<div>In Indian philosophical parlance, particularly the Upanishadic literature and the later works that follow in the same tradition, the inmost soul that enlivens the body and imparts to it the different life defining characteristics is called the Atman or Brahman.<br /><br />Since it is an abstract concept, the need to define it with respect to the actual experiences of man was felt. Thus, we have the vast body of literature like the Upanishads which basically speak of this Atman or Brahman in terms of a life-giving, sustaining force that resides in everything in this universe, sentient or otherwise. This subject has been further dealt with in the works of innumerable other philosophers and thinkers. The great Advaitic savant Adi Shankarcharya speaks of this soul (Atman or Brahman) in this manner in his magnificent work, 'Vivekachudamani.' Every living being identifies itself as 'I' like 'I am so and so', 'I am the owner of this object' and so on. Who or what is this 'I'? Is it the body, is it a mental process of identification or what else is it?<br /><br />Shankara says that there is something that is the substratum of this 'I' consciousness, an indefinable 'something' that imparts the awareness of 'I' to the being, the awareness of the 'ego'. Though man does not recognise it, this 'I' or 'ego' is a reflection of the original divine spark which by its mere presence in the outer shell of the body imparts to it 'life' as we know it, which causes the body to undertake its myriad activities.<br /><br />These activities of the body are primarily carried out when the being is awake, that is, in the waking state. But, apart from the activities in the waking state, the mind is active during sleep also, as also the various other physiological functions. Even modern science speaks of the brain activities that go on during dream sleep, like reactivation of neural networks, formation and recall of mental impressions and memories and so on. In the deep dreamless stage of sleep, the mind experiences pure bliss, the pure state of mental being without any interferences. The Atman or Brahman is the sole witness to the activities of the mind in all the three states, says Shankara.<br /><br /></div>
<div>In Indian philosophical parlance, particularly the Upanishadic literature and the later works that follow in the same tradition, the inmost soul that enlivens the body and imparts to it the different life defining characteristics is called the Atman or Brahman.<br /><br />Since it is an abstract concept, the need to define it with respect to the actual experiences of man was felt. Thus, we have the vast body of literature like the Upanishads which basically speak of this Atman or Brahman in terms of a life-giving, sustaining force that resides in everything in this universe, sentient or otherwise. This subject has been further dealt with in the works of innumerable other philosophers and thinkers. The great Advaitic savant Adi Shankarcharya speaks of this soul (Atman or Brahman) in this manner in his magnificent work, 'Vivekachudamani.' Every living being identifies itself as 'I' like 'I am so and so', 'I am the owner of this object' and so on. Who or what is this 'I'? Is it the body, is it a mental process of identification or what else is it?<br /><br />Shankara says that there is something that is the substratum of this 'I' consciousness, an indefinable 'something' that imparts the awareness of 'I' to the being, the awareness of the 'ego'. Though man does not recognise it, this 'I' or 'ego' is a reflection of the original divine spark which by its mere presence in the outer shell of the body imparts to it 'life' as we know it, which causes the body to undertake its myriad activities.<br /><br />These activities of the body are primarily carried out when the being is awake, that is, in the waking state. But, apart from the activities in the waking state, the mind is active during sleep also, as also the various other physiological functions. Even modern science speaks of the brain activities that go on during dream sleep, like reactivation of neural networks, formation and recall of mental impressions and memories and so on. In the deep dreamless stage of sleep, the mind experiences pure bliss, the pure state of mental being without any interferences. The Atman or Brahman is the sole witness to the activities of the mind in all the three states, says Shankara.<br /><br /></div>
