What is the nature of the mind ?

[Guest guest]

Q : What is the nature of the mind ?

 

A : The mind is nothing other than the "I"-thought.

The mind and the ego are one and the same.

The other mental faculties such as the intellect and

the memory are only this. Mind [manas ] , intellect [buddhi],

the storehouse of mental tendencies [chittam ]

and ego [ahamkara]; all these are only the one mind itself.

This is like different names being given to a man according

to his different functions .

The individual soul [ jiva ] is nothing but this soul or ego.

 

from Be As You Are

The Teaching of Sri Ramana Maharshi

[Guest guest]

Hi all,

Here is something from a friend of mine, just compare it with the

quote from Be As You Are. My friend describes the discovery of SELF

well, a triple centripetal functionality from (1) the grand general

divine via the (2) as yet dis-carnate soul to the (3) in-carnate

human. The discovery of a tri-une re-unification is evolving, and the

diversification (from one to three) is not judged as deficient but

realized as an expression of love...

The discovery of negativity around the ego is even cool.

>>>>> I have been thinking about a few things you had said recently..

about the soul once it experiences unconditional love, and about our

individuality, and the "I" ness.... I had been thinking that our

souls knew all, was not afraid of anything... But I'm feeling

perhaps, I was missing something.. And you know its so funny... the

very thing I was missing, is something I already knew... At least I

think this is the way it is.... The "I" is god or pure divine energy,

pure consciousness... It is a part of us... It is the part that does

not fear, and knows all. Then there is the soul, which is evolving,

which doesn't know it all, but does when remembering it is connected

with the I, or actually a "part" of the I... When it is recognized by

the human, and it begins emerging as its true self, it remembers, it

begins to evolve, it is the individual part of us... Then of course

there is the ego, which is like a facade['the skin of a building', as

architects say it. Wim], our true self is [dwelling]in the ego... The

parts of the ego that the ego loves about itself, is actually the

true self... It is why its easy to recognize what we love... How easy

it is to fall into what we love... to enjoy what we love, because it

is our true self... The part of the ego that needs to disappear is

the part that is de-natured... [external stuff that got stuck onto

that skin, Wim] the part that is negative, the part that dwells in

hatred, or jealousy or any of those other emotions that give rise to

hurt and pain. We are three...... the ego, the true self {soul} and

the I... I am the I am, which is you and all... but I am also the my

individual self, which is nameless for me, or am I... It is the part

that is emerging... No actually, I am also emerging... The I am, and

the true self are completely who I am once the ego has cast off

negativity [graffiti on the walls]. \

>>>>>>>>

Q : What is the nature of the mind ?

A : The mind is nothing other than the "I"-thought.

The mind and the ego are one and the same.

The other mental faculties such as the intellect and

the memory are only this. Mind [manas ] , intellect [buddhi],

the storehouse of mental tendencies [chittam ]

and ego [ahamkara]; all these are only the one mind itself.

This is like different names being given to a man according

to his different functions .

The individual soul [ jiva ] is nothing but this soul or ego.

from Be As You Are

The Teaching of Sri Ramana