Mainly three indicators are prevalent for the assessment of human development: (i) Life expectancy (ii) Education (iii) Purchasing Power Parity. In addition to the same the UNDP issues three supplementary resources i.e. (i) Inequality adjusted HDI (ii) Gender Inequality Index (iii) Multidimensional Poverty Index. Despite of the established model there is another side of coin that is healthy physical body, holy soul and illumined mind jointly manifest as human development. So, an important question arises, to what extent physical body, soul, mind involves and is responsible for such indicators. A wide and cryptic topic physical body and soul is explained briefly; while “Mind” is discussed in detail as the central theme of this paper. 

To Search the Possibilities of Human Development By Illuminded Mind.

Physical Body : According to Science Human body, the physical substance of the human organism, composed of the living cells and extracellular materials and organized into tissues, organs, and systems.[1]

Anthropologically speaking “the Body” has been central to studying human behavior, but the centrality is situated more on the paradigmatic wars to use it as a point of departure. Humans have an advantage they cannot only use their bodies as a vantage point (of a center) in their interaction with the environment, they can also see other bodies, as well as, see themselves in other bodies.

The main stream of Hindu doctrine and mythology define physical body in a specific, meaningful and holistic sense. In chapter 13, 14, and 15 of the ‘Bhagavada Gita’[2], chapter 1, 3, 5, 6, 7, 8 and 10 of the ‘Srimad Bhagavatama’[3] and chapter 2,5 and 6of the ‘Sri Chaitanya Charitamitra’[4], it is stated that our body comprises of 24 elements:

A. 5 basic elements (Panch Mahabhoot): 1. Earth (Prithvi)  2. Water (Jal)  3. Fire (Agni)  4. Wind (Vaayu)  5. Sky (Aakaash)

B. 5 knowledge acquiring senses (Gyanendriya):  1. Eye  2. Smell    3. Sound   4.Tongue 5. Skin

C. 5 objects known by the above gyanendriya: 1. Sight 2. Smell 3. Sound 4. Taste 5. Touch

D. 5 Working senses: 1. Hands  2. Legs 3. Mouth  4. Anus & Rectum 5.Genitals

E. 4 Subtle elements: 1. Mind 2. Intelligence 3. False Ego 4. Materially contaminated consciousness

F. Other elements which complete the nature: (a) Mixing Element – Time (b) Maha Tatva: The 3 modes of material nature, which are: (i). Satva Gun (ii). Rajas Gun (iii). Tamas Gun

Thus, the above mentioned 24 elements make the human body and the above 26 things make the nature. Aforesaid point number (E) is related with the mind. In fact, the physical body functions accordingly to the nature and direction of the mind.  It is the thrust area of this writing; presented separately on next page.

A healthy and strong physical body is also an essential tool for human development. It performs excellently in comparison with a sick and weak physical body. To make a healthy and strong physical body mainly three things are essential:

i. Balanced nutritious diet: It protects us against many chronic non communicable diseases. Carbohydrates, Protein, Fats, Vitamins, Minerals and water, 5 essential nutrients to maximize our health. Nutritious diet is an important source of the energy.

ii. Drug free life (Intoxicate free life): Definition of intoxicate is, affected by alcohol or drugs, especially to the point where physical and mental control is diminished.[5] Thus, Intoxication declines the life. Drug free or Intoxicate free life ensures a qualitative life style i.e. human development.

iii. Yoga and Exercise: Yoga works on the level of one’s body, mind, emotion and energy. This has given rise to four broad classification of yoga: Karma Yoga, where we use the body; Bhakti Yoga, where we use the emotions; Gyan Yoga, where we use the mind and intellect; and Kriya Yoga, where we use the energy. Some people are the practitioner of various kind of exercise instead of Yoga. It is true that Yoga is the best. None can replace Yoga. Yes, to some extent various kind of exercise may be acceptable and useful as an alternative of the Yoga.

SOUL : According to Hindu mythology soul exist in physical body with autonomous status. Soul is immortal; never dies. Here I refer the approach of Lord Krishna about the soul. Serial No. 20^th, 22^nd, 23rd & 24th shloke of the second chapter of Srimadbhagavad Gita is gradually as follows :

न जायते म्रियतो वा कदाचिन्नायं भूत्वा भविता वा न भूयः।

अजो नित्यः शाष्वतोऽयं पुराणो न हन्यते हन्यमाने शरीरे।।20।। [6]

(The soul is never born nor dies; nor does it become only after being born. For it is unborn, eternal, everlasting and ancient; even though the body is slain, the soul is not.)

