That the purpose of this life is to learn about our inner self is beyond question. We are creatures that are born in ignorance. We have to move to a state of enlightenment to delink ourselves from the physical constraints that we are born with.

The mind, when it begins to seek the answers, begins the journey by recognizing that all that it can observe through the senses is transient and does not therefore represent the TRUTH (which is PERMENANCE).  

The Mind is born in conflict into a strange environment about which it knows nothing and there is nothing that seems to be within its control including its own emotions, feelings and capabilities. 

The MIND is loaded with DOUBT.  There are contradictions and conflicts, leading to confusion, misery and unhappiness.  The MIND is torn between what is RIGHT and what is WRONG, between what is an ILLUSION and what is REAL, what is TRUTH and what is FICTION.

To discover the path to PEACE and HAPPINESS, the MIND begins to learn. 

Life always throws two or more options at the mind every moment.  Looking at the alternatives available,  the MIND begins to weigh the pros and cons.

One path is laden with instant pleasure and rewards.  This is the path that is also loaded with ADHARMAM.  In order to experience the pleasures and gain the rewards, you have to take what does not belong to you.  You have to speak untruths.  You have to pretend to be someone that you are not.......Take on an identity that is far far removed from your true self.

However, the pleasures and rewards disappear as quickly as they appeared and leaves the individual seeking more of the same.  This goes on in an endless cycle and puts the Atman through repeated cycles of births and deaths.

The other path is loaded with obstacles, sacrifices, pain, displeasure and discomfort.  This path also has rewards. But the rewards are located in a different life that begins after this one ends.  The tests to be taken are unrelenting and  severly shakes up our conviction to stay on the right path. 

However the rewards gained throuh this path are permenant, The cycle of births and deaths is broken.  The MIND transcends into eternal tranquility.

The mind is tossed about between the two paths.  Many of us know that the transient path is not to be chosen.  But the conviction is not strong enough for the knowledge to transcend into realization.  

When presented with two alternatives, the mind begins its evaluation by weighing the two options.  The two paths may be tested so the learning becomes based on personal experience. The learning may also be based on the observation of the experience of others. When the learning is based on personal experience, it is usually more convincing because a price, either in the form of experiencing a defeat (a blow to the "I") or a personal suffering or loss. 

Learning through observation does not result in the same level of conviction. So it has to be supplemented by further inquiry or experience. 

This is where the importance of Karma, (which is a fixed sequence of events thrown at us and subjects the mind to conflict and confusion) in the process of learning comes into the picture.  Karma activates the mind mainly by tugging and pulling the "I" in different directions through temptations, rewards and suffering. 

ONE IMPORTANT COMPONENT OF KARMA IS ITS INBUILT CHARACTERISTIC OF SOWING THE SEEDS OF DISSATISFACTION AND SENSE OF HELPLESSNESS AND DEFEAT WITHIN THE THOUGHT PROCESS.  IT IS THESE NEGATIVE CHARACTERISTICS THAT MOTIVATE  THE THOUGHT PROCESS TO DEVELOP THE LEARNING PROCESS.  IT STARTS TO MOVE OUT OF THE DESIRE MOTIVATED THOUGHTS AND ONTO  HIGHER LEVELS.  

The process of learning based on doubt and disbelief begins its long journey.   

"Learning" in the conventional sense of the term, means to differentiate. Differentiation means breaking up a system, event, object or person into the different components of which it is made.  The effort is to develop an understanding of the different components that an object is made up of and then try to control it by making a change to each component or their interrelationship. 

In the Puranic sense, learning means to integrate. The experiences from the observed universe are to be integrated into the knowledge of the self. 

The "I" being a differentiator, helps the mind lear about the external world. But when it comes to the inner self, the "I" is completely lost.

Differentiation is the ability to learn about the external world.  Integration is the ability to learn about the inner Self.

 

THE PROCESS OF LEARNING REQUIRES AN IDENTITY TO BE ESTABLISHED THAT IS DIFFERENT FROM THE OBJECT ABOUT WHICH THE LEARNING OCCURS.

THOUGHT  REQUIRES AN IDENTITY TO BEGIN IT JOURNEY DOWN THE KARMIC ROAD. THE FIRST KEY DELUSION THAT IS CREATED IS  THE FALSE IDENTITY "I" OR THE "EGO".  THIS ENABLES SEPERATION OF THE SELF FROM THE "PERCEIVED" WORLD.

The identity becomes an important factor in the pursuit of "knowledge" of the material world.

Both "I" AND "MINE" ARE BORN OUT OF IGNORANCE, HELPLESSNESS, INSECURITY, DISBELIEF, and DOUBT.

