[Advaita-l] Cotard Syndrome and Brahman Realisation

[Sudhakar Kabra]

Dear Shri Rajaram ji,
Mind is synonym to Manas in Vedanta. Brain is synonym to Intellect in Vedanta.In BMI concept it is the intellect which is more subtler and controls the mind, and mind controls the body.It is to be noted that in the traffic of life the flow continues both ways or rather cyclic.With this introduction pls see answers inline:



--- On Sat, 6/9/12, sriram <srirudra at vsnl.com> wrote:


----- Original Message ----- From: "Rajaram Venkataramani" <rajaramvenk at gmail.com>
To: "A discussion group for Advaita Vedanta" <advaita-l at lists.advaita-vedanta.org>
Sent: Saturday, June 09, 2012 11:16 AM
Subject: [Advaita-l] Cotard Syndrome and Brahman Realisation


> I am only thinking aloud taking the question posed by Sri Rajaram as the
>> 'prashna bIjam'.  Members are welcome to point out errors in my
>> thinking/expression.
>> 
> 
> It is perhaps easier to find a needle in a hay stack.
> 
> I think the mind is clearly distinct from the body (according to the
> sastras) as you said. I don't quite understand Sri Vidyasankar's position
> on mind - body connection. If his position is that mind is distinct from
> the body but when in it remains in the body it is totally connected as long
> as there is attachment, I can't agree more. The actions of the mind create
> measurable effect all over the body - the brain, heart and practically
> every part of he body. The body also produces effects on the mind.



I agree with Vidyasankarji. Intellect, mind and body are all three different things in Vedanta. Physically we may see body containing all these, but the areas of operation and subtlity are different. We cannot see it separate because of attachment and all the shastras are making us understand this.




> The modern scientific opinion that the mind is a product of the brain
> function cannot be right in my opinion. Even Roger Penrose, who agrees with
> the current scientific paradigm that the mind is a product of the neural
> activity argues that there need to be advances in mathematical physics to
> explain the mind. The current physics falls short is his opinion based on
> good logic.

Brain = Intellect, Mind=Manas.It is the brain i.e. neural activity that controls the mind is also correct. If Penrose proves it. this agrees fully with our scriptural position.


> Ian Stevenson spent a life time documenting, critically and with high
> integrity, thousands of cases of reincarnation based on memory of past
> lives. If we accept reincarnation based on such verbal testimony or
> sastras, then we need to accept that mind is distinct from the body.
>
Are you accepting re-incarnation? Pls state your position, because your sentence starts with: If we accept......


> Knowledge is characterised by renunciation. Renounciation is not possible
> without the right mindset and body. So it seems tattva jnana  alters
> neurological constitution. But I think this alteration is easily
> reversible. The jnani can assume the conditioning of a king or a mendicant,
> which won't be possible if jnana shapes the brain in a particular way
> irreversibly.
> 


Knowledge is characterized by jnana. Renunciation is a by product of jnana.Jnana once if it occurs then it is not reversible. Eg: if you know a watch you know it. Chances are it will not be reversed.



> But I think repetition of mantras, deep meditation etc. semi-permanently
> shapes the brain. It seems similar to building the body in a gym but if you
> stop the practice  you lose the muscles over time.

Repetition of mantra gives tadatmya with the mantra and slowly mantra reveals itself at appropriate time. Meditation is an art of removing all spurious thoughts and concentrating on one single thought. With lot of tapas/practice it occurs like as you said with lot of exercise the muscle build up.


> 
> If the jnani is able to witness his own insanity, if it occurs, then
> witnessing part (seer) has to be disconnected from acting part (seen). Who
> is the witness? I think the mind sees the dysfunction of the brain. I am
> happy to be created.

Jnani as sakshi is a witness.Sakshi bhava an occur only if you are disconnected.Mind cannot see the dysfunction of a sakshi but it is the other way around.
Your comments welcome.sudhakar kabra
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