MIND IS THE ENEMY OF MIND

The mind is something which is really nothing but does everything, a lucid definition by Swami Sivananda (Mind and Its Mysteries, by Swami Sivananda, Divine Life Society, Rishikesh). This is the mind, a piquancy difficult to decipher. He goes on to say that the mind is a bundle of thoughts, a collection of Samskaras (impressions), desires, feelings and ideas gathered from different objects. These collections of desires, feelings and ideas of mind are constantly rebranded and resuscitated, as often the objects of contact change.  The mind is indeed a thought-manufacturing machine that non-stop manufactures thoughts in a two-state, Jagrata (waking) as well as Svapna (dreaming), dimensional process. Sage philosopher Swami Krishnananda (Disciplining the Mind, Swami Krishnananda, Divine Life Society) views the mind as the finitude of the finite. He maintains that finitude is the nature of the mind, but infinitude is its aim and objective. The finite has to rise from its limited existence to the infinite expanse of Brahman, or Absolute Existence. The mind as energy or a process of self-affirmation, an "I am" feeling that creates individuality emanating from psycho-physical structure and the world as we perceive it, often bound by Vasanas (subtle impressions or latent tendencies from past actions and experiences) and Vrittis (whirlpools of thought, or fluctuations of the mind). The quantum of energy, capacity, and confidence that we have in ourselves is the mind operating, lectures Swami Krishnananda. He says our value is in our thinking, not in worldly possessions. It is not a difficult thing to understand. Regardless of how much material wealth we have in this world; if our mind does not accept the idea of possession, then that possession becomes meaningless. It is well said that we are what we think we are. What do we think we are? What is the opinion that we have about ourselves? The answer to these questions is that our self-perception is filled with chaos. Our perception of ourselves is nothing but confusion. This is true because our perception of ourselves changes with every passing moment. Often, we think that we are well-off; often, we think that we are miserable. Sometimes we feel content with what we have, and sometimes we crave more. This constant fluctuation can lead to a feeling of instability and uncertainty in our identities. It challenges us to dig deeper into our true desires and values, ultimately pushing us toward a more authentic understanding of who we are. He teaches that mind is power, a quantum of energy, a constant process of "I am", not a physical object. It's the vehement assertion of individuality, creating the perceived separation between subject and object, Self and non-self. True understanding comes from Atma-vichara, or Self-enquiry, questioning, "Who am I?" Investigating this mental process itself, through vichara (enquiry), controlling desires, and recognising consciousness underlying the mind's activity, ultimately revealing Cosmic Mind, like an ocean expressing as individual waves.  It is to move beyond the limited, fluctuating self and realise the singular, eternal, infinite consciousness (Brahman). However, by overlooking this part and focusing on sense-driven perception, Vasanas, Vrittis and Sankalpas, we are well in the midst of a mirage that in no way can be identified for fulfilment. 'The mind is the mind's enemy,' proclaims Yoga-Vasistha (1.26.11-12). It means an uncontrolled mind creates its own suffering through negative thoughts, doubts, and distractions, becoming an internal obstacle rather than a tool for Self-fulfillment and Self-realisation.

