Mind, Intellect, and Ego – Their Effect on Daily Life

Swami Vivekananda likened the human mind to a mad monkey that gets drunk and then steps on a thorn. Imagine the disturbance it would create. This magnitude of disturbance makes it impossible for humans to see God and realize the Truth. Calming the mind is essential to knowing God and the Ultimate Truth. In addition to the mind, the ego is a major factor in affecting the intellect we possess. Together, the three determine if we will attain moksha (liberation).

The Human Mind

The human mind, clouded by ignorance, mistakenly identifies the physical body as the self. This misidentification prevents it from perceiving reality, because the mind’s natural tendency is to associate itself with the sensory organs. The biological eyes, for instance, deceive the mind into believing that external shapes and forms are real, reinforcing this fundamental error born out of ignorance.

Withdrawal of the mind from the senses is crucial in spiritual practice. As long as the mind remains tied to sensory inputs, inner peace remains elusive. When the mind is agitated, it loses touch with the inherent joy that already exists within.

Through the disciplined acquisition of knowledge, the aspirant gradually elevates the mind from a lower state to a higher one by diminishing its reliance on sensory perception. In doing so, the mind slowly attains the capacity to align with inner peace and silence. This, in turn, allows the aspirant to understand the truth: Tat Tvam Asi (You Are That), meaning you are one with God.

The Katha Upanishad elucidates the importance of dispassion: “He, who possesses a discriminating intellect and a controlled mind, is pure. Such a person inevitably attains the realization of God (Brahman) and is liberated from the cycle of birth and death.”

The functioning of the mind can be compared to sleeping. It has three main states: awake, dreaming, and deep sleep.

In the awake state, the mind generally takes us for a ride by disturbing our calmness. In the dream state, control over the mind is generally lost, as dreams unfold beyond one’s volition, though there are rare instances where individuals can exercise lucidity and guide their dreams. In the third stage of consciousness, deep, dreamless sleep, the mind ceases to function entirely.

There is a fourth state: the body is awake, but the mind is asleep. There are no vrittis (disturbances) in the mind. This is the state of super-consciousness and is the desirable state by Yogis who want to experience God.

The mind is not the brain. The brain is a biochemical organ that just plays with the chemicals and hormones. The mind is an abstract concept: there is no scientific proof, but it exists and involves the perception of external and internal senses.

The “Mind” (Manas) in Vedanta is the faculty responsible for processing sensory input, emotions, doubts, and desires, based on inputs from the sense organs and intellect. It acts as a coordinator between the senses and the Intellect.

It’s often associated with the sankalpa-vikalpa, meaning “deliberation between alternatives”. It’s reactive and influenced by past impressions (samskaras) of this and previous lives. Discrimination is a key feature of the Intellect.

The mind is changeable and influenced by external stimuli. It can be rewired using meditation and affirmations. It is the bed of emotions, but it is not capable of making judgments on its own. Making decisions is the work of the intellect. We’ll talk about Intellect in a while. First, let’s understand “Ego”.

The Human Ego

Ego refers to considering oneself distinct from God and other entities, arising due to physical identity or subconscious impressions. It manifests as pride and attachment to personal thoughts like “my wealth,” “my happiness,” etc.

[A] God’s Ego – Represents pure “I” -ness without duality, synonymous with God.

[B] Man’s Ego – Includes both pure and impure forms.

• Pure Ego – Awareness of existence and connection to others, persisting as long as the physical body exists.
• Impure Ego – Arises from developing intellect and emotions, and focusing on worldly desires. It can be classified as the following.
• Tamasic Ego – Predominantly driven by self-credit.
• Rajasik Ego – Focuses on striving for personal happiness.
• Sattvik Ego – Ego related to sacrifice and selflessness.

Ego intensity can be high, moderate, or low based on proportion. Ego is also linked to the Hindu cosmic principles, influencing its nature and intensity.

The Spiritual Perspective on Ego

Ego is a major obstacle to spiritual growth and achieving God’s grace. One needs to work on their Ego and purify/overcome it to reach their higher self. Conscious efforts are essential to overcome ego through spiritual practice.

Methods to Overcome Ego

Spiritual practices, such as chanting, studying holy texts, and meditation, help reduce ego proportionally. Higher spiritual levels involve sacrifice (as in sacrifice of pride, etc), spiritual experience, and divine yearning.

