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Shri Datta Swami

 10 Sep 2024

 

What are the differences between mind,intelligence and ego?

Shri Anil asked: Padanamaskaram Swami!! A person asked following question:

Can you kindly explain the differences/dependencies between the mind, intelligence and ego? My limited perception sees that the mind, the intelligence and the ego cannot be separated, but the sages say otherwise. For example, is it possible for the mind and intelligence to exist without the ego, as a state of non-self? What about deciding without thinking, what is the difference between that and simply (loose) recall?

Kindly give Your responses. At Your feet

Swami replied: Mind, intelligence, memory and ego (manas, buddhi, chittam and ahankara respectively) are called as the four internal instruments (antahkaranams). All these four are different departments or faculties of the same university called awareness (chit). They differ only by their functions and the essence of four is awareness only. As the same gold appears as different jewels, the same awareness appears as these four faculties. The difference told by sages is not in the essential material, but, is in the working fashions. Mind doubts keeping both sides projected (samkalpa-vikalpa). Intelligence conducts analysis and draws conclusions (adhyavasaava or Nishchaya). Memory recollects the stored information (smaranam). Ego is the basic ‘I’ representing the entire human being in collective manner (Asmat pratyaya gochara chaitanyam). Ego is also representing the pride, for which, the source is basic ‘I’. This ‘I’ (aham) stem generates several branches for several items linked to my (mama) or the branches in general.

Sometimes, conclusions are drawn without analysis (‘thinking’ as called by you). A decision that is already taken for a similar situation is stored in memory. When the situation is similar, the process of analysis is avoided by intelligence and the decision stored in the memory is brought to the present context. Here both decision without thinking (already stored in memory) and recollection are associated together. Your entire question relates to psychology and not to spiritual knowledge.

 
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