1. Outline 

 The mind is neither inside nor outside the body; it is just what we are, lectures Swami Krishnananda (The Mind as a Quantum of Energy, by Swami Krishnananda, Divine Life Society, Rishikesh). It is in constant motion towards the objects to relish sensual gratification. However, on its own it never moves towards the subject, unless it is tamed through Self-control to orient it towards inward movement by insulating it from Kama (desire/lust), Krodha (anger), Lobha (greed), Mada (ego), Moha (attachment), Matsarya (jealousy), and Alasya (laziness). The mind, as explained in Śrimad Bhagavad Gita (6.5, 2.56, 8.8) and Śrimad Bhagavatam (1.17.19, 3.28.9, 4.29.7, 9.4.18), advocates for taming it through Self-knowledge, Self-awareness, Self-mindfulness, and Self-control to achieve inner peace. The mind, if left unchecked, fuels anxiety, procrastination, and self-sabotage, making it our worst foe, but with discipline, it transforms into our greatest ally. The mind as a thought-manufacturing machine never gets tired of generating, shaping, reshaping, branding and rebranding sense-perceived desires, impressions, ideas, and feelings without any adjunct of limitations of space and time. Sage philosopher Swami Krishnananda contends that the necessity for the control of the mind arises on account of the structure of the relation of the mind to its object. The nature of things in the world demands that the mind has to be disciplined, and the process of the discipline and control of the mind is a very gradual and steady approach to the ideal before us, slowly dissociating and freeing the mind from its entanglements in external phenomena, then steadily rising to the internal conditioning factors of the mind until we come to the mind itself. To control and discipline the mind is not so easy. It is well raised in Śrimad Bhagavad Gita (6.34) that the mind is very restless, turbulent, strong and obstinate. It appears that it is more difficult to control than the wind. The same Bhagavad Gita (6.35) answers the question pertinently that the mind is indeed very difficult to restrain. But by practice and detachment, it can be controlled. However, Swami Krishnananda highlights a predicament in dealing with the mind. It is both a subject and an object of action. This part of the mind queers the pitch in an attempt to control the mind. Swami Krishnananda explains the paradox by stating that an object can be measured, but the mind cannot, as it is neither in space and time nor has weight and mass to bring under purview of assessment or measurement. There is nothing similar to it in the world. However, he suggests that to practise mind control, one needs to move in horizontal as well as vertical ways. Horizontally, the essential mechanisms are discipline, discrimination and desirelessness from objects of sense perceptions. Vertically, when it comes to the subject, one needs to elevate oneself from lower to higher consciousness through Self-knowledge, Self-awareness, Self-consciousness and Self-realisation. Srimad Bhagavad Gita (chapter 3) categorically elucidates how to deal with such piquancy. Bhagavad Gita (3.35-43) says that the senses naturally experience attachment and aversion to the sense objects, but do not be controlled by them, for they are waylayers and foes. It is far better to perform one’s natural prescribed duty, though tinged with faults, than to perform another’s prescribed duty, though perfectly. In fact, it is preferable to die in the discharge of one’s duty than to follow the path of another, which is fraught with danger. Lust and desire cloud one's knowledge; even the most discerning get covered by this perpetual enemy in the form of insatiable desire, which is never satisfied and burns like fire. The senses, mind, and intellect, Bhagavad Gita emphasises, are said to be breeding grounds of desire. Through them, it clouds one’s knowledge and deludes the embodied soul. Therefore, in the very beginning, bring the senses under control and slay this enemy called desire, which is the embodiment of sin and destroys self-knowledge and self-realisation. It highlights that the senses are superior to the gross body, and superior to the senses is the mind. Beyond the mind is the intellect, and even beyond the intellect is Atman, or Self. Thus, knowing Atman to be superior to the material intellect, one needs to subdue the lower self (senses, mind, and intellect) by the higher self (strength of Atman) and slay this formidable enemy called lust.

2. Scriptures

  An uncontrolled mind generates thoughts to create desires, feelings, lust, and ideas, and all these are through senses fancied by the objects in infinity-dimensional magnitude. The scriptures vociferously proclaim so.

Srimad Bhagavad Gita (2.56) describes a sage of steady wisdom as someone whose mind isn't shaken by sorrows, who doesn't crave pleasures, and who is free from attachment, fear, and anger, full of equanimity and dispassion in all states of opposites.  The mind is a friend as well as an enemy (Bhagavad Gita, 6.5), and one must not degrade oneself by an untamed mind. By practising detachment, discrimination, dispassion and equanimity, one can control the mind from moving outward to inward to realise Self. 

