Concept of Mind (Manas) and Intelligence (Buddhi) in Indian Philosophy

1 | P a g e Lokyata: Journal of Positive Philosophy

http://lokayatajournal.webs.com

ISSN: 2249-8389

Lokyata Journal of Positive Philosophy

Centre for Positive Philosophy and Interdisciplinary Studies (CPPIS)

Milestone Education Society (Regd.), Ward No.06, Pehowa (Kurukshetra)-136128

http://positivephilosophy.webs.com

Concept of Mind (Manas) and

Intelligence (Buddhi) in Indian

Philosophy

Volume II, No. 01 (March, 2012)

Chief-Editor:

Desh Raj Sirswal
http://positivephilosophy.webs.com/



Lokyata: Journal of Positive Philosophy (ISSN 2249-8389)

Lokyata: Journal of Positive Philosophy is a bi-annual interdisciplinary journal of the Center for

Positive Philosophy and Interdisciplinary Studies (CPPIS). The name Lokyata can be traced to

Kautilya's Arthashastra, which refers to three nvkiks (logical philosophies), Yoga, Samkhya and Lokyata. Lokyata here still refers to logical debate (disputatio, "criticism") in general and not to a

materialist doctrine in particular. The objectives of the journal are to encourage new thinking on

concepts and theoretical frameworks in the disciplines of humanities and social sciences to

disseminate such new ideas and research papers (with strong emphasis on modern implications of

philosophy) which have broad relevance in society in general and mans life in particular. The

Centre publishes two issues of the journal every year. Each regular issue of the journal contains

full-length papers, discussions and comments, book reviews, information on new books and other

relevant academic information. Each issue will contain about 100 Pages.

Centre for Positive Philosophy and Interdisciplinary Studies, Pehowa (Kurukshetra)

Chief- Editor:

Dr. Desh Raj Sirswal, Assistant Professor (Philosophy),

P.G.Govt. College for Girls, Sector-11, Chandigarh (India)

Associate Editors: Dr. Sandhya Gupta Ms Poonama Verma

Language Editors: Ms Vipinjeet Kaur Mr Raj Kumar

Editorial Advisory Board

Prof. K.K. Sharma (Former-Pro-Vice-Chancellor, NEHU, Shillong)

Dr. Anamika Girdhar (Kurukshetra University, Kurukshetra)

Dr.Ranjan Kumar Behera (Patkai Christian College (Autonomous), Nagaland)

Fr. V. John Peter (St. Josephs Philosophical College, Nilgiris, T.N.)

Dr. Aayam Gupta (Lautoka, Fiji)

Dr. Geetesh Nirban (Kamala Nehru College, University of Delhi)

Dr. Vaishali Dev (Mahamakut Buddhist University, Thailand)

Dr. Merina Islam (Cachar College, Silchar, Assam)

Dr. Narinder Singh (GHSC-10, Chandigarh)

Dr. Vijay Pal Bhatnagar (Kurukshetra University, Kurukshetra)

Declaration: The opinions expressed in the articles of this journal are those of the individual

authors, and not necessary of those of CPPIS or the Chief-Editor.



In this issue..

INTERTWINED HUMAN MIND IN NATURE: A Rendering from Ancient Tamil

TraditionVallabadoss John Peter (4-17)

BUDDHISM AND DENNETT S MODEL THEORY: AN ANALYSIS IN THE

ACCOUNT OF CONSCIOUSNESS Sheeja O.K.(18-24)

RABINDRANATH TAGORES THOUGHTS OF MIND: PHILOSOPHY OF

EDUCATION K.Victor Babu (25-34)

ADHITHANA (DETERMINATION) LEADING TO HAPPINESS Ashima Verma (35-

41)

The Principal Upaniads on Vtti Theory of Perception Surjya Kamal Borah & Shruti Rai (42-49)

THE REVELATION OF THE MIND Prashanata Kumar Dash (50-56)

(57-62)

Article: EDUCATION DISPELS DARKNESSR.K.Behera (63-66)

Empirical Work: EFFECT OF KNOWLEDGE VALUES ON LIFE SATISFACTION

AMONG ADOLESCENTS Himani Anand & Shailendra Pratap (67-72)

BOOK-REVIEWS Merina Islam (73-76)

PHILOSOPHY NEWS IN INDIA (77-80)

CONTRIBUTORS OF THIS ISSUE (81)



INTERTWINED HUMAN MIND IN NATURE

A Rendering from Ancient Tamil Tradition

Vallabadoss John Peter

Abstract

The situationality influences human thought, emotions and feelings. Human mind is shaped and

influenced by its environment. The classical Tamil literature (cakam literature: 500BCE-

300CE) stands evident that mind is intertwined in Nature. All the descriptions of Nature and its

surroundings in this ancient literature speak of the intertwining of human life with that of nature.

Nature is framed as the background for human behaviour and emotions in poetry. In the classical

Tamil literature Nature is portrayed as directly involving in the life of the humans, influencing

their living and thought patterns. The external material world participates in the world of

humans. The uppaai poems have a unique way of describing Nature that helps human life in

its everydayness. Nature spontaneously arouses the spiritual aspects in human mind. Besides

evoking aesthetic, poetic and artistic feelings in human mind, Nature plays a role of mediator by

arousing spirituality in humans. Nature serves human beings as a suitable setting for their living

and loving. The article gives a brief note on ancient Tamil thought generally on human-nature

relationship, particularly on intertwining of mind in nature, expressed in poetic forms.

Introduction

Every thinker is a product of his/her times. Human mind is shaped and influenced by its

environment, in a sense that the situationality influences human thought, emotions and feelings.

Human community at large is influenced in all respects while living in and with its environment.

Some philosophical traditions or systems treated mind and matter as separate category, while

others reduced matter into mind. The classical Tamil literature (cakam literature)1 stands

evident that mind is intertwined with matter as expressed in natural environment.

The classical Tamil literature is admired both for its own linguistic excellence and for its

conceptual frame of thinking.2

Ancient Tamil Literature impresses people not so much by the

bulk, range and variety of the works, as by richness of its content and the culture of the South

India.3 While the early literature is a direct evidence of specific Tamil philosophy of life, it is

extremely rich in information about the thought pattern of the Tamils.4 Attempt is made to cull

out from the extant classical Tamil literature, a thought pattern, if we hesitate to call it a

system of thought, which is unique and specific to Tamil tradition. In its pristine purity without

Lokyata: Journal of Positive Philosophy (ISSN: 2249-8389)

Volume II, No. 01 (March 2012), pp.04-17



borrowing from any other Indian tradition even though we cannot neglect the factor of being

influenced by the other traditions - ancient Tamil community developed a holistic and

comprehensive understanding of the material world that is seen as influencing human life. In the

largely agricultural based Tamil society nature posed as a background for the philosophical

tradition. The concept of nature becomes a specific thread of thought that characterizes

something unique to the Tamil tradition.5 Viewed as a whole, this literature helps us reconstruct

the thought pattern of the Tamils and in deciphering the history of philosophy in the Tamil

country.

A brief note on ancient Tamil thought generally on human-nature relationship, particularly on

intertwining of mind in nature, expressed in poetic forms is with the purpose of looking for their

relevance in the modern society. Surely, we benefit from the insights found in the ancient

literature in enhancing our understanding of human mind.

I

Nature in Human life and thought

The Tolkppiyam, Eutokai and Pattupu are the fine products of the Tamilian intellect

belonging to the cakam period extended from 500 BCE to 300 CE. Tolkppiyam describes how

nature is framed as the background of human behaviour and emotions in poetry.6 In eight

anthologies, Eutokai,7 divided into Akam and Puam8 that deal with interior and exterior

human experiences, Nature plays a vital role. In akam songs there is much of sympathetic

interpretation of Nature. Nature is brought into relationship with man in response to human

conduct and aspirations or provoking human emotions.9 For instance, in Kuuntokai, the mulai

region is depicted to show the rainy reason where the birds sing and flowers blossom creating a

situation of gladness and cheerfulness. The master of the house returns back home after work

abroad, bringing the same joyfulness to the family.10

The human feelings of joy and happiness

after a long awaiting for the arrival of a person (uripporu) is mixed with the situation created by

the karupporu (natural ambience) and mutalporu (rainy season and mulai region).11

The puam poems like Purannuu and Patiuppattu there are not much elements of the

interpretation of Nature as there is in akam poems like Ainkuunuu, Kuuntokai, Naiai and

Akannuu. Yet they have an abundance of similes and metaphors regarding Nature.12 These

cannot be just brushed aside as mere poetic interpretation of Nature. In many cakam poems,

especially in puram natural objects are used just for making allegories and similes and merely as

poetical expressions.13

In Puam poems, Nature has a place in human life. The poets describe the

landscape and the beauty of the country while praising the king of the region or lamenting over

the present condition of the country after the war.14

Many poems, about hundreds of them, in



Maturaikkci by Mkui Marutar and in Paiapplai by Uruttira a ar have a similar

setting of praising the landscape and its beauty before the destruction.15

In the Pattupu (ten idylls)16 there are lengthy and picturesque descriptions of the Tamil

country and its seasons. In each of the ten idylls there are passages relevant to the theme of

Nature. All these poems contain suggestiveness regarding Nature, detailed description of Nature

and an explicit avowal of the mutual influence between Human and Nature. As it is said by Mu.

