If the Intellect Makes Decisions, Why Does It Not Decide to Stop Us from Committing Sins?

O Learned and Devoted Servants of God,

[Several devotees from various places, ranging from illiterate to highly qualified, came to Swami, seeking the clarification of their doubts in spiritual knowledge. Some of the prominent questions, along with the clarifications given by Swami, are given here.]

Q. If the intelligence (Buddhi) is the faculty of logical analysis, why it does not control us while we are doing sins by giving the sharp decisions through logical analysis?

Swami replied:- Intelligence gives logical analysis and then the correct decisions to the human being while doing sins. Intelligence is only an advising authority like the judge in the court. The judgement given in the court is executed by other departments of government and the judge is not the authority of implementation of the judgement. We hear that there are several judgements given in the court, but, not implemented! If the implementing authorities are managed, the judgement is never implemented. Similarly, the intelligence gives the judgement along with the accompanying logical analysis also. But, the human being, a collective group of executing systems is managed by the mind and senses. The mind and senses prepare a counter judgement with false logical analysis, which overcomes the judgement given by single intelligence. It is just like the judgement given by a bench of judges of upper court cancelling the judgement given by single judge of lower court! Sometimes, the single judge of lower court understands the power of the party of injustice and the capability of the party to get a favourable judgement in the upper court, gives the judgement in favour of the powerful party so that the insult of cancellation of his given judgement can be avoided! Similarly, the intelligence gives the wrong judgement with false analysis in order to save its face from insult of defeat. Many a time, this happens in which the intelligence follows the decision of the mind and based on this point, the intelligence is called ‘Maniishaa’, which means that the intelligence follows the trend of mind (Manonusaarinii Buddhih Maniishaa).

Intelligence is the husband or the head of the family. Mind is its wife. The five senses are the five children. When the wife (mind) joins with the five senses (her five children) in their support, the husband can’t control the family because one cannot control several and the result is drowning of the entire family as said in the Gita (Indriyaanaam hi charataam...). The mind controls not only the five non-inert senses (Jnaanendriya), which are like the five sons (skin, eyes, ears, nose and tongue) but, also the five inert senses (karmendriya), which are like the five daughters (mouth, hands, legs, anus and sex organ). If the mother can control the sons, there will be absolutely no problem in controlling her daughters. When the mother joins with the five non-inert senses, the mother becomes childish to be counted as a child along with the children and this point is mentioned in the Gita that there are six non-inert senses (children), which are mother and five senses (Manah Shashthaaniindriyaani...).

Then, what is the way to control the human being from doing sins? The father shall know the law of Government and say to mind about the punishments to be faced for doing the sins. If the logic fails, the only way is threatening showing the consequences implemented by the supreme authority (which is human government or God). If government alone is shown, the mind may say that the punishment can be escaped with the help of strong advocates, who plead for just money only. If the ultimate God is shown, before whom there are no arguments, the sin can be controlled. The mind may say that the judiciary system is not omniscient and omnipotent to give correct judgement and subsequently to implement the judgement. The intelligence must reply that God is omniscient and omnipotent. The unimaginable God has the unimaginable power to know the truth and to punish the sin in unimaginable ways. When the intelligence is impregnated with spiritual knowledge, such intelligence is called Buddhi Yoga or Saamkhya Yoga or Jnaana Yoga. This is the reason for the Gita to start with this Yoga so that the intelligence (father) can control its family consisting mind (mother) and senses (children). If the mind is controlled, naturally the senses are also controlled because both parents together can control the children.

The father can’t control the family by showing his power since the family takes the advantage of lenience with him. Actually, the father is also not so powerful as the external government. God is far far more powerful than the intelligence as said in the Gita (Yo Buddheh paratastu sah). In fact, God is most powerful and there is no comparison as said by the Veda (Na tat samah...). Anything or anybody can control anything or anybody respectively with the help of God.

The Veda also speaks about the same concept giving a different example. Individual soul is the owner sitting in the chariot. Intelligence is the driver. Mind is the controlling belt of horses. Senses are the running horses and the physical body is the chariot (Atmaanam rathinam viddhi...). The Gita says that the driver shall control the horses with the help of controlling belt and drive the chariot so that the owner can travel safely (Yastvindiyaani...).

Today, the spiritual knowledge is completely neglected by the government in the education, confining it to a small department, called philosophy. Spiritual knowledge must be an important part of every department and part of every branch of education, which should not be isolated as a very small branch and department. Ancient kings made spiritual knowledge to be 75% of every branch and education. By this, every citizen was having in-built self-resistance towards sin so that their administration became very easy with full leisure time to enjoy fine arts in the time of courts! Today, the governments are entirely blind to run after professional education only without remembering even the word ‘Spiritual Knowledge’! The government is not looking at the prevention and is concentrating on cure by spending a lot on the ineffective controlling agencies like courts, police etc., with a wonderful self-satisfaction that it is providing employment potential to public through such agencies even though the ultimate aim is not fulfilled! A fool goes on eating sugar always and simultaneously goes on using diabetic tablets and insulin injections! PREVENTION IS FAR FAR BETTER THAN CURE!

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