Ramanisblog

Tag: mind

  • What Is Mantra, Definition Explanation

    Salvation,Self Realization is made possible by disciplining the Mind.

    Unlike western philosophy, Indian philosophy considers Mind as an organ like Eyes,Ears,Nose,Mouth and Body( Panchendriyas,the Five Organs).

    The difference between Mind and other organs is that Mind is Subtler and more powerful than the other organs.

    It controls other organs.

    To realize Self or Reality,Mind has to be stilled,by a process of regulation.

    What we perceive initially,when we come into contact with objects, is a jumble of various inputs conveyed to us by various organs like Eyes,Ears…

    This reaches the Mind as unconnected stimulii

    At this level,Mind just collects information , without collating them,categorising them.

    The next level of Mind,Buddhi collates the information,categorises them,tags them as correct or incorrect from a factual point of view and also passed value judgements like Good or Bad.

    Why a particular event is designated as Good or Bad,or why amidst multitudes of stimulii being present around us and are being received by Mind as raw information,only a specific event or fact is taken cognisance of,forms a different and exhaustive study.

    To put it simply,Buddhi selects event/s at any given point of time,as directed by Chitta,the higher plane,which exists,to understand the concept,one may say,than the Mind.

    Consciousness ,one of the Attributes of the Soul is Realized by stilling the projections made by the Chitta when it comes into contact with objects of senses.

    One of the methods to regulate the Mind is Mantra.

    ‘

    • मननात्‌ त्रायते इति मंत्र: ।’ manan means bringing only one thought to one’s mind repeatedly and trayate means to protect. In other words mantra refers to that which when thought of repeatedly protects oneself and also that which protects one from the mind or that which helps to bring about the dissolution of the mind. At a further stage Mantrayoga also means that state in which contemplation (manan) stops during chanting, there is dissolution of the mind, cessation of the mantra, dissolution of the triad (triputi) that is, of the mantra, the one chanting the mantra and the act of chanting and the seeker attains the state of dissolution (layavastha).

    • B. ‘Mantra refers to the collection of letters which assists in acquisition of the favourable and the vanquishing of obstacles. The word mantra is derived from mantri, a Sanskrut word which means secret speeches (guhyabhashane). It has various meanings like acquisition of secret objectives, acquisition of secret meanings, invoking a deity for a specific cause, etc. Philosophically it means that by contemplation (manan) of which, knowledge about the oneness of the entire world, that is the embodied soul (jiva), Brahman and the universe is bestowed upon oneself and that by which the embodied soul acquires Liberation (Mukti) from worldly bondages and <span class=”glossary” title=”Practicing Dharma i.e. Dharmacharan”>Righteousness (Dharma), wealth (artha) and desire (kama) are achieved in this world.

    • C. “मंत्रा: मननात्‌ ।” means a mantra is that on which one contemplates (manan) and from which one acquires the knowledge about sacrificial fires (yadnya), God and the soul (Nirukta 7.12).

    • D. मकारो मननं प्राह त्रकारस्त्राणमुच्‍यते ।
      मननत्राणसंयुक्‍तो मंत्र इत्‍यभिधीयते ।।

      The meaning: In the word mantra ‘ma’ (म) refers to contemplation (manan) and ‘tra’ (त्र) to protection (tran). Thus that which consists of contemplation (manan) and protection is called a mantra.’ (1)

    • E. The word mantra is derived from ‘man’ (मन्‌) and ‘tra’ (त्र). ‘Man’ refers to the mind and ‘tra’ to vital energy (pran). That which is done with the fusion of the mind and vital energy is called a mantra.

    • F. According to the science of Tantra: ‘According to the sorcerers (tantriks) sound (nad or dhvani) being the fundamental frequency of creation appears foremost in the origin of the universe. Sound is a subtle part of the divine energy (chit shakti) of the embodied soul (jiva). Just as sound waves are produced in the atmosphere due to air currents, so also in the body of the embodied soul sound waves are generated due to flow of a type of vital energy (pranvayu). A word is generated from this sound. Later, a mantra originates from it. The energy contained in a mantra is beyond one’s imagination.'(Source. https://www.hindujagruti.org/hinduism/knowledge/article/what-is-a-bijamantra.html#1https://www.hindujagruti.org/hinduism/knowledge/article/what-is-a-bijamantra.html#1)

      Reality is One,but it appears to be many.(Advaita)

    • The world of Name and Form has only relative existence.
    • Once Knowledge dawns, differentiation disappears.

    When one perceives,three things are needed.

    The Perceiver,

    The Perceived and the process of

    Perception.

    By Mantra,one can discipline the Mind and the differentiation between the Three,The Perceiver,Perceived and the process of Perception is dissolved and one becomes a part of Reality.

    As an empirical spinoff,one gets his wishes granted and obstacles removed.

