mana in heart or head?

[George Cardona]

-----Original Message-----
>From: franco at RZ.UNI-LEIPZIG.DE
>Sent: Apr 9, 2009 5:49 AM
>To: INDOLOGY at liverpool.ac.uk
>Subject: Re: mana in heart or head?
>
>I think one has to clarify what is meant by manas. The translation as  
>"mind" is convenient, but does not convey the sense of "mind" in  
>English. According to the major philosophical schools  
>(Nyaya,Vaisesika,Mimamsa) the mind is as small as an atom and does not  
>have a fixed location, but moves very quickly throughout the body: One  
>can only feel or cognize something because the "mind" is there and is  
>in contact with the soul. Although the soul is all-pervasive, its  
>cognitions are limited to the place where the "mind" is located. There  
>is only one place in the body, a special area in the heart called  
>puriitat (mentioned also in the Brhadaranyakopanishad), which is  
>exception to the rule. If the mind retreats to the puriitat, the soul  
>stops cognizing (as in sleep without dreams).
>Best wishes
>EF
>
>
>Quoting Allen W Thrasher <athr at LOC.GOV>:
>
>> Dominik said:
>>
>> "Finally, discourse on the brain in ancient Indian texts, including  
>> medical texts, is extremely limited. It's function was certainly  
>> *not* known, and it was viewed as some sort of fatty tissue  
>> (vasā(-chaṭā))."
>>
>> How do they deal with the fact that blows to the head can affect  
>> mental functionings, or even permanently damage them?
>>
>> Allen
>>
>>
>>
>> Allen W. Thrasher, Ph.D.
>> Senior Reference Librarian
>> Team Coordinator
>> South Asia Team, Asian Division
>> Library of Congress, Jefferson Building 150
>> 101 Independence Ave., S.E.
>> Washington, DC 20540-4810
>> tel. 202-707-3732; fax 202-707-1724; athr at loc.gov
>> The opinions expressed do not necessarily reflect those of the  
>> Library of Congress.
>
>
>
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