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Thoughts & Emotions
Thoughts & Emotions
Thoughts, Thoughts and Thoughts……..
Where do they come from? How do they fall in to your mind. How are they generated?
If you contemplate on these questions, you will invariably conclude that some trigger from your surroundings coupled with associated memories, lead to spontaneous generation of thoughts. At times these are completely random too.
This psychosomatic organism which we call our Mind Body Apparatus (MBA), is made up of Pancha Mahabhutas (Five elements) – In modern science we understand these as SpaceTime and MassEnergy or as described in the scriptures as Purush & Prakriti. This MBA is a complex uniquely designed instrument. Operated by the non-dual Source.
Why uniquely designed? Because each person has a unique DNA / genes that defines its body structure and intellect. Even in identical twins the fingerprints are different. Each MBA is therefore endowed with a unique mix of tri-gunas (Sat, Rajas and Tamas) and six-enemies (shat-ripus – Kama, Krodh, Madh, Matsar, Moha and Lobha). To this basic design add all the life experiences of that person like demographics, education, religious upbringing, political and social surroundings. What do you get then is unique persona that is completely identified with everything that he or she is NOT.
Thoughts are peculiar to a persona and they happen without any volition.
What are EMOTIONS? How do thoughts get converted to emotions?
To understand this, it is necessary to know – how the MBA works
MBA, as mentioned above, is a uniquely programmed instrument where the ROM (Read Only Memory) is the genes and auxiliary memory is the conditioning received by the MBA during its entire span of appearance.
Body is essentially accumulated food made up of the 5 elements – Fire, water, earth, air and Aakash (SpaceTime).
What is mind?
It can only be accumulated memory (neurons & synapses) – and electronic circuitery, that acts as a CPU to process information
Mind is best understood as divided in three parts:
1. Chitta - (Brain or working mind) – Working mind, Interacts with Senses, compares inputs with memory, takes reflexive action or actions supposedly directed by the Buddhi after due thinking.
2. Manas - (Inner sub-conscious mind) – This is the center, where thoughts are falling into from all universe – generated by the Source. This is also the center for the six enemies (Shat ripus), and is in interaction with Buddhi or Chitta at any point of time, but not with both
3. Buddhi – (Intellect,) The thinking mind, apparently the false self which assumes the control of all actions and owns every decision made by the MBA. This one gets inputs from Chitta or Manas at a time and discerns and decides the course of action to be taken with complete free will and directs the Chitta (working mind) to carry out the action.
Buddhi is also known as Ahamkar or the Ego. This is the seat of a separate persona. The entityfied Self. The Ego apparently does not allow Chitta and Manas to interact with each other directly.
Present research shows that the working mind decides to act even before the directions from intellect are received.
All thoughts that fall into Manas are classified as being the handy work of the shat ripus. If the thoughts are NOT carried in horizontal time, then they drop off. However, in a normal person the intellect (thinking mind) or Buddhi jumps in to picture and carries these thoughts in horizontal time. The thinking happens. Thus the MBA starts reacting to these thoughts. This reaction of the MBA to the thoughts is what we call as EMOTIONS.
Taking thoughts attributed to one enemy (Ripu) at a time:
1. Kama (Lust): These thoughts can arise momentarily in any person regardless of gender. However, when these thoughts are carried on and on by the Buddhi, they would lead to perverse action. So, continuation of lust in horizontal time leads to perversion. Sex crimes, rape and fights are very common outcome.
2. Krodh (Anger): The momentary anger can arise in any person. Continuation of anger in horizontal time leads to Hate. The emotion of hatred is become very common now days in a politically charged society. Hurt and guilt are very common emotions resulting out of anger.
3. Madh (Pride): Pride should arise for good work done. For achievements and success in any endeavor. Continuation of pride in horizontal time will lead to Arrogance. This leads to “know all” attitude and halt in learning.
4. Matsar (Jealousy): Jealousy is a very common thought. Carrying of Jealous thoughts in longer time and constant thinking leads to Crookedness. You will have experienced crooked behavior from people around you and even near and dear ones. That is purely out of jealousy.
5. Moha (Attachment): This is one of the most important ripus (enemies) and the continuing thought of losing the object of attachment always leads to FEAR. This is a constant emotion every person carries in his daily life. It is said that every action of man originates out of fear. The most frequent fear encountered every moment is the fear of future or the fear of unknown. People go to any extent to know their future. No one likes uncertainty. To overcome this, many people get into drugs, alcohol and all forms of escapism. This one single emotion of fear is the cause of wide spread misery in the phenomenal world.
6. Lobha (Greed): The emotion of greediness leads to wicked actions to grab something out of misplaced sense of entitlement. Stealing, robbing, frauds are outcome of these thoughts carried in horizontal time.
Thus, it is clearly blamed on Buddhi or the Ego, which indulges in incessant thinking, and makes the person face consequences and misery in daily life. Whereas an MBA (wherein Ego or the sense of doership has completely subsided), acting totally based on its working mind will obviously be called as an enlightened sage.
That’s why Lord Buddha said “Enlightenment is the. ……. END OF MISERY”
Namaskar!
P.S. - This is a rather long post. The writing happened after a gap of some time. The above is my understanding. You may as well call it as - my concept
I would welcome friends to disagree with me. While doing so, please be generous to share your understanding.
After all we are all here on this forum for learning from each other.
Namaskar!
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