PLACE
OF CONSCIOUSNESS IN COGNITIVE - SCIENCES AND PARA VIDYA
S.RAM MOHAN
'Para' can mean many
things. It can mean beyond, far away. In this sense, it will lend the meaning
of the study of what is beyond, (the ordinary means of learning), the other
shore, of Buddhism. It can also lend the meaning of the ultimate study.
As it involves the study of the Brahman, which is beyond everything, which is
the ultimate, its study can appropriately be called 'Para Vidya'.
Sankara in his commentary
on the Kathopanishad makes up a succinct remark: -
PARAM CHED
JNATHAVYAM
APARAM CHED PRAPTAVYAM
The only knowledge that
is knowable in the best sense of the word is that of the Brahman. The apara
knowledge is not exactly knowable. It is only attainable, like a physical object.
This is a tribute to the rarity, the beyondness the subtlety and the totally
non-material nature of the Para Vidhya.
To put it differently,
Apara Vidhya is learnt via the sensory organs by the word is Para Vidya is
realised deeper down by over consciousness. So it is beyond the senses beyond
the mind, which are the two normal faculties for the acquisition of knowledge.
The above made statement
has introduced the concept of consciousness which needs explanation. In a
mundane sense, `consciousness' means aware of one's surrounding and identity.
Even this rudimentary definition brings into focus the unresolvable conundrum
of the subjective-objective dichotomy of life. Consciousness is overwhelmingly
a subjective phenomenon. Can the methods and concepts of objective scientific
enquiry yield results? Consciousness is not an accident caused by random
evolutionary process. It manifests itself both at gross levels as, a phenomenon
and at subtle levels, as natural law or Rhythm consciousness access nature at
both these levels.
The study of
consciousness itself is a complex phenomenon. While the philosophers try to
find out "what" of the consciousness, the Neuro-scientists look at
the Neural circuits and transmission which channel the experience of
consciousness. The Quantum Physicist wants to find out whether it s a force.
like other physical manifestations of energy or whether it is the source of all
major forces Psychologists study the mental/phenomena connected with the person
exhibiting consciousness, the most important being the recognition of the SELF
as the experience. It again reverts back to Philosophy: 'who is the
Experience".
As Dr.Philip Clayton of
the Yale University says "Strong forms of dualism, at least those that
make mind into a separate substance remove mental phenomena for ever from the
realm of scientific enquiry. On the other hand, eliminative materialism
"explains" mental phenomena by making them nothing other than the
underlined physical processes of which they are the product. It also resolves
the debate with most of the metaphysical traditions by removing them altogether
from the realm of plausible theories".
From a neurological stand
point, a human brain can be analysed into three levels: one that is found in
the reptiles, is very much a system of pre-determined decision, working on
instincts ; the second is the animal brain which is the seat of all emotions
and importantly of the sense of ego. The third and the highest is the new brain
which is noticeable in the apes and makes a quantum-jump in man. Nature,
instead of developing a completely new brain for man, kept on the lower level
of brain, merely adding a new structure to enable man to think, plan and
generalise.
The animal brain and the
new brain are very well connected, the connections from the latter to the
former being less rich than those from the former to the latter. Emotional
stimuli like the fearful sighting of a snake or the happy notes of Raga in
Music travel through the senses and some specialised sectors of the brain,
through the animal brain where they get connected with the memories of similar
previous experiences, to the new brain where action to be taken is decided on.
In the first example, the decision generally will be to run away to a safer
place and the part of the brain taking these decisions, orders the concerned
muscles of the feet to run fast.
This part of the brain
lies in the front of the brain structure just behind the forehead. It is called
on account of the function it performs, a working memory. Many Neuro-scientists
assign the faculty of consciousness in this part of the brain, the working
memory, as it is known in Neuro-science. According to Scientists like BJ Baars
(A Cognitive Theory of Consciousness) Stephen Kosslyn and John Kihlstram.
