This is an approximate translation of my Hindi post .
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What is ‘thinking’?
In other words, we are trying to understand what is ‘thought’?
Thought has many facets. Thought is basically a chain, a sequence, order of sentences.
A sentence is again a chain, a sequence, order of words.
A word is likewise a specific chain, sequence, order
Thus, ‘thought’ is a chain, sequence, order of words that are spoken or heard.
This implies hearing to and speaking out in this fashion is the original and fundamental form and structure of ‘thought’.
But the simple purport communicated through this function of such sentences is the idea / imagination that is associated with these sentences, and is accepted as ‘meaning’.
In this way, it follows that a ‘thought’ could either give out a meaning, or the meaning may be incomprehensible, or just absurd.
‘Thought’ is thus basically an action, a ‘function’ comprising essentially of the combinations of the various sounds and modes of the various sounds; such as ‘voice’, which are associated with some particular idea / imagination, and are given with a specific ‘meaning’. Thus an assumed ‘meaning’ is imposed upon them.
Such communication of ‘thoughts’ from the known-unknown history is called ‘language’. Language is communication and communication is language. But along-with the development of the language, the purport of a word has been associated with many different ideas and imaginations, thus enriching as well as complicating also the language, thereby giving a chance to confusion as well. This confusion about the ‘meaning’ as is expressed and as is implied is the basis for a great deduction of in Vedanta, and at the same time has been the very foundation immensely helpful in understanding the Core of Vedanta also.
But presently, as has been pointed out in the very beginning, here we are trying to understand what is ‘thought’?
That is how all those different languages that developed in the past differ so much that the meaning of a word in one language may be quite different in some other language. Even more, a word in one language may be just absurd or meaningless in another.
‘Thinking’ is an action that is performed in the very same language which one has learnt as one’s own from the beginning. This ‘learning’ on his part is the consequence of practice only and when as a kid one learns the spoken and heard forms of his language, he is hardly aware of the words he hears and tries to speak. By and by, he associates each and every word with some imagination in his mind. Likewise, he associates the feelings, emotions, sentiments and experiences also with a word or a set of words. This becomes the abstract notion of the ‘meaning’ in his mind. Afterwards, this becomes a habit and one hardly suspects if and how this habit restricts his understanding of the language itself.
Just as walking or running is a physical action ‘thinking’ thus becomes a ‘habit of the mind’, an activity that takes place at mental level, happening involuntarily without deliberate effort. That too is a form of ‘thinking’.
There are other ‘forms’ of thinking also where the words are made of; not only of letters, but of the sound-forms, say musical ‘notes’ having their own independent structure different from other such sound-forms. This turns either into a musical rhythm or cacophony according to the individual’s perception and sensibility. Here again what is ‘music’ to one, may be just a noise for another.
‘Music’ helps us understand how ‘time’ that is kept with ‘beats’ defines ‘time’ which is essentially an imagination, but acquires the status of a ‘reality’ and is ‘measured’ too, in a ‘devised’ way. Thus the whole ‘scale’ of a musical composition could run into different and comparative ‘time-lengths’. There is a concept of ‘time-gap’ of ‘silence’ also, which is similar to ‘emptiness’ or no sound. ‘Notes’ and ‘beats’ and ‘emptiness’ in terms of ‘time’ are written in the form of a ‘symphony’.
This concept of ‘time’ though a practical utility has no tangible reality any.
The concept of ‘Space’ is also like this, though verifiable, is subject to conditions and though taken as a stable thing is devoid of substance any.
In the same way the mathematical notions of 1 and 0 (one and zero as numerical value) are defined and derived quantities only. What to say about the theories and their ramifications based upon the assumption that they are something independently real, in their own capacity?
With the help of this notion the idea of numbers and numerals was accepted as true and the faculty of mind that determines them such is called ‘intellect’. The notion that gave rise to their study was subsequently termed as ‘Mathematics’.
Though there is ‘Mathematics’ of ‘measurability’, all that is dubious, if not entirely untrue.
Mathematics and Science are thus true in their own sphere only, and are always restricted by and within the sphere of ‘thinking’ / ‘thought’.
