Reality:Tattva perspective part-3

 

So, after our little journey through how the universe came to be and that first spark of "me" in the last piece, we're now getting into the nitty-gritty of what actually makes us feel like us. Think of it this way: we laid the groundwork with those big cosmic ideas and the initial sense of being an individual. Now, we're zooming in to see how that "me" starts to take shape ,fine tuning and interact with everything around it. This next part is all about how that feeling of being separate comes about and how we begin to experience the world as individuals –how this sensory system act and how it helpful to grasp things around us.

Budhi tattva

Once we believe we are separate beings, the Buddhi Tattva begins to emerge. Think of it like a broad concept gradually narrowing down to a precise point, like the tip of a pen – that’s the power of Buddhi Tattva. It allows us to differentiate, to see that two is not the same as three. We start evaluating based on these differences, understanding why two isn’t three – because one has two ‘ones’ and the other has three.

This leads us to options in our lives. Imagine a group of friends planning an outing to a theme park. We naturally recall our past experiences – if we’ve been to a few places before, those memories come up. We evaluate the possibilities based on these experiences, considering options like Wonderland or Disneyland. Sometimes, we’re swayed by advertisements or what our friends have told us. At that point, we weigh their experiences against our own, ultimately leading us to a choice.

Once we can tell the difference between ideas, things, and people, we move into the stage of evaluation. After that, we start to understand what we truly need. It’s like being in a dilemma – we might want something, yet we still consider other options, even if we have a specific desire in mind. It’s as if we’re not quite ready to fully commit to that specific thing, so we keep our options open. Only when we truly understand our need do we move towards a conclusion. For example, the friends might decide to go to Wonderland rather than Disneyland due to various influencing factors like cost or distance.

So, this aspect of our being, the Buddhi Tattva, is what allows us to:

 * Discern and distinguish: To see the differences between various objects, ideas, and experiences.

 * Make judgments: To evaluate things and form our own opinions.

 * Comprehend and grasp meaning: To truly understand the significance of what we perceive.

 * Determine: To reach conclusions and make decisions.”

Ahamkara attava

As I said earlier, this tattva, and the ones that come after it, are about believing that ‘I am separate.’ These tattvas work to define the individual, both in terms of what they are and their qualities.

Now, the name ‘Ahamkara Tattva’ can be a bit misleading. Usually, we think of ‘ahamkara’ as selfishness, but this tattva isn’t talking about that kind of self-interest. Instead, it’s a really important part of how our minds are structured as individuals. It's about when you recognize your own boundaries. Once you do, you become aware of how you should act within those boundaries and what you’re capable of doing inside them. This understanding is what leads to the creation of the ego.

We start to see ourselves as our thoughts, our feelings, our bodies, and the things we own. It’s the feeling of ‘I am this’ and ‘this is mine,’ and so on. This sense of being separate and the feeling that ‘I am the one doing everything’ and ‘I am responsible for my actions’ is what leads to the development of logic and our personal sense of ‘I.’

There are often three main ways to describe Ahamkara, and these relate to the Gunas (qualities of nature):

 * Sattvic Ahamkara: This is connected to clarity, light, and the feeling of being someone who knows. It can make us identify with good qualities and feel that our sense of self comes from our knowledge.

 * Rajasic Ahamkara: This is linked to activity, passion, and the feeling of being someone who does things. It drives our ambitions, desires, and makes us feel that our sense of self comes from our actions and what we achieve.

 * Tamasic Ahamkara: This is associated with being slow, heavy, and feeling like an object or having limited control. It can make us identify with our physical body and feel that our sense of self is rooted in being inactive or not knowing much.”

So, in simpler terms, just like we have a physical body with its own unique shape, Ahamkara is like our unique mental structure. It’s where ‘I’ operates within its own set of boundaries. But it doesn’t stop there – ‘I’ also starts drawing more boundaries around itself, defining what ‘I’ is and, just as importantly, what ‘I’ is not. If you think about it, ‘I’ could be anything, but by creating these extra lines, ‘I’ says, ‘I can’t be those other things.’

This also creates this urge to prove that ‘I’ is something specific. For example, ‘I’ might want to show that ‘I’m a lovable person’ or ‘I’m not cruel,’ or even the opposite. It’s like chasing after our passions to prove to ourselves and others that ‘I’ am unique or ‘I’m capable of doing that.’ Take me, for instance – even if I’m not particularly unique, I still have this desire to showcase myself through my writing and crave appreciation.

