Asmita
Sanskrit: अस्मिताTransliteration: Asmitā (IAST)
Translation: “the sense of ‘I’”
A Concise Dictionary of Indian Philosophy
Translation: "egoism; state of concentration; an impurity; “I-am-ness”"
Definition:
The Science of Yoga (I.K. Taimni)
Translation: "I-am-ness; sense of individuality; sense of pure being"
Commentary: "Asmitā is defined in Part 2 Sutra 6 as the identification of the power of consciousness with the power of cognition, but as the power of cognition always works through a vehicle, in its wider and more intelligible meaning it may be considered as the identification of consciousness with the vehicle through which it is being expressed. This is a very important and interesting idea which we should understand thoroughly if we want to master the technique of liberating consciousness from the limitations under which it works in the ordinary individual. The Sanskrit word Asmitā is derived from Asmi which means literally ‘I am’. ‘I am’ represents the pure awareness of Self-existence and is therefore the expression, or Bhava as it is called, of pure consciousness or the Puruṣa. When the pure consciousness gets involved in matter and owing to the power of Māyā, knowledge of its Real nature is lost, the pure ‘I am’ changes into ‘I am this’ where ‘this’ may be the subtlest vehicle through which it is working, or the grossest vehicle, namely the physical body. The two processes, namely the loss of awareness of its Real nature and the identification with the vehicles are simultaneous. The moment consciousness identifies itself with its vehicles, it has fallen from its pure state and it becomes bound by the limitations of Avidyā, or we may say that the moment the veil of Avidyā falls on consciousness, its identification with its vehicles results immediately, though philosophically Avidyā must precede Asmitā.
The involution of consciousness in matter is a progressive process, and for this reason, though Avidyā and Asmitā begin where the thinnest veil of Māyā involves pure consciousness in the subtlest vehicle, the degree of Avidyā and Asmitā goes on increasing as the association of consciousness with matter becomes more and more strengthened. As consciousness descends into one vehicle after another, the veil of Avidyā becomes, as it were, thicker and the tendency to identify oneself with the vehicle becomes stronger and grosser. On the other hand, when the reverse process takes place and consciousness is released from its limitations in its evolutionary upward climb, the veil of Avidyā becomes thinner and the resulting Asmitā weaker and subtler. This evolution on the upward arc takes place in seven definite and clearly marked stages as is indicated in Part 2, Sutra 27. These stages correspond to the transference of consciousness from one vehicle to a subtler vehicle." (p. 131-132)
"Asmitā or identification with a vehicle is not a simple but a very complex process and has many aspects. The first aspect we may consider is identification with the powers and faculties associated with the vehicles. For example, when a person says ‘I see’ what really happens is that the faculty of sight is exercised by the body through the eye and the in-dwelling entity becomes merely aware of the result, i.e. the panorama presented before the eye. Again, when he says, ‘I walk’ what really happens is that the will, working through the mind, moves the body on its legs like a portable instrument and the in-dwelling entity identifying himself with the movement of the body says, ‘I walk’.
The second aspect is the association of the subtler vehicle in this process of identification where a compound Asmitā—if such a phrase can be used—is produced. Thus, when a person says he has a headache, what is really happening is that there is a slight disorder in the brain. This disorder, by its reaction on the next subtler vehicle through which sensations and feelings are felt, produces the sensation of pain. The indwelling entity identifies himself with this joint product of these two vehicles and this results in ‘his’ having a headache, although a little thought will show him that it is not he but the vehicle which is having the pain of which he is aware. The same thing working at a somewhat higher level produces such reactions as ‘I think’, ‘I approve’. It is the mind which thinks and approves and the consciousness becomes merely aware of the thought process which is reflected in the physical body. Ambition, pride, and similar unpleasant traits of human character are merely highly developed and perverted forms of this tendency to identify ourselves with the workings of the mind.
A third aspect which may be considered in this process of identification is the inclusion of other accessories and objects in the environment. The physical body becomes a center round which get associated a number of objects which in smaller or greater degree become part of the ‘I’. These objects may be animate or inanimate. The other bodies which are born of one's body become ‘my children’. The house in which one's body is kept becomes ‘my house’. So round the umbra (total shadow) created by Asmitā with the body is a penumbra (partial shadow) containing all those objects and persons which ‘belong’ to the ‘I’ working through the body, and they produce the attitude or Bhava of ‘my’ and ‘mine’.
[...] Any thoughtful man can separate himself in thought from his physical body and see that he is not the bag of flesh, bones, and marrow with the help of which he comes in contact with the physical world. But few can separate themselves from their intellect and realize that their opinions and ideas are mere thought patterns produced by their mind just like the thought patterns produced by other minds. [...]
Of course, there are levels of consciousness even beyond that of the intellect. In all these, Asmitā is present though it becomes subtler and more refined as we leave one vehicle after another. [...]
[...] When the Jīvātman is able to leave a vehicle at will and ‘see’ it separate from himself, then only is the false sense of identification completely destroyed.... For the advanced Yogi who can and does leave his body every now and then and can function independently of it in a routine manner, it is just like a dwelling house. The very idea of identifying himself with the body will appear absurd to him. It will be seen, therefore, that practice of Yoga is the most effective means of destroying Asmitā completely and permanently. As the Yogi leaves one vehicle of consciousness after another in Samādhi, he destroys progressively the tendency to identify himself with those vehicles and with the destruction of Asmitā in this manner the veil of Avidyā automatically becomes thinner." (p. 133-135)
References:
Translation: "egoism; state of concentration; an impurity; “I-am-ness”"
Definition:
- One of the five afflictions of the mind. It is the erroneous identification of the self with the mind-body complex. (See Kleśa.)
