Mind and Supermind (In 2 Volumes)

Astonishingly rich is the heritage of Indian psychology. Embodied in some of the better-known, traditional philosophical systems, it convincingly spells out the rationale behind memory, recognition, emotions, instincts, reasoning, creativity, and myriad other mind-related phenomena, which sofar remain baffling, unanswered questions in modern cognitive sciences, mechanistic psychology and their kindred disciplines. Mind and Supermind, for the first time, systematically unfolds Vedantic psychology — in its larger effort not only to evolve an integrated perspective on mind, but also to synthesize ancient wisdom with contemporary sciences. A distinguished scholar of Sanskrit, philosophy and science, Professor Panda here re-explores the nature of mind, its Indian concept and how it compares with its Western world-view: religious, philosophical, psychological, and scientific. Thus elaborating the concepts of mind as set out in the Sankhya, Yoga, Tantra, Vedanta and other orthodox systems vis-a-vis (a) philosophical perspectives: from Plato and Aristotle to Wittgenstein and Strawson, (b) psychological viewpoints of William James, Freud, Jung, Watson and others, (c) theories of modern physiologists/physicists governing brain, mind, and artificial intelligence; the author builds a solid foundation for the superstructure of parapsychological phenomena. And also speculates about the possibilities for (individual) ‘mind’ to link up with the ‘Supermind’, which, in Vedantic concept, is Brahman: fundamental Consciousness that illumines everything — living and non-living. Growing from years of Dr. Panda’s indepth, analytical studies, the book is offered to dis-cerning audiences in two parts: Indian Perspective (Volume 1) and Western Perspective (Volume 2), with relevant illustrative material.