Jain Vishva Bharati Institute (Deemed University), Ladnun
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UNIT 1: Mind and Mental Training Chapter – 1 The form of mind, its problems, mental development Dear Students! We are presenting the first lesson of the Fifth Paper. After reading this chapter you will be able to resolve the most complex problems of your life. Objectives This chapter will enable you to understand 1. The form/ nature of mind. 2. Samskar (inborn faculty), Dhaarna (Concentration/aptitude/conception) and Smiritee (memory) 3. What is Smiriti and Pratyabhigya (cognition) 4. The four alternatives of mental knowledge. 5. What is imagination 6. The relationship of imagination and desire. 7. The meaningfulness of imagination. 8. The relationship of imagination and determination/resolution (sankalp). 9. The relationship of imagination and alternative/ ambiguity (vikalp). 10. What is thought 11. The states of mind 12. The three states of concentrated mind 13. What is dhyan (meditation) and memory 14. The relationship of dhyan/ mediation and imagination 15. The relationship of meditation and reflection/contemplation 16. The problems of mind 17. The reasons of lack of peace 18. The results/ consequences of present life style 19. How to become free of indifference / dejection 20. How to experience the preksha/ watching of body-an experiment of balance 21. How to become familiar with psychology in respect of freedom from stress. 22. Anger and psychology 23. The formula of dissolving stress 24. The process of spiritualism 25. How to develop your mind 26. The factors/ elements of mental ability 27. The roles/ contexts of mental development 28. How to achieve concentration and joy 29. The roles/ contexts of joy Introduction It is necessary for a person who wants to live an organized life, to understand the nature of mind. It becomes mandatory to understand the working of mind in order to understand the nature of mind. Mind can be understood Jainthrough memory,Vishva imagination, Bharati & thought. Institute These are the acts (Deemed of mind. University), Ladnun 1.0 Nature of Mind Mind means sankalp / determination - vikalp/ alternative. Mind means memory and contemplation/ reflection. Mind means- imagination. Mind is distributed in all three i.e. past, present and future time. One that remembers past is M.A. SOL (F)/V/1 – mind. One that imagines and hopes about future is – mind. One that contemplates about present is – mind. Mind comprises mental processes which include memory, thought and imagination. Whatever man inclines to do through mind, word and body is converted into memory. Whatever we see and hear is ascertained/ verified. After determination it becomes Dhaarna, (a concept/notion) and dhaarna becomes a memory-sign (memento). There are many things that we hear, that come before us and dissolve; they do not create a memory-sign/ memento. Only such things/ thoughts which have been thought upon (Adhayavasaya) or which have been conceptualized are retained in our brain in the form of memory-signs; and they keep manifesting themselves with motives/ causes/ omens (nimitt). Mental consciousness is developed in man. Man is a creature possessing mind. He possesses the power to think – thinking is the act of mind. He remembers- memorizing is a mental behaviour. 1.1 Samskar (inherent faculty/ power), Dhaarna (concentration) and Smiriti Re-awakening of smaskara or dhaarna is memory. Pratyaya (concept/ idea/ notion) and collecting power from pratyaya i.e. dhaarna. After that begins the next process of mind. (Pratyaya) Knowledge comes and goes immediately. Pratyaya is never present before us. We saw a man. Man has left but Pratyaya or nirvikalpa gyan (unambiguous knowledge) leaves its imprints of samskara (inborn faculty). Then occurs a change in the brain i.e. it is retained there; what happens then ? Pratyaya (Concept of man) has gone, but an image is created in our brain. When some other stimulation/ excitement comes before us, that dharna is reawakened, we call it memory. The vibrations/ sensations/ perceptions occurring due to awakenings of samskaras are called memory. One name of samskara and dhaarna is Avichyutt (Unshakable/ stable). That which has been felt /experienced cannot be shaken/deprived of (chyutt), it is retained and keeps manifesting before us. 1.2 Memory and Pratyayabhigya (cognition) Memory philosophically means-” Samakarprabodhsambhava smiriti”- Knowledge produced through awakening of samskaras is memory. Form of memory is ‘that’. There are two things. One is—memory and another is recognition/ identification. Recognition is different. Memory is different. Mind or object is not perceptible in memory, but remains imperceptible. But in recognition he is present. Therefore the form of memory becomes ‘that’ and the form/ shape of recognition becomes ‘this – that’. ‘That-this‘ have both memory and recognition. Both visible and non-visible are present in memory and recognition. 