Vedic Psychology

Discussions on Vedic Psychology 

PSY- 321 VEDIC PSYCHOLOGY OF THE INNER WORLD 
Vedanta:
Upanishads: Introduction to the ten principal Upanishads, structure and content of each Upanishad
Brahmasutras: Structure and content
Bhagavadgita: Structure and content
Vedantic view of inner world
1 Self, purusha (of the right eye) etc. :  
     •	‘self’ in modern parlance and Vedantic self : connections /bridging
     •	Social/sociological self
     •	Psychological self: Freudian ego, Jungian self etc.
     •	Self (Aatman) in Vedanta: bridging; self as s’aareeraka;
     •	Self and subtle body; self and soul; misuse of the word Atma(n) in modern times
     •	Individual self and ultimate self: relationship in various schools of Vedanta
     •	Swami Vivekananda: subtle use of ‘self’ and Advaita for modern motivational speeches.
2 Consciousness, Chit /Chaitanya etc.: Consciousness in modern psychology and Vedanta : connections /bridging
     •	Chit in various Vedantas
     •	Sri Aurobindo’s philosophy and consciousness: Integral Psychology
3 Kos’as model : Panchakos’as of Taittiriya Upanishad
     •	Five kos’as: original understanding
     •	Modern understanding of Kos’as
     •	Critical appraisal of modern studies of the Kos’as model
4 Vedic views of states of mind /self :
     •	Sleep (Sushupti), Dream (Swapna), Waking (Jaagrat) states
     •	Dream state: Vedic analysis - Upanishads
     o	Advaita Vedanta
     o	Vaakyapadeeyam
     o	Ayurveda
     o	Yoga
     o	Yogavaas’ishTha
    •	Conscious and unconscious in the Vedic theory of mind: The story of tris’anku
5. Triguna model of Personality classification- The concept of Trigunaateeta
    •	Gita and Trigunas
     o	Triguna – feature
     o	Trigunas –food etc.
     o	Complexity of Gunas and progression from one guna to the other
     o	Triguna and Trigunaateeta

Indic Philosophy of life

• Settlement patterns
• Organic social structure
• Trivarga/Chaturvarga balance
• Karma theory
• Violence – Nonviolance
• View towards nature

Vedic Psychology of the Body-mind

PSY-221 Survey of Vedic psychological notions

1.Study of psychology – Modern and Vedic approaches:

Psychology is a discipline in modern studies, no equivalent discipline in Vedic studies;

Where are the notions covered under Psychology in modern studies covered in Vedic studies? (concept-mapping with a critical awareness of similarities and differences) ;

How are notions arrived at (what are the methodologies) in the two studies?  Methods used in Modern Psychologybut not used in the Vedic studies of Psychological issues (empirical inductive data collection, survey , Statistical methods , Experimental methods and so on)   and vice versa (Meditation, introspection, speculative methods etc.); methods common to both (Subjective methods, generalizations from personal observations of self, family etc. ).

2. Significance to svaanubhava, jnaana in Vedic Culture /worldview :

Karma-jnaana dichotomy:

Karma way  (Meemaamsaa) of looking at things: itikartavyataa, bhaavanaa etc. Psychological aspects of them;

apoorva –pratyavaaya Psychological way of looking at them; puNya and paapa Psychological way of looking at them; svarga and naraka: Psychological way of looking at them

Lokas - Psychological way of looking at them

pitr karma as s’raaddha : s’raddhaa as psychological ; pitr karma , the psychological aspects : vasurudraaaditya are kartaa-based; What does ‘benefit is to kartaa’ mean?  ; ‘maurning’ days affinity of kinship psychological

pitr karma (ancestral worship ) as a foundation to all other karma and dharma; parallels in western theories.

Temple –idol worship : validation only through psychological way of viewing it;

Puranas : Psychological way of looking at them; rahasyaarthaprakaas’a; Levels of myth-meanings : aadhibhautika, aadhidaivika and aadhyaatmika; aadhyaatmika : psychological

Psychological aspects of Vedic auto-anthropology : Aadhyaatmika level of meaning of Vedas (Nirukta) and Puranas (rahasyaarthaprakaas’a) alongside aadhibhautika, aadhidaivika and adhiyajna levels; aadhyaatmika as psychological; Freudian, Jungian etc. (Psychoanalytical or depth psychological understanding) particularly archetypal already inbuilt in Vedic worldview; dreamlike world of India by Jung.

Upanishads : significance to jnaana: psychological aspects;

Jnaanamaarga, its prioritization in Advaita; Karma jnaanasamuchchaya in others;

Mystics and devotional poets address mind; Ritualism-spiritism :spiritismprioritises mind;

Levels of myth-meanings :aadhibhautika, aadhidaivika and aadhyaatmika; aadhyaatmika : psychological

3.Vedic Psychology of the inner world :

Vedanta: Prasthaanatraya-  Psychological aspects:

Inner ‘organs’ /’instruments’ :  list of words-concepts: sthoolendriyas - sookshmendriyas, manas, buddhi,  chitta, antahkaraNa, antaraatman/manassaakshin, ahamkaara, aatman, purusha etc.