So the "I" which is born in ignorance (of itself),  slowly learns about itself through the enactment and experiencing of Karma, which then leads to complete realization and knowledge, when the learning process is complete. At this point, the "I" has no other use and has to be discarded and the thought process should be liberated from the shackles and bindings imposed on by the "I".  

THE most important role of the "I" is to give the thought process a purpose or an objective to attain.  This enables the thought process to learn to attain objectives, by using the faculties that are available for use. 

Learning is the process of Organizing the flow of thoughts to synchronize with the external world.  It is always torn by conflict between Right and Wrong, Belief and Disbelief, Transcience, and the ever increasing , ever changing and unknown variables.

The need to know stems from the need to control, which means to take ownership.  Understanding bestows the I with a sense of security and reaffirmation of its own identity.  Thoughts develop from different sources and constantly build on each other to attempt to reach an objective.  The earthly objectives are to get pleasure and project and sustain the "I" or (in this case) Ignorance.

WHEN DEFEAT AND DISSATISFACTION ARE EXPERIENCED,  THE THOUGHT PROCESS BEGINS ITS INQUIRY INTO WHAT CAUSED THE DESIRE TO TAKE ROOT AND PRODUCE THE UNPLEASANT CONSEQUENCES.  THIS IS THE START OF THE PROCESS OF INTERNAL INQUIRY.  The understanding of Karmic forces can only happen when we progress significantly on the path of self realization. The contradiction is that we cannot progress on the path of self realization unless we understand the working of the Karmic forces.  This contradiction is built into the struggle in any learning process.  More on this in other sections of this web page.  UNDESIRABLE PHYSICAL WORLD EFFECTS SUCH AS DISEASES,  SHORTAGES OF ESSENTIALS, PHYSICAL CONFLICTS BETWEEN FELLOW BEINGS ETC.,  ALSO SET THE THOUGHT PROCESS ON THE PATH OF INQUIRY.  WITH THE ESTABLISHMENT OF THE "I",  THE THOUGHT PROCESS DEVELOPS A BELIEF AND CONVICTION OF ITS OWN REALITY AND EXISTENCE.  THIS BELIEF FORMS THE BASIS FOR ALL SUBSEQUENT INTELLECTUAL DEVELOPMENTS.  THE THOUGHT PROCESS DEVOTES ITSELF TO DEFENDING  THE "I" FROM PERCEIVED DANGERS THAT "THREATEN" ITS EXISTENCE,  AND ALSO ATTEMPTS EVERYTHING POSSIBLE TO PERPETUATE THE "I",  WHICH IS ITSELF. WESTERN OUTLOOK HAS ALWAYS TURNED TO INQUIRY OF THE PHYSICAL WORLD.  THE PURANAS ARE CONCERNED EXCLUSIVELY WITH THE INTERNAL INQUIRY AND IS CATEGORICAL THAT INTERNAL INQUIRY IS THE CORRECT PATHWAY TO TAKE.  THIS PROCESS OF INQUIRY IN AN EFFORT TO SOLVE PERCEIVED PROBLEMS IS THE BEGINNING OF THE PROCESS OF EVOLUTION.  THE PURANAS WANT US TO EVOLVE RAPIDLY USING THE TEACHINGS AS THE BASIS AND NOT TO SPEND OUR LIMITED CAPABILITIES IN ATTEMPTING AN UNDERSTANDING OF HOW THE MATERIAL ASPECTS OF LIFE HAVE COME INTO BEING.  THE PARAMATHMA BASICALLY DISMISSES THE MATERIAL  ASPECT WITH ONE WORD - "MAYA". The illusory identity is absolutely indespensible for the following reasons (among others).I n order to learn about an object, person, or event, one has to have the capability to observe the object, person, or event from the outside. Only then can one begin to learn.  When we are trying to learn about ourselves, how can we accomplish this task of stepping outside  of ourselves? IN ORDER TO OBSERVE AND EXPERIENCE AN EVENT, THE OBSERVER NEEDS TO BE DIFFERENT FROM THE EVENT(S) THAT ARE OBSERVED.  In many respects,  the "I" actually promotes the learning process by getting the thought process to jump through the hoops to fill its needs.  This is fine in the initial stages when thought has to necessarily be directed towards learning the physical aspects of life.  However, once this incubatory stage is over, the thought process should evolve out of the physical world which does not provide any answers for evolution.  The "I" continues to keep the thought process locked into the physical world with never ending and increasing demands.  This keeps the thought process in a circular loop with no advancement.  When the mind reaches the stage of realization, all doubts vanish and the learning process is complete.