Elusive Consciousness

Author(s): Narendra Bhandari, Surendrasingh Pokharana, Jitendra B Shah
Publisher: L D Indology Ahmedabad

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physical bodies, act like a man or a brute or a tree.” (STK-42)
Kapila says that different individuals have different subtle bodies due to their different actions or karmas. (SS- 3.10) According to Indian psychology, each action or experience leaves it impressions in the form of 'dispositions' (Samsakaras). In modern terminology of Western psychology these dispositions' or samskaras refer to the unconscious impressions of every experience. According to Indian psychology, this unconscious part of personality, include the impressions of the actions or experiences of not only this life, but also those of all the past lives of the individual self in all its migrations, which are referred to as instincts or tendencies (Vasanas).
In short, the dispositional part of the mind, the part of the mind which is said to be the reservoir of all past, unconscious impressions, is most widely known as Chitta or causal body in Indian psychology.
This Chitta itself refers to 'casual body in Indian psychology. In accordance with the dispositions of the casual bodies, different selves embodied by different subtle bodies, assume different physical bodies in different births. These differential dispositions are responsible for the differences in the birth of the individual (Jati), duration of life (Aayuh) and the particular experiences (Bhoga). Thus, structurally casual body as Chitta, is a part of subtle body but functionally it is the dynamic force responsible for the migration of subtle bodies.
Concept of Self
As stated earlier, according to Indian Psychology, personality is constituted of two parts: The Body and the Self. The Body represents the material component of personality which includes three bodies, namely the physical, subtle and the causal body. The self refers to the Transcendental principle of Consciousness which is ever-existing (sat), self-revealing & Conscious (chit) and blissful (anand) in nature. Self is responsible for one's Identity and Continuity as a person.
It is important to note here that Indian psychology clearly distinguishes between mind and the self. Mind in Indian psychology is that hypothetical construct which is considered to be material and non-conscious. Mind is the subtle body which represents the material component of personality and hence it cannot be equated with the self which is the transcendental principle of pure, blissful consciousness and is the basis for one's identity and continuity as a person.
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