Mind, Intellect, Ego, and Consciousness

Concept: Puri Peethadhishwar Jagadguru Shankaracharya Swami Nishchalananda Saraswati Ji Maharaj

Credits: Sandeep Sehgal Ji

There is “Ego”(I) present everywhere from Narayana Bhagwan to “Mahatatva”. That is also included in Chatushtya as my Mind, my Intellect, my Memory, and my Ego. This blog is a brief to understand these things.

It is the principle of Sankhya Philosophy, which Yogis have accepted in their own way, that the Avyakta (certainty before manifestation), which they call Prakriti or Pradhan. Vedanta Philosophers call it Maya in their own way. Its first effect is called Mahatattva. Its Importance is established as intellect in our life. If you want to know about Mahatattva, then you should try to understand the activity of your own intelligence. The function of the individual intellect is Ahamtattva and due to which ego is present in our life.

Similarly, they have five tanmatras (subtle elements) and five Mahabhutas (gross elements).

These are five elements of the universes. This gross body of yours and mine is the aggregation of these five elements in different proportions. Similarly the trees etc. are also the aggregation of these five elements in different proportions.

According to Sankhya theory, there are sixteen Vikritis (modifications); among them, five are sense organs, five are organs of action, and the mind is also included in it. So, in our life too, we have one mind, five senses, and five work organs. So there is oneness between the individual and the whole. To understand the whole, the individual has been constructed.

To understand the state of creation, we study about the awakening stage. To understand the science of the origin of the creation, we should study the dream state. To understand the dissolution of the creation, we should study about sleeping unconscious state. Mana (Mind), Buddhi (Intellect), Chitta (Memory), and Ahamkara(Ego) are known as Antah Karan Chatushtya, four instruments of inner consciousness.

Within our subtle body, we all have mind, intellect, memory, and ego commonly known as Antahkarana. Karana means tools. If we think from the viewpoint of Sankhyas and Yogis, Antahkarana has only three parts. First is intelligence which is also called Mahatattva as a whole. Another is ego and the last is mind. Chitta is left which they consider among these three only. Chitta is not a separate element in Sankhya and Yoga philosophy.

Yoga is a restraint of the fluctuations of the mind. They recognize Chitta and recognize its use as well but consider only three parts to consciousness. They consider it as one of the twenty-four discernment of Anatma Vastu (non-intimate objects). Bhawan Shree Krishna also said this in the twelfth chapter of Srimadbhagvat Gita. He took Chitta as one word for both mind and intelligence.

The function of the mind is determination and choice. Whether a task should be done or not, it is determination and choice. The function of intelligence is a decision. The function of Chitta is memory. The function of the Ego is pride. “I am wealthy, popular, I am knowledgeable, there is nobody like me, etc.” are examples of the effects of Ego. This pride also has a distinction in Saatwik, Rajasik, and Tamasik. If someone knows him as Brahamana, then his whole life should be followed according to that specific prescription given in the Scriptures. It is applicable to other Vedic segmentation also with their recommended Vedic prescription. It is the positive use of pride. On other hand being Brahmana, if he scorns everyone, it is the misuse of pride.

Hanuman Ji tells himself. I feel proud of being a servant of Shree Rama and the Shree Rama is my master. Similarly, pride also has two types of use, Easy and difficult. So, pride is the symbol of Ahamtattva only.

According to Vedanta, the subtle five elements are the cause of the mind, intelligence, memory, ego, and their formation. In Vedanta, a subtle body which also contains Antah Karana is made out of these elements. Sankhya explains it differently. According to Nyaya philosophy, mind and related consciousness is not the modification of Elements.

Narayana !!!