15. The simultaneous collision of many sensations (like the Kákátáli sanyoga), diverts the mind from its clear sight of the object of its thought, and causes it to turn about in many ways.
16. Ráma asked:—How is it Sir, that so many words with their different significations, were invented to express the transcendent cause of our consciousness (the mind), and heap them on the same thing for our confusion only?
17. Vasishtha replied:—As man began to lose sight of his consciousness, and laboured under suppositions about his-self, it was then that he found the mind to be the waking principle within him. (i.e. It is after one has lost the knowledge of his conscious soul, that he thinks himself to be composed of the mind. Or it was after man’s degradation from his spiritual nature, that he came to consider himself as an intellectual being with no higher power than his mental faculties the manas; (whence he derives his name as man, mánava or manusha)).
18. When man after considering himself and other things comes to understand them in their true light; he is then said to have his understanding—buddhi. (We understand with or by means of reason, as we say—a proposition is right by its reasons hetuváda; but not reason on any thing without understanding it; as we cannot judge of a thing without knowing what it is).
19. When man by false conception of himself, assumes a personality to him by his pride, he is called an egoist, with the principle of ego or egoism in him, causing his bondage on earth. Absolute egoism is the doubting of every thing beside self-existence. Persona est rationalis naturae individua substantia. Boethius.
20. It is called thought which passes from one object to another in quick succession, and like the whims of boys, shifts from one thing to another without forming a right judgement of any. (Thoughts are fickle and fleeting, and flying from one subject to another, without dwelling long upon any).
21. The mind is identified with acts, done by the exercise of a power immanent in itself as the agent; and the result of the actions, whether physical or moral, good or bad, recurs to the mind in their effects. (The mind is the agent and recipient of the effects of all its various internal and external actions, such as right or wrong, virtuous or vicious, praiseworthy or blamable, perfect or imperfect and the like).
22. The mind is termed fancy for its holding fast on fleeting phantasies by letting loose its solid and certain truths. It is also the imagination, for giving various images or to the objects of its desire—ihita Kalpaná. It is called Kákatálíya Sanyoga or accidental assemblage of fancied objects. It is defined as the agglutinative and associative power to collect materials for imagination which builds up on them. (Imaginari est quan rei corporae figuram contemplari. Descartes).
23. The Memory or retention is that power of the mind, which retains an image whether known or unknown before, as if it were a certainty known already; and when it is attended with the effort of recalling it to the mind, it is termed as remembrance or recollection. (Memory is the storehouse of ideas preconceived or thought to be known before in the mind. Retention is the keeping of the ideas got from sensation and reflection. Remembrance is the spontaneous act of the mind; and recollection and reminiscence, are intentional acts of the will. All these powers and acts of the mind, are singly and collectively called the mind itself; as when I say, I have got it in mind, I may mean, I have it in memory, remembrance &c. &c.)
24. The appetence which resides in the region of the mind, for possession of the objects of past enjoyment; as also the efforts of the mind for attainment of other things, are called its desires. (Appetites or desires are—common to all, and are sensitive and rational, irascible &c. Vide Reed and Stewart. The mind is the same as desire; as when I say, I have a mind to do a thing, I mean, I have a desire to do it).