Manas (Mind), Buddhi (Intelligence) & Ahankar (False Ego) – Connections!
A woman devotee (name hidden) asked like this:
“Hare krishna prabhu. ..hope Ur doing good. .well I understood tht ur busy bt when doubts bothers I couldn’t find anyone who could clarity n give explaination accurately like u do. okay prabhu I have been questioned what is buddhi (intelligence )and manas the mind. I can understand it bt I was not satisfy the person with my answer..now I’m confused ..pls help when ur done prabhu. .haribol.
I wana know what are their difference and how they are related. .”
REPLY:
Many are thinking that Mind and brain are the same.
It is wrong.
Our Brain is a VISIBLE GROSS material made up of tissues, blood and Neurons. Whereas, Mind is the collection of SUBTLE thoughts and memories and mind is not a gross material.
Our external and visible gross body has another subtle (invisible) body within itself.
This Subtle Body (Sukshma Body) is composed of three elements:
(1) Mind (Manas)
(2) Buddhi (Intelligence)
(3) Ahankar (False Ego)
ALL THE ABOVE ARE SUBTLE, ie, INVISIBLE TO OUR EYES. So, these three are called SUKSHMA ELEMENTS.
(HOW TO DIVERT OUR MIND AND SENSES INTO KRISHNA’s SERVICE? – COMPLETE TIPS! READ HERE!)
What is called Mind (Manas)?
Among Manas, Buddhi and Ahankar, Mind is not an organ. It is sensory and invisible. Mind is A COLLECTION OF THOUGHTS AND EXPERIENCES. We can compare mind with the collection of informations stored in a Pen Drive or Memory card. We can not see those recorded contents. Only when we play them in a Player, we can see the recordings. Similarly, Mind can not be read by others. It can be read only when our brain is trying to evaluate what is in mind.
Mind does not have any fixed rules, regulations, evaluation, etc. It is just the collection of the observed details sent by other senses like eyes, ears, etc. Mind has no absolute deciding power, but only has inducing & dominating power. So, it is like a dust bin for sinners who store all offensive contents only and it is the temple for devotees who store Krishna in it.
(How to get away from wrong people who are disturbing us? READ HERE in our another site!)
What is called BUDDHI (Intelligence)?
Among Manas, Buddhi and Ahankar, Buddhi is an ANALYZER. It is also subtle, ie, Sukshma, ie, invisible. Whatever the mind stores, Buddhi KNOWS it first. Then, Buddhi EVALUATES whether it is the right thought or not. Then, it DECIDES and INDICATES that this is right or wrong. If a person hears the decisions of his BUDDHI, he can escape from losses or offences. But, there is a VILLAIN that prevents a person from hearing the JUDGEMENTS of Buddhi.
Who is that Villain? Next one:
What is AHANKAR? (False Ego)?
Among Manas, Buddhi and Ahankar, Ahankar is considering that WE ONLY ARE THE DOERS OF EVERYTHING. Ahankar makes the person PROUD ABOUT HIMSELF to think that what he does will always be right. So, though the buddhi indicates something as wrong, our ahankar makes us think that what we do is right. So, we neglect the judgement of buddhi and commit that wrong action.
Let me give an example. A boy has a friend who is a drinker. One day, he explains how it will be if one drinks hiding the negative effects of drinking. His eyes send the mannerisms shown by that friend while explaining the feeling of drinking to the mind. His ears sends the words of that friend calling him for giving company for drinking to his mind. This stupid mind stores both the pic of that friend and his call for drinking company.
(I have selfishness, ego and find fault on others. How to correct this nature? READ HERE!)
Now, his BUDDHI wakes up and analyses the situation. It evaluates the storage of other old contents of mind that says that drinking can cause liver problems and will affect the social status. So, it DECIDES that he should not go to give company for drinking. Buddhi reminds the mind the diseases associated with drinking. Same Buddhi will also remind the hells meant for intoxication and related violations after getting intoxicated. It will even remind him that Krishna will feel if he drinks and then violates.
If that boy hears the JUDGEMENT of Buddhi, he can escape from offences and hellish life. But, next comes AHANKAR (Ego). His ego interrupts the action of buddhi. Ahankar reminds the mind that what he thinks is right and he can not be wrong. This encourages that boy to go with that friend to give company for drinking because his ego is encouraging him to act on his free will.
Again BUDDHI reminds him the loss of image that may occur in future because of drinking and these pleasures are shortlived and cause pains at the end. Again the AHANKAR interrupts saying that the age is going and the life should be lived to the fullest and hence he should enjoy drinking and fly in the air. Ego says that speaking about sins and karma is wasting the life without enjoying..
(MIND CONTROL TIPS WHILE WORSHIPING KRISHNA OR CHANTING! READ HERE!)
Thus, the boy faces agitations within his mind because the mind receives instructions from both Buddhi and Ahankar. Now, if he hears the words of Buddhi, he is safe. If he hears the words of Ahankar, he is at risk.
That is why, we are advised to avoid EGO and to act with BUDDHI and Not to go with all the options shown by your mind.
So, Mind is lower than Buddhi. Buddhi can control Mind, but, mind can not control Buddhi, but, mind can supply the required details from its storage for the Buddhi to evaluate.
Hope you are clear about the links between Manas (Mind), Buddhi (Intelligence) & Ahankar (False Ego).
(If Krishna is our intelligence, why should Senses, Mind and False Ego dominate us? READ HERE!)