न जायते म्रियतो वा कदाचिन्नायं भूत्वा भविता वा न भूयः।

अजो नित्यः शाष्वतोऽयं पुराणो न हन्यते हन्यमाने शरीरे।।20।। [7]

(As a man shedding worn-out garments, takes other new ones, likewise the embodied soul, casting off worn-out bodies, enters into others which are new.)

नैनं छिन्दन्ति षस्त्राणि नैनं दहति पावकः।

न चैनं केल्दयन्त्यापो न षोषयति मारुतः।। 23।।[8]

(Weapons cannot cut it nor can fire burn it; water cannot wet nor can wind dry it)

अच्छेद्योऽयमदाह्योऽयमकेल्द्योऽयषोष्य एव च।

नित्यः सर्वगतः स्थाणुरचलोऽयं सनातनः।। 24 ।। [9]

(For this soul is incapable of being cut ; it is proof against fire, impervious to water and undriable as well. This soul is eternal, omnipresent, immovable, constant and everlasting)

By saying, “the soul is never born nor dies,” and negating thereby the two modifications of birth and death, the Lord negates, in effects, all the six modifications in the soul, and then uses other expressions also to negate the other modifications. The six modifications are: (1) Birth, (2) Becoming, (3) Growth, (4) Transformation, (5) Decay and (6) Destruction. By declaring the soul as ‘unborn,’ the modification of birth has been negated of it. The sentence ‘nor does it become only on being born’ negates the second modification of ‘becoming’; the term ‘ancient’ negates the third modification of ‘growth’; the term ‘everlasting’ negates ‘transformation’; the term ‘eternal’ negates ‘decay’; and the sentence ‘even though the body is slain, the soul is not’, negates the last modification of ‘destruction’.

Arjuna’s grief proceeded out of the apprehension that he would be required to kill his elders and other relations by striking them with lethal weapons, or by hurling destructive weapons against them ; therefore, in order to remove his grief, the Lord establishes the immortality and formlessness of the soul by pointing out the inability of all the four elements of earth, water, fire and air to destroy it. He shows that even when the body is cut to pieces by weapons, the soul is not. Destructive fire-missiles may burn the body, but the soul will not be burnt, the Varunastra (weapon of water) may be applied to dissolve the body, but the soul will not be ‘dissolved thereby; the weapon of air (Vayavyastra) may dry up the body, but the soul will not be dried up. The body is perishable and possessed of a form; the soul is everlasting and formless. Therefore, the soul can never be destroyed by the element of earth in the from of any weapon or by the elements of water, fire and air.

The present verse has been added by the Lord to show by argument why the soul cannot be destroyed by weapons. It is indivisible, unmanifest, constant and immutable; therefore weapons are altogether powerless to destroy it.

When it is said that the soul is incapable of being cut and burnt by fire etc., the indestructibility of the soul is no doubt established; but these tests equally apply to ether as well ; for being the cause of all other elements and pervading them all, it cannot be cut by weapons, which are products of the earth, nor can it be burnt by fire, nor dissolved by water, nor again can it be dried by air. In order to show that the indestructibility of the soul is totally different from that of ether, the soul is called eternal, omnipresent and everlasting. The intention of this is to show that ether is not eternal, because during the final dissolution of creation it is dissolved ; whereas the soul never ceases to be, therefore it is eternal. Then ether is not all-pervasive, it pervades only its own evolutes ; but the soul is all-pervasive. Again, ether has a beginning; but the soul is without beginning. Thus by the use of these last adjectives the difference between the soul and ether has been clearly brought out.

By describing the soul as ‘still’ and ’motionless’, it has been shown that both forms of motion represented by vibration and movement from one place to another are absent in it. Motion which takes place when the thing is rooted to a fixed place is known as ‘vibration’, whereas motion in the form of change of place is formed as its movement from one place to another. The soul neither vibrates, not moves from one place to another. It is all-pervasive: there is no place which is not filled by it.

After death soul leaves the old physical body and enters a new physical body. This doctrine supports Reincarnation theory. It is based on the theory of Karma. Holy soul inspire for hard working and good Karma. It motivates for a qualitative life – style; the basis of human development.

Human Illumined Mind : In continuation of the transformation process finally illumined mind developed in few people; it is widely needed. In this regard an intensive discourse based on illumined mind is as below: Mind:  The discoveries related to the marvelous instrument at our disposal which is called the ‘Mind’, with its unlimited and unique potentialities, yet, for so many of us, unexplored. This capital experience happened to be one of the important stepping-stones on the path of yoga which cannot be dissociated from the fertile soil on which it grew, namely Hinduism, the supreme goal of which being, as in yoga, but with certain variances, the discovery of the Ultimate Reality.

