Maan (Mind) is central to human experience, maan can be translated as a reference to the word “mind” in English, however, Maan has very precise definition associated with components, functions, formation, construction and deconstruction within the field of awareness. This internal experential process as our lived internal reality is known as Antkaran. “Ant” means internal or within (psycho-emotional, and physiophysiological), “Karan” means activity.
Maan, or Mind as, the internal coordinating instrument, is called “Antakaran” (“internal psychological apparatus”) or inner modes of action, having four faculties that can be functionally distinguished into “Manas” (thought, sensorial Mind), “Chitta” (memory/intention, mental substance, emotion) , “Buddhi” (discrimination / intellect), and “Ahamkara” (Sense of “I-am-maker” ). “Antakaran” is the composite of awareness and response system. In contrast, it is important to note there is no corresponding term within Western vocabulary for “Antakaran” which also goes to demonstrate the progress made in Indic Consciousness tradition in knowing the Mind.
We all have a Mind, yet very few of us realise that we are NOT our Mind. The nature of the human Mind is very subtle and difficult to understand. In Western psychology, Freud defined the structure of the personality in terms of the unconscious, preconscious, and conscious. This definition has dominated the world of psychology internationally, setting aside thousands of years of subjective research and experience as per the Indian traditions of Buddhism, “Adviata” and “Sikhi”. Freud, like most Western schools of psychology, only focuses on the ego or personality and does not go beyond the ego to know the Mind, let alone Consciousness.
By knowing the functionality and activities of the mind, one is able to discern the various levels of conditioning and construction of ones egoic sense of self (Haumai), constructed of “Maal” or the layers of conditioning.
ਮਨ ਮੇਰੇ ਹਉਮੈ ਮੈਲੁ ਭਰ ਨਾਲਿ ॥
Man mere haumai mail bẖar nāl.
O my mind, you are filled with the filth of egotism. Guru Amar Das
All of us are conditioned by “Maal”, conditioned sense of self, or mental pollution from birth. Our interactions with our parents, religions, schools and society create our psychological and conditioned sense of self, the content of our Mind, emotions and “Haumai” (ego-complex). “Haumai” can be seen like peeling an onion; the layers of identity are slowly peeled away gradually moving through our physical, mental, emotional, layers towards a clearer experienced sacred sense of self, or pure Consciousness.
“Gurmat” considers the Mind to be a subtle form of matter made up of the same five elements found in all Existence: air (gaseous), water (liquid-fluid), fire-plasma (electricity, energetic charge), earth (solid) and space. Whereas, Consciousness is non-corporeal; “Atma” is the universal life-principle of Consciousness experiencing life as”Jeev” or”embodied Consciousness”, the experience of human beings.”Jeev” is reflected in the Mind in two ways, as transcendental and phenomenal.
The Mind or “Maan” or “Mun” is a product of the five elements (“Tattvas”) and is the psychological composite “Antakaran”, a clear and knowing internal psychological instrument of “Buddhi” or intellect/discrimination, “Chit” or memory/intention, “Maan” or thought and “Ahamkara” or “I am myself-I-am-Creator”.
“Eihu Maan Panch Thath Thae Janamaa ||
This Mind is born of the five elements.” Guru Nanak Dev Ang 415 SGGS
Maan manifests continuously as dynamic activity which forms the interface between manifesting existence on one side and Consciousness on the other, giving rise to the duality of subject and object through perception. Consciousness, through sensory awareness, becomes the phenomenal aspect of Consciousness. Awareness of form and content is differentiated as cognising subject, cognised object and experience of cognition, yet they are fundamentally One. At the transcendental level, “Turiya”, Consciousness is experienced without the subject-object duality as pure “content-less” awareness, individual expression, a dynamic happening aligned within and expression of Hukam.
The Mind can be considered to have three aspects: perception, cognition and awareness, perception through sensory awareness, cognition as reflective awareness and Consciousness as untainted awareness. Consciousness or “BrahmaPurakh” is self-manifesting, self-illuminating, content-less, unknowable as an object of cognition, yet foundational for all awareness and knowledge. It is embodied within a person (“Atma”) and linked to the Mind (Maan) , manifesting as transcendental and phenomenal reflected awareness in the individualised Maan.
