In subtle philosophical analysis it can be said that all perception and assimilation is done with the help of shakti (force). Hence the Witnessing Entity of this entire creation is nothing but Citi Shakti (Cognitive Force or Cognitive Faculty). Puruśa is called Citi Shakti for two reasons: He is pure Consciousness and He is omni-telepathic. Citi Shakti has five qualities: shuddhá (absolutely pure), anantá (infinite), aparińámii (unchangeable), apratisaḿkramá (non-extroversive), and darshita viśayá (witness of the reflected object).

The first quality of Citi Shakti is absolute purity. An object is pure when it is not tainted by any impure object. If pure gold is mixed with another metal it loses its purity and becomes gold alloy. The impurities can be removed from the gold alloy through a chemical process. The Cognitive Faculty is always free from impurities. However, when It comes under the influence of the three principles of Prakrti It can no longer be called Citi Shakti because It becomes metamorphosis into one of the forces instrumental in causing this creation. Actually, every entity of this relative world is nothing but the Cognitive Faculty which has apparently been tainted by the three forces of Prakrti. The Cognitive Faculty is at Its purest when it is not under the influence of any of the three principles. Hence it can be said that the Cognitive Faculty by Itself is ever-pure.

To transform this universe, which is only a metamorphosed form of Citi Shakti, into pure Cognition, a special scientific process is required. This scientific process is called dharma sádhaná. The process of dharma sádhaná leads to the transformation of plurality into singularity. It takes one to the exalted position of the Cognitive Faculty, far above the domain of the relative principles.

The second quality of Citi Shakti is Its infinitude (ananta). Here ananta does not mean an object which has no finitude or end ; it means an entity which has no witness. The Supreme Entity can never come within the periphery of the mind for He has no witness. An entity which has no end, however, can come within the periphery of mind. The word ananta is only a mundane term, unable to convey any real conceptual understanding of Citi Shakti. If ever the mind does attempt to fathom the magnitude of Citi Shakti it totally loses itself. The mind can only think of that which is finite or that which is not finite.

The Cognitive Faculty cannot be called infinite in the normal sense of the term because It can never come within the scope of the mind. But we can call the expressed Macrocosm (universe) infinite because, though very vast, it comes within the scope of psychic subjectivisation.

Ananta is infinite in the sense of being opposite to anta (finite). The infinitude of Citi Shakti is not the same as the infinitude generally understood by the term ananta. The infinitude of Citi Shakti is beyond the scope of psychic comprehension. Citi Shakti is not witnessed by any finite object, but is the witness of all. None of those objects which Citi Shakti witnesses can be called the final object. The creative flow does not have any terminating point. Hence Citi Shakti’s witness-ship is endless.

Objects are composed of inferences (tanmátras) and bound by demarcations, and thus have particular names and forms. But the Cognitive Force is neither composed of inferences nor bound by demarcations and is thus Nirvisheśa (having neither name nor form). An object is recognized and distinguished from other objects by the inferences radiated from it. No two objects radiate the same inferences. Hence the speciality of an object is easily perceived by human beings. Mundane objects are called tanmátrádhára because they invariably radiate tanmátras. From the form tanmátras we can determine the identity of objects, but we cannot determine their smallness or vastness. The factor which permits us to determine the size of objects is called vyavadhi. In Saḿskrta, vyavadhi means form or dimension. Inferences are perceived through the indriyas, whereas the idea about the existential smallness or existential vastness of an object is formed by práńah (vital energy). Citi Shakti is devoid of tanmátrádhára and vyavadhi and is thus called Nirvisheśa. That which is nirvisheśa is infinite. Thus the Cognitive Faculty is not only absolutely pure, but also absolutely infinite.

The third quality of Citi Shakti is aparińámitva or immutability. Aparińámii means that which undergoes no metamorphosis. Nothing is static in this universe; every created object constantly undergoes some kind of change. These changes are caused by the vibrations emanating from guńákśobha ( mutual conversion of principles), svarúpa parińáma (homomorphic evolution), and sadrsha parińáma (heteromorphic evolution). The change of place of an object is called gait or motivity; and the mental measurement of this motivity is called kála or time. Motivity is the cause of spatial and temporal change within the periphery of object entities. This change becomes the cause of subsequent change. The sequential order of cause and effect which operates within the cycle of creation does not occur within the original stance of the Cognitive Faculty. It only occurs when the Cognitive Faculty comes under the influence of Prakrti. Due to Prakrti’s influence various mutable entities originate from the body of the Cognitive Faculty.

