mana in heart or head?

[George Cardona]

Confusion seems to have occurred in transmission, since I did not reply to Eli Franco's message.  GC

-----Original Message-----
>From: George Cardona <cardonagj at EARTHLINK.NET>
>Sent: Apr 9, 2009 6:42 AM
>To: INDOLOGY at liverpool.ac.uk
>Subject: Re: mana in heart or head?
>
>-----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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