Magical Relationship Between our Physical Body and Mind - Part 2

Abstract: Part 1 of this article highlighted the scientific facts on the relationship between mind-memory and the past-present-future time frames. We studied that all mental formations, such as perception and imagination, finally boil down to the neurological activities which happen in the brain at the present moment. Part 2 of this article brings some religious context (in more scientific manner) into this discussion and tries to unravel the relationship between modern science and ancient wisdom.

Religions that Talked to Our Hearts and Minds

Undoubtedly, all religions and spiritual practices try to reach our human heart, mind, and soul. Through meditation, yogic exercises or routines, prayers, love, and self inquiry, they allow us to reach an exalted state of our mind. or God consciousness ! However only a few teachings and religions directly talked about the human mind and the energy system. The examples include Hinduism and Buddhism. Others may have concealed such vital information from the public in order to keep the authenticity and purity of the teaching. The scriptures from Christianity, Judaism, and Sufism are often sources of great wisdom. But such wisdom is usually veiled and not presented openly, requiring us to read between lines. Such from of delivery is called esoterism. Both eastern and western traditions have esoterism in their teachings to a certain extent. But this article only aims to bring general information, so that everyone can understand and follow.

When it comes to the nature of human mind, no other religion has spoken about it than Buddhism. When Gautham Buddha was enlightened, presumably 2500 years ago, he declared that liberation, peace, and tranquillity lie within ourselves, within our reach, and it cannot be found anywhere outside our human mind and body. Due to the scientific depth and content, his teaching blossoms even to date. What he promoted was a teaching without an ideology, any worship, but simply some tools and techniques to train our mind and body to overcome suffering. Similar to other religions, faith is an integral part of Buddhism, but Buddha stressed that he should not be worshipped! The greatest emphasis was placed on training our mind through meditation; hence Buddhism cannot exist without meditation and vice versa. Gautham Buddha was a great meditator, too. Even as a kid, he had the ability to be in certain meditative absorptions, which was an inborn quality of such a being. During his time in Nepal, he practiced many modes of meditation from several Upanishad gurus but realized he hadn’t overcome the suffering from any of those methods. These were said to be the highest meditative realizations in Nepal (or India) at that time. Later on, he found the technique called mindfulness or Vipassana (insight meditation) to attain the final liberation. From the result of this finding and with his extraordinary meditative abilities, Gautham Buddha revealed a set of teachings called Abhidharma, which scrutinizes the mind process. Both Theravada and Mahayana sects of Buddhism accept this teaching to be authentic and a direct teaching from Buddha.

Creation and Contamination of a Thought (Buddhist Viewpoint)

In this special teaching called Abhidharma, the continuity of the mind is microscopically observed and revealed to be an illusion. Buddha brought his focus on the mind, as all sufferings can finally be experienced at our mind level. On the other hand, for any person, the mind is the only accessible tool they can control to avoid suffering.

According to Buddha, thought is the result of billions of small mental chunks called “Chitta”. What we experience as thought is the cumulative effect of billions of Chitta. These chunks start from an extremely purified state of mind ("Luminous mind" or God consciousness?) and are contaminated through 9 stages of defilement to form a thought or gross consciousness [1]. In the previous article, we saw how eye-consciousness is formed with perception, imagination, and memory. Understanding it in a scientific manner was relatively easier and straightforward. Furthermore, we have not discussed about any purified state of mind in that neurological process. Since Buddha had witnessed the formation of the mind/thoughts through his own exalted state of mind, this must have been an exciting experiment. Ability to dissect it into microscopical level further explains Buddha’s meditative abilities. The contamination of the mind from the extremely purified state to the gross level consciousness (thoughts with defilement), is depicted in the following figure. Note that the English translation of the "Pali" terms are loosely based on the explanations in [1].

Fig. 1. The 9 stages of the contamination of our mind with defilements, according to Buddha's teaching.

In this illustration, we just try to understand this process with conscious thinking. In reality, all these steps take place in a blink of an eye. According to Buddha's experience, when a person is fully enlightened, the mind does not contaminate beyond the 3rd stage of this cycle. For instance, the enlightened person is able to recognize, identify and interact with the object (another person), but does not form any attachments or craving to the object. Hence the "sensitivity" around the heart level is transcended, therefore burning or suffering to the external events simply doesn't occur according to the explanation in the religious text.

Senses → Thought → Mind

It is apparent that our thought process is inseparable from our five senses. Without a sense object or at least a memory, the thought process cannot survive. Fig. 1 illustrates how our mind contaminates from its purest (Luminous) state to a gross level thought. This is a process common to every human being; therefore, everyone can reach that purest state by eradicating the defilements. Another important teaching in Buddhism, perhaps the most important one, is "Dependent Origination". The dependent origination concept is unique to Buddhism, and in a broader view, it explains how the world we perceive is a result of many dependent factors. Every experience, feeling, or perception arises not on their own, but depending on many external and internal factors. Hence there is nothing substantial to grasp or crave in our life experiences, and therefore everything we perceive dissolves back to “emptiness”. I will dedicate a separate post to elaborate what the emptiness is.