The human body undergoes a continuous metamorphosis from infancy to adolescence, from adolescence to middle age, and from middle age to old age. At a certain stage in this process of metamorphosis death occurs. But even death is not final. After death the five fundamental factors of which the physical body is composed, undergo further metamorphosis. The only entity that undergoes no metamorphosis is the Cognitive Faculty. He is the Immutable One.

When an object returns to its original cause in the process of metamorphosis, it is called násha (annihilation). Násha is not total destruction; rather it is the opposite – it is the stage in which an entity returns to its original source of life. In the flow of Pratisáiṋcara entities attain human frames and then, by virtue of sádhaná, return to the Supreme Macrocosmic Stance. When a microcosm is not required to return within the scope of the law of causation after becoming established in its original stance, it is called pranásha. This pranásha, or total merger in the Supreme Cause, is called mokśa or salvation.

There are no spatial, temporal or personal differentiations within the Cognitive Faculty. Hence He cannot be metamorphosed in any way due to time, space or individuality. He is the immutable one, the impersonal one.

The fourth quality of the Cognitive Faculty is apratisḿkrama. The word saḿkrama literally means extroversive movement. As there is no spatial difference in the Cognitive Faculty there is no differentiation between internal and external. Thus there is no question of Him moving extroversially or being polluted by any external infection. He is Apratisaḿkramá, the One who moves internally.

The fifth quality of the Cognitive Faculty is darshitaviśayitva. The Cognitive Faculty does not depend upon sense perception for the acquisition of knowledge. He possesses absolute knowledge about all entities. Being infinite, He does not require indriyas; and being omniscient He does not need to perceive inferences. The inner essence of each object is embedded in the Cognitive Faculty, no matter what inferences it radiates. With the help of mahattattva (or buddhitattva), ahaḿtattva and citta, the Cognitive Faculty automatically possesses knowledge about all objects and events as the subjective counterpart of Mind. This buddhitattva, sometimes in the form of ahaḿtattva, citta or the five fundamental factors, remains an object of knowledge of the Cognitive Faculty. The unit cognitive plate sees whatever the mind of Saguńa Brahma reflects on it. Hence the Cognitive Faculty is called Darshitaviśaya (witness of reflected object).

The Cognitive Faculty can in no way be compared to an object as it is understood in the ordinary sense. Ego arises in the human mind when buddhitattva is misconceived as Cognitive Faculty. Actually, the Cognitive Faculty is not an object of buddhitattva; rather buddhitattva is a form of the Cognitive Faculty, qualified due to the influence of Prakrti. Through psycho-spiritual practice human beings realize that the Supreme Cognitive Faculty, the unit cognitive faculty, and the unit existential-I are not the same. (Unit cognitive force or unit consciousness or átman is the reflecting plate of the existential-I). When people develop this awarneness through psycho-spiritual practice it is called mukhyá akliśt́ávrtti (mukhyá means predominant or primary; akliśt́ávrtti means the propensity that is non-painful). When people realize this by studying scriptures, or by hearing about if from intuitionally developed people, it is called gaońá akliśtávrtti (gaońá means secondary).

The knowledge of the differentiation between átman (unit Cognitive Faculty) and buddhitattva (existential-I which results from mukhyá akliśt́ávrtti is called vivekakhyáti (viveka means discrimination; khyáti means ensconsement) or viśayaka samápatti (viśayaka means microcosmic object; samápatti means ultimate dissolution). When viveka khyáti or viśayaka saḿapatti become permanent it is called dharmamegha samádhi. To attain permanent viveka khyáti, vaerágya (spirit of total surrender) and abhyása (continuous practice) are indispensable. The meaning of vaerágya is not to colour the mind with the colour of finite objects but to develop an intense longing for the supreme spirituality. The meaning of abhyása is to regularly continue the same spirituo-psychic practice. The minds of non-sádhakas are extremely restless. There are changes in their thought waves at every moment; there are numerous curvatures in the waves of their cittas. Through abhyása, through prolonged and meticulous practice, one strives to make the citta flow with a particular wavelength permanently. When one succeeds in this endeavour all the flows of the universe merge in one’s psychic flow, and one attains samprajiṋáta samádhi. Following that, when one’s flow is suspended in the vast Cognitive Flow, one attains asamprajiṋáta or nirvikalpa samádhi.