- According to the Yoga school, it is a state of unifying concentration (Samādhi). In this state, the intellect (Buddhi) concentrates on pure substance as divested of all modifications.
The Science of Yoga (I.K. Taimni)
Translation: "I-am-ness; sense of individuality; sense of pure being"
Commentary: "Asmitā is defined in Part 2 Sutra 6 as the identification of the power of consciousness with the power of cognition, but as the power of cognition always works through a vehicle, in its wider and more intelligible meaning it may be considered as the identification of consciousness with the vehicle through which it is being expressed. This is a very important and interesting idea which we should understand thoroughly if we want to master the technique of liberating consciousness from the limitations under which it works in the ordinary individual. The Sanskrit word Asmitā is derived from Asmi which means literally ‘I am’. ‘I am’ represents the pure awareness of Self-existence and is therefore the expression, or Bhava as it is called, of pure consciousness or the Puruṣa. When the pure consciousness gets involved in matter and owing to the power of Māyā, knowledge of its Real nature is lost, the pure ‘I am’ changes into ‘I am this’ where ‘this’ may be the subtlest vehicle through which it is working, or the grossest vehicle, namely the physical body. The two processes, namely the loss of awareness of its Real nature and the identification with the vehicles are simultaneous. The moment consciousness identifies itself with its vehicles, it has fallen from its pure state and it becomes bound by the limitations of Avidyā, or we may say that the moment the veil of Avidyā falls on consciousness, its identification with its vehicles results immediately, though philosophically Avidyā must precede Asmitā.
The involution of consciousness in matter is a progressive process, and for this reason, though Avidyā and Asmitā begin where the thinnest veil of Māyā involves pure consciousness in the subtlest vehicle, the degree of Avidyā and Asmitā goes on increasing as the association of consciousness with matter becomes more and more strengthened. As consciousness descends into one vehicle after another, the veil of Avidyā becomes, as it were, thicker and the tendency to identify oneself with the vehicle becomes stronger and grosser. On the other hand, when the reverse process takes place and consciousness is released from its limitations in its evolutionary upward climb, the veil of Avidyā becomes thinner and the resulting Asmitā weaker and subtler. This evolution on the upward arc takes place in seven definite and clearly marked stages as is indicated in Part 2, Sutra 27. These stages correspond to the transference of consciousness from one vehicle to a subtler vehicle." (p. 131-132)
"Asmitā or identification with a vehicle is not a simple but a very complex process and has many aspects. The first aspect we may consider is identification with the powers and faculties associated with the vehicles. For example, when a person says ‘I see’ what really happens is that the faculty of sight is exercised by the body through the eye and the in-dwelling entity becomes merely aware of the result, i.e. the panorama presented before the eye. Again, when he says, ‘I walk’ what really happens is that the will, working through the mind, moves the body on its legs like a portable instrument and the in-dwelling entity identifying himself with the movement of the body says, ‘I walk’.
The second aspect is the association of the subtler vehicle in this process of identification where a compound Asmitā—if such a phrase can be used—is produced. Thus, when a person says he has a headache, what is really happening is that there is a slight disorder in the brain. This disorder, by its reaction on the next subtler vehicle through which sensations and feelings are felt, produces the sensation of pain. The indwelling entity identifies himself with this joint product of these two vehicles and this results in ‘his’ having a headache, although a little thought will show him that it is not he but the vehicle which is having the pain of which he is aware. The same thing working at a somewhat higher level produces such reactions as ‘I think’, ‘I approve’. It is the mind which thinks and approves and the consciousness becomes merely aware of the thought process which is reflected in the physical body. Ambition, pride, and similar unpleasant traits of human character are merely highly developed and perverted forms of this tendency to identify ourselves with the workings of the mind.
A third aspect which may be considered in this process of identification is the inclusion of other accessories and objects in the environment. The physical body becomes a center round which get associated a number of objects which in smaller or greater degree become part of the ‘I’. These objects may be animate or inanimate. The other bodies which are born of one's body become ‘my children’. The house in which one's body is kept becomes ‘my house’. So round the umbra (total shadow) created by Asmitā with the body is a penumbra (partial shadow) containing all those objects and persons which ‘belong’ to the ‘I’ working through the body, and they produce the attitude or Bhava of ‘my’ and ‘mine’.
[...] Any thoughtful man can separate himself in thought from his physical body and see that he is not the bag of flesh, bones, and marrow with the help of which he comes in contact with the physical world. But few can separate themselves from their intellect and realize that their opinions and ideas are mere thought patterns produced by their mind just like the thought patterns produced by other minds. [...]
Of course, there are levels of consciousness even beyond that of the intellect. In all these, Asmitā is present though it becomes subtler and more refined as we leave one vehicle after another. [...]
[...] When the Jīvātman is able to leave a vehicle at will and ‘see’ it separate from himself, then only is the false sense of identification completely destroyed.... For the advanced Yogi who can and does leave his body every now and then and can function independently of it in a routine manner, it is just like a dwelling house. The very idea of identifying himself with the body will appear absurd to him. It will be seen, therefore, that practice of Yoga is the most effective means of destroying Asmitā completely and permanently. As the Yogi leaves one vehicle of consciousness after another in Samādhi, he destroys progressively the tendency to identify himself with those vehicles and with the destruction of Asmitā in this manner the veil of Avidyā automatically becomes thinner." (p. 133-135)
References:
- Grimes, John (1996). A Concise Dictionary of Indian Philosophy: Sanskrit Terms Defined in English. Albany: State University of New York Press
- Taimni, I. K. (1975). The Science of Yoga: The Yoga-Sūtras of Patañjali in Sanskrit with Transliteration in Roman, Translation in English and Commentary: Theosophical Publishing House. p. 131-135.