Varatharasan, more than the puam songs akam poems have deliberately shown the truth that

Nature by its power can not only attract human life but also change it as well.17

Though human

emotions form the primary subject of these anthologies, it is the human emotions of a people

who lived in intimate relationship and communion with Nature.18

From the description of

Nature in the poetry both akam and puam we find that the environment definitely conditions

human life and ideology.

The uppaai poems have a unique way of describing Nature that helps human life in its

everydayness. uppaai forms of poems are a kind of guide-books and travelogues that adopt a

more credible and realistic device than other cakam poems.19 They are intended not only to

praise the kings and the beauty of their country, but also to guide poets who are desperately in

need to approach these kings.20

The uppaai is of a piece with Tamil realism and describes

the journey as experienced by a human traveler and that on terra firma.21

Extending the mere

description to a level of inherent philosophical rendering, one finds in detail the notion that

Nature guides humans who seek prosperity and wealth. It enables the humans not only to cherish

the richness of Nature solely by oneself, but shapes the human mind to inherit priceless values

such as generosity and being helpful. The poets become magnanimous in letting know others that

there is an opportunity for others who seek decent living by having recourse to generous persons

and richly treasured country. Such ennobling process of human mind takes place by nature as

evident in these uppaai poems.

In poems of Paripal, description of Nature is clearly the natural environment of the local gods,

namely, Tiruml and Murugan.22

Nature is said to be playing a different role here, so varied from

the other akam poems as arousing human-divine relational aspects.23

As devotional odes to the

divine, Paripal, praises the natural scenery of gods shrines surrounded by natural loveliness,

where the river takes its origin. The poems affirm human affection for the river that confers

beauty, fertility and prosperity to the city and the kingdom of Madurai.24

The various

descriptions of natural objects and creatures by the poets reveal to us the involvement of them in

the nature and the subtle knowledge of nature they possessed.25

Nature is said to be arousing the

spiritual aspects in human mind. Besides evoking aesthetic, poetic and artistic feelings in human

mind, Nature plays a role of mediator by arousing spirituality in humans.



The physical texture of the south Indian landscape has provided various types of poetry,

conceptions and cultures within the south India.26

The ancient Tamils had conception of the

world as nilam, comprising of four types of lands.27 As in Tolkppiyam, the landscape is

divided into only four, namely kuici, mullai, marutam and neital.28 The fifth one, plai, is only

a derivative of kuici and mullai.29 The abundant variety in the landscape provided the Tamil

thinkers the natural prospect of a view with all its divergence and richness.30

Kuici is the name

given to the landscape with mountainous terrain. Whole of Tamil country has mountains, tall or

short, with different names and varieties. Some are with mere rocky stones heaped up. Some are

described as having some plants and trees in the rocky cliffs and few with green covered all over

the mountains. Cakam pictures all of them with their beauty and names many of them.31 Entire

view of the mountains with the plains down is well portrayed in many poems.32

Especially in

Pattupttu and Malaipaukam the picture of kurici are noteworthy. Mullai region which is of

forest terrain is portrayed with romanticism during rainy season and evening hours.33

The region

is full of trees and flowers.34

The land is full of creatures, big and small.35

Marutam is the fertile

cultivated area with lots of vegetation and food crops. The land is full of domestic animals, water

channels with fishes and trees with flowers and fruits.36

Neital is the coastal region. As Tamil country is surrounded by sea in all three sides, there are

many poems dedicated to this land. The cakam poets li e Amvanr, Culcanr and

Nalantuvanr, sing about the coastal land, its birds, trees and plants.37

There are references about

the seashores and the ports.38

Even though there is no specific landscape as plai, cakam

literature has many poems sung in this. As we have seen already, kurici and mullai turn to be

plai in dearth of rain and prosperity. In plai, heat of the sun is unbearable and the hills are

devoid of charm and greenery.39

Wind is heavy and hot which dries up the branches and the

leaves of the trees.40

Pluralistic conception of reality in Tamil tradition has its foundation in such

an interaction of nature and human mind.

In the classical Tamil literature nature is portrayed as directly involving in the life of the humans

and influencing the human living and thought patterns.41

All the descriptions of Nature and its

surroundings in both akam and puam poems deliberately speak of the intertwining of human life

with that of nature. All these external aspects of Nature are very much reflected as the internal

human aspects. There is in Tamil love poetry much of the sympathetic interpretation of nature

whereby Nature is brought into relationship with man, furnishing lessons and analogies to human

conduct and human aspirations, and expressing itself in sympathy with or in antagonism to the

lives of men.42

The external material world, according to classical Tamil tradition, participates

in the world of humans.43



Interestingly, as noted by Mu Varatharasan, although Tamils have given so great a place for

Nature in the literature, there is no mention of a term iyarkai, or any equivalent term.44

The

interpretation of such non-mention of a particular term for Nature is rendered as Tamils gave a

non-exclusive treatment for Nature that they do not consider nature as something different from

them. They have been infused with it that they regarded it as part of human nature. It also goes to

an understanding that feelings of human hearts and the beauty of nature are so intertwined that

Tamils have forgotten that there is something out there.45

For instance, in a poem of Kuuntokai,

the deep longing of a person in love is made to coincide with sound of the misty mountains and

the sound of the peacock.46

The influence of Nature as obtained in the Tamil land on poetry was

final and far-reaching and very decisive. Tamil poetry bears in nearly every page the imprint of

the land and the landscape in which it has been created.47

II

Intertwining of Mind in Nature: Philosophical Implications

1) Sincere search, unquenched yearning and systematic thinking unravel the mysteries of the

universe and enable one come closer to the truth. Tamils have been from the time

immemorial, people with simplicity of life, subtlety in their thinking and living in harmony

with the nature. Tamil tradition has recorded evidences for its thinking at least from BCE

500.48

Much noted character in them has been their practical sense of living. They are very

close to nature with their simple and realistic descriptions of natural world. Philosophy of

Tamils is concrete and intimately connected with the nature. Tamil philosophy of life from

the cakam period onwards has been down to earth in its rational approach to nature and

world. The poetic expressions are echoes of interaction of nature and humanity that formed a

way of thinking and living.49

2) The cakam literature ever remains a written source or a social document. It contains a

detailed description of nature and an explicit avowal of the mutual influence between human

and nature. The appreciation of nature arose not just out of interest to be associated with

human events but to be viewed as the seeding ground for human emotion and action to

emerge. Unearthing the philosophical dynamics in the social life of the Tamils, expressed in

cakam literature reveals the refreshing insight of Tamil classical thought pattern that would

enable one to get involved in realistic living in the contemporary era.50

The cakam literature

proclaimed a fact that the environment definitely conditions human life.51

3) Concretely mentioning one such realistic conception of mind and nature relationship would

be illustrative. The linguistic description of relationship of Uyir-Mei in Tolkppiyam has

direct implications for soul-body relation. According to Tolkppiyar, the world of nature is

divided into word and substance or categories. The natural objects are classified as uyir, mei,

uyir-mei.52

There are rational beings, the dead and inert. (Uyartinai enmanr makkat cutte,

agrinai enmanr avarla pirave). The time, world, soul, body, God, action, elements, sun,



moon and the word are included in the substance (poru).53 Differentiation between soul and

matter is a significant metaphysical principle in many systems of Indian philosophy. The

Tolkppiyam upholds the reality of both soul and matter. In the following phrases uyire

utampe, cea uyiri nia ykkai uampum uyirum viyak kaum,54 we find both soul

and matter are mentioned as separate categories. Consciousness is the one, which

differentiates soul from matter. The soul is endowed with consciousness whereas the matter

is insentient.55

The classification of the alphabets indicates uniquely the relation between

soul or spirit and matter. The Tamil alphabets are known by Uyir and Mei. In linguistic

parlance, they are commonly known as vowels and consonants. Etymologically they stand to

mean the soul and body. The twelve such soul-letters, conjoin with the consonants to give

meaning and life. Spirit animates the body, the matter to be alive.