 Kinds (layers ) of body : Sthoolas’areera –sookshmas’areera – linga /kaaraNas’areera

Panchakos’as

Gita: list of words-concepts: Sanga, Dvandva, sthitaprajna etc.

Yoga Sutras :list of words-concepts: chitta, chittaprasaadana,

4. Vedic Psychology of the Body-mind 

Saankhya: Basics and a list of words-concepts

Ayurveda : Basics and psychological problems and medical solutions; psychological symptoms of physical problems; psychological solutions to physical solutions

5. Vedic Psychology of Language, Art and Beauty

Vakyapadiyam: Basics and a list of psychological notions related to cognition etc.

Alankaarashaastra: Aesthetic experience: notions such as bhaava, rasa, etc.

6.Epics and Psychology

Different ways in which Epics worked and can work as sources of Psychological knowledge

Indian epics and their reflection of a deep psychological understanding

1.Study of psychology – Modern and Vedic approaches:

Psychology is a discipline in modern studies, no equivalent discipline in Vedic studies;

Where are the notions covered under Psychology in modern studies covered in Vedic studies? (concept-mapping with a critical awareness of similarities and differences) ;

How are notions arrived at (what are the methodologies) in the two studies?  Methods used in Modern Psychologybut not used in the Vedic studies of Psychological issues (empirical inductive data collection, survey , Statistical methods , Experimental methods and so on)   and vice versa (Meditation, introspection, speculative methods etc.); methods common to both (Subjective methods, generalizations from personal observations of self, family etc. ).

2. Significance to svaanubhava, jnaana in Vedic Culture /worldview :

Karma-jnaana dichotomy:

Karma way  (Meemaamsaa) of looking at things: itikartavyataa, bhaavanaa etc. Psychological aspects of them;

apoorva –pratyavaaya Psychological way of looking at them; puNya and paapa Psychological way of looking at them; svarga and naraka: Psychological way of looking at them

Lokas - Psychological way of looking at them

pitr karma as s’raaddha : s’raddhaa as psychological ; pitr karma , the psychological aspects : vasurudraaaditya are kartaa-based; What does ‘benefit is to kartaa’ mean?  ; ‘maurning’ days affinity of kinship psychological

pitr karma (ancestral worship ) as a foundation to all other karma and dharma; parallels in western theories.

Temple –idol worship : validation only through psychological way of viewing it;

Puranas : Psychological way of looking at them; rahasyaarthaprakaas’a; Levels of myth-meanings : aadhibhautika, aadhidaivika and aadhyaatmika; aadhyaatmika : psychological

Psychological aspects of Vedic auto-anthropology : Aadhyaatmika level of meaning of Vedas (Nirukta) and Puranas (rahasyaarthaprakaas’a) alongside aadhibhautika, aadhidaivika and adhiyajna levels; aadhyaatmika as psychological; Freudian, Jungian etc. (Psychoanalytical or depth psychological understanding) particularly archetypal already inbuilt in Vedic worldview; dreamlike world of India by Jung.

Upanishads : significance to jnaana: psychological aspects;

Jnaanamaarga, its prioritization in Advaita; Karma jnaanasamuchchaya in others;

Mystics and devotional poets address mind; Ritualism-spiritism :spiritismprioritises mind;

Levels of myth-meanings :aadhibhautika, aadhidaivika and aadhyaatmika; aadhyaatmika : psychological

3.Vedic Psychology of the inner world :

Vedanta: Prasthaanatraya-  Psychological aspects:

Inner ‘organs’ /’instruments’ :  list of words-concepts: sthoolendriyas - sookshmendriyas, manas, buddhi,  chitta, antahkaraNa, antaraatman/manassaakshin, ahamkaara, aatman, purusha etc.

 Kinds (layers ) of body : Sthoolas’areera –sookshmas’areera – linga /kaaraNas’areera

Panchakos’as

Gita: list of words-concepts: Sanga, Dvandva, sthitaprajna etc.

Yoga Sutras :list of words-concepts: chitta, chittaprasaadana,

4. Vedic Psychology of the Body-mind 

Saankhya: Basics and a list of words-concepts

Ayurveda : Basics and psychological problems and medical solutions; psychological symptoms of physical problems; psychological solutions to physical solutions

5. Vedic Psychology of Language, Art and Beauty

Vakyapadiyam: Basics and a list of psychological notions related to cognition etc.

Alankaarashaastra: Aesthetic experience: notions such as bhaava, rasa, etc.

6.Epics and Psychology

Different ways in which Epics worked and can work as sources of Psychological knowledge

Indian epics and their reflection of a deep psychological understanding

Answer the Following Questions