8(a). The Concept of Mind in the Taittirīyopaniṣad

The Taittirīya-upaniṣad consists of three prapātakas, the 7^th, 8^th and 9^th of Taittīrīya āraṇyaka. There are three parts of the Upaniṣad. The first adhyāya also known as the ‘śikṣādhyāya’ is narrated as several upāsanas and this adhyāya is divided into twelve anuvākas which tell us how upāsana constitutes the internal means of attaining Brahmavidya. The second adhyāya or Brahmānda valli deals with karma and upāsana. It is useful for realizing Brahman and the source of the universe. The third adhyāya or Bhṛgu valli is also subservient to the attainment of Brahmavidya. This Upaniṣad asserts that the natural function of mind is the formation of ideas and imagination which concern everything. It can also formulate the Brahman, but it can never attain it. Again the Upaniṣad says that the mind is the Brahman and the beings are born from mind and live because of mind; and finally merge.

Śrī Śankara interprets that,

manomayaḥ mano vijñānam manute'nenati vā mano'ntakaraṇaṃ tadabhimānāni tanmayastalliṅgovā || ^[1]