Basic Human Activities

Understanding the human activities in the self and the activities in the body.

Basic Human Activities

Human activities can be put under three categories:

1. Activities that are going on in the Self (Sentient Activities)
2. Activities that are going on in the Body (Material Activities)
3. Activities involving both the Self and the Body

Bodily Functions / Activities in the Body – Human Activity

The body is a set of “Self-organized activities ” that occur with my consent but without my participation.

Example: the functions like breathing, digestion, and organ functions.

However, some of these activities can be stopped by me (1) if I want.

Example: breathing

The activities in the body can also be understood as the mutual interaction between two material entities for ” recognition ” and ” fulfillment ” of their relationship.

Example: the “Body ” recognizes its relation with ” Water ” and fulfills it (by absorbing the water we drink, to the extent needed, and using it for the nourishment of various organs)

Recognizing (Pahachanana) —-(leads to)——–> Fulfilling (Nirvaha karanan)

Activities in the Self / Jivana – Human Activity

Since ” Jivana ” is a conscious entity, in addition to ” recognizing ” and ” fulfilling “, it also carries out activities of ” assuming ” and ” knowing “. In ” I “, the activities take place in the following order.

Knowing(janana) —> Assuming(manana) —> Recognizing(pahachanana) —> Fulfilling(nirvaha karanan)

” Knowing ” means we have the ” Right Understanding “. As a result of ” knowing “, we understand reality. When we lack the right Understanding, the faculty of ” knowing ” is dormant, and we only operate on the basis of assumptions. Wrong assumptions lead to wrong Recognition and wrong Fulfillment

Power and Activity of Self

The self is conscious in nature, while the body is physical-chemical in nature. The interaction between the ‘ I ‘ and the body is in the form of an exchange of information. So the focus of attention is on two categories of attributes of the self, namely, the powers of the self and the corresponding activities as the manifest outcomes of these powers.

Power: This means the basic capacity in the self (‘I’). They are desires, thoughts, and expectations.

Activities: Activity is the process of utilizing this power. The activities are imaging, analyzing, and selecting/tasting. The activity of analyzing means breaking down the image into various parts or opening it up.

Selecting / tasting is with the expectation of fulfilling our desires with the expectation of happiness. The activity of selecting/tasting is the basic level via which the self interacts with the body.

We can understand the activities by a simple example. We may have the desire to have respect by being the owner of a big house. This is in the form of imaging – we have an image in us of the fulfillment of this need for respect via a house. Based on this image, we start working out the details of the house.

The house will have rooms and a verandha, there will be a kitchen garden on the backside, it will have four rooms, etc.

Here, the image of wanting respect from the house is split into many parts – this is called analyzing. Now that we have worked out the details of the house, we go about choosing the size, color, etc. of the rooms and other details. This is called selecting/tasting.

They are related in the sense that without the activity of imaging, analyzing will not be possible, and without analyzing, the activity of selection/tasting will not take place.

Various Activities in the Self ‘ I ‘

The self is conscious in nature, while the body is physical-chemical in nature. The interaction between the ‘ T ‘ and the body is in the form of an exchange of information. So the focus of attention is on two categories of attributes of the self, namely, the powers of the self and the corresponding activities as the manifest outcomes of these powers.

1. Power: This means the basic capacity in the self (I ‘). They are desires, thoughts, and expectations.
2. Activities: The activities are imaging, analyzing, and selecting / tasting. The activity of analyzing means breaking down the image into various parts or opening it up. Selecting / tasting is with the expectation of fulfilling our desires with the expectation of happiness. The activity of selecting/tasting is the basic level via which the self interacts with the body. A simple example to understand these activities is the following:

We may have the desire to be respected by being the owner of a big house. This is in the form of imaging – we have an image in us of the fulfillment of this need for respect via a house.

• Based on this desire, we started working out the details of the house. Ex: no. of rooms, stories, on which floor it will stay. The image of wanting respect from the house is split into many parts – this is called analyzing. The activity of analyzing means breaking down the image into various parts.
• Now that we have worked out the details of the house, we go about choosing the size, color, etc. of the room. This is called selecting/tasting.

Related tutorial – Correct Appraisal of Physical Needs

Activities in Self (I) are interrelated

The self is conscious in nature, while the body is physical-chemical in nature. The interaction between the ‘ I ‘ and the body is in the form of an exchange of information. So the focus of attention is on two categories of attributes of the self, namely, the powers of the self and the corresponding activities as the manifest outcomes of these powers.

1. Power: This means the basic capacity in the self (I ‘). They are desires, thoughts, and expectations.
2. Activities: The activities are imaging, analyzing, and selecting / tasting. The activity of analyzing means breaking down the image into various parts or opening it up. Selecting / tasting is with the expectation of fulfilling our desires with the expectation of happiness. The activity of selecting! Tasting is the basic level via which the self interacts with the body.

Activities in self are related: There are two possible flows of the activities, and both keep taking place:

1. Power
2. Activity

From the outside (the body) to the inside (in ‘ I ‘)

1. The self receives sensations from the body, tasted in the leg. our self see a car through the information
2. Based on taste, thought could be triggered. For example, we start thinking about the car.
3. Based on these thoughts, desires may be set. For example, when we start thinking about the car, it becomes a desire. Selection of thoughts and desires form an image that we are leading a good life by using a car, and this way, a good life by having a car.

1. When a desire is set, we start forming thoughts about fulfilling this desire. For example, with the desire for a good life via the car, we start thinking about how to get the car, what the cost of the car is, how I can have that car, etc.
2. Based on this, we make selections to fulfill these thoughts. For example, we choose the car, its shape, color, etc, and then end up buying it. Leads to desires, thoughts, and selection.

Together, we call these selected activities imagination. Activities in self are continuous and lead to a selection of thoughts to desires, thought selection.