Are concepts the basic building blocks of the mind?

Question

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http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UrQexmXrt1U&feature=related
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Answer 1

Elvis aside: no.
"Although, chronologically, man's consciousness develops in three stages: the stage of sensations, the perceptual, the conceptual--epistemologically the base of all man's knowledge is the *perceptual stage*.
"Discriminated awareness begins on the level of percepts.
"It is in the form of percepts that man grasps the evidence of his senses and apprehends reality.
"The building-block of man's knowledge is the concept of an *existent*, of something that exists, be it a thing, an attribute or an action."

Answer 2

Oh! it is almost like that question & answer...
"Is life worth living?" ... "Depends on the LIVER" !

The concepts are very good building blocks , but if the logical mind tries to dominate the intuitional aspect, the very same concepts could "block" the mind from that emotional experience, and thus may prevent a person from experiencing the life intensely!

Answer 3

What does an Elvis song have to do with this question?

What is the matter with you?

Answer 4

Ahamkaara (Self-sense): The need that "I have to survive" originates
here. The sense of smell is connected with this center. It has the
lowest vibration of energy among the components of mind. Some of the
traits of this center are similar to the influences of planet Saturn
according to astrology. This center works dominantly on Saturday.

Chitta (Emotion): It deals with the particular. Subconscious instincts
like "I am hungry", "I am thirsty", and "I have to sleep" originate
here. This center is connected with emotional thoughts like fantasies,
artistic inspiration, and biological needs. The sense of taste is
connected with this center. It has higher vibration of energy than
Ahamkaara. Some of the traits of this center are similar to the
influences of planet Venus according to astrology. This center works
dominantly on Friday.

Manas (Reason): It deals with the general. Manas is connected with
rational thinking, and mental interaction with others. Conscious
thoughts of will-power like "I have to do this", "I do not want to do
this", "I can not tolerate this" originate here. We know that a person
always shows his chest, and never shows his head, when he utters such
expressions. This center is connected with traditions and social needs.
Manas lists out the applicable pros and cons of the subject under
consideration, and suggests the practical possibilities. The sense of
touch is connected with this center. It has higher vibration of energy
than Chitta center. Some of the traits of this center are similar to the
influences of planet Mercury according to astrology. This center works
dominantly on Wednesday.

Buddhi (Intellect): It deals with deliberation of the pros and cons
using discrimination to determine on a subject [5,6]. This center gives
out the judgment after considering what is emotional and what is
rational. Buddhi deals with a person's normal abilities . Thoughts like
"I do not have enough resources (or energy) to handle this situation", "
This is some thing not known to me before, but I can manage it", and "I
can do it, but I have to think again whether I should do it" originate
here. This center has the ability to balance and control other parts of
mind. The sense of seeing is connected with this center. It has higher
vibration of energy than Manas center. The traits of this center are
similar to the influences of planet Jupiter according to astrology. This
center works dominantly on Thursday.

Jnaata (Knowing): It deals with a person's extra-ordinary abilities.
Instability and restlessness are it's characteristics. Commands for
doing physical actions are given by this center. The sense of hearing is
connected with this center. It has higher vibration of energy than
Buddhi center. The traits of this center are similar to the influences
of planet Mars according to astrology. This center works dominantly on
Tuesday. It is known to many that more quarrels are likely to take place
on Tuesday than any other day of the week.

Jnana (Knowledge): Modern medicine knows that direct stimulation of the
surface of the brain (the cortex), while the patient is conscious on the
operating table during surgery, has the effect of bringing long
forgotten experiences back to awareness. Removal of specific parts of
the brain abolishes the retention of specific experiences in memory. The
pineal gland in the brain is the seat of Jnaana center which controls
memory, knowledge, and serenity. It is the seat of personality with
which a person is born. Stability and peace are it's characteristics.
The sixth sense is connected with this center. It has higher vibration
of energy than Jnaata center. The traits of this center are similar to
the influences of planet Moon according to astrology. Jnaana center
works dominantly on Monday. This center is connected with beginnings.
Most cultures consider that the beginning day for a week long work is
Monday. It is a fact that most cultures named days of the week after the
same planets. When the memory and knowledge stored at this center is
accessed during information processing, the common man assumes that the
thinking process is taking place in the brain.

