What differs: by Ram Singh Rana (Visit Profile)

Each one of us primarily has a spirit, a mind and a body inter-associated to each
other in a very very complex manner. The mind is difficult to define but it can be said
that it is nothing but comprises three main attributes (i) saintly qualities, (ii) kingly
qualities and (iii) demonic qualities. The degrees of these attributes differ one’s mind
from another’s or one’s own mind from itself at various moments of time. It has a cyclic
phenomenon. At a moment of time an individual does/desires to live the way as per
dominating attributes at that moment of time. At any moment of time an individual’s
action is either of three types or a combination of these. An individual’s present state of
mind which gets reflected in terms of what one does (e.g. what one reads, listens, sees,
eats, talks, thinks, reacts etc.) is a cause to one’s next state of mind. Thus, the way (i.e.
neutrally, saintly, kingly or demon) an individual passes time at any moment of time
plays a role decide his future states of mind and its reaction.
The spirit is mainly an energy in the form of, generally known, the life-source
which makes the body living and energizes the mind. Without the spirit, the body is dead
and the mind has no existence. However, the mind remains always associated with the
spirit and body. The association between mind and body enables mind feel the body and
enables body to operate. The association between mind and spirit energizes the mind and
binds the spirit. This is where the root cause of all the struggles lies.
The spirit, which is sometimes also known as ‘unconditionally loving heart’
within us, by itself is beyond the three attributes of mind, thus beyond any feelings and
sufferings associated with the mind. But when covered by the three attributes of the
mind, it is nothing but a confined energy like an air within a balloon which is always
ready to flow freely but cannot flow unless it can cross the wall of the balloon.
Generally, all of us mostly think or act to keep our sufferings off and be happy.
There are mainly two types of sufferings:(i) sufferings of mind which include sufferings
due to body (ii) sufferings of spirit which is unable to flow freely when covered by the
three attributes of mind, though, the mind has no existence without the spirit. In fact,
most of us mostly concern about the first type of sufferings and live as an ignorant to
the second type of suffering. Several incidences and literatures reflect that the increase in
the demon qualities of mind strengthens the mind covering the spirit within it and as a
result increases the sufferings of the spirit. Whereas, the increase in saintly qualities of
mind weakens the bondage due to the mind within which spirit energy, having unlimited
potential, is bounded and dormant. The spirit does not have any tendency of its own as it
is desire less but the mind has the tendency to keep the spirit bounded.
Those of us who comprise the combination of mind, spirit and body such that they
understand above phenomenon, they always try to keep mind non-dominating over the
spirit by setting the attributes accordingly and to do so always keep vigilance on their
mind. As a result, mind existence vanishes and there remains no longer the cycle of any
sufferings or pleasures; that is also said as the state of salvation/enlightenment/endless
happiness. The process of trying to keep mind non-dominating over the spirit is also
known as self-purification.
But those who comprise above combination in other way, keep on strengthening
the mind by following it. As mind remains active, it keeps on leading us through the
uncountable phases of endless ‘sufferings & pleasures’.
What differs is that it remains individual’s choice at all moments of time.
-R.S. Rana, Ph.D., Copyright ©2006, Singapore;ranamsd@hotmail.com