1.3 Knowledge of mind (Manas-gyan) ; Four Alternatives Sensual knowledge and mental knowledge is also known as Abhinibodh (perception). That which we see before us regularly as a rule – that cognition is known as perception. This cognition has two conditions - one to be in front of and second - to be definite. Functions of all senses are decided. Eye sees, ear hears, these functions are decided. Knowledge comprehended with these two terms/ conditions is named as Abhinibodh (perception). It has four forms- Mati (understanding/ thought), memory, Sanghya (cognition), and Chinta (logical reflection/ consideration). 1.4 Imagination Consciousness is a formative attribute/ sign of a living being. Desire is its practical attribute. Imagination is an expression of desire. A being wishes and it is expressed in the form of imagination or heartfelt wish. Imagination does not posses any new knowledge, but only coordination of knowledge/ perceptions. Things which are known are coordinated in different ways. A hypothetical form of ‘Narsingh’ has been thought of in Indian literature in which the face has been imagined like lion, and the lower part of the body is like a man. Man as well as lion is known, but both have been enjoined in a different manner to form ‘narsingh’ (man-lion). Likewise, ‘Fire is cold’ is also an imagination. Even this hypothesis has two views; both are known to us. We know fire and we know cold also. We have coordinated both of them and ‘fire is cold’ in our imagination. Jain1.5 Imagination Vishva and DesiresBharati Institute (Deemed University), Ladnun Different forms are made on the basis of imagination/ fancy, which do not appear to have any relationship. But it is a fact – whatever colour, form figure appear in imagination it gives a clue as to what has been desired, and in what form does it want to be manifested in. Internal desires can be known only on the basis of imagination. M.A. SOL (F)/V/2 1.6.0 Imagination—its meaningfulness Imagination has great use. Man imagines/ dreams and that dream/ imagination inspires him—it becomes a motive for our manliness/ vigour (purusharth) and effort (Uddham). Man works hard only on the basis of his dreams/ imagination and turns it into reality. All the inventions made in the world are first imagined. A form/ shape of all our inventions is first formed in our imagination and it starts taking shape gradually. Imagination has to pass through a long process in order to become a reality in form. That process is known as planning. Planning is a supplementary element of imagination. Imaginations, plans, and then all sorts of related logical thought processes, behaviours or means and methods have to be organized. When that imagination/ hypothesis is executed; takes shape then a new fact comes before the world. 1.6.1 Kalpana And Sankalp (resolution) : Intention is a resolute form of hypothesis. When the hypothesis of a man is resolute and becomes unwavering, it takes the form of sankalp and an excessive power is generated in it. That resolution becomes a Kamdhenu, Kalpvriksh or a Ghintamani Ratna for that man i.e. it becomes everything for him. Firm resolution is the secret of success. Resolution possesses great power. The type of sankalp taken, forces the atoms also to be united in that very form/type. There are no clouds in the sky. Man makes a form resolve. It becomes concentrated and stable. In such a situation the atoms will have to convert in the form of clouds. It is a delineation of will power. Will power can coordinate or desynchronize/ divert the atoms. 1.6.2 Kalpna & Vikapla (Alternative) : Another form of hypothesis/ imagination is vikalp. To consider that I am happy, I am unhappy- is nothing but imagination. In fact happiness or sadness is associated with feelings. Intensity of feeling, joy or sorrow comes because of imagination. If a man is determined to think that there is no pain then in reality his painful feelings would reduce by 25%. Little pain becomes more with sankalp. The degree of more or less happiness or sorrow is due to vikalp. The type of feelings imagination one has, starts generating that type of feeling in the person. That, this is a table, this is a watch- all these are vikalpas. In fact they are all a collection of atoms. All these objects are nothing else except atoms; but we have associated our imagination with these shapes/ forms and given them a name. This is vikalp. Thus three forms are made - hypothesis/ imagination, Sankalp (resolution) and vikalp (ambiguity, option, uncertainty) 1.6.3 Thought (Vichar) : Third meaning of mind is thought. Man incessantly keeps contemplating. Word is the medium of its discourse. Word is also a thought. Vichar (thought) literally means vicharan i.e. to wander, to be in a motion, the senses adopt their respective pre-determined objects/ subjects, and all of them keep imaging in our mind. After this the second sequence of action begins. The act/ work of mind is to determine, analyze all the objects received/ adopted by it.