MIND-CREATION AND CAUSATION

The cosmological descriptions include mind as emerging in the creative process or as a crucial subtle layer and the chain of cause-and-effect from Brahman to the manifest world. The Upanishadic texts often portray creation as a hierarchical emanation from Pure Consciousness, or Brahman, with mind (Manas) arising as an intermediary principle of causation involving Kama, or desire; Ikshana, or sight, seeing, or a look; Aasakti, or attachment; and Maya, or illusionary appearance. However, the same texts emphasise tapas (austerity, will, or concentration) and Dhyana, or meditation, all of which resolve back into the non-dual source. In the exploration of memory and existence, Yoga-Vasistha (3.3.1–3.3.40) establishes that all memories and experiences are mental projections rather than tangible records. Yoga-Vasistha (3.3.1–3.3.40) poses and responds to the fundamental question, "All beings are bound by their Karmas, and desires, gross as well as subtle, but the firstborn Brahma, or Hiranyagarbha, is free from such causality and is completely pure and free from the causal loop of past lives, while our births are bound by it." "Lord Brahma" is merely the Supreme Consciousness's personified, creative willpower awakening at the beginning of a new cosmic cycle. In the context of Yoga-Vasistha, Sage Vasistha's subsequent response typically clarifies that Brahma is merely the personified, creative willpower of the Supreme Consciousness awakening at the beginning of a new cosmic cycle; the first creator has no prior physical cause or past Karma. It continues by restating that Brahma, the firstborn and personification of Hiranyagarbha, was born from the golden egg that floated in the primordial waters of emptiness. Despite having no past life or bodily acts, Brahma possesses supreme knowledge because the Divine mind naturally creates its own reality. According to the theory, the universe was a single, brilliant cosmic seed floating in the primordial ocean of emptiness prior to creation. The Rig Veda (Hiranyagarbha Sukta, Mandala 10, Hymn 121) describes how this luminous "Golden Embryo" first emerged, becoming the only ruler of all creation and maintaining the vital energy of all beings. The Upanishads (Brihadaranyaka, 1.2.1-3; Shvetashvatara Upanishad, verse 12) declare that through the power of Maya, or cosmic illusion, Hiranyagarbha (golden womb) symbolises the Cosmic Mind and the initial manifestation of Brahman as the Ultimate Reality. Before it takes on physical form, it symbolises the entirety of the universe's subtle bodies and universal intelligence. It is universal intelligence rather than a human being. In Vedanta, Hiranyagarbha translates to the "Golden Womb" or "Cosmic Egg" and represents the total subtle universe. As the collective cosmic mind, it acts as the universal intelligence and the first manifestation of reality, bridging individual conscious awareness and the Absolute Existence, or Brahman. In Vedanta philosophy, Hiranyagarbha is considered the Saguna Brahman (Brahman with attributes). While the absolute, unmanifest Brahman is formless and eternal, Hiranyagarbha is the highest manifest reality—the architect and collective soul of the universe. Meditating on this golden womb is often prescribed as a way for seekers to expand their individual awareness to universal consciousness. Hiranyagarbha reflects on looking at the dual lenses of the microcosm (the individual) and the macrocosm (the universe). Vedanta uses such a parallelism to say that at the gross level, or waking state, it is the individual physical body, or Vishva, while the total physical universe is Virat. Likewise, at the subtle level, or Svapna, or dream state, the individual's subtle body (the mind, intellect, and ego) is called 'Taijasa'. At the macrocosmic level, the collective subtle body and universal intelligence are Hiranyagarbha. The deep sleep state, or 'Sushupti', is characterised by a lack of subject-object duality. It is the causal state of ignorance (Avidya) but is also experienced as blissful unawareness (Ananda). The Self is called 'Prajna', and the macrocosmic level is 'Ishvara'. Transcendental, or Turiya, is the Ultimate, Pure Witnessing Consciousness that underlies all other three states without being limited by them.