We find in the Chandogya Upnishad, in a kernel, the very essence of Hinduism, epitomized in the famous ‘Tat Tvam Asi’…. Thou are that. Thou are the Reality. Thou are Brahman. It is also stated in some passages of the Hindu Scriptures – in the Upnishads as well as the Bhagavad Gita – that the fundamentals of Hinduism can be verified, attested, found out at any time by all those who are endeavoring to search for Truth which means you, me, anyone else, believe, that this, in itself, has kept alive the whole structural edifice of Hinduism and allowed Hinduism to pall, unchanged, through the many centuries which have gone by, since its blossoming.

The metaphysical architecture, at the back of the religion, is certainly one of the most elaborate and admirable creations of the human mind… Here we transcend the world of the phenomena, the snares of emotionalism and we reach a climax of high thinking, a clear cut expression of Truth, as the seer, alone, is able to see it, face to face, in his moments of illumination.

It is the testimony of so many sages, since time immemorial that has made this particular religion, a kind of a fortress of the human Spirit, in its untiring effort to rise up and reach the limitless vistas of Divine Consciousness.

It is said, in the Gita, that the one who had the vision of Truth does not any longer the support of the Divine Scared Scriptures…. The experiencing from within, the discovery of the Transcendental Reality by the human soul, seeking in the dark to emerge into the redeeming light and power of Truth, is, in itself, the most sublime adventure ever conceived by the human mind. It is a bridge which is established between the Divine, the realm of the Divine, the Transcendental Real and man as he finds himself in his terrestrial abode. If we want to look at it dispassionately, forgetting all that we have been told to believe, this bridge is undoubtedly the greatest hope for mankind. It is because there is such a bridge, there is such a possibility that man, today, can still hope to be saved.

Reflection: The present mental formation which we call our mind we identify out reality, the consciousness of our existence, with the mind. But, if we succeed in dissociating this consciousness, which is our real Being – Pertaining to the essential Reality, to the Transcendence from the mind, we may understand what is the mind ; we may ‘see’ it, be the witness of it ; be ‘out’ of it, as it is nothing but a ‘mirror’ – a ‘reflector’ - a ‘transmitter’. When the mind is allowed to be still, not to reflect anything from out sphere, anything that we imagine or that we are supposed to know, or any preconceived ideas about what we do not know – for we have opinions all set upon matters that we do not know – in fact, it represents practically the sum total of our knowledge or what we call as such – only then can we embrace the whole Reality, only then can we plunge into the ocean of life and be everything is removed from our sphere, from the sphere of the earth consciousness, the mind will be able to reflect another Reality, which is the Transcendental Reality, the Truth, in its manifold aspects and pristine purity, no longer as deflected by the prismatic vision of the earth consciousness, but directly reflected and transmitted by the causal plane - the source, the origin. Only then are we allowed to see the original movement generating the movement visible to us and manifesting through creation, which is first the object of an act of creation. We are aware of it. We are the ‘consciousness’ that ‘precedes’, that exists before that which is created. Thus are we also communicate with it – not only as a witness – but as a participant in the consciousness who creates and we experience the joy pervading the entire creation.

A more precise idea about super-consciousness, may be called Cosmic Consciousness. is referred to, in the Hindu Scriptures, as the SAT CHIT–ANANDA. “Sat” meaning the fundamental reality, the Essence of all things and “Chit” meaning awareness, a particular quality of the mind., and “Ananda” being the infinite joy which comes out of this revelation and which is intimately joined with and the fundamental, eternal aspect of the Essential Reality.

Let us analyze the different forms which consciousness has assumed all along the evolution of the species, of which the last and most perfect manifestation is the actual man, as we know him at present. We might differentiable three stages of consciousness of which the experience of the Cosmic Consciousness is like the capital, the final outcome, the consecration of all true initiation.

Nature of the Mind: Some of us, if not all, are aware of metaphysics. In the path of Truth, we are all students. Metaphysics is a science by which we come to know the intimate structure of the universe. Assuming that man is a microcosm, any research in the domain of metaphysics must necessarily start with a deep analysis, with a view to discovering ultimately the fundamental nature of man, which is the object of psychology.

Therefore, penetrate more intimately into the wider spheres of consciousness, which are also the fields of experience of the ‘psyche’, notwithstanding the fact that some of these experiences are only the privilege of the few.

