Acharya Mahaprajna
Gross view: subtle view
The question of mental health is very important for us. Physical health is not less important but mental health is much more important. Truth is that we do not know much neither about body nor about mind. More useful for us are sense organs. The objects received through senses are also enjoyed more. Entire energy is spent in them only, and that is why human being has become extrovert. He has not developed his inner vision. Every individual has the capacity to develop the inner vision. He can know subtle, subtlest matter, he has that capacity but he has never attempted for that. Without effort, nothing happens and the power to create also gets diminished. That organ of the body which is not in use becomes powerless. When inner vision is not used it also becomes useless. Gross view is useful but to get entangled in it is not enough. It is necessary to develop subtle view. It is necessary to develop the power to know the subtle truth. By gross truth, life can be lived but it will not be a good life. We should know both-gross as well as subtle.
Mental health and mental energy
Let us develop subtle view along with gross view. If we see from subtle view, the value of body will change and the value of mind will also change. In that situation, alone we shall understand what the health of body is and what is the health of mind? Mental health and mental energy both are in union. If there is mental energy mental health will also be there. If mental energy is wrecked, then mental health also becomes weak. Without mental energy, mental health cannot be kept in order.
Mental energy is not the same in all. In it there is a lot of difference (tāratamatā). In some, there is one percent, in some two percent and in some five percent mental energy. If there are thousand people, then mental energy will also be of thousand varieties. If human beings are lakh,then it will be of lakh variety. If mental energy is less mental health will also be reduced.
Mental defect (mānasa doṣa)
Question is that why mental energy gets reduced? In Ayurveda thinking is done on this. The cause of diminution of mental energy is mental defect, deficiency in inner mind. It is our fault and therefore mental energy is less. If it is described in the language of adhyātma (spirituality) then one thing will be clear that emotions and mind are our two powers. Mind stands for reflection, imagination and capacity to think. And emotion is more subtle power than that, an inner power. Anger, ego, fear, hatred, jealousy these are all emotions. When they get associated with mind then they are called manobhāva (psychic emotions). Mind gets associated with emotions. In Ayurveda,it is called mental defect. When there is mental defect perversion takes place in mind, and mental power starts becoming weak. Human being then has no power of tolerance.
A patient told a doctor, "I am having so much of pain that I cannot tolerate it. I wish I could die". The doctor said, "It was good that I was called. There is no hope of survival".
Mental defect: two verities
Those who abet in dying are not few. Those who corrupt the mind are also not few. They are outside and inside also. The inner causes were analyzed. Two types of mental defects were pointed out. One is our own mental defect and the other is adventitious hindrances. According to Ayurveda adventitious, are hindrances caused by spirits (khutbah) and caused by planets (grahabādha) but there is a long list of our own internal mental defects due to which mental energy gets dissipated, diminished. From that list, it seems that spirituality (adhyātma) and Ayurveda go togather. If a person leads spiritual life then knowingly or unknowingly he gets guidance of Ayurveda, and picks up the principles of health. Likewise, if a person leads his life on the principles of Ayurveda then perhaps he reaches the stage of spirituality. With Ayurveda,there has been a philosophy of spirituality. It is believed that the sages of Ayurveda were very much influenced by the Sāmkhya system and therefore in it there is influence of spirituality. Among the Indian philosophical systems, there is a system of Caraka as well. In Jain Āgamas Caraka has been described as a philosopher. Caraka is the chief preceptor of Ayurveda.
In Ayurveda, the list of mental defects is, to put it in Jain phraseology, a list of the prakṛti (nature) of mohanīya karma (delusory karma). The prakṛtis of mohanīya karma distort the mind. This karma is of eight types. Jayacharya has classified them under three heads—āvaraka (concealing), avarodhaka (obstructive) and vikāraka (distorting). Some karmas are concealing. They do not harm, but only cover up. Jñānāvaraṇa (knowledge-concealing) and darśanāvaraṇa (vision concealing) these two are concealing. Some karmas are obstructive, create obstructions. Antarāya karma (obstructive) reacts, reduces energy. Mohanīyakarma (deluding karma) is distorting, produces disorder. All distortions whether they are of view/attitude/vīsion or of conduct or character, their constituent is mohanīyakarma. To put it in simple language whatever wrong is done it is done by mohanīyakarma. Darśanamoha brings about distortion in view/vision. Caritramoha produces distortion in character. The distorting karma is mohanīyakarma.
