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The infinite mind

CHENNAI : The mind is the source of all human actions though the body is given more importance in human interactions with the world. Even an action like opening one's eyelid has its origin in the mind and all actions leave imprints in the mind as memory.

The world contains an infinite variety of things, from the microscopic level to the macroscopic level, and it is the mind that gains the experiences of all these things through the five sense organs. The immensity of the mind can be grasped if one pauses to appreciate that the mind is capable of grasping this enormous universe of diversity.

In his discourse, Swami Bhoomananda Tirtha said the human mind experienced the fivefold sensory perceptions as twofold — joyful and sorrowful. When man is capable of experiencing life with such a magnificent mind, should he allow his mind to be overpowered by the afflictions of the world? The Bhagavad Gita explains how the limitations of the finite mind can be overcome by actualising its loftier dimension— by grasping the infinite.

The Yoga Vasishta, which is the teaching of the truth by Sage Vasishta to Rama when he was a youth, speaks of the power of the mind to hold and also abandon. The Ramayana illustrates this through Rama's character. He could abandon the imperial throne of Ayodhya without any regret in a moment. The mind is infinite and thus has the capacity of achieving anything that it wishes and this has to be grasped to utilise its potential. The sage told Rama that before matter evolved, the mind evolved from the Supreme and it was mind by virtue of its power created materiality and all the diversity in this universe.

It is that cause (infinite mind) of this universe that man also has (human mind); hence the human mind has the capacity of a loftier (infinite) dimension. So it is essential to work and live with a glorious and enlightened mind — overcome the finiteness imposed on it by the limitations of the material world.

The Yoga Vasishta says that when the mind becomes full (grasps the infinite) the entire world of experience will be equally full and glorious. Thus the loftier dimension of the mind must be actualised to engage in the world with an enlightened perspective and this aspect of the mind is accessible to every individual.

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