4) Meaning of any existence, either be it any word in a language or any life in the world, is

derived out of the combination of soul and matter, uyir and mei. While stressing the

coexistence of soul and matter for a meaningfulness of existence, Tolkppiyam maintains the

distinction of the two. In the process of conjoining with the consonants, the vowels do not

change their nature.56

Vowel appears only through the medium of body, consonant.57

Tolkppiyar is well aware of the differences in the nature of the two realities, soul and

matter. Analysis of the concepts of soul and matter, as metaphysical principles found in

Tolkppiyam, leads one to interpret them as clinging towards the monistic tendency.58

One

soul-letter A pervades all other eleven letters and the body-letters. Such interpretation

too leads to explain the one soul appearing diversely according to the nature of the bodies.

Another interpretation leads to conclude that the dichotomy between spirit and matter is

maintained throughout. In either case, one finds that the spirit and matter continuum is

essential for meaningful expressions in terms of language and in ordinary existence of the

humans on earth.

5) While discussing on the personhood, it is always important that the dichotomy of soul and

body would not serve our purpose. Human being is a holistic personality having equal status

and importance given to body and soul. Personality for Tolkppiyam insists on the

importance of having a sound body. Only a body that is fit can adequately respond to the

surroundings and externalize the thoughts and feelings. Such externalization (meypptu)

being a basic function of a persona, what the body, and looks mean to a persona cannot be

underestimated.59

Tolkppiyam shows clearly the significance of the physical aspect of

human being. The philosophical tradition of ancient Tamils was pragmatic existential

philosophy.60

6) For the contemporary crisis of Human-Nature encounter, with serious ecological threat to the

very existence of both the nature and the humankind, Tolkppiyam provides us the insight

that meaningful existence is possible only with due recognition of spirit and matter. One

cannot underestimate and throw away the existence of either of spirit or of the matter. Uyir-



mei combine together to form meaningful words and existence. Uyir-mei is not just

combination of uyir and mei, it is uyir-mei, having spirit and matter as constitutive of each

other. Devaneya Pavanar, a great Tamil scholar explains spirit-matter in the following way;

that which animates the matter (mei) is spirit (uyir). Mei is the body that surrounds the

constitutive spirit. Thus, uyir-mei is the mei with the spirit.61

In classical Tamil tradition

human nature is not just body or soul alone, but the right combination of both spirit and

matter. Human or worldly nature is both spirited matter and materialized spirit.

7) In cakam literature, besides the literalism with imagery and poetic expressions realistic

approach to nature is found throughout Tamil literature that Nature is out there, existing by

itself, influencing the human living and thought patterns. The external material world

participates in the world of humans. The appreciation of Nature arose not just out of interest

to be associated with human events or to be viewed as the background to human emotion and

action.62

8) Classical Tamil tradition with a profound thought pattern and harmonious living with nature

has something concrete to contribute to contemporary understanding of nature and by

developing respectful attitude towards nature. Sense of wonderment is the beginning of

human thought. People experiencing the nature regarded its greatness and enjoyed its beauty

and eventually were educated by it. Classical Tamil Tradition proves that human activities

concretely takes place in Natural environment and are constantly influenced by

environmental factors. Tamil philosophy of life emerged in quite compatibility with love of

nature. The Nature serves human beings as the suitable setting for their living and loving.

Changes in natural seasons and of the day were portrayed as having strong effects on human

personality. Concept of nature in classical Tamil tradition was fundamentally realistic,

humanistic and concrete. Wisdom of the Tamils had not deduced from the rationalistic mind

of the humans, but rather from the animals and the birds and their reactions the Tamils have

learned wisdom. Tamil philosophical tradition emerged from the simple life style of ancient

Tamils in harmony with nature. That life is to be lived here and now becomes Tamil

philosophy of life.63

9) Generally in history of human thought, be it Western or Eastern traditions, Nature has been

defined mostly as the outer, external and objective world of sense perception. It is non-

human and is not the product of human either in material or in mental sense. It exists by itself

having its own uniqueness of its existence and it is an independent reality without any

ontological dependence of human existence. Realism in ancient Tamil tradition is neither

nave realism nor representationism but a common-sense realism and critical-scientific

realism. External world is a real, independent existent whose truth could well be established

by virtue of its own existence and by perception of it by human senses and mind.

Ontologically human and external world are independent realities and pragmatically they are



interdependent and interconnected realities for their sustenance. They co-exist with each

other with relationship of mutual and complementary nature.

Concluding Remarks

The poetic lines of ancient Tamils available today as cakam literature, are deeply philosophic in

nature expressing the close association of humans with nature.64

Tamils have been from the time

immemorial, people with simplicity of life, subtlety in their thinking and living in harmony with

the nature. Much noted character in them has been their practical sense of living. The classical

cakam literatures bear sufficient witness to this aspect of the Tamils. They are very close to

nature with their simple and realistic descriptions of natural world.65

Tamil Philosophy of life

from the cakam period onwards was down to earth in its rational approach to nature and world.

The realistic notion of the material world is very much influential on the later philosophical

system of aiva Siddhnta, especially in its metaphysics. The positive and affirmative approach

towards physical reality and openness to pluralistic world-view is found in Tamil tradition.

In our short discussion on relationship of human mind with Nature, we have shown how the

poetic expressions revealing deep sense of realism are very much influenced and shaped by the

natural surroundings. The human feelings, emotions and thoughts are born out of situationality

that encompasses geography, socio-cultural and existential predicaments. One might be reluctant

to assert that human mind is the product of Nature, if one is not an ardent follower and defender

of a system like Samkhya. Nevertheless, from the above discussion on nature of relationship

between human mind and Nature, as evident from Tamil classical literature, one is confident to

say that the mind is intertwined with Nature in various aspects. Nature plays significantly in

activating different emotions and feelings of human mind. The mind is intertwined with Nature.

Notes & References:

1. The extant classical literature of Tamil tradition is said to be the product of ancient

Tamils about 500BCE to 300CE. Refer, Iyengar, P.T. Srinivasa (2001) History of the

Tamils: From the Earliest Times to 600A.D. Reprint 1929; Asian Educational Services.

New Delhi.

2. In a largely debated platform of Indian philosophy in general, the ancient Tamil tradition

has scanty reference and even suffered neglect in the academic discourse. Often stated

reasons are the following: Tamil tradition has not been known to have produced any

specific philosophical treatise; There is no evidence for any philosophical thin ing as

such in Tamil tradition; Even if there are some stray philosophical injunctions they could

well be integrated in the whole gamut of different classical Indian systems; There is

nothing specific to Tamil tradition at all. These above mentioned statements are widely

prevalent in any Indological study and in Indian philosophical discussions. However, the

present article would show little light on philosophical insight of ancient Tamils.



3. Nayagam, Xavier S. Thani (1997) Landscape and Poetry, International Institute of Tamil

Studies, Chennai, 1.

4. Iyengar, History of the Tamils, lv.

5. Muppaalmani, K (2008) Thamizhaga Thaththuva Cinthanai Marapugal Philosophical

Thought Tradition of Tamil Country (in Tamil), New Century Book House, Chennai, iv.

6. Nayagam, Landscape and Poetry, 2-3. For instance, the emotional experience of people

is termed as urikporu in cakam literature. Tolkppiyam equates this with nature.

puartal pirital iruttal, al ivain nimitam enivai, tru klait tiaiku urip poul

coition Tol. Porul. 14. It is worth mentioning here that Tol ppiyar considers

idamum klamum (place and time) are mutal poru (primary). mutalenap pauvatu

nilam poutu irain ilalpena moipa iyal puarntor Tol. Porul. 4. Karupporu is that

which creates the ambience. teivam uv mmaram pupuai, ceiti yain pakutiyou

tokaiyi, avakai piavum kauena moipa Tol. Porul.18. For detailed treatement on

mutalporu, karupporu and uripporu refer: Varatharasan, Mu (2006) Pazhatamizh

Illakkiyatil Iyarkkai Nature in Ancient Tamil Literature (in Tamil), 2nd

ed. Pari

Nilayam, Chennai, 23-25.

7. The eight texts are Ainkuunuu, Kuuntokai, Naiai, Patiuppattu, Paripal,

Kalitokai, Akannuu and Purannuu. Refer for the detailed history and number of

poems, Pillai, M. Shanmugam (1997) Cakat Tamiar Va viyal Philosophy of Life of

Cankam Tamils (Tamil), International institute of Tamil Studies, Chennai, 20-38.

