Tattva-viveka
Observing matter's change
Nitaisundara Das - December 30, 2008 5:19 am
I am reading Tattva Sandarbha and on page 157 in the context of discussing the six transformations of matter Guru Maharaja says 'One who observes that which is changing cannot himself be undergoing the change." This is meant to substantiate the idea of consciousness as not being fleeting because it continually observes the changing of the mind and body. I am wondering if this statement is completely correct. Can the mind not witness itself changing in some capacity? My only idea is that when the mind recognizes that, for example, a certain type of tendency has changed within itself, it can only do so by temporarily disassociating with that tendency and looking at it from a removed position, and thus in that sense, being different than the change.
Am I making sense? Any ideas?
Robertnewman - December 30, 2008 1:42 pm
Can the mind not witness itself changing in some capacity? My only idea is that when the mind recognizes that, for example, a certain type of tendency has changed within itself, it can only do so by temporarily disassociating with that tendency and looking at it from a removed position, and thus in that sense, being different than the change.
At the very least there would have to be a portion of the mind that didn't change, otherwise there would be no common experiencer of the before and after states. A die-hard materialist might posit such a core component of the mind to avoid bringing in spiritual realities, but we don't need to do that.
Madan Gopal Das - December 30, 2008 2:27 pm
Can the mind not witness itself changing in some capacity?
I think that the mind is not the witness, but rather the ego, the sense of self is reflecting a change from the mind, back to the self. Not that the self is a direct "feeler" or observer of change, but the ultimate end of where the information from the senses and mind resolves. Then, based on that ego the self will experience change because of how it identifies itself. 
Nitaisundara Das - December 31, 2008 4:35 am
Thank you both for the replies. Sound good to me!