through this human
entity. The type of thoughts that go through depends on one's
viveka, that discriminating sense (which says what is right and
what is wrong and what is one's dharma) which is the result of
innumerable lives which the jeeva takes.

The sanskrit words which describe this are: for the mind, the
manas or antah-karaNa; and for intellect the buddhi or viveka.

SanatkumarA's teachings to NArada in Chandogya upanishhad and
Shri Shankara's bhAshhya on this deal with this topic. I cannot
say I understood it fully, but I am trying to.

Shri Swami ChinmayAnandA's book Self Unfoldment also deals with
the topic of the mind and puts it in a nice perspective.

Regards
Gummuluru Murthy
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Yadaa sarve pramucyante kaamaa ye'sya hr^di shritaah
atha martyo'mr^to bhavatyatra brahma samashnute   Katha Upanishhad II.3.14

When all the desires that dwell in the heart fall away, then the mortal
becomes immortal, and attains Brahman even here.
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