The centers of these parts of the mind are located on the spine. The
Ahamkaara center is located at the base of the spine. The Chitta center
is located behind the private organ. The Manas center is located behind
the thymus gland. The Buddhi center is located behind the navel. One
writer located Buddhic plane [2] in the fourth chakra. The Jnaata center
is located behind the throat. In the study of army veterans with
spinal-cord injuries, researchers found that they can become emotional
but they do not feel it - they do not have the bodily heat that they
used to have before the injuries. Ahamkaara, Chitta, Manas, Buddhi and
Jnaata centers are the seats of elements Earth, Water, Air, Fire, and
Aakasa respectively. Some modern authors connect element Earth with
stability and practicality, element Water with sensitiveness, emotions
and melancholy, element Air with communicative and sanguine thinking,
and element Fire with activity and power. The Buddhist text Skanda says
that the five elements of creation sum up the whole of an individual's
mental and physical existence in five levels. Hindu philosophical texts
described Sukshma Sareera (subtle body), Stoola Sareera (gross body) and
Kaarana Sareera (causal body). They refer to the components of mind in
the body - Chitta, Manas and Jnaana respectively. The Sukshma Sareera
(subtle body) is called Linga Sareera (private organ) in some texts to
indicate it's location. The theosophy describes seven planes [2] of
consciousness or components of mind.

Ahamkaara (Self-sense) center:

In Sanskrit, Aham means 'I'. Ahamkaara is the technical terminology
word, used in ancient Hindu scriptures on mind, to give the meaning
'component of mind connected with I'. The words self-centeredness,
self-concept, self-deception, self-defense, self-doubt, self-image,
self-importance, self-interest, self-justification, self- limitation,
self-love, self-opinion, self-pity, self-possession, self-preservation,
self-protection, self-regard, self-sacrifice, and other similar words
which describe the basic concepts connected with the self nearly explain
the workings of this center. Ahamkaara is also connected with
conservation, inferiority complex, knowledge of an illiterate, and
latent mental potential to recognize the unseen.

In Kundalini Yoga texts, the base of the spine is called 'Moola Chakra'
(root center, primitive part of mind, or that part of mind with which a
person is born) or Aadhara Chakra (foundation center or the basic part
of mind which is used as basis for all further learning). Yoga exercises
aim at awakening of dormant abilities from the unconscious component of
mind at this center. Ahamkaara is described as the most complicated of
all components of mind because it contains seed forms of all the other
components of mind and assuredly something beyond. Yoga texts say that
this is the seat of undifferentiated Karma accrued through all past
lives. A differentiated part of this Karma becomes Punya (virtue) and
Papa (vice) which affects the present life.

This center is the seat of the element Earth. It controls the processing
of solids in the body, and interaction of the body with the solids out
side the body. The " beastly" requirements to sort out the elementary
properties of an object like " danger - no danger", "edible - inedible",
"warm - cold", "large - small", "far - near" and the like are processed
at this center. For example, one-day-old chicks can unfailingly
distinguish a flying duck from a hawk, although they have never seen
either. Chicks rush to take refuge even if a stuffed hawk is made to
slide on a string over them. This center is connected with
self-protection, self-defense or Fight-or-Flight mechanism needed for
survival of the body. It has the inherent capacity to restrain
annihilation of the body and preserve the self identity. It works like a
very large fly-wheel rotating at a slow speed. If you throw a small
stone on it, it will absorb the small momentum of change imposed by the
stone, and continues it' s rotation as if it is almost unaffected. The
unexpected strength in combat or unusual speed in fleeing from an enemy
are provided by this center. Modern medicine has not found the seat in
the brain which controls the Fight-or- Flight mechanism. Let us consider
a case that a man is walking through a forest at dawn. Some thing has
fallen down from a nearby tree. Survival of the body is more important
to this center than display of valour. This center decides whether it is
possible to fight (or kill that thing) or should the person take to his
feet to save himself. The decision to be taken should be a split-second
type because survival of the person is more important to this center. If
the fallen object does not appear to be a threat to the self, then the
received signal is passed on to the next higher center, the Chitta
center.

Ahankara can be called basic component of mind or
foundation component of mind. Visit my blog to know
more.