Consciousness is awareness of what is in the working memory and current sensory
experience give the continuity of past with the present. "Prospective
memory extends the continuum to the future. There is a continuous construction
wherein the momentary present becomes the remembered present, which is
integrated with the past, and projections made about the future. This gives
continuity to consciousness. The tools of the construction are the executive
functions of the brain which are pre-dominantly mediated by the prefrontal areas.
The cognitive functions such as set-shifting inhibition of pre-potent
responses, goal - setting and problem-solving, choose the relevant experiences
from the immediate and recent or remote past and combine it with the current
present to for form the continuous consciousness". [Dr.Shobhini L.Rao.].
[When you look up a
telephone number and commit the 7 digits to the memory faculty that gets active
and keeps the figure in consciousness; and where the other party tells you
something that involves your noting down a few particulars decide something and
then act, it is again the working memory that does all the noting, the decision
making and the spur to act.
A Neuro-psychological
view has been postulated by the noted thinker and Vedic Scholar, A.V.Subramanian.
The faculty of consciousness functioning in and from the working memory can be
thought of as jivatma indicated by philosophy. As the scientists are unable to
locate any other centre which performs the functions of the jivatma, for the
present this can be assumed as a convenient starting point for further process,
applying the results of Neuropsychology to philosophy. The advantage of such
applications are many; for one thing, philosophical concept which are abstract
can be made concrete and this rendered easier to comprehend. Secondly, and more
importantly, the progress made in this field of Neuro-psychology can be taken
advantage of in registering progress in metaphysical speculation.
The working memory
faculty is performing a useful function when it takes into consideration the
relevant points, drawing them, when necessary from the store of memory and
deciding the issue or solving the problem on hand. But when there is noting to
be pondered over or decided, even then the working memory is overwhelmed by a
medley of memories and bits of ideas from the animal brain which keeps flooding
the working memory with a continuous rush of them. It is this that makes the
role of the meditator very difficult, even frustrating. There are two path-ways
- one from the animal brain to the front of the new brain (which is the villain
of the piece here); the other is the pathway from the latter to the former. The
business of the second pathway is to keep the animal brain under control
subordinate to the new brain. Unfortunately, the former pathway that which
takes off from the animal brain and end in the new brain, flooding it with a
constant, never-ending rush of ideas is much the stronger and dominant; the
latter pathway helping the new brain to keep the animal brain under control is
much the weaker, in comparison.
Why is nature so unkind?
Nature is all concerned to keep the organism active, so it has made the pathway
powerful- the one that takes the stimuli from the senses and the memory from
the memory-store in the working memory so that damages sighted or anticipated
may be warded-off.
This total pre-occupation of nature to keep organism active and physically well
is a well-recognised fact of biology and is seen to be the prime factor behind
most of the phenomena met with that branch of science.
One of the active
faculties that go to make up the animal brain is termed 'Amygdala ' which can
be regarded as ego-centre. It is dedicated to the preservation of the body at
all costs. As the impulses from, this faculty are dominant in the flow from the
animal brain the mere act of weakening flow through meditation has the very
solitary effect of weakening egoistic impulses.
Therefore the pathway
from the animal brain keeps pouring into the limited space of the working
memory all kinds of thought notions concepts, even whim and fancies disturbing
its peace and rendering any higher activity difficult. It is precisely this
arrangement that renders meditation very difficult.
"PARANCHIKHANI
VYATHRUNATH SVAYAMBHU
'God has created the sensory
organs so that they flow outward"
KATHOPANISHAD 2-1
Because of this, our mind
gets restless; ideas, memories rush into it and concentration on anything and
meditation, which involves total freedom from all thoughts become very
difficult.
While discussing the
neuro-anatomical substrate of consciousness, Prof.N.Kochupillai of AIIMS
cryptically states: "Addressing such enigmatic questions posed by the
state of art neuro-biology is central to the understanding of consciousness
because, it involves, an ultimate analysis, solving so subjective a riddle as
volition. Volition, quintessentially is an act of consciousness and Free Will!
Implicit in the idea of free and willing consciousness is the notion of 'Self'
the 'Me' the sensing, feeling, moving 'Me' - the sum and substances of our
individual existence - the consciousness that is 'Me' ". The mass of
billions of intricately inter-connected neurons, extending all over the
neuro-axis, communicating to and from with the neo-cortex through complex
bio-electric circuiting may be the anatomical substrate of the conscious mind.