Adhyātma and Ayurveda
In the language of Ayurveda,the distorting element is mānasadoṣa (mental defect). Kama (passion), krodha (anger), lobha (greed), bhaya (fear), irṣyā (jealousy), mātsarya (malice), moha (delusion) etc. are main items in the list of mental defects. These are the main beliefs of Ayurveda or of spirituality. A religious person will understand that a matter of religion is being told but Ayurveda is considering these things from the point of view of health. Everyone wants to protect his (or her) mental health, whether he believes in reglion or not, has faith in religion or not. One who wants to keep his mental health in good condition he should save himself from these mental defects. One who does not keep himself away from these his mental health will not be good.
Sometimes two directions meet to gather. A spiritual person will say, if you have to be saved from sin and unrighteousness then you will have to keep away from anger, greed, fear, jealousy, etc. This will be the language of spirituality. The person knowing hygiene will say that if you want to remain healthy from physical and mental points of view then escape from metal defects like passion, anger, greed, fear, jealousy etc. This is the voice of Ayurveda.
Difference is in aim
The aim of Ayurveda is protection of mental health and aim of spirituality is to escape from sin, to escape from unrighteousness. The aim of one is protection of self and the aim of the other is protection of health. Even though aims are different, the matter is the same. The matter is to escape from anger, to escape from passion. Both of them have one principle. Passion means attachment to senses. When there is attachment to passions mental energy gets dissipated.
A soldier is fighting on battlefield. Attachment to passion is developed. He will think that if he dies what will happen to his kith and kin afterwards. There has been recent marriage. What will happen to his wife? So, his mental energy got dissipated. A person boasts in the morning hours that he can do this thing, that thing. He never cares whatever trouble may come. It appears as if there is no other person of mental energy like him. By evening news came that his young son died in accident. So, the mental energy disappeared. We do not know whether he had mental energy or not. One mental defect is developed and it devoured mental energy.
Malice
Some mental defects are a little sweet and not intense. They are not felt vividly. When they come in force then the situation changes, the mental energy gets dissipated. When the mental defect becomes intense it immediately swallows mental energy.
Malice is a mental defect. Malice is a tendency of not tolerating the qualities of others. One of the meanings of mental energy is the power of tolerance. The function of jealousy and malice is to destroy the power of tolerance. By jealousy, antipathy is generated. A person full of malice cannot tolerate the qualities of others. He becomes cruel. There are many stories in vogue here regarding jealousy and malice. Where a person cannot stand the qualities of others their entire mental state is disturbed. Today this situation is widespread. Today no one tolerates. In today's age the greatest diseases is not to tolerate. No one knows to tolerate others. Neither father knows to tolerate son nor does son know to tolerate father. Where son is praised father feels otherwise. He thinks that not I but my son is being praised. His mind is filled with jealousy.
Fear
Fear is a strong mental defect. Fear is so much filled in human being that he is always afraid. Today no one is found, who can be said to be completely fearless. Lord Mahāvīra said, "Savvao appamattssa natthi bhayarn". One who is careful and sagacious (apramatta) he is fearless; he has no fear from any side. There is not a single person who does not slip. Somewhere some fall, some forgetfulness takes place. When there is mistake then there is fear. A person who has even a little of expectancy he can never be fearless. He thinks that there is truth in the matter but if it is told then the concerned person on the other side will start opposing. Then at that time in one corner of the heart obstacle arises, he goes away from truth, he is no longer sane and sagacious, and becomes reckless (paramatta). Wherever there is recklessness, (pramāda) there is fear and wherever there is fear there is fall in mental health. Today from the mental point of view who is a fully healthy person, it is a big question.