8. Akam deals with internal, personal and directly incommunicable human experience.

Puram is about all that does not come under these internal and interior experiences of

humans. In Puram poetry, the study of Nature is mainly objective and consists in similes

and metaphors, whereas in Akam poetry Nature is the background and sympathetic stage

for the emotional and aesthetic aspects of love. Nayagam, Landscape and Poetry, 5.

9. Ibid.

10. vauttu tat trai teviat, takama pavin mulai malara, inpuat tanu poute,

ninkui vaitanam trka inip paar. Kuunkotai 494.

11. There is a scholarly discussion on which is given importance, mutalpporu, karupporu or

uripporu. Refer: Varatharasan, Pazhatamizh Illakkiyatil Iyarkkai Nature in Ancient

Tamil Literature, 24-25. In this paper we are concerned about how these remain



interrelated and mutually influence each other. That the Nature plays a vital role in

arousing human feelings and emotions is largely evident in all these discussions.

12. Nayagam, Landscape and Poetry, 5-6.

13. Puram 65, 155.

14. ena iratatal arite n atu nalkinum nalk yyinum velpr eipaaiku d mai auvait

tviri kauppat tuvani mmcait tapala iitarum auvinin koperu knam pdalenak

keite Puram 154. Here the poet says that it is easy for him to praise the beauty of the

ings country than to as him directly for some boon. touta vayalral pianavum, u

porutceu vutu vittunavum karumpin pttip ptta neital, iruka eumaiyin niraiuk

kunavum, kalikeu tuakai iya marukin, vaaitalai mt mpal rnavum, olitekin

imimarutin punalvyi pmpoikaip pal cna pakeu vaipin ndu Patiupattu -13.

The poet describes the fertile landscape before invaded and destroyed by the enemy.

15. Refer Maturaikkci 89-130, 152-194, 239-340; Paiapplai 101-119, 240-270.

16. The ten idylls are: Ciup uppatai by Nattattar, Kuicippu by Kapilar,

Malaipaukam by Perukaucikaar, Maturaikkci by Mkui Marutar,

Mullaippu bty Napptar, Neunalvai by Na rar, Paiapplai and

Perump uppaai by Uruttira a ar, Porunaruppaai by Muattama a iyr

and Tirumurukauppaai by Na rar. For details on these texts, refer; M. Shanmugam

Pillai, Cakat Tamiar Va viyal Philosophy of Life of Cankam Tamils (Tamil), 7-19.

17. Varatharasan, Pazhatamizh Illakkiyatil Iyarkkai Nature in Ancient Tamil Literature, 36-

37.

18. Nayagam, Landscape and Poetry, 7.

19. ktarum parum porunarum vialiyum iaik ktci uaat tnip peta peruvaam

pearkku avuic, cenu payanetirac conna pakkam. Tol. Porul. 9.

20. In Tirumurguppaai which is a poem on the god, Murukan, the descriptions of the

natural beauty of the place is given to glorify the god as his immanent presence is in the

Nature, and to declare that natural flowers, trees and animals are sacred to Him. Minute

and interesting descriptions of the hill country, of the dawn and the setting in of evening,

and of the close life of the people with Nature, occur in Malaipaukam and Kapilars

famous Kuicippu. Few passages in Neunalvai portray the interplay of human

emotions and sentiments, with that of North Wind and its effects.




22. Paripal 8, 9, 14-20.

23. Varatharasan, Pazhatamizh Illakkiyatil Iyarkkai Nature in Ancient Tamil Literature, 43.


25. Pillai, Cakat Tamiar Va viyal Philosophy of Life of Cankam Tamils, 220.

26. Tolkppiyam enumerates the names and characteristics of each landscape and its impact

on human conduct, feeling and thought pattern. Refer for instance the following hymns.

Tol. Porul. 6; 8; 9-10.

27. Pillai, Cakat Tamiar Va viyal Philosophy of Life of Cankam Tamils, 212.

28. mullai kuici marutam neitalenac coliya muraiyl colavum paum. Tol. Poru. 5.

29. Later in one of the five great epics, aimpeukppiyam, namely, Cilappatikram, its

author Ila vati al spea s of it. mullaiyum kuiciyum muaimaiyin tirintu, nalliyalpu

iantu nautuyar uuttup, plai enpatr paivam koum. Cilappatikram, kuk. 64-

66.

30. For further details, refer: K. Ramamurthi, Some aspects of the Regional Georgraphy of

Tamil Naad, Indian Geographical Journal, Vol.XXIII, No.2 ff; K.M. Panikkar,

Geographical Factors in Indian History (Bombay: n.p., 1955), 24. It has been also

observed, for instance, that monotheism is characteristic of religions which have

originated in the desert, and polytheism of cults where Nature is diversified and

luxuriant. Nayagam, Landscape and Poetry, 10.

31. Different mountains like Imayam (Puram - 2), Kolli (Puram - 152), Mullr (Puram -

126), Potiyil (Puram - 128), Vekatam (Puram 389), Parkutram (Paripal 14:1-

17).

32. White clouds hovering over the green mountains as it portrayed in Patiupattu 78.

umaai tavaum kuyar neuvarai Nainai 385. maaikaam ckkum mmalai

Puram 131. koal avaraip pvin anna, vetalai mmaai cit tnal n

maineukunu Ainkuunu - 209. There are poems picturing the water falls down the

hills, for example as in malainr veneu koiyin tnum Malaipaukam 582.

33. As rainy season and evening hours are specific to mullai poems as their perumpoutu and

ciupoutu.



34. ceiyilai ky acanam malara Mulaipttu 93.

35. Frogs, deer, cows and elephants are found all over mullai region. paumaai pointa

payamiku puavin neunr avala pakuvait trai Akam 154. tirimaruppu iralai teaal

paruki Akam - 154. kanupayir kurala manu nirai kutarum mlai Akam 14.

36. tuaimn vaakum perunrp poikai, arimalar mpal minta neimaruppu, rnta

ermaic cvalpau mutupttut, tkucu aal tucip poutupatap painnia varal

kuaip peyartantu, kuruvukkoip pantrai ci mutrp, prcei maarin pukutarum. Akam

316.

37. par araip punai vakucinait tyum, knalam peruntuai. Akam 270.

38. vlitai yeuta vaitaru vakam, palvu patam iitarum painatu Matuaikaci 536-

537.

39. attam kikatir kaukiya kavinai pakal, vika uainta cimaia, vaikau karukina

malai. Akam 399. paitaa vempiya pcer attam. Akam 371.

40. nucinai vaiya ka ollena, vupal akal ilai kaikku oiyum. Akam 143.

41. Natarasan, Ti. Su (2008) Tamizh Marapil Azha iyal Aesthetics in Tamil Tradition, in

Tamizhar Cinthanai Marabu Philosophical Tradition of Tamils, ed., Deva Perinban,

Tenaka Aivu Maiyam, Chennai, 61.


43. Varatharasan, Pazhatamizh Illakkiyatil Iyarkkai, 45. Further, Varatharasan argues in the

pages 45-52 that in classical Tamil literature, human life is centric where the description

of the nature serves only as a background and setting. Nature takes only the secondary

position in the literature. Humanistic aspects emerge prominently in them.

44. Ibid., 21. Iyarkkai is the Tamil term for Nature, which etymologically means that

which is by it own essential substance, iyalpaka ullatu. Refer, Pavanar, Devaneya

(2003) Sollaratchi Katturaikal-Research Essays on word, Tamizh Mann Publications,

Chennai, 12-13.

45. Varatharasan, Pazhatamizh Illakkiyatil Iyarkkai Nature in Ancient Tamil Literature, 21.

46. inamayil akaum marampayil knatu, naraimuka kam prpu panikkap, paumaai

pointa sral avarnuk kunam nkkinen toi, patai ya kaicin Kurtokai- 249.



47. Nayagam, Landscape and Poetry , 38.

48. Muppaalmani, K (2008) Thamizhaga Thaththuva Cinthanai Marapugal Philosophical

Thought Tradition of Tamil Country (in Tamil), New Century Book House, Chennai, iii.

49. Dikshitar, V. R. Ramachandra. Studies in Tamil Literature and History, p.273, as cited in

Mu. Varatharasan, Pazhatamizh Illakkiyatil Iyarkkai Nature in Ancient Tamil

Literature, 26.

50. Singaravelu, S (2001) Social Life of the Tamils: The Classical Period, International

Institute of Tamil Studies, Chennai, 1.

51. Natarasan, Tamizh Marapil Azha iyal Aesthetics in Tamil Tradition, in Tamizhar

Cinthanai Marabu Philosophical Tradition of Tamils, 61.

