Sanskaras

The Renaissance, along with its great works of art and science, has bequeathed to us a question and that question has passed through the hands of many a Great philosopher, be it western (Hobbes, Locke, Nietzsche) or eastern (Radhakrishna, Kabir, Meher Baba). So the time is upon us to answer it for our generation and period of Human existence. how does Man create and execute ideas?

For simplicity, we will compare the three most prominent philosophers who studied the psychological and metaphysical aspects of the human mind: Sigmund Freud, Merwan Irani and John Locke.

The theories of Freud are fundamental to any career in academia and, so, I assume everyone knows Freud's theories, if not, follow THIS link. But, for argument's sake, assume Freudian psychoanalysis is based on a "man is stupid, man is inherently bad" type model.

Merwan Irani's (alias Meher Baba) theories are quite a bit more complicated and quite a bit different. Baba theorized on the way the mind works based on the understanding of a spiritual truth: that there is a difference between thought and being, that despite the inherent differences in the way a person thinks, they are all one and a part of the same humankind and a necessary part of the collective whole. It is simple to point out Baba's beliefs in terms of an "original sin" - it doesn't exist - but there is an alternative approach that is very similar to Freud's and serves as an excellent transition between Freud and Locke.

In His book "Discourses," Baba suggests that the consciousness is to be pictured as a circle and the collection of impressions that a person gathers in his lifetime is to be called the sanskaras. In basic detail, Baba describes how thought is made into action. Think of the radius of this circle as a path, upon which the sanskara travels through, as it gains enough speed, it crashes through the walls of conciousness and unto the "real world" or the physical being. [Note: there is a difference between "being" and "physical being" in that not all "physical beings" are the same, some are tall, some are short, some are skinny and others fat.]

Thus, we make way for Locke's tabula rasa. It is this theory that best correlates with Baba's sanskara theory. Except, this time, instead of a circle, imagine a tablet, or, for the modern folk, a piece of paper. The newborn child is born as "pure" as a blank piece of paper and as he/she grows, things are written on this said piece of paper. If told that this piece of paper was a circle and the writing the sanskaras, it becomes very clear as to how this idea parallels Baba's.

But the deep worry here is Freud's place in all of this. So, whilst thinking of the Genius of these great men, I've thought up a pretty rough idea as to how our minds really work.          

Putting tablets, papers and circles aside, imagine discs - three to be exact - in a stack, with a uniform distance between the three. This apparatus is none other than Freud's subconscious. It is important to note, though - at first, I thought of this idea so as to apply to people, but it can be applied to ideas as well. The base of the three-disc model is apathy, above it initial impression and above that intimate impression.    

Before meeting anyone, it is pure apathy - as in complete disregard, but absence of hate - that takes on the person; however, the catalyst that brings on a feeling of feeling, whether of hate or love, is an attraction or, in the case of hate, detraction. The force that propels one's emotion from initial to intimate impression - each of which could be positive or negative, also - is simply time backed up by reason. In addition to the upgrade, is the downgrade. However, like energy or time, that initial attraction cannot be destroyed. Therefore, once an idea of person makes it inside your head, there is no room for apathy. There is at least either a positive or negative impression; unless, of course, there was no attraction in the first place, in which case, apathy is the initial and perpetual state of consciousness.