The most mysterious element associated with ‘thinking’ and ‘thought’ is again a specific thinking / thought, namely ‘I’ or of ‘I’. One can see, like all other thoughts which are associated with some idea or imagination, this too is always associated with the particular imagination; -‘I’. But while all other thoughts point out to some object(s). This thought points at no object, any. However this thought is relevant to the physical or mental state of being and though keeps changing its form moment to moment has no permanent feature, any. In other words, the imagination and idea that is expressed through this thought keeps changing all the time, and no particular object is pointed out by this thought. Sometimes this thought refers to the body, and to the mind, feelings, memory, intellect, also at other various and different times. And this whole set of objects as collectively again as a name or a person.
‘Thought’ is either a simple, a complex, or rather a complicated one.
When I say ‘I’m coming / going’, the expressed meaning is: I’m coming / going, while the implied meaning is: the body is coming / going. You can take alternatively as well. Namely, you can interchange the words ‘expressed’ and ‘implied’ according to your convenience. But the fact remains that there are two different meanings in which the action of going / coming could be interpreted.
There is yet another example when one says: I’m hungry / thirsty / tired …
Or when one says: I’m sad / happy / anxious / worried …
The object pointed out is a state of being while the thought associates this with the object ‘I’. This is not only ridiculous but erroneous as well. Though is the way of the language and the conventions. And if you say: the body is going / coming, the mind is sad / happy, and this too will be though correct, will cause confusion.
‘I think’ is also such a confusing statement, though has been accepted as perfectly legitimate one by convention and by language and the grammar too.
Exactly ‘Who’ thinks? There is an activity of thinking that takes place in the brain, and there is no ‘I’ that thinks as a voluntary effort, as a deliberate attempt. This activity of ‘thought’ is only a consequence of the outward circumstances and conditions, the past memory, and the ‘habit’ acquired and stored up in the bran, in memory.
Again, could the brain possibly ‘think’ independently where there is a censor / sensor that administrate this activity?
So, What is ‘thinking’?
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What is ‘thinking’?
In other words, we are trying to understand what is ‘thought’?
Thought has many facets. Thought is basically a chain, a sequence, order of sentences.
A sentence is again a chain, a sequence, order of words.
A word is likewise a specific chain, sequence, order
Thus, ‘thought’ is a chain, sequence, order of words that are spoken or heard.
This implies hearing to and speaking out in this fashion is the original and fundamental form and structure of ‘thought’.
But the simple purport communicated through this function of such sentences is the idea / imagination that is associated with these sentences, and is accepted as ‘meaning’.
In this way, it follows that a ‘thought’ could either give out a meaning, or the meaning may be incomprehensible, or just absurd.
‘Thought’ is thus basically an action, a ‘function’ comprising essentially of the combinations of the various sounds and modes of the various sounds; such as ‘voice’, which are associated with some particular idea / imagination, and are given with a specific ‘meaning’. Thus an assumed ‘meaning’ is imposed upon them.
Such communication of ‘thoughts’ from the known-unknown history is called ‘language’. Language is communication and communication is language. But along-with the development of the language, the purport of a word has been associated with many different ideas and imaginations, thus enriching as well as complicating also the language, thereby giving a chance to confusion as well. This confusion about the ‘meaning’ as is expressed and as is implied is the basis for a great deduction of in Vedanta, and at the same time has been the very foundation immensely helpful in understanding the Core of Vedanta also.
But presently, as has been pointed out in the very beginning, here we are trying to understand what is ‘thought’?
That is how all those different languages that developed in the past differ so much that the meaning of a word in one language may be quite different in some other language. Even more, a word in one language may be just absurd or meaningless in another.
‘Thinking’ is an action that is performed in the very same language which one has learnt as one’s own from the beginning. This ‘learning’ on his part is the consequence of practice only and when as a kid one learns the spoken and heard forms of his language, he is hardly aware of the words he hears and tries to speak. By and by, he associates each and every word with some imagination in his mind. Likewise, he associates the feelings, emotions, sentiments and experiences also with a word or a set of words. This becomes the abstract notion of the ‘meaning’ in his mind. Afterwards, this becomes a habit and one hardly suspects if and how this habit restricts his understanding of the language itself.
