Knowing thyself is awakening -1
Personality vs. Existence
By Acharya Girish Jha,
MS, BS, DIY, BCPC, NDDY
Blog: http://www.girishjha.net
Mind of man knows too much, still
trying to know more day by day. But man does not this mysterious mind clearly who
wants, desires, craves and always asking for more. Because we do not understand
the mind as such, we have woven many expressions of the mind based on its original movements, past,
memory, instincts , behavior, attitudes, opinions, etc. which we term
personality. Because mind is multiple in man, hence, we have hundreds of models
of personality. We still need to know and discover as what lies behind the veil
of mind, generally termed as existence or Absolute existence consciousness bliss
or SatChitAnanda
Personality is changing eternally while existence is eternal
The word ‘personality’ came from Latin word ‘persona’ meaning mask. It was initially used in
theater for plating different roles by actor. The usage
underwent many changes. Modern age now uses the word for character
or individuality. The word ‘personality’
is widely and mostly used in the world today
The simple understanding of human
being in mathematical terms may be sum of few cherished desires, emotions,
feelings, thoughts, sensations, thoughts, ideas, pains and pleasures. We as human being live 24X7 in the above
movements day by day, week by week and years by years. We multiply all of them above, repeat them again,
show difference in thought, speech and act which we generally term as character
or personality. Personality is changing constantly – consciously, subconsciously
and unconsciously. Hence we included different layers of mind in shaping and
evolving our personality. It is difficult to shape and evolve our personality in
the absence of central, unchanging identity governing our life, mind and
earthly existence.
Whatever the meaning, we
consider, derive and reflect from personality, our real self remains hidden
behind the veil of our personality or mask. In general terms, we are aware –
what we think, feel, see and act are mostly different. Our speech, thought,
action, feelings, memories etc. convey often conflicting views about what we
are. There are two important words commonly used in Hindi, perhaps, came from
Sanskrit- Yvaktitva (personality) and Astititva (existence). It is because,
philosophy in India is known as ‘Darshan’ meaning ‘direct perception’ beyond
mind, senses and intellect. The masters of yester years in India, have always
understood that personality is different, separate from existence. The
existence refers to ‘real-self’ while personality refers to ‘pseudo or
superficial self’. Even greatest masters declared that this personality is made
of five sheaths or five layers – physical, energy, mental, intellectual and
pleasures while real-self is understood, perceived and realized at the center
of five layers. The center of human existence is real-self of the nature of
‘absolute existence-consciousness-bliss’.
Modern science has yet to discover the core of
our existence and its relationship with different layers of personality and
outer world in which we live, move and act every moment in lives. There are
hundreds of models of human personality but none of them actually is all
inclusive. Yoga, Tantra and spiritual traditions in India is more than 6000
years old. There were more than 3000 masters and more than 1000 texts are
available written much before 2500 years ago. All masters, texts and tradition
speaks clearly about dual nature of human existence – the center and the
circumference. Circumference is all about personality and the center is all
about existence.
The tradition begins its journey
from the center and moves to the circumference. It is actually a movement or
journey from consciousness to matter. It becomes difficult to understand and
appreciate the traditional wisdom through the eye of modern science as science
begins its journey from matter and has moved to one energy filed, yet to discover
the existence. Whatever we talk, know, understand about the ‘new age’
essentially depends on the philosophy, concept and applications of dual nature
of existence. masters had explained this dual nature of human existence through
many ways – Prakriti ( dynamic principle) and Purusha ( one who dwells in
dynamic principle or supreme person); Maya ( illusion ) and Ishwar ( one who
possesses the mask or illusion); Atman (
individual consciousness) and Parmatma (
transcendental consciousness) and Being ( existence ) and Becoming ( Maya,
Prakriti).
Since the discovery of yoga,
Tantra traditions 6000 years ago, and masters declared that we in reality, are
real-self, behind the mask, what we commonly understand as personality. It is
said that when we discover the real self or awaken to existence, and return to
personality again, everything undergoes
transformation.
To be continued …… Knowing
thyself is awakening -2 how we evolve consciously