The World of Mind (Teachings to Change Lives)

English Talk

మనో ప్రపంచం 

Telugu Talk

The mind could be considered as the sole reason behind most of the problems that we experience. We can see that the situations and people around us can be triggering the emotions that we experience through our mind. But how we answer our mind the key question and answer to most of our problems. 

What really is “Mind”? 

Why we fail to understand this so called “Mind”?

Our scriptures really analyzed the faculty of Mind. Even the psychology and science have to agree with our ancient scriptures. Our great teachers (Gurus) beautifully explained these aspects in a simple and logical way. For any beginning seeker, the teachers will emphasize the importance of this mind and how to overcome the difficulties it can impose. 

Where is this mind? 

What is this composed of?

Mind can be divided in to four faculties.

    1) Manas (Mind)

    2)Chitta (Memory)

    3) Buddhi (Intellect)    

    4)Ahamkara (Ego)

Manas(Mind):

Manas is the lower mind of all the four faculties. The mind interacts with the external world and takes in sensory impressions and data. It cannot decide anything by itself. Manas doubts most of the time, which can cause great difficulties if this tendency becomes excessive. This will make us helpless at times.

Chitta (Memory):

Chitta stores impressions and experiences, and while it can be very useful, Chitta can also cause difficulties if its functioning is not coordinated with the others.

Buddhi (Intellect):

This faculty is higher than rest of the components. This word is in a similar way as Buddha (means- Awakened). This faculty has discriminating power and it can distinguish right from wrong. If mind can use this Buddhi good things can happen. This also provides the seekers of spiritual path right view and thinking.

Ahamkara (Ego):

The feeling that “I am special and great” is what we usually call as Ego. 

But just the feeling of “I” is called the real Ahamkara. 

This feeling at times cripples us and people cannot maintain balance in their lives. This feeling of “I” extends depending on the situation (Me, my family, my town, my state, my country etc.). All this inclusiveness sometimes leads to sorrow. It might be rare that people can have the universal feeling and not exhibit selfish attitudes. 

That’s why Baba emphasized through his teachings this universality so that we can overcome this ego. He appeared as different forms like snake, fly, ant or some other from. Baba wanted us to succeed in the spiritual path.

So the Manas, Chitta, Buddhi and Ahamkara put together called as the faculty of Mind. This is called as Anthakarana Chatustaya in Vedanta language. 

Mechanics of Mind:

Mind (manas) operates through five organs of action and five sensory organs. Mind responds to various situations in the world of objects. If it sees a person or object is likes, it responds positively. It responds negatively when the situation is unfavorable. When it sees the tress or situations that are unfamiliar it reacts by being neutral. Here we can learn that the feelings that arise in the mind are the reason we suffer but not the objects outside. If we can understand these emotions and reactions we can minimize the suffering we experience in our lives.

The manas (mind) uses the chitta, the memory bank. This chitta stores all the previous experiences. When sensory organs see a person through eyes, the mind extracts information from the memory. Based on the past experience it reacts either negatively or positively. 

There is a major problem in understanding the memory bank because there are some impressions that are conscious and some are unconscious. These unconscious impressions cause so much havoc in our lives. Here we feel sad, helpless and do not understand why we are suffering. Sometimes we cannot analyze what’s really bothering us but we certainly know that we are not well. These impressions could be from past lives or suppressed memories from this life itself. This chitta (memory) always roams around food, desire, and sleep. The ego also comes into the picture along with others. In this pursuit, greed, jealousy, and anger take over and cause so many problems. If our memory bank is filled with virtuous things like scripture, spiritual inclination and faith towards our teachers, then we do not deviate from our peaceful life. We do not adopt wrong ways of living.  We can use our intellect in a better way. 

In Patanjali Yoga sutras, it was mentioned that “Yogah Chitta vrutti Nirodhah” Controlling the thought patterns is nothing but Yoga. 

We have to start witnessing these tendencies in the memory and these are like waves in an ocean. We have to prevent these tendencies from materializing in to actions.

Buddhi (intellect) always gives us the both sides of the story but mind does not want to listen to it. If we can properly learn to use this intellect we will be very successful in our endeavors.

Lastly Ahamkara (Ego) is the key factor in destroying our lives. 

This feeling of “I” is a hindrance in the last stages of self- realization. 

Only Guru can help us with this in the end. 

But we suffer at the initial levels of this ego. We have acquired a false sense of identity in this world and we ignored the reality. Whatever we see in the external world we assume it as real. Experiencing this reality of life and understanding our own self is the goal of human life. 

Only Sudguru can help us realize this truth.  To even think this way, our past karmas (deeds) have to exhaust. For this to happen, we need to preform good actions, and faith towards God and Guru is essential. Otherwise we become a victim of vicious birth death cycle. 

Baba showed so many miracles and through which he took away so many karmas (actions) so that we can advance in the path of spirituality.

OM SAI RAM!