This sort of spiritual practice is mostly performed by citta, Citta is born out of the three fundamental principles. The influence of the sentient principle on the Cognitive Faculty produces buddhitattva or mahattattva (existential-I), the influence of the mutative principle on buddhitattva produces ahaḿtattva or “I do” feeling, and the influence of the static principle on ahaḿtattva produces citta, the “done-l” feeling. So in citta all three principles (guńas) have their respective influences. Through abhyása or repeated practice the static citta is converted into the mutative citta, the mutative citta into the sentient citta, and the sentient citta into Cognitive Faculty.

Sattvájjághrańaḿ vidyádrajasá svapnamádidesha.
Prasvápanaḿ tu tamasá turiiyaḿ triśu santatam.

According to the degree of its psychic concentration, the human mind experiences five states: kśipta (mad), múŕha (blindly attached), vikśipta (scattered), ekágra (concentrated), and nirodha (suspended). Each of these states can lead to a particular type of samádhi (absorption of mind). In the first state, due to the preponderance of vrttis such as anger, the mind is withdrawn from all objects and temporarily concentrated oil one object. Have you ever experienced a quarrel with anyone in your life? In spite of your repeated attempts to calm yourself, your mind persists in thinking about the person you were quarrelling with.

In the second state (múŕha) a similar thing happens. The mind becomes so attached to something that it repeatedly thinks about it. A person who is greedy for money becomes totally preoccupied with the thought of making money; a person who hankers after name and fame continuously harbours thoughts about becoming famous.

In the first and second states, the mind becomes so infatuated with its crude objects that ultimately it becomes converted into matter. It follows the path of negative Pratisaiṋcara.

Most of the time the human mind is totally scattered. Sometimes it calms down, sometimes it becomes absorbed in something, but mostly in jumps uncontrollably from thought to thought. The restless mind which begins the process of sádhaná can be calmed down through regular practice. Ultimately a state is reached when the mind flows undisturbed in one direction. This state is called ekágra bhúmi (state of concentration). As one progresses one eventually attains the state of nirodha or suspension of mind. One must reach the state of mental concentration (ekágra) before attaining samádhi.

Samádhi which is attained in any of the first three states of mind is not real samádhi, but jaŕa samádhi, the samádhi which occurs when the mind is converted into its crude object. In jaŕa samádhi the sentient citta is gradually transformed into mutative citta, and the mutative citta into the static citta. Eventually the whole mind is converted into matter.

Most people are well acquainted with the fourth state of mind ( ekágra). In this state the human mind sometimes becomes exalted with divine sweetness; and sometimes becomes as debased as an infernal creature. Sometimes it keeps company with good people and takes a resolve never to tell lies, accept bribes, get intoxicated, or become characterless; and sometimes it thinks that honesty and virtue are sheer folly, for happiness lies in falsehood, taking bribes, stealing, promiscuity, and the like. The mind is continuously tossed between good and bad. But when the practice of sádhaná inspires one to accept shreya (path of benevolence) as one’s ideology, one attains the true state of ekágra bhúmi. In this state waves upon waves of citta emerge.

Shántaditao tulyapratyayao cittasyaekágiratáparińáma

Every newcomer to the path of sádhaná suffers from a lack of concentration of mind. After repeating the Iśt́a mantra a couple of times hundreds of undesirable thoughts flood the mind. The newcomer thinks, “I am unable to attain the One on whom I meditate, and instead am pestered by those objects I do not want.” The hand counts the beads, the lips mutter the name of the Iśt́a, but the mind roams in the filth of hell. When all the undesirable waves are removed from the mind, one blissful wave begins to flow, and the sádhaka attains the state of ekágra bhúmi.