52. Selvamony, Nirmal (1998) Persona in Tolkppiyam, International Institute of Tamil

Studies, Chennai, 124.

53. Gopala rishnan, R (1994) The Perspective of Tamil Religion and Philosophy, in The

Role of the Philosopher Today, ed. Anand Amaladass, T.R. Publications, Chennai, 71.

54. Tolka ppiyam(Tol.). Porulathika ram (Porul.). 71, 200, Collathika ram (Col.). 57. For

more details on this, refer, Kandaswamy, S.N (2000), Tamil Literature and Indian

Philosophy, International Institute of Tamil Studies, Chennai.

55. In the understanding of Cenavaraiyar, the conscious soul and insentient soul are treated

indiscriminately in some of the usages. aram ceytu turakkam pukkan Having

performed virtues, he entered heaven. (Tol. Col.57.) He denotes not the body but the

soul. In another expression,uyir nttu orumakan kitantn one person lay there

deprived of his soul. Here the makan denotes not the soul but the body. Therefore, in

some usages soul and body are to denote mutually. For Teyvaccilaiyar, utampu in one

context denotes the subtle body consisting of the internal elements viz., mind, intellect,

ego and the five subtle elements that are responsible for transmigration of the souls. In

another context it refers to prakti, the primal nature or the primordial matter from which

all have evolved.

56. Tol. Eluttuadhikaram (Eluttu). 10.

57. Tol. Eluttu.18.

58. Monistic Interpretation of Soul-Matter Relation: There are twelve soul-letters. A letter

is the only one Soul-letter, which combines with the other soul -letters and the body

-letters, and it assumes a variety of forms. The commentator Naccinarkkiniyar holds that

the one soul appears diversely according to the nature of the bodies. He also quotes the



Bhagavad-gita: I am the letter a in all the letters and the Kural: All letters have a as

their source. Therefore the view is that letter a is the soul of all the other soul-letters,

just as God is the soul of souls. Thus there are letters of which the letter a is the

substance and there are bodies in which the letter a is the substance and there are bodies

in which the letter a appears variously. It is one and appears variously. Sundaram, P.K

(1979) Some Philosophical Concepts in Purananuru, University of Madras, Chennai, 16.

59. Selvamony, Persona in Tolka ppiyam, 113.

60. Arunan, Tamiarin Thattuva Marapu Philosophical Tradition of Tamils, 19.

61. Devaneya Pavanar, sollaratchi katturaigal-Research Essays on word, 29.

62. Hudson, W.H (1945) An Introduction to the Study of Literature. Appendix II, On the

treatment of Nature in Poetry, London, 319-331, as cited in Nayagam, Landscape and

Poetry, 24.

63. Ibid., 268.

64. Varatharajan, Pazhantamizh Illakkiyathil Iyarkkai Nature in Ancient Tamil Literature,

251.

65. Singaravelu, C.N (2005) The Tattvas in Saiva Siddha nta, in Essays on Saiva Siddhnta,

ed., P.D. Balaji, aiva Siddhnta Perumandram, Chennai, 17.



BUDDHISM AND DENNETT S MODEL THEORY: AN ANALYSIS IN THE

ACCOUNT OF CONSCIOUSNESS

Sheeja O.K.

Abstract

The last few decades of Twentieth century provided several intellectual developments which led

Philosophy to refocus its attention on the problem of consciousness. But the thing is that most of

the attempts have been done by the thinkers of English-speaking countries. Advances in

Neurology and Computer Technology provided material explanation to the human brain that

helped to enrich the researches on consciousness. The problem has been discussed also in Indian

literature from the early period. Almost all Indian philosophical systems, heterodox as well as

orthodox, had discussed the problem seriously. This paper proposes to discuss the Buddhist

conception of Consciousness in the light of recent developments in Cognitive Science. Buddhists

accept consciousness as multiplicity units. Recently, Daniel Dennett- a prominent cognitive

scientist who is an active contributor to the field for thirty years- also holds somewhat similar

view on the problem of consciousness through his Multiple Drafts Model theory. Analysis of

both views is to be done in the proposed paper.

*****

The last few decades of the twentieth century put forward several intellectual developments that

led to refocusing of philosophy, especially on the problem of consciousness. Advances in

neurology; the physical study of the brain, using brain scanning, rare cases of localized brain

damage, and so forth; the discovery of genetic causes for a variety of mental illnesses; and

research into the effects of drugs on the brain allowed scientists for the first time to offer

physiological, material explanations to a variety of states of consciousness. Advances in

computer technology generated advanced forms of artificial intelligence which enhanced the area

of research enormously.

The problem of consciousness has been discussed in Indian tradition from the ancient period.

Both Orthodox and Heterodox systems handled the problem very seriously. In Indian

philosophy, the problem of Mind and the Problem of Consciousness have been discussed

prominently. This paper proposes a serious attempt to make an analysis of the Buddhist approach

to the problem of Consciousness and at the same time it examines a very recent theory of

consciousness propounded by an eminent Cognitive Scientist Daniel Dennett in the West.

Dennett proposes somewhat similar view as the conception that Buddhists put forward.





As an alternative to the Cartesian Theatre he proposes a Multi Drafts Model theory of

consciousness. By introducing this theory he rejects the idea that consciousness is a single

continuing phenomenon. He holds that Stream of Consciousness is continuing flow of drafts of s

text; the texts are constantly being edited or reedited. As Humanism Buddhas teachings are

mainly concentrating on the life of common man. His thinking, however, is concerned with

every spheres of life. Even though he had not concentrated much on the Mind-Body problem, he

mentioned the interaction between the two. The concept of consciousness has been discussed

clearly in the higher teachings of Abbhidhamma Pitaka. This paper focuses on the account of

Yogacara tradition ant Abhidhamma conception especially.

Dennett on Consciousness

Daniel Dennett recently presents a new model theory of consciousness which is called Multiple

Drafts Model (MDM) theory of consciousness.1 Dennett proposed this theory as an alternative to

the Cartesian theatre.2 For Dennett, Cartesian theatre is an illusion and contends that there is no

single determinative stream of consciousness. He replaced Cartesian theatre by MDM theory. In

consequence it is argued that varieties of perceptions are completed in the brain by the process of

interpretation and elaborating sensory inputs. In other words single narrative model is discarded

and replaced it by parallel distributed multiple narratives. He insists that Cartesian theatre model

of consciousness must be abandoned. As an alternative he introduces the MDM theory and also

proposes a third person scientific methodology for studying human consciousness that he calls

heterophenomenology.3

MDM investigated consciousness from empirical third person point of view and claims that the

facts of consciousness are to be validated by heterophenomenology. The new way in a natural

path leading from third person perspective to first person perspective of phenomenological

method, while never eliminating methodological samples of science.4 It is a way of interpreting

behaviorism including interval behavior. It seems Dennett proposes a radical rethinking of

Stream of Consciousness according to which consciousness is a centre of negative gratuity,

where information from various sources come to have mix up. It is very similar to the

preparation of many drafts of our thoughts. This comes like a pandemonium like situation, and

this is what is strongly supported by the PDP research.5

In Dennetts view all mental activities, li e thoughts and perceptions are accomplished by

parallel multitrack distributed process in the brain. A single stream of consciousness is a user

illusion, a mere seeming. Instead there are a number of discriminations and judgments that are

constantly evolving in different localities of neuronal networks. Interpretations of sensory inputs

flow around like many drafts of a paper or a book sent out to peers for revision. There is no

canonical final text, only verbal reports fix certain contents as being consciously experienced.

There is no show, now presentation and now audience.6 He suggests the replacing of homunculus

with a set of small and less sophisticated agents. It is called Pandemonium a model of

competitive, nonhierarchical computational architecture.7



Different parts of neural processing assert more or less control at different times. For something

to reach consciousness is akin to becoming famous, in that it must leave behind consequences by

which it is remembered. Consciousness is the property of having enough influence to affect what

the mouth will say and the hands will do. The conscious self is taken to exist as an abstraction

visible at the level of intentional stance, akin to a body of mass having a central gravity. Dennett

refers to the self as the centre of narrative gravity, a story we tell ourselves about our

experiences. Consciousness exists, but not independently of behavior and behavioral dispositions

which can be studied through heterophenomenology. Dennett explains consciousness in terms of

Access consciousness alone,8 denying the independent existence of Phenomenal consciousness.

9

Consciousness is more or less continuing (but not continuous) flow of drafts of text, the texts are

constantly being edited and reedited from one process to another. Sometimes they initiate

speech; sometimes they are stored in long-term memory, other times they are entirely forgotten.

For Dennett, our sense of continuity of consciousness comes from our insensitivity to different

inds of changes and consciousness is a gappy phenomena at all.