    Will write on the effects not Mantras,the process and composition.

  • God with Form, with and without, and Attributless Levels

    Hinduism, though the Vedas, the scripture of Hindus, declare that the Reality is with out Attributes, Nirguna.

     

    The Reality is Nameless ans Formless.

     

    However it also advocates the worship of the Forms.

    Lord Subrahmanya, Neendoor,

     

    This is because the Human mind is incapable of concentrating on a vacuum.

     

    The Realization of the Supreme principle lies in realizing the Ultimate, Brahman, The Reality, the one with out Attributes.

     

    Yoga system defines(Yoga means Union),Yoga as the cessation of the modifications of the Chitta, the thought waves.

     

    Once removed of the thought waves  are removed, the Reality is realized .

     

    We have numerous thought waves churning in our mind,

     

    These have to be reduced gradually, they can not be removed at one stroke except by the very rare ones.

     

    Others have to go step by step.

     

    The though waves are present because of our attachment to objects of desire.

     

    We desire them ;hate them;these produce thought waves,

     

    If one focuses on an object of his desire, he becomes immersed in it.

     

    Since human nature is to go after things that are to his/her liking, an image has been suggested.

     

    This form may be that of a Mother, father, son, friend Man  or woman in terms of the qualities one expects.

     

    One feels like sharing things with these , either people or a mental projection of these.

     

    In this process one loses himself and this is the first step in realization of the Self.

     

    Hinduism has these names with forms in three stages.

     

    One without Attributes, the Nirguna Brahman, the Ultimate.

     

    The worship of this ultimate is difficult.

     

    So a step lower than this is devised.

     

    And that is with Form yet without Form.

     

    This is the symbol.

     

    It is represented by the Shiv Linga.

     

    This has a Form, in the form of a sign.

     

    It also does not have a specific Features.

     

    This is the Uruva Aruva worship ( Form yet with out Form)

     

    Then comes another lower level.

     

    This has a specific Name and Form.

     

    As Devi, the Mother, Vishnu as father,Shiva as the Mentor, Subrahmanya , the child,Ganesha and the rest of the Hindu Pantheon.

     

    Thus Hinduism guides an individual in the path of Realization by these easy steps in concentration.

     

    1.Gods with names and Forms.

     

    2.Reality with Form yet without It.

     

    3.The Ultimate, without Attributes.

     

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  • Existence Reality About

    For my recent post ‘God will Never Die’ there has been a good response.

    God Arguments
    Reality Arguments

    There have been a few relevant comments .

    Some of them need an answer,

    Instead of replying to the comments individually, as the subject is quite complex, I am posting.

    Existence Definition.

    ”

    1. The fact or state of existing; being.
    2. The fact or state of continued being; life: our brief existence on Earth.(free dictionary.com)
    This is  simple a definition as one can get.
    However if one were to analyse the explanation provided , it becomes Complex.
    ‘Existing‘,’Being”
    Normal understanding is that when I see some thing , it exists.
    What does not appear to me does not.
    One of the comment says this and this is the common view.
    If we say things Exist only because they appear to me, then things we do not see DO NOT Exist.
    I do not see my back directly.
    I do not hear one speak in the next house.
    I do not smell the sea, which is not in Bangalore.
    I do not taste  Honey.
    I do not see my Brain or Mind.
    Don’t they Exist?
    They do.
    And there are explanations and this is precisely the reason why there are many schools of Thoughts in Philosophy.
    That they exist so long they appear to me, as has been commented upon this post ,is Realism.
    But Things do Exist even when I do not see hear them.
    We hear people informing us of things happening  in USA or NASA Flights to Solar Systems.
    So we do accept these as Existing.
    So, if a Thing were to Exist as an Idea in some else’s Mind, it Exists.
    This is called Idealism.
    There are yet another group of people who say that the idea of what others inform me is because of my Idea of their Idea.
    Therefore, things exist so long as they exist as an Idea in my Mind.
    These people are called Solipsists and this system of thought is called Subjective idealism or Solipsism.
    There is another practical point of view.
    If it writes it is a Pen or Pencil as the case may be.
    This explanation is called Pragmatism.
    But in many a case what when we see an Illusion, we believe them to be true and react accordingly.
    In some cases of mental disorders people do ear voices and visions.
    Are they all true?
    No.
    Then what is Existence?
    Existence is That which Is at all points of Time, without reference to anything else, People or circumstances.
    Spinoza‘ while speaking of Reality speaks thus,
    ‘Subject(Reality), is That which Exists by Itself ,independent of everything or anything else and , which does not need th conception of anything in order to be conceived”
    This applies to Existence or Being,
    Hinduism calls Reality by the attributes ‘Being, Consciousness and Bliss’
    ‘Sat, Chit, Anandam.

     

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  • ‘Lost’ Mind Space.

    This is in continuation of my Post on Hinduism,JK.

