Self in Indian thought

Indian & Western Philosophical Traditions

• Manovigyana or Manasa - sastra (derived from Sanskrit & used to designate
'psychology') absent in traditional Indian literature

• Satyam & rtam: clear distinction in Indian tradition bet ween "satyam" -
something that is universally & eternally or "absolutely" true & "rtam" -repeatable
patterns of relationships in data or "laws" of nature.
• Western psychological theories focused on rtam (search for relationships among
variables for greater prediction & control).
• Eastern/Indian thought focused on absolute truths rather than repeatable
patterns or obser vable relationships among variables

 Self in Indian thought

• 'Self' as we call it now can be understood from major systems/schools of Indian
thought

• Indian Schools of thought

Upnisadic Buddhist
(Self af rming) (Self denying)
- Vedanta
- Sankhya Yoga
- Nyay

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 Duality of Self
• Upnisadic literature differentiates bet ween t wo kinds of self

• Dual nature of self

self - as - subject self - as - object

- क (drk) - (drsya)
- centre of awareness - includes body, social roles, thoughts, dreams etc
- Can be experienced in a non
intentional state of
"nirvikalpa samadhi" where
subject - object distinction
disappears.

द्रि

द्रि
श्या

 Self in Advaita Vedanta

• self - as - subject as the underlying and unchanging basis for continually changing versions
of self (Sankaracharya)

• self-as-subject is the centre of awareness or the true Self, also called "Atman"

• True self or Self is that which is unchanging, permanent or blissful "ananda"

• Changing versions of self as a result of repeated identi cations with body, possessions,
social roles, reputation, ideas, or values are

• Ego identi es itself with desirable images of self which keep changing - a never ending chase!
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 Self in Buddhism
• Gautam Buddha could not nd happiness despite all the pleasures of life which he could
access through money and power

• Denied the unchanging self or the Atman

• Clinging to desires embedded in ego is the root cause of suffering

• Whatever is suffering is not self

• Prescribed a life of self self discipline/self control & contemplation " तन" to realize the
impermanence of ego

चिं

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Advaita & Buddhism: An Interesting Con uence

• Advaita posits a true self or Atman

• Buddhism denies a true self

• However, both aspire for a common goal

- dissipation of ego in order to overcome suffering
- rise of sel essness & in nite compassion
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 References
• Paranjpe, A. C. (2010). Theories of Self and Cognition: Indian
Psychological Perspectives. Psychology of Developing Societies vol. 22
(1)