Buddhist Approach to Consciousness

The early theoretical roots concerning the interaction of mind and body come in the earliest texts

of Buddhism, the Pali Canon. The theories expressed in these texts are indeed theory laden, and

most central of these theories is samsara. The Buddha himself did not focus heavily on justifying

accepted metaphysical doctrines; nor did he go out of his way to refute wrong views of his time.

The Buddhist teachings are meant to enter into ones ethical and meditative practice, and only

then to be judged. The Buddha did not put great effort in describing the fine distinctions between

the mind and body, but instead indicated that through deep meditation, one gains sufficient

understanding of the issue.

The resulting description of mind and body in early Buddhism is one of neither dualism nor

monism, but a pragmatic description of both distinctions and interdependencies. Buddha argues

that consciousness is dependent upon conditions such as objects and the eye-organ for eye-

consciousness or sounds and the ear-organ for ear-consciousness. The material phenomena

described by the Buddha are those that can be directly detected (via touch, taste, smell, etc) and

that citta itself is ones experienced state of consciousness, rather than an underlying basis upon

which mental states may arise. Buddhist mind-body relation are thus of the examination of

experience, or phenomenology. Rather than hypostatize mind and body as separate substances

and confront the problem of interaction (as done in the West), the Buddhist texts retain the mere

phenomenological descriptions of each. In this view the mind is the force which creates, though

not ex nihilo, our experience of matter. Body likewise acts upon the mind, as mentioned above,

as outside objects which present themselves to the sense-organ (itself bodily) to create sense-

consciousness. In this respect, the doctrine is one of functional, though not substantial, dualism.

The most important aspect of the Buddhas teaching on mind and body, however, is the

interconnectedness of the two. The Abhidharma states that the mind and body interact in the

following ways: 1) they are co nascent, born together; 2) they are mutually dependent in their



arising, like sticks in a tripod supporting one another; 3) they support one another as the earth

supports a tree; and 4) each is present and non-disappearant in the other, meaning that there is no

pure experience of the physical free from mind, nor any pure mind free of physicality. While

mind free from physicality is held to be possible in deep meditative states and at nirvana, the

investigation of mind becoming free of the body and the ensuing ontology of nirvana and

samsara in the Pali Canon is too great a task at present. The first notable divergence, or apparent

divergence, from the teachings in the Pali Canon on the mind-body relationship came from the

Vijnanavada (Knowledge/Teaching of Mind) School of Buddhism. This school began around

150 C.E. with the Sandhinirmochana Sutra, and was further developed from the writings of the

Asanga (4th

Century CE) and his younger brother Vasubandhu. This school confronted the mind-

body issue through intense focus on the mind (vijnana) in meditation. This school was thus

called the Yogacara, or practice of meditation school.

The Yogacara Model of Consciousness

Dinnaga the follower of Yogacara tradition holds that both object and consciousness are

experienced simultaneously.10

An object and its consciousness are one and the same. The

external objects cannot be taken to be as the cause of the consciousness. On the contrary, the

external object is nothing but consciousness itself. He holds that no object is ever experienced

apart from the consciousness-the external objects are the states of consciousness. The Yogacara

Schools focus on the mind consisted of a dissection of the terms citta, manas, and vijnana,

which in earlier schools had been used synonymously to refer to vijnanaskanda (the aggregate of

mind). However, Asanga defines these as three different and distinct aspects of the mind

aggregate. Citta is explained to be the alayavijnana (storehouse consciousness) in which karmic

(meaning by ones actions) bijas (seeds) are stored. It is from here that the Yogacara School

explains that all of reality emanates with the often misconstrued doctrine of cittamatra (mind-

only). Manas is that which within citta, or alayavijnana, obscures true knowledge, or stains the

citta, with false ideas. It is the rational or intellectual faculty of the mind, both in the positive

sense of actively producing feelings or wishes, and in the negative sense of passively ordering

reality (incorrectly from the absolute perspective) based on habit and conditioning. Vijnana

consists of the raw, pre-linguistic experience of the six forms of consciousness as accepted

throughout Buddhism: sight, hearing, taste, touch, smell, and mind.

Given this three-level division of the mind, Yogacarins present a complete phenomenological

description of how we come to have experiences. Vijnana is the most superficial aspect of the

aggregate of mind, the experience of colors, sounds, tastes, etc. Vijnana is the direct

consciousness, or bare phenomenon, free of the labeling or discrimination of the manas. Manas

then sorts out or schematizes such phenomena, adding labels so that they may be understood as a

particular part of ones reality. In most people the shift from bare phenomena to sorted and

labeled objects happens too quic ly to observe, but through meditation, specifically vipassana

(insight) practice based on the Satipatthana Sutta.



The Abhidhamma Model of Consciousness

The term Abhidharma means approximately higher or further Dharma. The Abhidharma,

sometimes rendered as `deeper teaching', but also as `analytical insights regarding phenomena of

existential importance', deals with consciousness in an analytic and synthetic way. A

classification is made of the types of consciousness and of the various objects it is directed to.

The basic Abhidharma conception is that to be conscious in fact requires a minimum of eight

dharmas-consciousness and associated mental factors(contact, feeling, recognition, volition, one-

pointedness, life-faculty and bringing-to-mind)--arises for a moment and then falls away to be

immediately followed by the next combination of consciousness and associated mental factors.

Each combination is conscious of just one object. The arising and passing of each moment of

consciousness is understood to occur extremely rapidly. The flow of consciousness is thus

analogous to the rapid sequence of the frames of a movie film; consciousness is experienced as a

continuous flow. The flow of consciousness involves in the mind picking up and putting down

successive objects by means of successive sets of associated mental factors.

There are two basic modes of mind: The mind that is actively perceiving objects and reacting to

those objects which is called mind is involved in process (Vitti-citta) and the mind that is free of

process, resting in the inactive mode which is called Bhavanga. According to the theory of

consciousness process, the mind momentarily returns to the inactive mode of bhavanga between

each consciousness process. Bhavanga is the state of mind a being born with and it is the state of

mind that returns in deep, dreamless sleep and in between every consciousness process. It is the

connecting link between one life and the next.

The active or surface level of the mind confuse to be seen as comprising six types of

consciousness: our primary awareness of five types of sense data and our conscious thoughts

which for human beings are mostly related to the former in various ways. But underpinning these

types of active consciousness are two further types of consciousness which are crucial in

creating the world as we ordinarily experience it. The first is the defiled mind (klista-manas) and

the eighth is the Store Consciousness. The Store Consciousness is the particular repository of

all the seeds sown by the defilements of a beings active consciousness. It is the result of beings

past karma. This is the underlying basis and support (asraya) of our conscious lives: the largely

hidden heart of our personalities.

The Abhidharma describes in a cryptic way an intricate model of consciousness on three levels.11

The first level consists of a discrete, serial stream of atoms of awareness called cetas. Secondly,

a linear sequence of cetas may form a `molecule', being a cognitive-emotional conscious unit.

Finally, each ceta has a substructure of conscious mental factors (`elementary particles'), called

cetasikas, acting in parallel. For example, the sight of a woman or the memory of the sound of a

frog jumping in water is such an object. Examples of types of consciousness perceive these two

objects with calm joy or with restless desire. The topic of investigation is phenomenological: this



means that it is about consciousness as it appears, like (perceived) sight, sound and memory, and

not about women, frogs or water.

The main thesis in the Abhidharma model is that consciousness is not continuous, but comes in

discrete packages of consciousness.12

The main task of a ceta is to be concerned with some

object. A ceta is said to be directed towards it. What a ceta does further, is to contribute to the

determination of future cetas. We call this the karmic effect of the ceta. How this is done

depends partly on the object captured by the present ceta. But there are also different types of

cetas. For example, a certain visual object can be the data of a ceta with desire and attachment,

with disgust and hatred or with loving kindness and compassion. Both the type and the object of

the future cetas depend on those of the past ones. This leads to accumulated karma, transferred

and augmented from ceta to ceta. This karma, may activate something in the next ceta, or in a

near or distant future ceta. The karma is determined by the trace of the types of past cetas. It has

the objects of the present ceta as side condition. Some types of ceta may have a direct effect on

the following cetas (producing karma), some have to collaborate with others. Also the karma

force of some cetas can work against the effect of other cetas (obstructing karma), and it is even

possible that the potential action of a ceta is forever prevented by a later one (destructive karma).