Ego Linked To The Three Gunas

The concept of Ego linked to the three Gunas (the three fundamental qualities: Sattva, Rajas, and Tamas) classifies ego into three distinct types based on the predominant Guna influencing it:

1. Tamasic Ego

Predominantly influenced by the Tamas Guna, which is associated with inertia, ignorance, and darkness. An example of Tamasik Ego is taking undue credit for oneself or being overly self-centred.

The Tamasik Ego is represented by the black color, signifying intensity and heaviness.

It emits vibrations that make interactions with individuals having Tamasik Ego unpleasant. That means even speaking to a person with Tamasik Ego leaves you with a bitter taste.

2. Rajasik Ego

Predominantly driven by the Raja Guna, symbolizing activity, desire, and restlessness. Example: Constant striving for personal happiness or material gains.

It is represented by the orange color, which is vibrant and energetic.

This type of ego is moderately intense, reflecting a pursuit of personal satisfaction and achievement.

3. Sattvik Ego

This is predominantly governed by the Sattva guna, which represents purity, balance, and knowledge. Example: Ego related to selfless sacrifice or performing good deeds without expecting anything in return.

This ego is represented by the yellow color, symbolizing calmness and positivity.

This ego is extremely mild and aligns with spiritual growth and selflessness.

Spiritual practices often emphasize overcoming tamasic and rajasic aspects while cultivating sattvik traits to minimize ego and align with higher consciousness.

How To Increase Sattvik Ego?

Cultivating a Sattvik ego, which is aligned with purity, selflessness, and spiritual growth, requires consistent spiritual practices that promote inner balance and divine connection. Here are some practices recommended for nurturing a Sattvik ego:

1. Meditation

• Meditation helps quiet the mind, reduce worldly desires, and enhance spiritual awareness.
• Focus is placed on connecting with the divine or contemplating spiritual truths.

2. Chanting God’s Name

• Regular chanting of holy names or mantras strengthens spiritual vibrations and purifies thoughts.

3. Study of Holy Texts

• Reading sacred scriptures or spiritual literature encourages introspection and humility.
• Reflecting on the sacred teachings reinforces the value of selfless actions.

4. Donating and Serving Others

• Acts of charity and service promote detachment from ego-driven desires while fostering compassion.
• Engage in spiritual service or volunteer activities with selfless intentions.

5. Sacrifice (Tyag)

• Letting go of personal desires and attachments for a higher purpose aligns with sattvik traits.
• Focus on serving others without expecting rewards.

These practices aim to balance the influence of *Sattva guna*, encouraging humility, selflessness, and a higher spiritual level. They reduce the dominance of tamasic and rajasik aspects of the ego.

The Intellect: An Overview

Mind and Intellect combined are the experiencer. The mind-intellect combined will continue to experience worldly pleasures as long as it is connected to the gross body’s apertures. To use them properly is to look inside, to the causal body where the atman (Brahman) resides. The Brahman resides in a hollow (the size of a thumb) between the throat and the heart.

Intellect and the mind are not on the same level. Intellect is the capacity for understanding. Intelligence is not superior to the mind, even if it is its polished form. Always working closely with the mind, the intellect contributes much to discrimination.

The intellect transmits this discrimination to the consciousness. Discrimination allows us to understand things. The intellect tells the mind what to do by discriminating among the choices it can think of. When the mind executes or refrains from an activity, the intellect stores the impressions of the consequences of the activity.

The Intellect is known as Buddhi. It is the faculty of discernment, judgment, and decision-making. It is the higher function of the inner instrument (antahkarana), which includes Mind, Memory, Intellect, and Ego. It is not a physical thing, so you cannot see the antahkarna.

Buddhi is responsible for discrimination between right and wrong, real and unreal (viveka). It gives direction to the mind and can override the impulses and indecision of manas (mind).

In Vedanta, a pure and sharp intellect is vital for self-inquiry (ātma-vichāra). The proper utilization of the intellect leads to the realization of higher truths.

Consciousness – The Chitta or Chaitanya

In Vedanta, Consciousness or Chitta is the foundational reality. It’s also referred to as Brahman (the Absolute), which is pure, undivided, and unchanging awareness.

At the individual level, this Consciousness is called Atman, the true Self, which is identical to Brahman. According to Vedanta, “Atman is Brahman” (ayam atman brahma).