Citta can be concentrated on anything – on crude matter or on a subtle idea. It may flow towards the Supreme One (kaevalya) or it may move towards the mundane world. Hence it is said that the mind is like a river which can flow in both directions (citta nád́ii ubhayatah praváhinii). When the mind flows towards the Supreme One it is called kalyáńa vahá (flowing towards benevolence), and when it runs towards matter it is called pápa-vahá (flowing towards malevolence). When the kalyáńá-vahá stance of citta becomes permanent it is called savikalpa samádhi (state of determinate absorption). This savikalpa or samprajiṋáta samádhi (philosophically, samprajiṋáta is the correct term) is also characterized by certain criteria:

1) Realization of the Absolute: When spiritual aspirants acquire self knowledge they realize the oneness of the Supreme Entity behind the apparent multiplicities of the world. This is the Supreme truth. To realize this truth one does not need to study books or listen to discourses.

2) Requital of reactive momenta: After the attainment of samádhi all afflictions caused by defective cognition gradually disappear.

3) Loosening of the bondages of reactions: Every living entity is under the bondage of its reactions. Even after attaining savikalpa samádhi one continues to perform actions, but does not acquire the reactions of those actions. At this stage the underlying spirit is as follows:

Kámato’kámato vápiyat karomi shubbháshubham
Tatsarvaḿ tvayi sannyástaḿ tatprayuktah karomyahaḿ.

[Whatever I do, good or bad, with desire or without desire, I offer unto You.]

4) Movement towards the undifferentiated state of Cognition. This state is called samprajiṋáta samádhi because real knowledge or self-knowledge is fully expressed.

It has already been said that one’s afflictions (klesha) begin to lessen following the attainment of savikalpa samádhi. There are five types of klesha, which are dependent on various psychic propensities (vrttis), especially the propensity of defective cognition. The propensities themselves are of two types: kliśt́a (painful) and akliśt́a (non-painful). Those vrttis which are helpful for spiritual progress are called akliśt́a; the remainder are kliśt́a. The five brood categories of kliśt́a: are pramána (proof), viparyaya (defective cognition), vikalpa (variability) nidrá (sleep), and smrti (memory). Following the attainment of samprajiṋáta samádhi these psychic propensities cease to exert their painful influence.

Pramáńa Vrtti

The derivative meaning of pramáńa is “hidden import”. The cause of pramá is called pramáńa. Pramáńa vrtti can cause an animate entity to be transformed into matter through analysis. The pramáńa which leads to this degeneration is certainly a painful modification of kliśt́á vrtti. On the other hand, by employing logic and lucid arguments, one can establish the existence of átman or Paramátman. In this case pramáńa can be called a non-painful modification of kliśt́á vrtti. When pramáńa is applied analytically it is kliśt́á vrtti, and when it is applied synthetically it is akliśt́á vrtti.

Pramáńa is of three types: pratyakśa (perception or direct knowledge), anumána (inference) and ágama (authority or testimony). When the indriyas assimilate inferences of objects which colour the static portion of citta with a static ideation one acquires preliminary knowledge about an object. This is called sensation (álocaná jiṋána). When this superficial knowledge or sensation becomes an object of the mutative citta, and receives the support of the sentient citta, it is called perception or coordinated sensation. When one recreates an image of an object in the citta which does not correspond exactly with the previous perception of the object, the conclusion made by the mind is called inference. (When one recreates an image in the mind which is the exact replica of a object previously perceived, it is called conception).

To accept the perception or inference of a person in whom one has confidence is called ágama or authority. But if the perception or inference is defective then the authority will also be defective. Those who have blind faith in a particular person or book refuse to acknowledge their defects. These defects then devolve on the blind followers themselves.

Viparyaya Vrtti

Viparyaya mithyájiṋánamatadrupo pratiśt́haḿ

Viparyaya or defective cognition occurs when one acquires false knowledge about something which does not really exist. Suppose the moon is reflecting in a pond. There are two images of the moon, but the image in the pond is not the real moon. To consider the reflected moon as the real moon is viparyaya or false knowledge. Viparyaya is false knowledge about an unreal object. If pramáńa is the positive knowledge about an object which really exists, viparyaya is defective cognition about a non-existent object. Due to this defective cognition the Singular Supreme Entity appears to be manifested as many in the relative world. He appears to be reflected on innumerable mental plates as innumerable consciousnesses. To see a mirage in a desert is also a kind of defective cognition.

Defective cognition causes five kinds of afflictions, which are also known as the five Avidyás: avidyá (negative force), asmitá (egotism), rága (blind attachment), dveśa (repulsion) and abhinivesha (self-obsession). These avidyás are also called tamah, moha, mahámoha, támisra, and hatámisra respectively.

