June 6, 2010: The Seer of the Mind

We have already been using the conclusion from our own experience, that the seer of an object is different from it. Using this conclusion, we saw how the body, which interacts with the outside world, is separate from it; the senses, which can perceive the body, are again different; and the mind, which sees whether the senses work, and processes the data they capture, is still different. What about the seer of the mind? In addition to being different, we can notice two more facts about the seer with respect to what it objectifies.

First, to appreciate a changing object, the seer has to be one, and relatively unchanging. For example, if you want to see all the cars driving by on a highway, you cannot be in one of those cars. Instead, you would have to stand by the side of the road in one spot and watch them go by. Next, to appreciate various objects, the seer cannot be associated with any one of them. For example, if your wear red-coloured glasses, you will not able to see any other colours. Your eyes have to be free from all colours in order to see each one of them.

We saw that the mind is made of a steady stream of vṛtti, which, like frames of a film, are constantly changing. It follows, then, that the seer of the mind should be: one, different, and completely free from it. In the following classes, we will be understanding this seer more deeply.