[Advaita-l] antaḥkaraṇa (अन्तःकरण)

[R. Balasubramanian]

According to Vedānta, the term antaḥkaraṇa (अन्तःकरण) refers to the four-tiered inner instrument of consciousness, which we call “mind.” It consists of buddhi (बुद्धि) or intellect, manas (मनस्) the vacillating arbiter of the mind, ahaṁkāra (अहंकार) self-awareness or “I-ness” and citta (चित्त), the store house of metal moods and memories. While the concept and the meaning of first three terms are not ambiguous, the term citta appears to be loosey-goosey in its definition. Are there other tighter definitions in other schools of Indian philosophy?

 

Bala