Further, Neuro-hormones and their complex system of heterogeneous reception, go
a long way in sculpting the behavior-patterns. Dr.Kochupillai says that there
is emerging evidence pointing to the role of a peptide hormone called prolactin
in the elaboration of positive emotions like love and compassion.
This is Neurological and
neuro endocronological view point, drawn from scientific analysis. As
Dr.Jonathan Shear says "Physical sciences in general and genetics in
particular, employ highly sophisticated objective investigative methodologies.
The subjective methodologies used in scientific study of consciousness are
generally still quite primitive, often relying merely on simple common-sensical
introspection. Eastern Meditation traditions, on the other hand, have been
employing sophisticated meditation techniques to explore consciousness for many
centuries. Study of their techniques is thus a natural beginning point for
developing the first person approaches needed by genuine science of
consciousness". Let us now have an over view of these approaches:
The problem of philosophy
is how to kill the thought or keep them away; for when the equanimity of the
consciousness is disturbed and there are ample opportunities provided to get it
diverted, there is an inner urge in this faculty to be intrinsically keen to
identify itself with Universal consciousness. If it pursues this urge
undisturbed, in course of time it will succeeds in effecting this identification,
which is the ultimate goal of all spiritual endeavor.
But how is this highly
beautiful stage of thoughtlessness to be achieved? We have seen that there is a
powerful pathway from the animal-brain with a corresponding though much less
powerful pathway from the new brain to the animal brain. In addition to the
former, there is too, a nerve-path way from the five senses taking sensory
stimuli to the new brain. So it is clear that unless we stop the entry of these
messages from outside world and the flood of thought memories and fancies from
the animal brain, we cannot achieve freedom from thought.
However it is a comfort
to learn that the former pathway can be easily stopped from functioning by
closing up the senses. Meditators usually close their eyes and choose a quiet
spot to avoid auditory disturbances. Senses can be quietened by a determined
will.
But the problem that has
been frustrating the efforts of aspirants is how to control the rush of
thoughts into the working memory. Many excellent ways have been instructed by
adepts.
The law that applies to
many biological faculties especially to all the faculties in the brain is that
"use sharpens and disuse degrades". Desires, fears, worries,
pessimistic thoughts prompt us to draw memories and thoughts fully formed or
only half-baked from the animal brain into the space called working memory all
the time. The fulfilment of certain desires does not quench the arousal of
desires. On the contrary more and even bigger desires arise calling forth
awareness of concepts, notions, ideas and memories from the lower brain.
However, in most of us
the nerve pathway leading from the animal brain to the working memory is
intensely used all through life and is therefore kept at the highest level of
efficiency. When it works, more and even more thoughts are pumped into the
working memory without the new brain being able to control the process. In the
initial stages we are not able to control this unceasing flow of thoughts, we
can only hope to achieve by slow stages by weakening the nerve pathway leading
from the maelstrom of the animal brain into the working memory.
Weakening is done by one
or more of the methods suggested by the sages, starting from Lord Krishna
himself in the 6th chapter of the Bhagavat Gita.
"Little by little,
let him attain quietitude by his intellect held firm; having made the mind
established in the Self, let him not think of anything."
Bhagavat Gita VI/25
"From whatever
causes the restless and the unsteady mind wanders away, from that let him
restrain it, and bring it back under the control of the Self."
Bhagavat Gita VI/26
Saint Thirumoolar also
says this in "Thirumantiram"
Step by step, practice,
mind's withdrawal and look inward;
one by one many the good
you see within
and may you then meet the
Lord
Now and here below
Whom the ancient Veda
still searches everywhere
Thirumantiram 3.6.1.
" Control the mind
from getting diverted towards the senses
Concentrate on the
Chidakasa within the spinal column.
The eyes must not see nor
the ears hear.
This is the way to life
eternal"
Thirumantiram 3.7.1.
