The intuitive mind is a sacred gift and the rational mind is
a faithful servant. We have created a society that honors the
servant and has forgotten the gift.
a faithful servant. We have created a society that honors the
servant and has forgotten the gift.
Albert Einstein
We are now used to hearing about ‘right brain’ and ‘left brain’ processes.
However, before the localisation or lateralisation of certain brain processes
were discovered, there were many references, in philosophy, religion and
psychology, to the intuitive mind versus the rational, analytical or discrimi-
nating mind.
The Lankavatara Sutra, an age-old Mahayanist scripture, speaks of a
‘discriminating mind’ and an ‘intuitive mind,’ which have unmistakable
similarities to the attributes given to the left and right brains, respectively.
According to this Sutra, it is because of the discriminating mind (which
is also called the thinking or intellectual mind) that an objective world
evolves. The discriminating mind is portrayed as a dancer and a magician
with the objective world as his stage. The intuitive mind, however, is the
wise jester who travels with the magician and reflects upon his emptiness
and transience — an observer.
However, before the localisation or lateralisation of certain brain processes
were discovered, there were many references, in philosophy, religion and
psychology, to the intuitive mind versus the rational, analytical or discrimi-
nating mind.
The Lankavatara Sutra, an age-old Mahayanist scripture, speaks of a
‘discriminating mind’ and an ‘intuitive mind,’ which have unmistakable
similarities to the attributes given to the left and right brains, respectively.
According to this Sutra, it is because of the discriminating mind (which
is also called the thinking or intellectual mind) that an objective world
evolves. The discriminating mind is portrayed as a dancer and a magician
with the objective world as his stage. The intuitive mind, however, is the
wise jester who travels with the magician and reflects upon his emptiness
and transience — an observer.
The intuitive mind (now associated with the non-dominant right brain) par-
takes of the universality of a ‘universal mind’ and is one with this universal
(non-local) mind by reason of its participation in ‘transcendental intelli-
gence’ and at the same time is one with the mind-system (the local mind) by
its comprehension of differentiated knowledge (generated by the discrimi-
nating mind). 2
This is consistent with the statement by Def Jehning that the uncon-
scious (which comprises the intuitive and universal mind) is the larger
sphere, which includes within it the smaller sphere of the conscious (the
discriminating mind) because everything conscious has an unconscious
preliminary stage. The intuitive mind sits between the universal mind and
the individual’s discriminating mind.
According to this Sutra, the universal mind transcends all individu-
ation and limits; and is devoid of personality. It is like a great ocean, its
surface ruffled by waves and surges caused by the activities of the discrimi-
nating mind. The discriminating mind has been accused of ‘defiling’ the
face of universal mind — forcing the universal mind to play a variety of parts
as actors. Consequentially, the universal mind has become the storage and
clearing house of all the accumulated mental products and actions of the
various actors. Nirvana, according to this Sutra, is achieved by ‘getting rid
of the discriminating mind.’ However, the cessation of the discriminating
mind cannot take place until there has been a ‘turning-about’ in the deep-
est seat of consciousness. 3 Does this allude to a turning about from the left
brain to the right brain?
The Surangama Sutra, another age-old Mahayanist scripture, describes
something similar — it identifies both a ‘thinking mind’ and an ‘intuitive
mind.’ According to this Sutra, enlightened persons discard the use of their
thinking minds. Even then, they are perfectly intelligent because they ap-
prehend knowledge, ‘not by means of their thinking minds, but directly by
takes of the universality of a ‘universal mind’ and is one with this universal
(non-local) mind by reason of its participation in ‘transcendental intelli-
gence’ and at the same time is one with the mind-system (the local mind) by
its comprehension of differentiated knowledge (generated by the discrimi-
nating mind). 2
This is consistent with the statement by Def Jehning that the uncon-
scious (which comprises the intuitive and universal mind) is the larger
sphere, which includes within it the smaller sphere of the conscious (the
discriminating mind) because everything conscious has an unconscious
preliminary stage. The intuitive mind sits between the universal mind and
the individual’s discriminating mind.
According to this Sutra, the universal mind transcends all individu-
ation and limits; and is devoid of personality. It is like a great ocean, its
surface ruffled by waves and surges caused by the activities of the discrimi-
nating mind. The discriminating mind has been accused of ‘defiling’ the
face of universal mind — forcing the universal mind to play a variety of parts
as actors. Consequentially, the universal mind has become the storage and
clearing house of all the accumulated mental products and actions of the
various actors. Nirvana, according to this Sutra, is achieved by ‘getting rid
of the discriminating mind.’ However, the cessation of the discriminating
mind cannot take place until there has been a ‘turning-about’ in the deep-
est seat of consciousness. 3 Does this allude to a turning about from the left
brain to the right brain?
The Surangama Sutra, another age-old Mahayanist scripture, describes
something similar — it identifies both a ‘thinking mind’ and an ‘intuitive
mind.’ According to this Sutra, enlightened persons discard the use of their
thinking minds. Even then, they are perfectly intelligent because they ap-
prehend knowledge, ‘not by means of their thinking minds, but directly by
intuition.’ The intuitive mind, according to this Sutra, is not enlightened by
something else; it is ‘self-enlightening.’ The true essence of our conscious-
ness is our ‘enlightened intuition.’ This wonderful intuition, the Sutra says,
abides in tranquility permeating everywhere throughout the phenomenal worlds
and universes.4 In other words, the intuitive mind is non-local (as it expands
into the ‘universal mind’). It is with the ‘attainment of the essential intuitive
mind’ that the intuitive mind’s enlightening nature is known.
Hence, you need to experience the workings of the intuitive mind to
know of its mysterious intelligence because unlike analytical thinking the
thought processes cannot be traced — it (i.e. the right brain) is perceived
as unconscious or a ‘black box’ by the thinking mind (normally associated
with the dominant left brain).
something else; it is ‘self-enlightening.’ The true essence of our conscious-
ness is our ‘enlightened intuition.’ This wonderful intuition, the Sutra says,
abides in tranquility permeating everywhere throughout the phenomenal worlds
and universes.4 In other words, the intuitive mind is non-local (as it expands
into the ‘universal mind’). It is with the ‘attainment of the essential intuitive
mind’ that the intuitive mind’s enlightening nature is known.
Hence, you need to experience the workings of the intuitive mind to
know of its mysterious intelligence because unlike analytical thinking the
thought processes cannot be traced — it (i.e. the right brain) is perceived
as unconscious or a ‘black box’ by the thinking mind (normally associated
with the dominant left brain).