Why do I want to show I’m unique even if I’m not? Maybe it’s because of the limitations of my own understanding. There’s always something more to learn about myself and the world around me. These tattvas, though, they seem to hold answers to everything. Every time you read about them, you get new ideas and a fresh way of seeing things. It’s like exercising to build muscle – one day isn’t enough. You have to keep practicing, keep reading, and keep trying to understand.”

Manas tattva

“After the ‘I’ solidified through Ahamkara Tattva, it’s like we become completely disconnected from a part of our higher consciousness. Now, the boundaries of ‘I’ also become the boundaries of our consciousness, and it relies completely on our experiences. You can think of it as the lower mind or the sensory mind because, as I said before, it depends on what we experience through our senses. It acts like a bridge connecting Buddhi Tattva (the intellect) and Ahamkara Tattva (the ego).

It's easy to relate to this: we, as individuals, have a sensory system – taste, smell, touch, and sight. These are the tools that ‘I’ uses to interact with the world outside. Here, the ‘I’ interacts to gain experiences. For example, when you eat something, and the food touches your taste buds and chemical receptors, it triggers thoughts which lead to a feeling of whether it’s good or not. This feeling is then compared to past experiences, which can even lead to doubt and it goes futher clarification and then gives result.

Sensory Processing: Its primary function is to receive and processinformation from the five senses.

 * Initial Reaction: It’s the seat of initial, often undifferentiated, reactions to sensory input (like/dislike).

 * Doubt and Comparison: It involves a basic level of comparison with past experiences, which can lead to doubt or initial judgments.

 * Foundation for Higher Cognition: It provides the raw data that Buddhi then analyzes and understands on a deeper level and gives picture.

Our Five Senses (Jnanendriyas tattvas): How We Gain Knowledge

 * Shrotra (Ear): Allows us to hear sounds.

 * Tvak (Skin): Enables us to feel touch and other sensations.

 * Chakshu (Eye): Gives us the ability to see shapes and colors.

 * Jihva (Tongue): Lets us experience tastes.

 * Ghrana (Nose): Provides our sense of smell.

Our Five Actions (Karmendriyas tattvas): How We Interact

 * Vak (Speech): Used for talking and communicating.

 * Pani (Hands): For grasping and handling things.

 * Pada (Feet): For walking and moving around.

 * Payu (Anus): For eliminating waste from the body.

 * Upastha (Genitals): Related to reproduction.

The Five Basic Elements (Mahabhutas tattvas): What the World is Made Of

 * Akasha (Ether/Space): The open space where everything exists.

 * Vayu (Air): Movement, energy, and the feeling of touch.

 * Tejas (Fire): Light, heat, and transformation, which allows us to see.

 * Apah (Water): What binds things together, flows, and gives us taste.

 * Prithvi (Earth): Solid matter, stability, and the sense of smell.

How They Connect:

These senses, actions, and elements are all interconnected. It's not as simple as one-to-one. Take hearing, for example. We need our ears (a Jnanendriya), and sound travels through air (Vayu, a Mahabhuta) within the space of ether (Akasha, another Mahabhuta). Our ears are designed to pick up the underlying "sound-ness" (Shabda Tanmatra).

So, the experience of sound isn’t just one thing. It's what happens when the subtle potential (Tanmatra) interacts with the basic elements that carry it (Mahabhutas), and our sensory organ (Jnanendriya) captures that physical form. Our minds then process all of this.

Think of it this way:

 * The Shabda Tanmatra is the basic idea of sound.

 * Akasha provides the space for sound to happen as vibrations.

 * Vayu often carries these vibrations to us.

 * Our ears (Shrotra) are the receivers that catch these vibrations.

 * Our mind (Manas) and intellect (Buddhi) then make sense of what our ears hear, allowing us to experience "sound."

Therefore, experiencing sound isn't just about one single part. It's a team effort between the subtle potential, the physical elements that provide the way for it to travel, and our sensory organ that catches it, all interpreted by by our minds.

Conclusion

Now, I have a question for you, the reader: would you consider this a religious exploration?

These Tattvas, each one a stage in the unfolding of reality, are truly the fundamental building blocks of everything we experience. The entire system of 36 Tattvas encompasses all of creation and the very formation of our universe and reality. Even for an AI, trying to explain all of that in just 36 points would be a challenge! That's why I believe it's something everyone should be aware of – it can really help broaden our perspective on what reality is.

If we can grasp even a little of this understanding, I believe it could foster a greater sense of unity. Many of the social problems we face might even lessen if we had a deeper appreciation for the interconnectedness these Tattvas suggest.

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