The embodied Consciousness (“Jeev Atma”) is constrained by the body-Mind complex (“Jeev”) while the Mind itself may be considered unconscious. The uniqueness of the “Jeev” enables it to reflect Consciousness such that its contents are revealed and illuminated by the embodied Consciousness (“Atma”). Thus, the “Jeev” becomes conscious like a light bulb illuminating the lampshade, where the light bulb may be considered as the content-less, formless, self-illuminated Consciousness (“Atma”) and the lampshade as the Mind.
Through this illumination, the Mind manifests subjective experience or the phenomenal aspect of Consciousness or awareness. Through this sense of subjectivity as phenomenal awareness, the Mind is conditioned into binding itself with the content of its awareness, including thoughts, intellect, memory and all phenomenal activity into a false identity, or “Ahamkara” or “I-am-maker”.
The Mind as, the internal coordinating instrument, is called “Antakaran” (“internal psychological apparatus”) or inner modes of action, having four faculties that can be functionally distinguished into “Manas” (thought, sensorial Mind), “Chitta” (memory/intention, mental substance, emotion) , “Buddhi” (discrimination / intellect), and “Ahamkara” (Sense of “I-am-maker” ). “Antakaran” is the composite of awareness and response system. In contrast, it is important to note there is no corresponding term within Western vocabulary for “Antakaran” which also goes to demonstrate the progress made in Indic Consciousness tradition in knowing the Mind
“Antakaran” refers to the “internal psychological apparatus”. It is important to explore the meaning of “Antakaran” in relation to “Indriyas” (sense organs and action organs) and explore the individual nature of “Mann”, “Buddhi”, “Chitta”and “Ahamkara”. The “Antakaran” perceives through five sense organs (“Gyan Indiria”) and instructs the five organs of action (“Karam Indiria”): the organ of speech, the hands, the legs, the organ of procreation and the organ of evacuation.
The four components of “Antakaran”, “Manas”, “Chit”, “Buddhi” and “Ahamkara” are distinguished as follows:
“Manas” is the central processing system, normally subdivided into two parts, “Manas” (thought) and “Chitta” (Mind-substance)/the quality of mental processes. “Chitta” represents an emotional-mental (heart-Mind) component of one’s mindset or state of Mind.
“Buddhi” refers to the executive system, the intellect and the facility to discriminate. According to “Gurmat”, “Buddhi” has several variations depending on its maturity. “Ahambudh”, also referred to as “Chapal Buddhi” (the unstable intellect), “BuddhiBikar” (polluted intellect), “MalinBuddhi” (turbid intellect), “NibalBuddhi” (weak intellect), “Durmat Buddhi” (perverse intellect), and “Phanin Buddhi” (the deluding intellect) which is Ego-centric, self-interested discrimination or intellect.
This discriminatory faculty matures through contemplative and ethical practices into “Bibek Buddhi” the ability to discriminate without egocentricity, self-interest and within internal ethical boundaries. This subtle sense of discrimination helps one to know the difference between “Sat” (Reality, unchanging, permanent) and “Asat”(falsehood, changing, temporary), or correct and incorrect.
Antar lobh halak Dukh bhareei bin bibek bharmaai ||1||: (The man with Haumai attaches to Maya) the great ailment of the rabid disease of greed is within him. Without Bibek (discriminating intellect), he wanders around (like a rabid dog) ||1|| (Ang 1132 SGGS).
“Bibek Buddhi”is also known as “Sar-Buddhi” (the essential intellect), “Tat Buddhi” (the essential intellect), “Bimal” or “Nirmal Buddhi” (unclouded, clear intellect), “Bal Buddhi” (powerful intellect), “Mati Buddhi” (the counselling intellect) and “Sudh Buddhi” (pure intellect).
Bibek budhi beechaar Gurmukh gur sabad khin khin har nit chave:
With Bibek-Budhi, the Gurmukhs contemplate the Gur-Shabad; each and every instant, they continually speak of the One (ever present) Ang 1114 SGGS
“Chitta” mental formation : Memory, intention and feeling. “Chitta”” is derived from the word “Chit” or Consciousness. It is considered as the universal medium or mental substance in which the Mind functions. “Chitta”, is responsible for the “Vritties” which can be translated as “thought-waves”,”vortex”,”waves” or”ripples”; they give rise to emotional states and moods which impact behaviour and activity.
“Vritties” is a process taking place as modification of the mental substance, like waves arise from the surface of the ocean. They arise from the surface of the Mind-ocean.