But there is a more subtle meaning to the dependent origination. Buddha further examined the relationship between the sense organs and the generation of thought or our gross consciousness. Similar to the previous case, through his own experiments, he witnessed that one thought cannot rise or survive independently, and thoughts can only be alive in a series. His extraordinary meditativeness reveals the following cycle of dependent origination, which binds thought to another.

Fig. 2. The 12 links of dependent origination leading to formation of thoughts.

Note that some people interpret this cycle to be the cyclic nature between the life and death of our physical body. However, Buddha's true interpretation is on a more fine-grained level. He directly addressed the suffering, which end of the day, occurs in our thought process. Hence, this should be interpreted as the life-death cycle of our thoughts. This cycle can start at any point and goes on and on. For the sake of understanding, let's examine this cycle from the past state.

Due to ignorance, we have our karmic and mental formations or tendencies. As a result, a consciousness arises. For instance, due to our anger or angry mood, we might generate a very related consciousness. So that we also look at the world from that angle. Then in the same mood, we come to contact with an external object, names and forms. i.e., you meet your archenemy. Your anger certainly escalates !!! 😡😡😡 Our six faculties or senses then create sensorial-mental contact with the object. So that the object is recognized and the mind anchors into it. This leads to a feeling which is then fueled by desire and clinging. i.e., When seeing the enemy, your anger arises, and all memories, neuron reactions further fuel it. Still, we have no sense of "I" in this process. We haven't come to ego yet! But the clinging creates a personality called "I" (ego), so it is the birth of us in the thought. Then this ego-sense suffers a lot as the aging and death in the thought itself. You almost kill the guy in your thought, and killing even in your thoughts is not a bearable thing to do. Therefore suffering!

Is the Mind a Result of Energy (Yogic or Hindu Viewpoint) ?

As outlined, Buddhism dives deeper into the formation of thoughts and consciousness. Buddha's theoretical explanation of this complex process quite aligns with modern scientific findings, especially the construction of consciousness from our five senses. For further clarification, refer to Fig. 2 of part 1 of this article series. After reading up to this point, you should be able to understand that Buddhist teachings primarily focus on the present moment and mindfulness to overcome suffering. Most Buddhist meditation techniques are based around this main principle; therefore, "awareness" is an integral part of meditation training.

Is everything in this world made up of “energy”? This is a famous question that has come to the surface very recently. With the advancement in modern science, i.e. Quantum Physics, Photonics, scientists now believe that any physical manifestation (in the perceivable realm) is a result of an energy play [2]. The same energy that composes your body also makes up the bricks of your house. Your car, phone, animals, trees, you name it, are all composed of energy. More interestingly, all these objects are interconnected and interrelated through a common energy field. In a nutshell, we are a carbon copy of the unmanifested universe. Apparently, that is why the “Man” is called the son of God.  

The yogic culture (developed around Hindusim and Vedas) touched the human energy system even centuries before Buddhism was founded in India. Historical events such as Ramayana and Mahabharatha played an essential role in shaping the yogic culture in the Indian subcontinent. Even in this culture, several sub-traditions can be found which venerate numerous saints and gods. However, most of these traditions find their roots in Shivaism or to the supreme god Shiva. Much has been spoken about “Shiva” throughout human history. Some attribute this name to a specific God, a historical yogi. And some to the primordial universal energy: nothingness (Who's Shiva? [3]). The first two obviously created a cultural belief system around them. The latter however is an existing truth, which yogis try to tap into in their Samadhis. 

This article aims to bring some logical facts from yogic culture on how the human body and mind are related to the universal energy system. In fact, many spiritual traditions, mystics claim that the human beings share the same energy system, structure as the universe, but unfortunately in a dormant state. As a reader, seeker, you must have heard about the energy centers (Chakras) and Nadis in the human body. To be precise, in the human energy system. When we are asleep, identified with anger, greed and jealousy, we inevitably fall into gross energy levels. Therefore, we attract people, situations of same vibe. Living in laughter, present moment and in a great positivity brings the aspects of same resonance to the life. Well, these are basics for human beings. However, we need to explore things well beyond basics, as spiritual enlightenment lies beyond our mental faculty. 

Spiritual enlightenment has been interpreted in many different ways by different traditions and different mystics. Opening the 3rd eye (Ajna chakra), clear-light mind (aka oneness), out of body or near death experience, activating 7/12/108 chakras, living in the present moment, you name it. However end of the day, whatever experience you gained from a spiritual practice should result you less suffering, tremendous freedom and bring more wisdom. In the following section, we briefly look into how the so-called human energy centers operate and what their qualities are.

Fig. 3. The relation between 7 Chakras and 6 Faculties (Link between Hindu and Buddhist concepts).