1. Outline 

The entire universe and the concept of causation are projections of the mind, teaches Yoga-Vasistha (Book-3, Utpatti Khanda, Chapter-3). It states that everything one experiences, including space, time, causation, objects, and relationships, exists because one's consciousness perceives and organises them into a "reality".  In Yoga-Vasistha Book 3, Chapter 3 (part of the Utpatti Khanda), Sage Vasistha teaches Sri Rama that the entire universe and the concept of causation are projections of the mind. The world is an imagined construct; just as dreams feel real while sleeping, waking reality is merely an extension of the mind's imagination and latent tendencies. It focuses on the nature of reality and consciousness. Yoga-Vasistha asserts that "the mind alone is the creator of the world". Everything one experiences—space, time, objects, and relationships—exists because consciousness perceives and organises them into a "reality". It says the world is a manifestation of the mind; it has no independent, objective reality, and causation, if any, is a subjective framework invented by the mind that is unreal; in absolute truth, the universe is a non-dual expression of Pure Consciousness, or Brahman. Srirama, taking all these into consideration, during the course of the discourses raises (Yoga-Vasistha, 3.3.2) pertinent issues before Sage Vasistha and why there is the foundational difference between the birth of Lord Brahma (the Creator) and the birth of ordinary living beings like themselves. Sage Vasistha answers that the ordinary beings are born due to  Karmic impressions (Samskaras) and memories from past lives, whereas Brahma has no prior birth or material Karma, meaning his "birth" is a spontaneous, formless projection of the Supreme Mind. Sage Vasistha, while teaching Sri Rama, emphasises ordinary beings are bound by remembrance of prior physical bodies of birth. You, I, and all worldly creatures possess a history of actual prior physical existences (Purva-deha). Accumulated Karma, or our past actions (Purva-karma), leave deep, residual impressions in our subtle parts. At the beginning of a new cycle of creation (Kalpa), our stored memories and desires (Smriti) push themselves out, causing our new physical births and the situations we find ourselves in a situation which is exempted from the past remembrance because he is the Cosmic Mind himself. He is not an individual soul encapsulated by physical matter; he is the unconditioned Supreme Mind (Chitta) directly choosing to project Naama and Rupa, or name and form. He has no material antecedent: Brahma does not carry over physical Karma from a previous Kalpa (an "aeon" or long period of cosmic time) because his fundamental nature is entirely airborne or space-born (Akasaja). He is Pure Will, free from bondage, because he has no prior physical body to remember; his emergence is not a mandatory, Karmic "rebirth". "It is a completely free, voluntary manifestation of divine will (Sankalpa), unchained from past causality. Yoga-Vasistha compares our waking state to a long-duration dream. When one realises the dream is unreal, the fear or attachment associated with it dissolves. In both states the experience of non-Self is purely ephemeral. In either state, the root of bondage is attachment, ego, and suffering. They persist only because the mind accepts these imaginations as undeniable truths. As is the bondage, so is the liberation when one realises that worldly objects are evanescent. When mental cravings and false attachments drop away, the mind becomes still, revealing the eternal bliss of Atman, or the Self. It asserts that the world is an imagined construct and no independent existence other than the mind. Just as dreams feel real while sleeping, waking reality is merely an extension of the mind's imagination and latent tendencies. Its causation is a subjective framework invented by the mind, and in absolute truth, the universe is a non-dual expression of Pure Consciousness. In this state, according to sage philosopher Swami Krishnananda (Mandukya Upanishad, Divine Life Society, Rishikesh), It is a mass of consciousness, which is not projected outside – Prajnana-ghanah. He says that waking is a long-duration dream and dreaming is a short-duration, and both get dissolved in Sushupti, or deep sleep, when consciousness is no longer externalised. Only when the mind becomes an extrovert can it have consciousness of the outer world, whether in dream or in waking. But there is no agitation of the mind of that nature in deep sleep. It is as if there is a homogeneous mass of all perceptions, where all the Samskaras (impressions) and Vasanas (subtle desires) commingle into a single mode or condition, instead of there being many cognitive psychoses. Anandamayo anandabhuk cetomukhah prajnah (Mandukya Upanishad, Verse 5), meaning full of bliss, happiness, or joy and no dualities or states of opposites; and the "knower". In the deep sleep state, the Self becomes the source of all knowledge, but in an unexpressed, seed-like form, the enjoyer or experiencer of bliss, consciousness in this state experiences unified, undifferentiated delight; Even though the sleeper does not perceive external objects, they "feed" on the serene, undisturbed peace of their own inner being; Consciousness, according to Swami Krishnananda, remains the doorway; in spite of the active cognitive thoughts, awareness is still the medium that experiences this sleep state; and Pure Consciousness as it remains fully awake to its own nature in deep sleep, is distinct from the waking and dreaming states (Swami Krishnananda, Section 5: Consciousness and Sleep, Mandukya Upanishad, Divine Life Society, Rishikesh). The mind projects objects and experiences in both, and because both rely on mental activity, they inevitably dissolve into the unconscious deep sleep state. The happiness of deep sleep is greater than all other forms of happiness or pleasure born of sense contact. It is filled with Ananda, bliss, delight, and satisfaction. 