We should try to know first the nature of the instrument with which we intend to utilize for our research, this instrument being the MIND. We would like to know if this instrument is the proper one, if it is a faithful one, and how we should utilize it in order to discover the totality of Truth and not only bits and fragments. One thing is certain, in the present phase of evolution of humanity we have identified ourselves with the mind. Are we aware of having an existence of our own, independent from the mind – or what is considered by us as our mind – and if so, what are we in this state? For, how are we going to know if the mind is the proper instrument to conduct our research and reveal to us something of the Ultimate Reality, if we are not able to proceed to the critical analysis of the instrument at our disposal. This means that we should be able to dissociate ourselves from the mind or more precisely, from the mental formation in which we are actually merged and if we succeed in this attempt, which is the kind of Reality that is beyond the mind – or what we name so – that is, its present formation?

How are we going to effect this operation and to disentangle ourselves – or what we call ourselves – from this specifically definite element which constitutes at present the web of our mental life ? thus, as a first step, we should analyze the contents of our mind – what is actually contained in our mind. It may be explain on the basis if intrinsic value, prismatic vision and threshold of reality.

Activities of the Mind: There are two activities of the mind : the false activity of the mind and the true one … The Truth is a constant revelation – in each moment of the duration. The truth is not a revelation given once and for all time. To live in the Truth is to discover the immanent Reality at each moment of the duration ; this discovery is a constant discovery which cannot cease, as the creation is constant and a living Reality incessantly revealed to us in the present. How can we have any preconceived ideas about it, as this Reality is beyond our mental understanding ? Either we live and experience it, or we know nothing about is. Hence, in this case, the revelation of religions cannot help the aspirant, for any preconceived idea about the Real is a hindrance which prevents him from discovering the Real. We first must free the mind in order to transcend it and thus be liberated from it. Then can we ‘see’ what is reflected in the mind after dissociating ourselves from it.

The revelation must be found individually – it is a subject of individual discovery ; it is not a thing that can be given, learned or taught by any one. If we ever need some help, this may be to assist us in finding the correct attitude to be adopted by the mind – the necessary emptiness of the mind, which creates a vacuum for the greater revelation of the Truth to come. The mind is a ‘recorder’ ; it has no other reality and it must be freed to enable us to ‘see’ what will be recorded after having been emptied of its former contents. Who is the ‘seer’ ? The ‘eye’, the consciousness’ sound the one identified with the mind.

Steps Towards Revelation: The first step in the process is then a negative aspect aiming at freeing the mind. The second step of the operation is of a positive order.

What then do we see through the mind? What does the mind reverberate with afterwards? The Secret of Creation – the life of the universe in its innermost Reality. We become aware of the act of Creation, we are also the witness of the cause of Creation. We are participating in the act of creation from the plane of cause. To be constantly in tune with the Reality, with the life of the Universe – with the constant movement of Creation – we should preserve this state of expectation and spirit of discovery in order to be able to see, experience, enjoy and participate in it, receive the correct impulses from it, to be moved by it and ultimately to be radically transformed by it.

This is an inner vision ; we are able to things from the inside, not only from the outside . it is a penetration of all things, the same consciousness being in all. Through the ‘suspense’ of the mind, we are able to penetrate everything intimately.

We are able to enjoy the Real Eternal Life – with our eyes wide opened. This can be achieved in full consciousness. It is possible for us to be one with the True consciousness and participate in the play of Creation. It is an awareness of the Truth- of the Reality – of which we become the conscious witness, the conscious creator, because we are ‘one’ with the Consciousness who creates.

It is the Absoluteness of the individual in time, the right motion in Universal Movement. It is only when this is effected that we may really discover something of the great immanent reality. If we understand this necessity, we shall put ourselves in a state of complete tranquility absolute stillness, absolute not-knowing.

Practice ‘Suspense’: The problem is essentially of first accepting to renounce definitely and without any possibility of return to what we think that we know; and instead of asserting ourselves in the field of knowledge, we should come, on the contrary, voluntarily to a dead point and put ourselves in a state of expectation and of a total opening of the mind : that is, to break the bonds of our former phantasmagoric, mental crystallization with which we are identified. One has to practice ‘suspense’ – a suspense of the mind, no longer allowed to flutter about, to wander, and to assert itself as it used to do, when following the process of a particular mental crystallization or pattern.