    As I was saying about the film ‘Gravity’ dealing with the psychological aspect of being stranded in Space,I started thinking on the meaning of being ‘Lost’

    In general terms  by losing we convey the sense that we have not been able to have what we had,or we do not know where what we had been using was gone.

    In the case of Objects, we try to recollect,in many cases one visits the places mentally, some even physically(which I do, if it is my Home, to recall what had happened.

    In most of the cases we do find what we thought we lost.

    Excepting in cases where others have wantonly taken or hid them .

    Then we repossess them.

    Before we think of this, let us see what this ‘Lost’ means  in other contexts.

    Many say or feel they are lost in Thoughts or lost in confusion.

    in these cases what happens is that people are concentrating on a particular thought or indecision and fear of taking decision to the exclusion of everything else.

    So in effect their losing in things is illusory but a diversion in something else.

    So effectively they do not lose anything, or do they?

    The examples quoted above relate to mental images and they exist/existed only in the Mind.

    And as such they have as much Reality of being or having been with us before or their continued association with us.

    Therefore the term Lost does not really mean losing but a change of mental state.

    If the mental states are the criteria, which they really are, then, all the things we we experience fall under the same category and need not los(?!) sleep over it.

    As put by Hinduism aptly we are but temporarily Trustees of all things here, nothing more.

    It may not be out-of-place to mention an interesting fact.

    Tamil, a Language in India is as ancient as Sanskrit.

    Tamil has a word for parents ,’Petror’, ,’பெற்றோர் ‘   ‘meaning those who beget.

    It implies that even children , whom we pride ourselves of our own blood are not our own to call them as such.

    We beget them, that’s all.

    So all we have here is on a Trusteeship basis, nothing is owned by us to lose.

    Now to the question of being lost in Space.

    You lose yourself only when you have some fixed point.

    You can fix West if you know where you are,, whether you re in the East, South or the North .

    If you can not or do not have a reference as to where you are , how do you say you are lost for both the statements have no reference.

    At best we can say we disoriented and remain scared.

    How about being disoriented or lost to one self.

    In the next Post.

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  • Mind Not A Fluke And Is

    I read an interesting article,excerpts I am providing below.

    Mind Quantum Mechanics.
    Mind and Quantum Theory

    Indian Philosophy states that the universe, let alone mind is ‘Leela’

    Lila (Sanskrit: लीला, IAST līlā), or Leela is a concept within Hinduism literally meaning “pastime”, “sport” or “play(wiki)

    According to Religious texts, As different from Philosophical Texts, th universe is God’s Leela or pastime ,play.

    But the word ‘leela’ conveys more , that can not be expressed in English.

    It is more than a pastime, though unintended as we can perceive.

    The Sankhya Philosophy lists the two fundamental principles, Purusha and Prakriti.

    The world of Names and Forms evolved out of the ‘sprasa matra’ by their ‘touching’ each other, here again ‘sparsa is more than touching.

    As the root causes are Principles we can no bet attribute Motives, so in this sense ,Mind is either or neither intended or unintended.

    The Non Dualism of Advaita states the whole world is not real, has only transitory existence and as such is both real and unreal, depends on one’s stand point.

    So Mind is a Fluke and not a Fluke at the same time.

    The term inevitability is purely subjective and it depends , again on one’s perception.

    Story:

    According to atheist and University of Chicago biologist Jerry Coyne, probably:

    As for mind being nothing but a fluke of nature, well, that’s probably true, at least the human mind, since I don’t see our evolution as inevitable (it may have depended on mutations that are based on quantum effects).

    Coyne doesn’t elaborate on what he means by the relation of the human mind’s evolution to “quantum effects,” but bringing quantum physics into the issue of the mind’s relation to matter, my question then becomes the following: Why start with the axiomatic assumption that matter is prior to mind and must be responsible for accidentally causing human consciousness? Doesn’t quantum physics (via Schrödinger’s famous kitty), imply that matter requires mind (an observer) for a particle to move from a possible state to an actual state–that matter is in some manner inextricably bound up with the mind?

    For example, physicists Bruce Rosenblum and Fred Kuttner, both at the University of California at Santa Cruz, call the mind’s relation to matter a “quantum enigma”—indeed, the central quantum enigma—and ask rhetorically in their book of the same title, the following:

    [D]oes it not go without saying that there is a real world ‘out there,’ whether or not we look at it? (4)

    But according to Rosenblum and Kuttner, quantum physics suggests that our intuitive ‘yes’ to that question may be spectacularly wrong. Likewise, I would suggest that the intuition among materialists that human minds and purposes must be generated by determinate matter first, and thus cannot really be necessary to matter or impact the direction of otherwise determinate particles, may also be spectacularly wrong.”

    http://santitafarella.wordpress.com/2013/05/13/is-mind-a-fluke-of-nature/