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5. LANGUAGE OF THE BRAIN
0. The Brain and Citta
According to the Jain philosophy, a living organism is an organic composite of two entities a physical body and a non-physical/nonmaterial soul. The physical body, which includes the physical brain, is an inanimate material thing by itself. Its animation is derived by tbe virtue of being intimately associated with the soul whose characteristic attribute is consciousness. In the worldly life, the non-physical soul must bave a physical body to function and perform in. And a physical body must be activated/animated by the soul. The part of the soul which animates the body and the brain is called citta. Thus citta is integral with soul and is, therefore, non-physical. The threefold activities of life--mental, vocal and bodily are all activated by citta. It is true that "without a brain there is no thought" but it is equally true that "Only a live brain can think". And a brain is live because it is animated by citta. 1. The Neural Code
All organisms are active systems, choosing to do what may keep them alive. In higher animals and humans, the most significant selections are made by the brain.
Brain regulates the whole life of an individual by selecting the possible course of action every moment of the life. The nervous system (of which brain is a part) is, thus, much more than a system of communication which is, indeed one of its important functions. The brain contains the reference standards and controls our actions in the light of coming inforination. Thus programes of the brain can be, in a way, considered as a responding device whose work is determined by the past. But the total human behaviour is determined not only by past but also by plans for the future and the brain is the remarkable apparatus which creates models for the future.
A convenient method to understand the working of the nervous system is to study artefacts, such as computers, that imitate us. It is true