Sage Patanjali in 2nd
century BC enunciates that through the practice of yoga the activities of our
conscious mind or the working memory, chitta vritti, can be extinguished.
According to Patanjali there are 5 types of Vrithis; each divided into
sub-vrithis.
Pratyaksha (Direct
Sensory Awareness)
a.
Pramana
Vritti
Anumana
(Inferential Awareness)
Agama
(Revealed knowledge)
3) Vikalpa Vritti:
Delusions in our consciousness
It
is a very interesting phenomenon that Patanjali recognises sleep as activity of
our conscious state.
To eliminate there
Vrithis Patanjali prescribes six fold psycho-physical practices, namely (1)
Yama (2) Niyama (3) Asana (4) Pranayama (5) Pratyahara (6) Samadhi.
The importance of
Pranayama - energising - integrating current that bring life out of Prakriti
can not be over-stated. As Shri Ramana Maharishi says:
"Holding the breath
controls the mind
Like a bird caught in a
net
Breath-regulation helps
Absorption in the
heart"
[Upadesa Saram Verse 11]
Saint Thirumoolar also
says
"When Pranayama is
in proper time-measure practised
Breath retention will
appropriate with Prana stand;
He who trains breath that
is Prana
With Him shall Tune and
Life
Inseperate remain"
[Thirumantiram 3.7.5]
According to Dr.Kochu
Pillai, while oxygen intake and Carbon-di-oxide expulsion are the central to
the physiology respiration, there is another equally vital neuro-endocrine
dimension to that physiology - the rhythmic respiratory drive that originate in
the cardio-respiratory centre of brain stem reticular formation. It exercises
in aminergic influence on all the important cortical and sub-cortical neural
formations that form the substrate of man's conscious mind. Thus there is a
clear link between breathing and consciousness. Thus Pranayama with full and
focussed awareness of the Process (" Mindful breathing " of Buddha)
neuro - biologically influence " the brain stem reticular formation and
therefore the whole brain activity gestalt known as Consciousness".
The Buddisht approach to
Consciousness is delineated in the Abhidhamma Pitaka. As explained by
Dr.Bhikkhu Bodhi, the Abhidhamma Pitaka presents simultaneously a philosophy, a
psychology and an ethics, all integrated into the framework of a program for
liberation. It proposes an ontology, a perspective on the nature of the 'real'.
The Abhidhamma approach to comprehend the nature of reality, contrary to that
of classical science of the Western. does not proceed from the stand point of a
neutral observer looking outwards the external world. The primary concern of
Abhidhamma is to understand the nature of experience, and thus the reality on
which it focuses is conscious reality, the world as given in experience,
comprising both knowledge and the known in the widest sense. The philosophical
enterprise of Abhidhamma shades off into a phenomenological psychology. To facilitate
the understanding of experienced reality, the Abhidhamma embarks upon an
elaborate analysis of the mind as it presents itself to introspective
meditation. It classifies consciousness into a variety of types, specifies the
factors and functions of each type, correlates them with their objects and
physiological bases and shows how the different types of consciousness link up
with each other and with material phenomena to constitute the ongoing process
of experience. The Abhidhamma's phenomenological psychology also takes on the
character of a psychological ethics, as a complete guide to noble living and
mental purification. Its schematisation of consciousness follows a hierarchical
plan that corresponds to the successive stages of purity suggested by Buddha.
In contrast to the
Suttas, the Abhidhamma Pitaka presents a totalistic system. It reveals
actuality in an abstract manner devoid of pedagogical expedients. While in
Suttas the Buddha speaks of "I" and "you" of "man and
"woman", of living beings ,and even Self as though they were concrete
realities, the Abhidhamma Sutta rigorously restricts itself to terms that are
valid from the standpoint of ultimate truth (paramatthasacca).
The Abhidhamma Pitaka,
discusses a system of matrix or schedule of categories as the blue print of the
entire edifice which consists of 122 modes of classification special to the
Abhidhamma Pitaka method. The matrix serves as a kind of grid for sorting out
the complex manifold of experience in accordance with principles determined by
Dhamma.
