Buddhi Functions In 2 Ways

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Jaya Guru Datta,

 

Here is today's saying:

 

“Jagrat (wakeful state) is a state in which the sense organs perceive the

objects with the help of light, etc. etc. The eyes see the objects with the

help of sunlight. Similarly each sense organ perceives with some external help.

The eyes cannot smell and the ears cannot see. Another strange happening in

this state is that the intellect (buddhi) too behaves like a sense organ.

Whatever the sense organs perceive, the intellect understands constantly. In

reality, if the intellect ceases to function, nothing can be perceived although

the sense organs are functioning. It is in this sense that the buddhi is

sometimes referred to as a sense organ.

 

For the eyes to grasp the form of any object, a source of light- either the

sunlight or lamp light- is necessary. Similarly, each sense organ requires some

external help to perceive its objects. If buddhi is also like a sense organ,

how does it perceive?

 

In the previous lesson, we compared the buddhi to the crystal and the

pratyatgatma to the light and said that in the presence of the light, the

crystal shines brilliantly. We also learnt that it is called as 'Aadhyaasika

samyoga' (see lesson 8). Thus the buddhi functions in two ways:

 

i)Because of its proximity to the atma, the buddhi shines as the

pratyatma itself. Thus buddhi behaves as a 'drashta' (seer).

 

ii) Because the buddhi is connected to the indriyas (sense organs), it

perceives the objects of perception and assumes their (objects')form. It means

that the buddhi, which behaves as 'drashta' also, behaves as a drishya (seen).

 

Sri Swamiji,

Lessons in Vedanta - 10 part II

 

Sri Guru Datta,

Swamiji Says