2. Scriptures

The scriptures unequivocally assert that Ātman is Brahman, nothing more and less. It is singular, indestructible, and everlasting. The externality is a projection of the mind in tandem with the perceptive senses that creates myriads of imagery and bubbles to display the unreal as real. The world by nature is ephemeral and fleeting. Every Jivatma, or embodied soul, in the material realm undergoes successive transformations into various material bodies; nevertheless, once the spirit soul purges itself of all material encumbrances, the prospect of acquiring a new material body ceases to exist. A  retains its original spiritual identity, attainable just via the awareness of Brahman, or Cosmic Self, by elevating consciousness to realise the Self. However, Yoga-Vasistha (3.3.4-5), says Lord Brahma is known to have no prior acts, how is it possible for him to have his reminiscence of anything? Therefore he exists without any other cause except the causation of his own mind. It is by his own causality that the Divine spirit is self-born, and is himself his own spirit. Maitrayaniya Upanishad describes two aspects of the soul: Atman and  Bhuta-Atman (the changing, phenomenal self affected by the material world) and the immortal inner Self, which remains pure and untouched, much like a ball of iron hammered by a blacksmith is unaffected by the fire burning within. The Upanishad says, the mind is the creator of bondage as well as cause of liberation. It explains this way very lucidly:  this body infected with passions, anger, greed, delusion, fright, despondency, grudge, separation from what is dear and desirable, attachment to what is not desirable, hunger, thirst, old age, death, illness, sorrow and the rest - how can one experience only joy? The drying up of great oceans, the crumbling down of the mountains, the instability of the pole-star, the tearing of the wind-chords, the sinking down, the submergence of the earth, the tumbling down of the gods from their place - in a world in which such things occur, how can one experience only joy! (Maitrayaniya Upanishad, I.3-4). Every individual has a soul, which is serene, the highest light, the cosmic truth - Second Prapathaka, Maitrayaniya Upanishad (2.2-3). Sage Sakayanya answers the king's question, in verse 2.2 of Maitrayaniya Upanishad, by asserting that Atman, or Self, exists in every individual, and it is that inner most being which "moves about without moving" (exists everywhere), which dispels darkness of ignorance and error, which is serene, immortal, fearless and soaring for the highest light.  The Upanishad states that this is the message of all Upanishads. The Maitrayaniya Upanishad (2.6) states that the Prajapati (lord of creatures) divided himself fivefold and entered all creatures of the world. The divided parts are Prana, Apana, Samana, Udana and Vyana. Prana is upward breath, Apana is downward breath (exhale). Vyana holds the Prana and Apana in balance, giving strength to the whole body. Samana is that which carries gross food to Apana and then subtler food throughout the body. Udana is that which delivers food up and down the body from what has been eaten or drunk. Together with food, Prana and Apana provide that which produces heat for the body, states paragraph 2.6 of Maitri Upanishad. The Purusha resides within, assuming the nature of Buddhi (intellect, power to reason). However, having divided itself fivefold, its purpose unattained, it impulsively feels, "let me enjoy objects". It is distracted from its purpose, its Atman, or Self. The Upanishad, thereafter recites the "parable of chariot" found in older Upanishads. 

 3. Remarks

Whoever had a former body, accompanied with the acts of his prior existence, retains, of course, its reminiscence, which is the cause of his being, states Yoga-Vasistha (3.3.3). This way it explains the concept of Karma, or action, and reincarnation, or birth and death. It highlights the memory, impressions, and subtle desires of a past life clinging to Atman, or Self, in its new life, driving its desires, actions, and continued existence. The memory of the prior existence of Jivatma, or the embodied Atman's past life, is accompanied by the deeds (Pūrvakarma) it performed. The impressions of these past actions remain etched in the mind. These lingering memories manifest as habitual tendencies, desires, and attachments (Trishna) in the present. These attachments act as a psychological anchor that keeps Atman entrapped in the cycle of reincarnation. Yoga-Vasistha teaches that as long as these past memories dictate current desires and egoism, one remains in the bondage of Samsara, or of birth and death. True liberation (Moksha) is achieved by quieting the mind, practising right inquiry (Vicara), and letting go of these conditioning mental tendencies.

 -Asutosh Satpathy