Just as walking or running is a physical action ‘thinking’ thus becomes a ‘habit of the mind’, an activity that takes place at mental level, happening involuntarily without deliberate effort. That too is a form of ‘thinking’.
There are other ‘forms’ of thinking also where the words are made of; not only of letters, but of the sound-forms, say musical ‘notes’ having their own independent structure different from other such sound-forms. This turns either into a musical rhythm or cacophony according to the individual’s perception and sensibility. Here again what is ‘music’ to one, may be just a noise for another.
‘Music’ helps us understand how ‘time’ that is kept with ‘beats’ defines ‘time’ which is essentially an imagination, but acquires the status of a ‘reality’ and is ‘measured’ too, in a ‘devised’ way. Thus the whole ‘scale’ of a musical composition could run into different and comparative ‘time-lengths’. There is a concept of ‘time-gap’ of ‘silence’ also, which is similar to ‘emptiness’ or no sound. ‘Notes’ and ‘beats’ and ‘emptiness’ in terms of ‘time’ are written in the form of a ‘symphony’.
This concept of ‘time’ though a practical utility has no tangible reality any.
The concept of ‘Space’ is also like this, though verifiable, is subject to conditions and though taken as a stable thing is devoid of substance any.
In the same way the mathematical notions of 1 and 0 (one and zero as numerical value) are defined and derived quantities only. What to say about the theories and their ramifications based upon the assumption that they are something independently real, in their own capacity?
With the help of this notion the idea of numbers and numerals was accepted as true and the faculty of mind that determines them such is called ‘intellect’. The notion that gave rise to their study was subsequently termed as ‘Mathematics’.
Though there is ‘Mathematics’ of ‘measurability’, all that is dubious, if not entirely untrue.
Mathematics and Science are thus true in their own sphere only, and are always restricted by and within the sphere of ‘thinking’ / ‘thought’.
The most mysterious element associated with ‘thinking’ and ‘thought’ is again a specific thinking / thought, namely ‘I’ or of ‘I’. One can see, like all other thoughts which are associated with some idea or imagination, this too is always associated with the particular imagination; -‘I’. But while all other thoughts point out to some object(s). This thought points at no object, any. However this thought is relevant to the physical or mental state of being and though keeps changing its form moment to moment has no permanent feature, any. In other words, the imagination and idea that is expressed through this thought keeps changing all the time, and no particular object is pointed out by this thought. Sometimes this thought refers to the body, and to the mind, feelings, memory, intellect, also at other various and different times. And this whole set of objects as collectively again as a name or a person.
‘Thought’ is either a simple, a complex, or rather a complicated one.
When I say ‘I’m coming / going’, the expressed meaning is: I’m coming / going, while the implied meaning is: the body is coming / going. You can take alternatively as well. Namely, you can interchange the words ‘expressed’ and ‘implied’ according to your convenience. But the fact remains that there are two different meanings in which the action of going / coming could be interpreted.
There is yet another example when one says: I’m hungry / thirsty / tired …
Or when one says: I’m sad / happy / anxious / worried …
The object pointed out is a state of being while the thought associates this with the object ‘I’. This is not only ridiculous but erroneous as well. Though is the way of the language and the conventions. And if you say: the body is going / coming, the mind is sad / happy, and this too will be though correct, will cause confusion.
‘I think’ is also such a confusing statement, though has been accepted as perfectly legitimate one by convention and by language and the grammar too.
Exactly ‘Who’ thinks? There is an activity of thinking that takes place in the brain, and there is no ‘I’ that thinks as a voluntary effort, as a deliberate attempt. This activity of ‘thought’ is only a consequence of the outward circumstances and conditions, the past memory, and the ‘habit’ acquired and stored up in the bran, in memory.
Again, could the brain possibly ‘think’ independently where there is a censor / sensor that administrate this activity?
So, What is ‘thinking’?
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