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How the Living Entity Descends To This World

We will now discuss how the jiva (Sanskrit – living entity) descends to this material world and how it can become entangled there. We consider the gunas in terms of psychology because it can help us to develop proper personalities. At the present moment, the main problem of our civilisation is that the two gunas, rajas and tamas (passion and ignorance), have thoroughly penetrated the consciousness of many people. As a result, there is often no point trying to help someone if they have not been purified.

This table clearly shows how the jiva (living entity) descends to this world.

We are part and parcel of God, a spiritual substance which is united with Him.

Initially living existence was situated in the spiritual world (in Christianity it is referred to as the Kingdom of God) – a place that is unrelated to materialism and where everyone is aware of their Union with God and full of eternity, knowledge and bliss. But living existence somehow (we will not now proceed to discuss this theosophical moment) falls into some kind of stew of material energy. This is the mahat-tattva – the great material energy which consists of the three gunas of material nature.

When the soul descends from the spiritual world, this first embodiment carries the energy of the transcendental world.

But regardless of which part of the material world we are born into, we have a body and begin to associate with others. Then the next step is to identify ourselves with the surroundings – “Now I am in this world. I am such and such, I am a yogi, I am a sage, I am small, I am great, I relate to this family or tribe; others have such qualities…” This is the beginning of self-identification with matter. Firstly the gunas penetrate the intellect and then these conditioning develops.

Degradation of the Intellect

At the first stage, the intellect understands that the soul is eternal, that one needs to live in a loving relationship with God. But the intellect becomes slightly contaminated and then ahankara appears (Sanskrit – “false ego”). With the appearance of false ego, we begin to identify ourselves with something that is not our true self: with the body, subtle body, intellect and mind.

First of all we begin to identify ourselves with the senses and mind. Despite the mind initially being in goodness, it becomes contaminated through passion and begins to plan for sensual gratification. It overflows with passion and loses control over the senses, instead coming under their influence. Then the mind becomes engaged in material activity, despite seeing that this does not give satisfaction. Despite the mind being initially sattvic and mellow – for example, if we perform meditation and remain free of any attachments, then our mind is peaceful and happy – when the energy of the false ego is in effect, the mind becomes impassioned.

In this world there is always someone who is higher or lower than us. For example, our neighbour’s house may be better than ours, so we also begin to want one that is at least as good. When our mind becomes absorbed in mediating on satisfying our senses, it becomes incredibly powerful, even more powerful than our intelligence. As a result, it can engage the weakened intelligence in fulfilling our desires for gratification of the senses. Then the intellect also begins looking for different ways to satisfy the senses. If our intellect is developed, then it can plan many and varied forms to this end. In modern society, many possibilities have been developed for sense enjoyment.

The gunas (mainly, passion and ignorance) influence the mind and intellect through the sense objects – and the mind becomes infuriated because it cannot be completely satisfied with sense enjoyments. As a result the mind becomes more and more agitated. Have you ever seen a person walking the streets of New York or Moscow that is satisfied and peaceful? In large cities, the energy of passion is so strong that just by being there we will eventually start acting more passionately, we will begin to bustle around after only a short while of simply strolling calmly and peacefully. Cities are mostly absent of sattva, with only ignorance and passion. Goodness is found in more natural surroundings.

An Agitated Mind Loses Control of the Senses

By coming into contact with advertisements or something that attracts the senses, or by simply living in a modern metropolis, the mind becomes infuriated and wants countless things. Even if we live peacefully in the countryside, as soon as we come to the city, a desire to buy some object arises, then another, and another.