MIND : ITS MYSTERIES AND CONTROL :21-1.

21. SPECIAL KNOWLEDGE THAT DIFFERENTIATES  MAN FROM ANIMAL-1.



An animal is not able to “know itself.”

It has only physical consciousness.

It has no self-consciousness.

An animal feels the discomfort and pain.

It is not able to analyse its own mental states.

A man not only “knows”, but he “knows that he knows.”

This is either mental consciousness or self-consciousness.

The man not only “feels” or “senses” things, but he has words to express his feelings and sensations. He can vividly describe his feelings.
He may think of himself as experiencing them. He can separate himself from the sensation of feeling.

He is able to think, “I feel; I hear; I see; I smell; I taste; I desire; I act; I enjoy,” “

I know this book.”

“I know also that I know this book.”

This is self-consciousness peculiar to human beings only.


Swami Sivananda

To be continued  ...