Mānasa-pratyaksa
By Swami Harshananda
Mānasa-pratyaksa literally means ‘direct perception by the mind’.
Mānasa-Pratyaksa Definition[edit]
Perception of objects in order to get knowledge about them is an important topic discussed in the philosophical systems. Normally, the mind gets direct knowledge of an object through the five organs of knowledge or jñānendriyas. However, sometimes knowledge can arise in the mind directly also. For instance, when we see a rose from a distance, the mind can also comprehend its smell from previous experiences. This is called ‘mānasa-pratyakṣa’.
Mānasa-pratyaksa, as per Mīmānsā Philosophy[edit]
According to the Kumārila’s (CE 700) school of Mīmānsā philosophy, a person gets the knowledge of himself as the soul or Self different from the body directly in his mind as the “I” consciousness. This is termed as ‘mānasa- pratyakṣa’ by that school.
References[edit]
- The Concise Encyclopedia of Hinduism, Swami Harshananda, Ram Krishna Math, Bangalore