The Abhidharma distinguishes 89 types of cetas. These types are divided into two major

subgroups: those ceta types with strong karma that has a direct effect without the need of

supporting karma, and those with only indirect (supporting) effect. The ceta types with

producing karma can be subdivided into unwholesome and wholesome. Unwholesome cetas lead

to attachment and increased suffering. Wholesome cetas lead to freedom and decreased

suffering. There are the sensual, sublime and supramundane spheres of consciousness. The

sensual sphere consists of those ceta types directed to pleasant feeling coming from the physical

senses.

In early Buddhism consciousness seems as the third link in the process of dependent arising.

Buddha presents the doctrine of dependent origination to explain human bondage as well as

liberation. Consciousness is the third link in this doctrine and it provides the link between the

past and the present. According to Buddhist conception ones consciousness is conditioned by

what he is experienced as well as his response to these experiences.

Dennett proposes a third person scientific methodology for studying human consciousness. He

insists that there is no single discriminative stream of consciousness. In his view all mental

activities are accomplished by parallel multitrack distributed process in the brain. Instead of a

single stream of consciousness there are a number of discriminations and judgments that are

constantly evolving in different localities of neuronal networks. Abhiddhamma describes

consciousness on three levels. The first level consists of serial streams of atom sof awareness

called cetas and secondly a linear sequence of cetas may form a molecule being a cognitive-

emotional conscious unit and finally each ceta has a substructure of conscious mental factors

acting in parallel. The flow of consciousness evolves in the mind picking up and putting down



successive objects by means of successive sets of associated mental factors. Both accounts hold

that consciousness is not continuous, but comes in discrete packages of consciousness.

References:

1. Dennett, D.C, (1991). Consciousness Explained. USA: Penguin Books, p. 17.

2. Dennett D.C. (1999). The Cartesian Theatre and Filling in the Stream of Consciousness

in Nature of Consciousness (Eds) Block N, Flanagan, O and Guldezer, G. MIT Press, pp.

83 - 88.

3. Ibid. p. 72.

4. Ibid., p. 12.

5. Churchland, P.M.(1989). Neuro Computational Perspective. London: MIT Press.

6. Dennett, D.C, (1991). Consciousness Explained.

7. Ibid.

8. Bloc , N. (1999). On Confusion about a Function of Consciousness in Nature of

Consciousness (Eds.) Block N, Flanagan, O and Guldezer, G., 1997. MIT Press, pp. 375

415

9. Ibid.

10. Dinnaga (1993).Alambana-Pari sha ta en from Stcharbalskys The Buddhist Logic.

Delhi: Motilal Banarasdas. pp. 520 - 21.

11. Leo M., Pruden (Trans.) (1991) Abhidharma Kosabhasyam Ed. Louis De La Vallee

Poussin, California: Asia Humanitarian Press.

12. Thomas, E, Wood (1994). Mind Only: A Philosophical and Doctrinal Analysis of the

Vijnana Vada . Delhi: Motilal Banarasidas, p. 50.

13. Sangharakshita (2006). A Survey of Buddhism, Delhi: Banarasidas Publishers, Pvt. Ltd.

14. Buddhdhana, K.P. (1984). Buddhism and Science. New Delhi: Motilal Banarasi Das

Publishers, Pvt. Ltd.

15. Madan,G.R.,(1999). Buddhism: Its Various Manifestations. New Delhi: Mittal

Publications.



RABINDRANATH TAGORES THOUGHTS OF MIND: PHILOSOPHY OF

EDUCATION

K.Victor Babu

Tagores idealism is a true child of Indias own past and his philosophy is Indian both in origin

and development. - Dr. Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan

Although not dedicated to education as his sole passion, Rabindranath Tagore stands out as is

educationist of rare brilliance. Asias first Nobel Laureate, Tagore was born into a prominent

family known for its multicultural socio-religious influence in 19th

century Bengal, which

certainly provided the foundation for his education approach. He had thirteen siblings who

became mathematicians, journalists, novelists, musicians, artists. His cousins, who shared the

same family mansion, were leaders in theatre, science and the new art movement.

The Modern Indian philosopher of education, Rabindranath Tagore is considered to be the

spiritualist in education in the sense that they equated the highest purpose of education to the

highest purpose of man. Tagore explains,

I believe in a spiritual world not as any thing separates from this world but as its inner most

truth. With the breath we draw we must always feel this truth, which we are living in God.

Tagore focused to believe that mans birth in this world was just an accident or a dream of a

dreamer but attributed to it a spiritual significance. He makes that clear when he says, we have a

personality to which matter and force are unmeaning unless related to something intimately

personal, whose nature we have discovered, in some measure in human love, in the greatness of

the good, in the martyrdom of heroic souls, in the ineffable beauty of nature which can never be

a physical fact nor anything but an expression of personality. This shows Tagores faith in

spiritual values.

Tagore aimed at the highest ethical values through education and founded it on the noblest

fundamental laws of Gods creation.

Education is the best national investment because it holds the key of order and progress.

Education has its only meaning and objects in freedom; freedom from ignorance about the laws

of universe, and freedom from passion and prejudice in our communication with the human

world add some ideas.





Tagore has been described as a multi-splendoured personality. His active interest in education

goes back to the last decade of the 19th

centaury.1 On Tagores philosophy of life there is a

powerful impression and influence of religions, highly cultured and philosophical oriented

family to which he belonged. He imbibed the idealistic philosophy of life and adopted the

highest ideals of truth, beauty and goodness as the chief aims of education to be achieved by all

human beings. As an idealist, Tagore believed in the absolute and immortal existence of god, but

he believed in god as a superman and accepted this world as his best creation. In fact, Tagore

was a follower of Monism.2

Tagore believed in the freedom of the individual to shape his life in his own way. But in the

individuals development he ultimately wanted the unity of man ind. He said that every

individual is different from another and everyone is unique.

Tagore believed that god is one and he has created human being and nature. We perceive a unity

in him and through him, the fraternal bonds between all human beings and the external nature

and human soul i.e. man. Tagore was a great humanist and regarded man a reflection of god. He

disapproved any distinction and discrimination between man and man and advocated unity

among all the people of the world. Tagore wanted to inculcate self-respect and dignity in man-

hood and elevate his soul. For this moral and mental progress is essential. Hence, he emphasized

that education should promote this progress by all means.

Tagores Concept of Education

The role of education is not only imparts information and knowledge, but also promotes love and

fellow- feeling between us and the living beings of the world. Tagore was deadly against the then

prevalent system of education which snatched the child from the laps of nature very early in life,

confined him within the boundaries of school and then put him into an office or factory.

According to Tagore, god reveals himself through nature more effectively than through man

made instructions.

Motto of Viswa-Bharati

Tagores Educational ideas can be clear if the main motto of his Viswa-Bharati is understood.

We are of the faith that truth is one and undivided, though diverse may be the ways which

lead us to it. Through separate paths pilgrims from different lands arrive at the same

shrine of Truth.

Knowledge flows in two different streams from the east and from the west. In their unity

is perceived the oneness of Truth that pervades and sustains the entire universe.

In the relations of this oneness of Truth lies mighty again, perfect peace and profound

good of man.



So, unto this Viswa-Bharati we render our homage weaving garlands with flowers of

learning gathered from all quarters of the earth. To all devotees of truth, both from the

west and from the east, we extend our hand with love.3

Another main feature of Tagore was that he aspired that mans life should be steady and whole

by constantly interpreting the relationships between its various fascinating and complex aspects.

He says, The Unity of man and nature, the unity of contemplation and action, the unity between

the diverse manifestations of the human spirit, the unity between the generations the past and the

future.4

This belief become one of the main principle of his new educational scheme, as the fullness of

life depends upon the contact with the physical and social environment of man, he must be a part

and parcel of them, but not alien to them. His ideology greatly influences his educational ideas

and schemes. His international out look, aesthetic sense, love of fine arts, humanism,

appreciation for western culture with its scientific and technological developments, can be out

rightly seen in his educational system. Tagores ideal of education is more or less utopian in its

character and very difficult to put all his ideas in real practice.

Sriniketan: An Experiment in Rural Education

Tagore also gave high importance to the economic aspect of education. Education should make

man free from poverty, besides developing culture. With this noblest object, Tagore established

on February 6, 1922, a new centre by name Sriniketan at Surat. This was established for rural

reconstruction. The villagers in rural areas will be taught to know the advantages of self-help and

co-operation. The centre used to train the people for producing village level workers and social

workers. Thus Tagore, like Gandhi, brought education to closer contact with the economic life of

the people. The village level workers should win the friendship and affection of the villagers, and

also they should aid the villagers in solving their urgent and vital problems. Even after sixty-two

years of independence we are not in a position to put our agriculture on a sound footing. Tagore

thought that the intellectuals have an important role in improving the rural conditions in India.