Supposing we succeed in establishing our consciousness in this virginal and predilected condition, what are we going to observe or experience in this state ? That is the question. Here, generally, people stop all explanations. It is a ‘standstill’ which allows the generation of a new movement, of a new adventure, our adventure in the discovery of what may be termed the Transcendental Real. In this domain, there is the immanent Real and there is the ‘dynamic’ aspect of the Real, which is generating the movement of creation. Due to the standstill of the mind, we are allowed to see the reflected image of the Transcendental Real and to be the witness of the act of Creation. We participate with our ‘eyes’ wide open to the plane of cause, and we are no longer only the mere witness of the plane of effects, which is commonly called ‘actuality’. This implies that we are allowed to penetrate the Thought of the Logos, at least in relation to the earth evolution. Unless, we experience on this particular plane, it would be difficult for the intellect to visualize at present what it means. It is the discovery of a super-consciousness of which we may become as equally conscious as of our present state of consciousness.[10]

Illumined Mind and Human development: Life expectancy, education, purchasing power, inequality, multidimensional poverty etc are issues related to human development that have a correlation with awareness. Lack of awareness is root cause of poverty with special reference to poverty-culture. Life expectancy depends on the rate of awareness. Thus, from human development point of view a qualitative and quantitative change may occur by creating more and more awareness. Now, the obvious question arises that from where does the awareness arises from? Obviously awareness is a issue directly and indirectly related with mind.

Acceptance or rejection is also an important factor for the level of human development. It is generally found that the level of life expectancy, education, purchasing power, etc is according to once acceptance or rejection. It appears as if the action is done by physical body, but, in fact it emerged from human mind.

Therefore, most of the action and behavior of human physical body happens according to the direction of the mind. Specially, the level of human development indicators like life expectancy, education, purchasing power, etc is determined by the level of mind. In the light of such fact the illumined mind may play a key role to boost human development. Yes, there is a need of massive effort to create the illumined mind at mass level.

Here I wish to refer our neighboring country “Bhutan” as a case study. His majesty’s government the 4^th king of Bhutan was born in 1955. He retired voluntarily, he was not aged, and he abdicated in 2008 in favor of his son who is the 5^th king. He had have the idea of “Gross Happiness”. To understand what the content of this gross happiness is in material terms, one cannot only include material requirement like residence, access to certain modern facilities, education, healthcare; but also essential ingredients which is closely linked with old values of Bhutanese civilization i.e. contentment-to-contain one; otherwise there will be no end. This example is directly related with mind. It proves the key role of the mind regarding human development.

Who is responsible for the conditioning of our mind? Who is responsible for the initial impressions? The answer lies in various agencies responsible for the transformation of a biological into a social mind. The main agencies are family, culture, religion, education, age, gender, sex, socio-economic and political condition, state, tradition, custom, sacrament, belief, rituals, peer, neighborhood, etc that plays the major role. The History of human civilization and culture has been the witness that, human mind, in the beginning was just like a biological mind. During the course of time this biological mind developed into a social mind. After centuries the social mind developed into a Rational and logical mind. And then as a next step of transformation of mind, few people developed their mind into an “Illumined Mind”. It is needed at mass level. In the light of the above transformation process the human development can be understood from a sketch (line diagram) as follows:

Aforesaid gradual transformation of the mind (brain) is a proof that to develop a Illumined mind at mass level is not impossible. It is possible. Yes, there is need of systematic and massive effort to get this object. All aforesaid agencies are of transformation must be strengthened and value oriented for playing such role. Therefore, we hope and trust that through the process of making illumined mind we can boost the human development from qualitative and quantitative point of view.

1. Bhaktivedenta Swami Prabhupada: 1974 ; Compiled the writings and messages of “Sri Chaitanya Charitramitra.”

2. Bogardus, Emory S. : 1964 (4^th Edition), The Development of  Social Thought, Allied Pacific Private Ltd, Bombay.

3. Chandogya Upinishad, Gita Press, Gorakhpur.

4. Jayayadayal Goyandaka, Srimadbhagavadgita, Tattvavivecani (English Commentary) Gita Press, Gorakhpur.

5. Mead, George Herbert, 1934: Mind, Self and Society, University of Chicago Press, Chicago.

6. Mead, George Herbert, 1938: The philosophy of the art, University of Chicago Press, Chicago.

7. Nietzsche Friedrich: 1883, Thus Spoke Zarathustra, Ernst Schmeitzner, Germany.

8. Premananda Deva, Mr. J.J. Kannedi and Lakshmi Devi : 2004 (Second Edition), Ananda Devi, Nataraj Books, Springfield, V.A.

9. Radhakrishnan S.; 1920, The Reign of Religion in Contemporary Philosophy, Macmillion & company, London.

10. Sri Aurobindo : 1919, “The life divine”, Sri Aurbindo Ashram , Puducherry.

11. Sri Aurobindo : 1998, “The Human cycle”, Sri Auribindo Ashram , Puducherry.

12. The Bhagavata Purana also known as Srimad Bhagavata Mahapuran, Gita Press, Gorakhpur.