7 Functions Of Mind

Updated: Nov 7, 2020

There are 7 functions of Mind/ manas:

Suppression/ nirodha

Native inherent property of mind to be free of all vrittis/ thoughtwaves.

Between 2 vrittis there’s always a gap of split second where mind is thoughtless.

Usually this gap is too short to be noticed.

With practice it can be prolonged.

Action/ karma

Will of Purusa is exercised through mind with stamp of "I"ness giving a sensation of "doing" to the "doer" who, in actuality, is only "seer".

These actions may be virtuous or not & always colored by desires & emotions so that give rise to pleasure or pain.

Impressions/ sanskara

Residua of all such karmas, thoughts, emotions, desires are stored as latent impressions, very close to memory.

In favorable conditions sanskaras may sprout in desires within this birth or next births.

Mental modifications/ parinama

Continuous transformations in mind due to synchronous oscillations of mind with Cosmos which is always in state of flux.

These are either dispersive, out towards nature/ sarvartha or focused inwards towards Self/ ekagrata.

Such tendency towards constant modification gives rise to arising of Thoughtwaves/ vrittis.

Each vritti is trio of Name/ shabda, Object/ artha, Knowledge (gnosis)/ jnana - together called as pratyaya.

Meditation is to keep 1 pratyaya in mind in every moment to weaken scattering

Life activities/ jivanam - Movement of Vital force/ prana.

Mind is controller of prana & thus animates the whole body.

Unseen action of mind/ cesta - This faculty is behind working of all senses.

It closely work with attention to put sensory inflow in focus & allows experience to the Seer behind.

Creative power/ sakti - All vibhutis arise from this.

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