Consciousness is never an object of perception. Instead, it is that which illuminates all experiences, including the mind, intellect, and ego.

Chitta is not affected by pleasure or pain, good or evil. It is the silent witness: pure awareness in which the drama of life unfolds.

The liberation (moksha) comes when the seeker realizes that they are not the body, mind, intellect, or ego, but the eternal, infinite Chaitanya.

Consciousness (Chitta) is not a product of the brain, nor is it something that comes and goes. The following are primary features of Consciousness.

1. It does not need another source to be known. It is that by which everything else is known.
2. Unlike the body or mind, which change constantly, Consciousness is eternal and absolute.
3. There are not many consciousnesses; there is only One Consciousness, appearing as many beings.
4. You are not the body, not the mind, not the ego; you are pure awareness, which Vedanta calls Atman.
5. Atman is Brahman, the Infinite Reality. This is the realization: “Tat Tvam Asi” (You are That). Some people view the soul as a part of Atman or Brahman, while Advaita Vedanta says the soul itself is Brahman, the consciousness.

Manas, buddhi, ahankara (mind, intellect, ego) are subtle parts of the body. Consciousness is the illuminator of the mind. It shines through the mind, making thoughts, perceptions, and memories possible. Without consciousness, the mind is like a dead computer: no awareness, no experience.

One can say that Consciousness is God, and they won’t be wrong. The sun and the mirror analogy is a famous analogy for explaining Consciousness. Take a mirror and put it in the sun, anywhere you want. The mirror reflects the sun and appears as bright as the sun. The sun is everywhere and is the Consciousness. The mirror is the human mind. If it faces away from the sun, you will see things other than the sun. If the mirror faces the sun (Consciousness), it reflects Consciousness and becomes one with the sun.

Another analogy is a movie theatre. The film is projected onto a screen using projectors. A movie has actors, landscapes, and whatnot. But all these things are not the consciousness. The screen, necessary for projection, is the God/Consciousness. All other things are just being projected onto the screen and making it cloudy so your mind can see only the movie. Once the projection is stopped, you can see the screen (God/Consciousness). Thus, the mind (projector) needs to be calmed down so that it stops projecting the movie. Once the projection is stopped, you can see the screen (God).

How Do The Mind, Ego, and Intellect Affect Our Life?

The mind (manas), ego (ahankara), and intellect (buddhi) are inner tools (antahkarana) that together shape how we experience and respond to the world.

The mind constantly processes sensory information: what we see, hear, and feel. It creates desires, fears, and doubts. It makes us emotionally reactive. For example, when someone criticizes us, the mind may instantly produce anger or sadness. It wavers between choices, often leading to confusion or indecision. Our emotional ups and downs, stress, cravings, and anxiety often come from an uncontrolled or restless mind

Ego is the “I” maker. It identifies with the body, role, and thoughts, such as “I am a teacher”, “I am superior”, “I am hurt”. It leads to self-centred thinking and comparison with others. When inflated, it causes pride and conflict. When hurt, it causes suffering. Much of our interpersonal tension, i.e., arguments, jealousy, and the need for recognition, comes from the ego’s need to protect and assert itself.

Intellect or buddhi is our faculty of reasoning and discrimination. A strong, clear intellect helps us make wise choices. It can guide the mind and ego if it is trained through reflection, self-awareness, and values. A refined intellect helps us respond, not react. It gives us clarity in relationships, work, and personal growth.

BOTTOMLINE: In everyday life, the mind makes us feel, the ego makes us identify, and the intellect helps us decide. When these are unbalanced, we suffer. But when they’re harmonized, especially under a trained intellect, we live with more peace, clarity, and purpose.

Taking the example/metaphor given in the “Katha Upanishad”, the following applies to our everyday life.

Our body is like a chariot, and the senses are like wild horses. The mind holds the reins, but it needs guidance. That’s the job of the intellect, the charioteer. If the ego takes control or the mind is distracted, the whole chariot goes off course. But if the intellect is strong and clear, we can live a life of direction and balance, true to our inner Self.

“Nāma-rūpe vyākṛte, satyaṁ brahmaiva kevalam.“
(When names and forms are gone, only Brahman remains, pure consciousness alone.)

-OM-

Header Image by vined mind from Pixabay

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