Healthy is dispassionate person (vītarāgī)
It is very difficult to discover a mentally healthy person. In the field of spirituality, one such person of such character is found who is mentally fully healthy. That person is dispassionate (vītarāga) or sagaciously careful (apramatta). In the stages of sādhanāthe fifth stage is that of grihastha śrāvaka (householder practitioner). Sixth stage is that of muni (a variety of saint). A sagacious and careful muni can be said to be completely mentally healthy but the problem with such a muni is that this state of alertness does not last long. The muni in the sixth stage lives in a state of recklessness, sometimes goes to the state of sagacious carefulness, and again falls into the state of recklessness. He cannot live in the sagacious and careful state for long because in him there is recklessness. The presence in these states keeps on changing. In order to be in, the state of completely mentally healthy it is necessary to be in the state of sagacious carefulness. The stage of sagaciously carefulness is a stage of complete mental health. The stage of dispassionateness (vītarāga) is a stage of complete sagaciously carefulness. The rest are short term sagaciously careful stages. Without the stage of dispassionateness, it is difficult to regard any one as completely healthy. Muni also is not completely healthy. In his mind, also from time to time there arise several mental defects. Muni come sometimes under greed, sometimes under anger, and sometimes under ego. These thoughts keep on coming. When such is the condition of a muni then what to talk of a householder?
Function of religion
The preceptors of Ayurveda have thought much on the complexity of mental defects and have shown their remedies. In homeopathy, also there is treatment of mental defects. If a person gets too much of anger then what medicine is to be given, gets much of fear or greed then what medicine is to be given, in homeopathy medicine for all these defects are indicated. In the symptoms of diseases, also these defects are enumerated. That is why this homeopathic system of medicine is very close to spirituality like Ayurveda. In it also all these defects are discussed. In Prekṣā dhyāna also this system of medicine is developed. If some person gets anger, then what is the treatment? If there is more of the aptitude for greed, then what is the treatment? There are remedies for fear and anger. If a religion has no remedies for mental diseases then I believe that religion also will become useless. A religion may perhaps not cure physical diseases but if it cannot remove mental and emotional diseases then it is a matter of great worry. If some person tells a muni, Oh Noble soul! I get too much of anger. Please tell me the remedy” and if the muni replies that, "It is the fault of your karmas, suffer it." then I believe that there is no greater failure of religion than this. What is the purpose of seeking shelter under religion? We daily pronounce, "Dhammam saranam pavajjami, kevalipannattam dhammam saram pavajjami. " (I seek shelter under dharma; I seek shelter under the dharma enunciated by omniscient being.) Why an individual goes under the shelter of religion? Religion may provide food or not but at least it can give mental peace, peace to soul, peace to feelings, and that is why he goes to seek shelter under religion. If religion cannot provide him all these then it must be believed that in the field of religion, there is no other matter of greater despair.
Remedy is Prekṣādhyāna
In the context of Prekṣā dhyāna all these things were attended and means of peace are discovered. If there is anger its remedy is different. If there is excess of greed, then there is separate remedy for it. As many diseases are there, so many are medicines. Some medicines may work in all diseases. A person has the habit of taking tobacco, or of jardā(a variety tobacco with some other ingredients), or takes liquor, and he wants to give it up, but cannot do so. That person comes under the shelter of religion. Recently there was a letter from a famous doctor of Jodhpur. A senior officer of army was perturbed because of the habit of taking liquor. His liver was not functioning. There was no cure by medicine. He wanted to give up liquor but what to do? He was told that by practice this was possible. In the camps of Prekṣādhyāna there is practice of de-addiction. People practice and a get de-addicted. That person also took part in the camp and was free from the habit of taking liquor.
Learn to practice
Prekṣādhyāna is a means to remove mental defects. Mental energy can be preserved. The causes of its diminution can be eliminated. What is needed is practice. It is not a miracle or a waiving of wand of magic to get cured. It is our own effort, our own labour. If we follow this procedure, then there can be escape from these mental defects and escape is possible from the forces, which diminish mental energy. One whose mental energy is safe; his mental health is safe. One whose mental health is safe, he has understood the meaning of life correctly. To lead the life of happiness and peace development of mental energy is necessary. Along with it, mental health is necessary. That person who gets these two wealths of mental energy and mental health for him all other wealth is secondary. Let us discover the means, increase practice. By this body will be benefited and mind also will be benefited, and the path to live peacefully will open.