Viparyaya vrtti can also express itself in both ways – kliśt́a and akliśt́a, painfully and non-painfully. When the unit mind strives to attain the Supreme Entity by practising sádhaná, viparyaya vrtti is certainly a non-painful propensity. But when viparyaya vrtli causes the unit mind to crudity itself by running blindly towards the mundane world it is a painful propensity. When the unit mind becomes totally degenerated due to its attraction for the crude, defective cognition becomes extremely painful.

Vikalpa Vrtti

We try to form an idea about the real nature of an object through the sense-organs. And we try to express a feeling about it through words. Often we use words or expressions in a different sense from that which properly belongs to them. Such words and expressions can be called vikalpa because the ideas they convey cannot actually be perceived. Regarding Parama Puruśa we say that He is devoid of imperfections. In this case we use the word “devoid” not in the true sense of its meaning, but merely to convey a certain idea about an object. While travelling by train we may say, “Good, Burdwan Junction has come?” But does Burdwan Junction ever “come”? We also say, “Bullets are flying,” but can bullets fly of their own accord. Thus in vikalpa vrtti words are used not in their literal sense, but to convey a certain idea. If one takes the word or expression literally, the whole thing becomes meaningless. Thus meaningless words are used to convey precise ideas.

Vikalpa is of three types: kriyá, vastu and abháva. An example of kriyá vikalpa is “Burdwan Junction has come”; an example of vastu vikalpa is “in the heart of the city”; and an example of abháva vikalpa is “he is devoid of vanity.” Abháva pratyáyálambanavrttinidrá.

The propensity which creates a psychic vacuum is called nidrá (sleep). Sleep is the intervening stage between two periods of active psychic functioning. It is a stage of vacuity in which the mind does not function. On waking up one makes the safe assumption that one’s mind did not function for a certain period – that one slept. Kliśt́a nidrá (“painful” sleep) is an impediment to sádhaná. But dreamy sleep and deep sleep in which one is aware of one’s sádhaná is certainly not detrimental to spiritual progress. This sleep can be called akliśt́a nidrá or non-painful sleep. Sometimes during sádhaná one falls into a relaxed “half-sleep”. This is called yoga nidrá. Most sádhakas experience yoga nidrá in the early stages of sádhaná. It is also akliśt́a because one does not become totally oblivious of oneself.

Smrti Vrtti

Sometimes memory functions during sleep. When one’s sleep is transformed into nidrá or yogic (sentient) sleep, this memory is called dhruva smrti or (fixed memory) sattva saḿvedana sentient awareness).

Anubhutaviśayásampramośah smrtih. The re-creation of an object already perceived is called memory. Memory can be both kliśt́a and akliśt́a. Memory concerning a material or crude object is painful.

Memory concerning a spiritual object is dependent on two factors : assimilation and object of assimilation. The difference between intellect and memory is this: memory is re-creation of something already known and intellect is subjcctivisation of an objectivity. Intellect is not a propensity, memory is.

Following the attainment of samprajiṋáta samádhi the painful propensities gradually become weaker and weaker and consequentity static citta is converted into mutative citta, and mutative citta into sentient citta. As soon as the nonpainful propensities become more powerful the painful propensities begin to disappear. This resembles the disappearance of darkness with the arrival of the light of the crimson dawn. As the light increases in brightness, darkness fades and ultimately totally disappears.

The innate characteristic of the sentient principle is prajiṋá or intuition; that of the mutative principle is pravrtti or assimilation of mundane objects, while that Of the static principle is inertness. With the cultivation of the non-painful propensities the mutative force is gradually transformed into the sentient force. Ultimately, the mutative and static citta dissolve into the powerful sentient citta. At that stage there remains only the powerful wave of sentient citta, a state known as samprajiṋáta samádhi.

When this powerful sentient citta merges into the Cognitive Faculty, its original source, it is called asamprajiṋáta samádhi. When all the waves and sub-waves of citta flow as one powerful wave in a singular direction it is called samprajiṋáta samádhi, and when the single wave becomes suspended in the vast wave of Supreme Cognitive Faculty it is called asamprajiṋáta samádhi. A sádháka attaining this state looks upon each and every molecule of the dusty earth as a manifestation of that Supreme Spirituality and enjoys an undifferentiated state with bliss of that Supreme Entity.