2.4. Individuality of Mind

‘The mind is a trait of a person. There is no such thing as a collective brain or collective idea. The essential demonstration -the procedure of reason -must be performed by each man alone. We can partition a supper among men. We can't process it in an aggregate stomach. No man can utilize his lungs to relax for another man. No man can think carefully to think for another. Every one of the elements of body and soul are private. They can't be shared or moved.’^[1]

Hence we need to understand the importance of mind’s role when it comes to seek the truth. Each man looking out for his own individual path according to his rationale, he may travel alone or he may find some fellow travellers along the path, but the choice has to be his very own.

It may appear that Ayn Rand’s philosophy is not meant for the practical world, as her heroes are perfectionists up to a level where they seem rude. But her books present a different, clearer picture of the world we live in, especially to those who are truly talented and passionate about something but still are away from their real admirers.

We can heal the world only if we use our mind into a positive direction.

‘When you need to comfort somebody, don't tune in to their words; the words might delude or off-base. Go directly to their heart, straight to their hurt. Their words might push you away, yet regardless they need consoling.’^[2]

As even they are being controlled by their minds. One’s task is to keep doing one’s work politely, the rest is taken care of by the universe. Irrespective of our communities, we know that each religious philosophy teaches us the same thing, i.e. to control our minds. The purpose of doing the same is, to attain peace and happiness, that can stay longer. By understanding what is mind and how does it works, one may conquer it. Also one realizes that mind is the only thing one has, that can be, though the toughest to defeat, moulded; if handled efficiently.

When we face different circumstances in our day to day lives, we cannot shape every happening according to our wish or selfish pursuit; rather we are suggested to make our minds understand that everything happens for a reason.

‘The painter does not put down his brush, stroll over to the tree and twist down its branches -like the bonsai horticulturist -so as to more readily suit them to the creation he may have as a top priority. The Jain organization will underscore the bowing of the painter's own psychological branches, not the tree's.’^[3]

Mind and its workings has been described so minutely in Jain philosophy that it leaves no stone unturned. The purpose of our present generation, or be it any generation, is to understand life at its best and to provide that rational knowledge to our upcoming descents. By understanding and trying to win over the mind, we can surely step ahead into the same direction positively.

Footnotes and references:

[1]:

TF. pp. 679

[2]:

TTIH. pp. 148

[3]:

Tobias Michael. Life Force. Jain Publishing Company, Fremont, California. 1991. pp.54