In this picture, we try to map the Chakra system in the Vedic tradition with the 6 “Dathu” or faculties in the Buddhist tradition. Even though the Chakra system has not been openly addressed, or spoken in Buddhism, how our mind perceives their qualities have been discussed throughout the Pali Canon. The lower chakras pose the qualities of the material world, while higher chakras represent higher vibratory qualities. All the energy levels are necessary to bind our life force to a material body. In this case, the life force means the purest universal energy source. Once bound to a lower material form (physical body), the purest universal energy loses its purity and manifests in lower vibratory forms. In short, all seven chakras show a certain impurity level in energy compared to the primordial universal source. Our task is to awaken this energy system through our human experiences on this earth, and apparently, we have been doing this through many lifetimes.

 

  

Fig. 4. Clay pottery example for lower 3 chakras and Tibetan Vajrayana Tummo practice.

The manifestation of our physical body can be explained better using the above video. In this context, the primordial universal source is synonymous with the potter's knowledge and skill set. He first shapes clay (earth element) into something meaningful and beautiful, and this is never possible without adding a smoothness or liquidity (water element) to clay. After the pot is ready, it must be seasoned in an oven (fire element) before being exposed to the environment for long-term use. Similarly, our physical body cannot survive without these three main elements. Hence, the lower three chakras determine our physicality and the stability of our soul in the physical body. The pot has no consciousness, but the potter does. However, both the object and the creator of the object have space and air elements in their respective manifestations. Without these two elements, the clay, water, the potter, or anything in this world cannot come to a physical form. Space and air both determine particle formation, geometries, patterns of vibration and, therefore, prerequisites for physicality.

Consciousness, in a nutshell, is the doorway to the life force, and this is only available to living beings where only man can make conscious decisions using it as a tool. If you want to reach a higher level of alertness, and consciousness, then this is the most important faculty to develop. That is why most yogic traditions advise opening 3rd eye or Ajna Chakra to experience bliss and slowly develop human consciousness. However, liberating from both the mind and physical body is only possible by developing/mastering all faculties. This is when the divine incarnation happens to a human form. When a yogi or meditator develops their awareness into any level of this energy system, their awareness gets to experience the qualities of any awakened energy level. If the lowest chakra is fully open, he has mastery over the physical realm, and therefore he is not dwelling much on lust, hunger, and basic survival needs. If the 2nd and 3rd chakras are fully opened, the person is capable of manifesting any material goals in his life. But for the yogic culture, this means the yogi has mastery over heat and water elements and, therefore, the yogi can do miracles or undertake unimaginable physical activities. The great tantric Buddhist yogi Milarepa is said to have scaled Kailash Mountain once, and he could cross between cold mountains within a couple of days. This ability was ascribed to his mastery over water and fire elements of the body which is gained from an important yogic practice called Tummo in Vajrayana Buddhism. A detailed explanation of the chakras and their functionality is not given here as there is already a ton of materials available online. 

Fig. 5. From Ajna to Sahasrara energy levels, mind slowly disappears and a concentrated meditator can experience bliss here with no mind (Nirvikalpa Samadhi or Nirodha Samapatti).

Let’s find the answer to our question. Is the mind a result of energy? Well, as soon as we are born into a human body, the life force enters it, giving the full-fledge human functionality starting from our human mind to the complex nervous system. As illustrated in Figure 3, when the complete life force descends, the purity of this force decays through all the energy centers from the consciousness realm to lower energy realms. The consciousness energy center is responsible for creating our human mind, and its energetical quality determines the quality of our thought formation, emotional stability, etc. Hence a non-dormant consciousness is critical to explore higher dimensions of one’s life.     

Faculty of Consciousness, Meditative Absorptions and Samadhis ?

Developing stable, subtle meditative concentrations is not easy, and this is even more difficult when we are at much lower vibratory levels. Moreover, our normal human perception at gross energy levels is quite limiting, and therefore stability in our mental awareness is paramount for spiritual progression. For instance, the practice of mindfulness is even more difficult when our alertness and awareness is not stable. This is why opening the Ajna chakra or reaching the faculty of consciousness is the best place or starting point for any spiritual practice. When our awareness is at this specific energy level, we are at the center of our human consciousness. Hence at this level, we can quite closely observe what happens within our consciousness or the thought process. There are several advantages of anchoring ourselves in this energy center:

1. A newer perspective on life with a lot of clarity, seeing reality as it is in non-dual form.

2. A razor-sharp intellect, but at the same time, this can hinder spiritual progression if not properly projected (arrogance and spiritual ego can be the adverse effects).

3. Ability to develop subtle mental concentrations (Samadhis, Trances).

The ability to transcend the duality in energetical, mental, and emotional spheres to a certain extent is a plus factor at this energy center. However, it should be noted that the complete eradication of duality occurs only when one is fully liberated. Both Hindu/Buddhist traditions have equally spoken about the 3rd topic. For most readers, as genuine spiritual seekers, 3rd point is more important, and therefore we will dedicate a separate post with a detailed explanation for it.