Fate and destiny, Yoga-Vasistha (1.26.3-10) asserts, 'By their malicious conduct, they inflame the mind with inordinate desires, deceive by allurements, and devour all beings by incessantly throwing men into the sea of troubles.' Everyone in this world is fond of affluence and pleasures, not knowing that these are only calculated to lead him to his ruin. Life is very unsteady. Death is very cruel. Youth is very frail and fickle, and boyhood is full of dullness and insensibility. Man is defiled by his worldliness, his friends are tied to the world, his enjoyments are the greatest of his diseases in life, and his avarice and ambition are the mirage that always allures him.

Our very senses are our enemies, asserts Yoga-Vasistha (1.26.11-13); before which even truth appears as falsehood; the mind is the enemy of the mind, and self is the enemy of self. It reemphasises that self-esteem is stained, intelligence is blamed for its fallaciousness, our actions are attended with bad results, and our pleasures tend only to effeminacy. All our desires are directed to enjoyment; our love of truth is lost; our women are the ensigns of vice, and all that was once so sweet has become tasteless and vapid. Things that are not real, Yoga-Vasistha (1.26.14-20) emphasises, are believed to be real and have become the cause of our pride by hardening us in untruth and keeping us from the light of truth. The mind is at a loss to think what to do; it regrets its increased appetite for pleasure, and for want of that self-denial that darkens self-esteem, purity of mind, and truth off the track, Patience is disturbed, appetite is increased, the mind is soiled by dullness, and the body is cloyed with surfeit and ready to fall; old age exults over the body, and sins are conspicuous at every step; youth flies fast away with all due care of preservation; the company of the good is at a distance; the light of truth shines from nowhere; everyone has recourse to nothing in this world; and the mind is stupified within itself, and its contentment has fled from it, there is no rise of enlightened sentiments in it, and meanness makes its advance to it from a distance. In such a state of affairs, Yoga-Vasistha (1.26.21-23) elucidates that patience is converted into impatience; man is liable to the states of birth and death; good company is rare, but bad company is ever within the reach of everybody; all individual existences are liable to appear and disappear; all desires are chains to the world, and all worldly beings are ever seen to be led away per force where nobody can tell. In such a state reliance on human life is not guaranteed when the points of the compass become indistinct and undiscernible, when the countries and places change their positions and names, and when even mountains are liable to be dilapidated.

  Srimad-Bhagavatam (5.11.17, 7.8.10, 1.17.19, 3.28.9) similarly expresses that the mind is both an enemy and a friend. If a person is victorious over the six enemies (mind and five senses) and is equipoised toward all living entities, for him there are no enemies. Enemies are merely imagined by one in ignorance. By one's mind, freed from material affection, one can deliver himself from the sufferings of material pangs. This uncontrolled mind is the greatest enemy of the living entity. If one neglects it or gives it a chance, it will grow more and more powerful and will become victorious. One needs to try to conquer this mind by the weapon of service to the lotus feet of the spiritual master and of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Do this with great care.  One should not entangle oneself in matter by the mind's fruitive activity. One needs to get out of that entanglement to tame the mind to become a supportive thrust to realise the goal of life by freeing oneself from the Samsara Chakra, or cycle of birth and death.

3. Remarks

The thrust of mind control based on meditation is self-expansion of consciousness. The whole process of yoga is a process of the evolution of consciousness and is not an activity of the senses or the body. It is a self-evolution of consciousness in all directions, in quantity as well as in quality.

Sage philosopher Swami Krishnananda, in his commentary on Śrimad Bhagavad Gita, tersely laid out remarks on the mind. He says that Bhagavad Gita gives us a very simple aphoristic instruction on the control of the mind. The mind cannot be easily controlled unless we adopt a method which is quite novel, which is not a method adopted in relation to things and objects in the world. While in the regulation, discipline, etc., of things outside, we seem to move horizontally with things; in the control of the mind, we have to move vertically with our own self. We do not move externally as we do in our dealings with the things of the world. This is not a movement outward in relation to things, persons and objects; this is a rise from the lower to the higher level of consciousness.

-Asutosh Satpathy