Concept of Mind in the Major Upanishads

by Gisha K. Narayanan | 2018 | 35,220 words

This page relates ‘Functions of Mind in the Upanishad’ of the study on the concept of Mind as found in the Major Upanishads: the philosophical backbone of the four Vedas. This study explores the various characteristics and psychological aspects of the mind (described by the Seers of ancient India thousands of years ago) including awareness (samjna), understanding (vijnana) and knowledge (prajnana).

13. Functions of Mind in the Upaniṣad

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As the Upaniṣads discuss human personality, there is no separate account of mental functioning. The mental functions are summarized as the five sensory organs (jñānedriyās) and the five motor oragns (karmendriyās), buddhi, manas, ahaṃkāra and citta. Mind is the co-ordinating organ of perception. Ahaṃkāra is the organ of personal ego. Citta is the storehouse of past impressions. Buddhi or intellect is the higher organ of thought, discrimination reasoning and intelligence.

The Bṛhadāraṇyaka-upaniṣad points out that desire, determination, doubt, faith, lack of faith, steadfastness, and lack of steadfastness, shame, and intellect, fear -all these are allied to the true mind.^[1] These ideas are seen in the Maitrayanopaniṣad. Also^[2]. The Bṛhadāraṇyaka-upaniṣad declares that the desires are three-fold, they are sex desire or desire for sons, desire for wealth and desire for heaven or happiness (lokaiṣaṇa). It states that desire is the cause of voluntary action. The desire of a person shows his character. Because his character is determined by his habitual voluntary actions and this is determined by his volition and his volition is determined by his desires.^[3] These are consolidated under the headings of cognition, emotions and conation. Doubt, faith, lack of faith, steadfastness, lack of steadfastness, and intellect are cognitive functions. Fear and shame are emotions and desire and determination are conations. The Aitareya-upaniṣad also discusses the different levels of intellectual experiences.^[4] The Chāndogya-upaniṣad declares that the intelligence is greater than will and it is the source.

It is related to a specific time:

cittaṃ vāva saṅkalpād bhūyo yadā vai cetayate'tha saṅgalpayate'tha manasyatyatha vācamīrayati tāmunāmnorayatināmni mantrā ekaṃ bhavanti mantreṣu karmāṇi || ^[5]