Why is ours mind always involved with the external world?
The Katho Upanishad talks about this. Our senses and mind are made to see the external world.Therefore, the senses, naturally, are trained to see outside, not inside. For example, your eye cannot see itself unless it is in front of a mirror. Coming to the mirror – the mirror reflects all objects and persons in front of it but the mirror cannot see itself or its rear. But our mind has the capacity to do this, to look inward. Generally, when the mind follows the senses, it is extrovert but when we take the mind away from the senses, the senses don’t see the outside world because the mind has withdrawn itself from the senses. The mind may wander to past memories and objects, but when we give guidance that behind the mind there is consciousness, an existence, then the mind attempts to know that and it withdraws from external objects and turns within.
Where is the seat of awareness located in the following: Mann, Buddhi, Ahankar and Chitta?
All four reflect consciousness that does not have a seat. All four have the capacity of reflecting consciousness that is all-pervading. You cannot see an object unless you are conscious of it. Atman is not in something; it is all pervading. In the Atma Bodha, Shankara says like light is all-pervading, so too is consciousness. Light falls everywhere but is reflected only in a clear medium. Consciousness, in this body, which is inert, is not seen as functioning; it functions in our mind. In the science of elements, it is explained that from the tamasic aspect of the five elements is born the objects, including the physical body. From the Rajasic, is born your vitality and energy and from the Sattvic aspect of the elements, is born your Antahkarana – Mann, Buddhi, Ahankar and Chitta. As consciousness expresses itself in the mind, so we say mind is the seat (that includes all four), because there it gets reflected. It gets reflected as expression of life in the Pranas and as Existence in your body.
Does Ahankar or ego have a positive role at all?
What we use in normal parlance, the word ‘ego,’ is different from the spiritual context. Ahankar is basically your sense of individual identity – neither good nor bad – of course born out of ignorance, for there is only one cause. So this individual identity is Jiva or Ahankar and in English it is ego, what we normally speak of as ego is the sense of arrogance, and selfishness – so we think ego is negative. Philosophically, it means sense of individuality. The ego that I belong to such a great country – is a positive ego. If a man makes a pass at you, and you protest, saying you are a married woman, that is positive pride. But when you say ‘my country is greater than any other country’, it is a pride which puts others down. But pride in the heritage of my country is positive ego that makes me respect the pride of others in their country. Your pride in hailing from a noble family makes me live a life of nobility.