The cultivators should be educated, through centers like Sriniketan on important issues like

agricultural credit, better methods of production, marketing, etc. They should be taught the

methods of improving their livestock, in addition to developing cottage and small scale

industries. Tagore believed that this experiment would develop in the minds of students a spirit

of genuine social service. The student is given the opportunity to do certain things with their own

hands. They also should assist in the development of dairying, animal husbandry, poultry, and

carpentry; weaving, etc. industrial training was also given to the students at Sriniketan. Tagore

believed that the welfare of India by the large depends on the welfare of the villagers; and his

experiment in rural reconstruction met with remarkable success. And there is great need to hold

such experiments on a much larger scale today.



Tagores interpretation of education avoids the conflicts one finds among the different schools of

educational philosophy in the west, namely Idealism, Naturalism, Pragmatism, Supernaturalism

and Realism. He combines in his concept of education the respectfulness of Idealism;

naturalness, freedom and originality of Naturalism, socialization, practical efficiency, ceaseless

experimentation and ineffectiveness of Pragmatism.

Following are the main principles of his philosophy of education:

Freedom for the child

Active communication with nature and man.

Creative self-expression.

Internationalism

Education has its only meaning and objects in freedom; freedom from ignorance about the laws

of universe, and freedom from passion and prejudice in our communication with the human

world.

He believed education divorced from the streams of life and confined within the four walls of

the classroom becomes artificial and loses its value.5

Let the child imbibe and learn freely and spontaneously from the book of nature. Let him be

happy and free. Education should be natural in content and quality. Through contact with nature

the child will be introduced to the great world of reality easily and joyfully.

Tagores Aims of Philosophy of Education

Tagore aimed at the highest ethical values through education and founded it on the noblest

fundamental laws of Gods creation. Education is the best national investment because it holds

the key of order and progress.

According to Rabindranath Tagore, the aim of education is self realization. He is a poet and a

saint who through his imagination and insight realized the universal soul within himself and in

Nature. According to him, this realization by every one is the goal of education. Self-realization,

according to Rabindranath Tagore, means the realization of the universal soul in ones self.

Mans aim in life is to achieve this status. It is a process which cannot be realized without

education. In the absence of education the individual will be deprived of self-realization.

Rabindranath Tagore does not find any dichotomy between thought and life, philosophy and

education. He believes that every one is potentially divine and every one can realize this

potentiality. His philosophy is very much influenced by the Gita and Upanishads. He is,

however, well aware of the educational ideas prevalent in the west. Therefore, like Vivekananda;

he synthesizes the ancient Vedantic traditions with the modern Western scientific attitude in

formulating him goal of education.



Integral Development

Defining the aims of education, Rabindranath Tagore says,

The fundamental purpose of education is not merely to enrich ourselves through the fullness of

knowledge, but also to establish the bond of love and friendship between man and man.6

This is the humanistic aim of education in Tagores philosophy. His approach to ultimate reality

is integral. He believes in an inner harmony between man, Nature and God. The trinity, man,

Nature and God are in fact three aspects of the same reality. In man, again, the physical, the

mental and the spiritual aspects are equally important and internally related. Therefore, like Sri

Aurobindo, Rabindranath Tagore believes in a multi-sided education with physical, intellectual,

moral and religious aims.

Physical Development

Like Gandhi, Rabindranath Tagore condemned the prevalent system of education which partially

exercised the intellect only to the entire neglect of the body. According to Rabindranath Tagore,

education of the body in the real sense does not exist in play and exercise but in applying the

body systematically to some useful work. Thus, one of the aims of education according to

Rabindranath Tagore is physical development. Hence he much emphasizes games in school

education. Pointing out the value of physical activities in the childs education he says,

Even if they learnt nothing, they would have had ample time for play, climbing trees, diving into

ponds, plucking and tearing flowers, perpetrating thousand and one mischief on Mother nature,

they would have obtained the nourishment of the body, happiness of mind and the satisfaction of

the natural impulses of childhood.7

Thus, physical fitness is the first cardinal principle in the childs development. This is realized

through his intimate contact with Nature. As a poet, Tagore very well realizes the life giving

value of Natures contact with man. About the childs contact with the nature he says, I spea in

very moderate terms: Till Seven years till then let the child have nothing to do with clothes and

shame. Till then let nature alone conduct the indispensable education of the savage. This is

particularly important for the educational institutions in our society. Almost all contemporary

Indian philosophers of education, including M.K.Gandhi, Vivekananda, Dayananda and Sri

Aurobindo, besides Tagore, lay emphasis upon the importance of setting educational

institutions in natural environment so that the educand may learn by their touch with Nature.

Rabindranath Tagore believed that a healthy mind lives in a healthy body. Hence he insisted that

the first aim of education should be to develop the child physically. For this he prescribed

various physical activities as swimming, diving on ponds, climbing on trees, plucking fruits and

flowers and various types of games and sports in the company of natural phenomena. He also

prescribed a healthy and wholesome diet for children.



Mental Development:

Besides the physical aim of education, Tagore equally lays emphasis upon the mental aim of

education. Like Gandhi, he is critical of the prevalent system of education which laid sole

emphasis upon bookish learning. Presenting this attitude, he says, we touch the world not with

our mind, but with our books. This is deplorable. Intellectualism takes us away from Nature and

creates a gulf between man and man. To quote Rabindranath Tagore, We now the people of

boo s, not those of the world; the former are interesting to us but the latter tiresome.8 In fact,

the intellectual aim of education, according to Rabindranath Tagore, is the development of the

intellectual faculties such as logical thinking, critical appraisal and assimilation. Two mental

faculties which should be developed through education are the power of thinking and the power

of imagination. Both these are necessary for real manhood. Rabindranath Tagore criticizes the

prevalent system of education which puts too much stress on memory and too little on

imagination and thinking. He suggests, Ever since childhood, instead of putting the entire

burden on the memory, the power of thinking and the power of imagination should also be given

opportunities for free exercise.

Education should be to promote mental development, here again; Tagore like Rousseau

condemned bookish teaching and prescribed more and more activities and experiences in the

open fields where nature teaches him more than books.

In comparison with book learning, knowing the real living directly is true education. It not only

promotes the acquiring of some knowledge but develops the curiosity and faculty of knowing and

learning so powerfully that no class room teaching can match it.9

Moral and Spiritual Development

Being idealist, Tagore emphasized that the third aim of education should be to promote moral

and spiritual development of the child. In his writings he has thrown light on a number of moral

and spiritual values which education should strive to inculcate in children. For this purpose

education should teach children self-discipline, tolerance, courtesy and inner freedom.

Development of International Attitude

According to Tagore the aim of the education should be to develop an international attitude in

children. Though Tagore was on individualist, yet his individualism is not cut across his

socialism and even internationalism, to the extent he emphasized individual development; to the

same extent he advocated the development of society and whole human race. Tagores vision

was that an individual should develop to the fullest extent and then he should contribute his best

to the promotion of international welfare.

Tagore, the great educational philosopher, preached the creed of internationalism to establish

international brotherhood and thus found one world where all people would live in a state of



happiness. In preaching this, he had not overloo ed the needs of India. The problems of India

are the problems of the world or rather the problems of the world are the problems of India. Her

aims of education belong to the realm of philosophical thought, the realm of truth and peace. So

Tagore in his Santiniketan not only solved the problems of India but of the world as a whole he

solved the problems of humanity at large.

Tagore is a practical educationalist. As one who has understood the psychology of the child he

has made his studies the basis of the methods, he pursued in educating the child.

Education means to bring out the innate abilities of the child and give them training of love for

truth and love of god in the child. His instinct of arriosity must be improved besides giving him

sufficient opportunity of enjoying happiness without detriment to others happiness Education at

Santiniketan led the child to reveal in nature; to understand that there is after all one god, to feel

and enjoy the celestial music and in short to find peace and happiness in the world. Tagore aimed

at the highest ethical values through education and founded it on the noblest fundamental laws of

gods creation. He found in the child, the highest revelation of gods glory and showed how it

might be worked up to make a man.

Education is the best national investment because it holds the key to order and progress. Tagore

an educational philosopher of the highest order, who stood for the ideal of internationalism and

preached it to the entire world as the only cure for the homicide committed in the spirit of the

nation which is the out come of pure selfishness. An idea of Tagore as an educational

philosopher is really necessary to understand him as an educator.

Education and philosophy are the two sides of a coin without philosophy there can not be a

good educator, an educator with a purpose.10 a mans philosophy influences the conduct of life,

and it is the conduct of life th

Documents

Concept of Mind (Manas) and Intelligence (Buddhi) in Indian Philosophy