Ashok Nanda We broadly divide human faculties as body, mind and spirit. All these are highly connected and at finer levels we will have problems to segregate. But for understanding human behaviour we can conceptualise in these ways. Body is all that is visible along with the neurological functioning. Mind is the software operating from the brain of the human body. It controls the involuntary functioning like blood circulation, digestion, hormone functioning etc. It also controls the voluntary functions like our movements, talk etc. The mind acquires information through the limbs and the skin. Spirit is the deep accepted concept/values which stimulates and catalyses our analysis and behaviour. In most Indian traditions we value body as inferior and mind as a superior form. But in real life we may be mostly and thoroughly working for bodily pleasures. How many people are utilising their intelligence and creativity for generating new ideas or concepts without bothering about material benefits. I do not accept superiority of any of the faculties. They are operating in different planes hence not comparable .I can compare one body with another body and one mind with another mind. Again each body has different faculties. How can we compare a strong body with a beautiful body? Why should we compare a mathematician with an artist? Why should we compare a dancer with a musician? Ecstasy is what human beings look for. But the mind - the logical mind has to stop functioning to experience ecstasy. A non thinking mind can only have celebrating moments.
Our emotions are strongly influenced by the cravings of the body. Giving bad words to cravings does not change them. It makes human beings hypocrites within and for the society. Inner hypocrisy leads to psychic problems. Powerful people with psychic problems make horrific theories to protect their unaccepted dilemmas.
It's time for us to review all the theories and values that have been inculcated in us. Rating of values change from changed prospective. Let us look at the soldiers. Every nation gives high regards to their soldiers killed in the war. It is taken as a very high human value to be a patriot. But the soldiers are only killing human being on the other side. If the rulers change the same soldiers cry high of the new ruler or king. The soldiers fighting against the popular freedom fighters change their sides when the freedom fighters come to power. The same soldiers and police who attacked the Indian freedom fighters on 14th august 1947 saluted them on 15th morning.
Hence we should all review our values and accept them anew- denovo. At a later stage of this journey of the life, it is possible to give off all values and accept them as it comes. At a simple level it is valueless living. It is called swadharma life.