Another distinguishing
feature of Abhidhamma is the dissection of the apparently continuous stream of
consciousness into a discrete evanescent cognitive events called Cittas, each a
complex unity involving consciousness itself, as a basic awareness of an
object, and a constellation of mental factors (cetasika) exercising more
specialsied tasks in the process of cognition.
The actual Abhidhamma is
developed into four ultimate realities (Paramatthas) Consciousness, mental
factors, material phenomena and nibbana. The first three comprises conditioned
reality and the last is the unconditioned element.
All the theoretical
analysis of mind and matter finally converges upon the practice of meditation,
the practice culminates in the attainment of the supreme goal of Buddhism, the
liberation of the mind by non-clinging.
Bhagavan Shri Ramana
Maharishi succinctly gives the guidance in the famous verse 8 of the supplement
to 'Reality in Forty verses'. "In the centre of the Heart-cave there
shines alone the Brahman as the 'I'. "I", the Atman. Reach the
spiritual Heart by diving deep in quest of the Self or by controlling the mind
with the breathe, and stay established in the Atman".
Bhagavan Ramana's
interesting method for cessation of though consists of finding out where from
each thought arises and trace it to its origin. As a result of this mind
tracing, the thought will die.
"Controlling speech
and breath, and diving deep within oneself-like one who, to find a thing that
has fallen into water dives deep down - one must seek out the source whence the
aspiring ego springs"
[Ulladu Narpadu Verse.28]
is the prescription
Bhagavan Ramana.
"With unceasing
quest of 'who am I', find out the source of ego". is the mantra he gave.
In neurological term, it
means as a thought enters the working memory, it is turned back through the
same nerve pathway to its source, the animal brain. This will ultimately empty
the working memory or Chitta Vrithi.
If the Sadhaka is
persistent and tenacious, despite earlier discouragement to control thoughts, a
progressively more favourable state takes shape. When the thoughts are ignored
and turned back, the nerve pathway becomes less and less effective and
dominant. In the meantime, the faculty of consciousness which has begun to
enjoy less and less distraction through the welter of ideas, develops an
affinity for Universal consciousness. Immanuel Kant says "As the sunflower
turns itself towards Sun, the individual consciousness in each of us
instinctively turns towards Universal consciousness of which it is an
aspect". It does not have to come from outside. It is there, naturally, in
it. The concept that we are part of all humanity is natural to the new brain.
The faculty of consciousness. When it understands this, it gets more and more interested
in inward contemplation and ultimately merges with the Universal consciousness.
One of the active
faculties that go to make up the animal brain is termed the Amygdala, which can
be regarded as the ego-centre. It is dedicated to the preservation of the body
at all costs. As the impulses from this faculty are dominant in the flow from
the animal brain, the mere act of weakening the flow through meditation has the
very salutary effect of weakening egoistic impulses. So, if the faculty of
consciousness is able to contemplate with increasingly greater success on
Universal consciousness, with the ego-centered impulses from the animal brain
getting progressively weakened, the Sadhaka becomes progressively nobler,
increasingly an integral part of the 'Universe', who can cut across narrow,
confining forces to achieve a Para-humanist view, which constitutes the
ultimate goal of man. The ego consciousness get steadily reduced in the
splendor of Divine Light, the ego becomes pale and insignificant. Finally like
a planet lost in the bright light of dawn, the ego consciousness is totally
lost in the Divine. The one undivided infinite consciousness alone remains.
This is the highest of Spiritual experiences. As the Manudkya Kariaka describes
"The highest Bliss
is based upon the realisation of Self. It is peace, identical with liberation,
indescribable and unborn. It is further described as the Omniscient Brahman. It
is one with the unborn Self which is the object sought by knowledge".
As the Gayathri mantra
prompts,
"Let us meditate on
the Supreme glory of the Divine Being who illumes the three worlds. May He
awaken Spiritual intuition in us".
OM SHANTHI SHANTHI SHANTHI
BIBLIOGRAPHY
1.
"RAMANA
NOOTTRIRATTU"- Shri Ramanashramam Publication, Tiruvannamalai.