ਜਿਚਰੁ ਇਹੁ ਮਨੁ ਲਹਰੀ ਵਿਚਿ ਹੈ ਹਉਮੈ ਬਹੁਤੁ ਅਹੰਕਾਰੁ॥
Jichar Eihu Man Leharee Vich Hai Houmai Bahuth Ahankaar ||
As long as his Mind is disturbed by waves, its caught in Haumai (I-am-myself) and Ahamkara (I-am-Creator).Guru Amar Das Ang1247 SGGS
ਉਰਝਿ ਰਹਿਓ ਬਿਖਿਆ ਕੈ ਸੰਗਾ॥
ਮਨਹਿ ਬਿਆਪਤ ਅਨਿਕ ਤਰੰਗਾ॥੧॥
Ourajh Rehiou Bikhiaa Kai Sangaa ||
Manehi Biaapath Anik Tharangaa ||1||
Entangled in poisonous associations;
The Mind is troubled by so many waves. ||1|| Guru Arjan Dev Ang759 SGGS
“Ahamkara” is the experience of personal identity or the self-sense is known as “Aham”, which is equivalent to ‘I’ in the English language, with “Kar” being translated as “continuous form”. Therefore, Ahamkara can be translated as “I-am-Creator” or “I-am-ness”. “Ahamkara” is our internal, dynamic identity system Creator.
This system is not dissimilar to the nervous system, the circulatory system and other systems that exist in the human body, apart from being psychological as opposed to physical. Our Mind is conditioned through our interactions with others and our environment. This conditioning consists of thoughts, memories, discrimination and intention as our sense of identity; a separate entity termed ego or”Haumai”. One inherent quality of our ego is desire, wanting things to be other than they are, constantly confirming and reconfirming the existence of our ego, its “I-am-ness” or “Ahamkara” or “I-Maker”.
“Hau” can be translated as the psychological identity or “ego”. Self-identification as a separate and individual existence as “I-am-myself”, “Ahamkara” is the identification or attachment to one’s “Haumai” and represents the attribute-grasping “Trisanaa” or craving element of our identity.
“Ahamkara” can also be specialness, self-obsession, self-conceit, self-centeredness, self-adulation and self-pride, all underlying a need to exert permanence and security. “Ahamkara” represents the attributes of “Haumai”.
“Ahamkara” is experienced consciously and unconsciously as a form of “specialness” or self-referencing, a continuous creation of a false identity of self-importance, overtly or implied. This specialness can be reinforced either positively through care, attention and nurture, or negatively through lack of attention, care or adequate nurture.
This sense of self, “Ahamkara”, is a continuous identity making system which inherently feels insecure, incomplete and deficient. Therefore, one seeks a sense of security and permanence through attachments. This dynamic sense of grasping or craving (“Trisanaa”) gives rise to the emotions “Sukh” and “Dukh”, absence of suffering and suffering respectively, which are bi-polar in their nature.
Through desires and attachments individuals develop a false sense of self by identifying themselves with external objects, including body, youth, objects, and so on. The continuous grasping nature of “Ahamkara” as attachments, attractions and repulsion is termed as mental affliction, or “Klesha” (see “Klesha”)
“Ahamkara” along with constant craving or “Trisanaa” combines to result in psychological malfunctioning or mental illness. This mental state is underpinned by craving which, in turn, triggers the threat response system. Cravings are the uncontrolled desires that direct our awareness from present moment into thoughts relating to the cravings. Whilst most people are familiar with food cravings, most are unaware how the Mind is conditioned to desire “objects” that will make one feel more fulfilled or satisfied. Cravings lead to attachments and create our false sense of identity, therefore, leading us away from our true nature.
The nature of craving is such that it feeds our egotistic sense of identity; we deem ourselves to be incomplete and deficient. By craving we are able to hide, compensate ourselves and distract ourselves from our sense of deficiency.
ਅਹੰਕਾਰੁ ਤਿਸਨਾ ਰੋਗੁ ਲਗਾ ਬਿਰਥਾ ਜਨਮੁ ਗਵਾਵਹੇ॥
Ahankaar Thisanaa Rog Lagaa Birathhaa Janam Gavaavehae ||
Self-conceit and craving are the disease by which you are wasting your life away in vain. Guru Amar Das Ang 441 SGGS