What are the functions of the Atman?

[AstralProjectee]

On another board I posted the question what are the functions of consciousness? I then realized it was better to ask what are the functions of the Atman? So then what are the most fundamental function of the Atman?

Thanks.

[Eastern Mind]

Vannakkam Astral: I don't understand the question. Can you explain what you mean by Atman, and function?

Aum Namasivaya

[AstralProjectee]

Vannakkam Astral: I don't understand the question. Can you explain what you mean by Atman, and function?

Aum Namasivaya

Atman means 'self' in Sanskrit and is a concept of importance in Hinduism, Buddhism, Sikhism, Yoga and Jainism:

By function I mean the most fundamental or basic tasks that it can do.

In other words what are the most basic things that the self can do?

[devotee]

Namaste Astral,

On another board I posted the question what are the functions of the Atman? I then realized it was better to ask what are the functions of the Atman? So then what are the most fundamental function of the Atman?

You may like to read your post again. One of the first two sentences is certaintly redundant.

Before you try to understand the functions of Atman, may I ask you what you understand by the term, "Atman" ?

OM

[Eastern Mind]

Vannakkam: I believe we have the same understanding of Atman then, although I am not positive. Even using scripture or definitions in Hindu explanations or lexicons, some people differ. For me, a probable explanation is the core of existence within a soul, identical in energy to God. I'm not sure if existence is a function, but then again I'm not sure what a function is. Does a tree 'function' or just exist out on a hill?

Aum Namasivaya

[yajvan]

hariḥ oṁ
~~~~~~

namast�

ātman by its very nature is beyond all doing, beyond the 3 guna-s. This is why it is considered unbounded as no action has any effect , any place on it. That is why it is infinite.

praṇām

[saidevo]

namate AP.

On another board I posted the question what are the functions of consciousness? I then realized it was better to ask what are the functions of the Atman? So then what are the most fundamental function of the Atman?

Here is an explanation of what can be construed as the 'function of the Atman' given by BhagavAn DAs in his book The Science of Peace.

• The Atman as the Universal Consciousness is called pratyag-Atma, which is the equivalent of saguNa brahman--the manifest brahman; What is generally known as the Supreme Self is the nirguNa brahman or paramAtman which is beyond and inclusive of pratyag-Atma or saguNa brahman.

• There are three things involved in samsAra--World Process: the Self--Atman, the Not-Self--anAtman and the continuously ongoing negation--neti-neti of the Not-Self by the Self.

• This entire process is signified by the praNava mantra AUM, whose three syllables signify A--Atman, U--anAtman, M--negation, as explained in an old text called praNava-vAda.

• The nirguNa brahman is generally spoken of as having three parts to its nature: sat-chit-Ananda.

• chit is the cognition by the Self of the Not-Self as a non-entity as it negates the Not-Self.

• The identification of the Not-Self with which the Self was associated, results in the action of denial and separation by the Self for its own pure form of existence, which is sat.

• Ananda is the inner condition between cognition--chit and action--sat, arising from the desire of the Self to realize its nature.

• In a jIvAtman--individual self, these three aspects of the nature of the Self is manifest as follows:

‣ sat as the kriyA shakti involved in the action of creation and dissolution by the manas--mind.

‣ chit as the jnAna shakti involved in the true knowledge of the Self as indentifical to Brahman and the need to realize it by negating the Not-Self.

‣ Ananda as the ichChA shakti, the basic desire to be happy and peaceful, to attain which condition, the jIva uses its other two shaktis as its lives its life.

Thus, we might say that the basic function of Atman

• at the state of nirguNa brahman is to be conscious of its peaceful existence;

• at the state of saguNa brahman is to run the wheel of dharma of the samsAra--World Process;

• at the state of jIvAtman is to be involved in the actions of pravRtti--external worldly life and nivRtti--internal life of renunctiation by neti neti in an effort to realize the Self.

*****

[mohanty]

I think at least a little bit of the confusion that question has can be traced back to the tendency of seeing the atman as something one has.

In other words, seeing the atman as something belonging to the self.

You don't have an atman. You are atman.

You are not a human being having spiritual experiences. You are a spirit having a human experience.

[AstralProjectee]

Thanks a lot for that saidevo. Glad to see someone answer my question.