The problem with the human mind

[Gummuluru Murthy]

The worldly I is used here, this being the Parabrahman that resides in
 me + all the upadhis that were added on to become the worldly I.

Human mind is an amazing thing and has been recognized as such.  People
marvel at its complex structure, its capacity to retain information, the
logical way in which it works and its amazing power of recall.  While
agreeing with this assessment, I submit that the sense in which the mind is
directed is a direct cause for our ajnana (avidya, nescience) and for our not
recognizing that the Atman and Nirguna Brahman are one and the same.

I feel that the sense of direction of the mind is the biggest hindrance in our
 not
recognizing the Self. As Sadananda pointed out in his posting a week ago on
[Re: Desire for salvation (Re: who am I ?)], even when one sits at the
meditation seat for contemplation on the Self, the mind sometimes wanders.
I assume this is partly because our sense-organs are directed outward rather
than inward, and the perceptions of the outside world picked up by the sense-
organs are collected by the mind. While the sense-organs and the mind explore
the outside world, the I, the Paramatma, the Nirguna Brahman is inside us,
willing and ready to be known. That is not to say, that Nirguna Brahman is not
all-pervading, but the tendency of the mind (which is a product of mAya) is to
 see
the world which is also a product of mAya. Thus the mind and the sense-organs,
with their outward direction, inhibit the Self-enquiry, except only in a
 selected few
who have the control of the mind.  Sri Sankara in Sivanandalaharii [verse 20]
 implores
Lord Siva to accept Sankara's mind [hR^dayakapimatyantachapalam] as a gift and
 tie it
down tightly under Lord Siva's control. Unless the mind and the sense-organs
 are
inward-directed, there can be no knowing of the Self. Is this one of the reasons
 why
Self-enquiry and the recognition of the sameness of Atman and Nirguna Brahman is
so difficult ?

I have another related question to the learned members of the Group.  What
about mentally-challenged humans (for e.g. people with Down's syndrome
or other what we call "mental disorders") ? Are they also under the
influence of mAya? How difficult is it for them for Self-realization?
We do not know about their Self-Realization, but they might not have been
 deluded or mesmerized by mAya. In that, they may have an advantage.

The people who believe in karma-siddhAnta lament about such persons  "The person
 (with "mental disorder" is "born" that way as a result of his/her previous
 karma".
I question that concept, particularly lamenting about them. The person whom we
 label
 as with "mental disorder" does not feel anything. If  at all, he/she will not
 feel
 the worldly "pleasures" and so much good for that person.

These questions arise only in a world created by mAya [mAya-kalpita desa
kAla kalanAvychitra citrIkR^tam as Sri Sankara put it so well in DakshiNamurthy
stOtra]. In the framework of ultimate Reality of the Nirguna Brahman,
these questions are mute. The worldly I likes to put these sentences to keep
reminding myself that we are indeed in a world created by mAya. I would like to
see any thought in two frameworks, one attached to the illusory world, and the
 other
attached to ParamAtma. I do hope that learned members of the Group do not get
annoyed by seeing these two sentences at the end of each of the postings.

Regards
Gummuluru Murthy
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Adau ante ca yan nAsti vartamAnepi tat tathA

                                ...  GaudapAda in mAndUkya kArikA

What did not exist at the beginning and what is not going to exist at the end
is as good as non-existent even in the present.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 -----