Changes

#'''''self''''' (with a lower case "s" and italicized) at an individual level: ''consciousness'' as-such, at the level of the individual - without having the role of an agent (as purusha in Samkhya-Yoga), - in the role of a witness (as atman or sakshin in Vedanta).

#'''''self''''' (with a lower case "s" and italicized) at an individual level: ''consciousness'' as-such, at the level of the individual - without having the role of an agent (as purusha in Samkhya-Yoga), - in the role of a witness (as atman or sakshin in Vedanta).

#'''self''' (with a lower case "s") at the bodily level: A person who wills, acts and feels, the Jīva (empirical self) in Advaita. Jiva is embodied consciousness, whereas jiva-sākṣin (as in ''self'') is the witnessing ''consciousness''. The term “self” may be used in a general nonspecific sense to refer to self at all its levels, where a distinction is not warranted.

#'''self''' (with a lower case "s") at the bodily level: A person who wills, acts and feels, the Jīva (empirical self) in Advaita. Jiva is embodied consciousness, whereas jiva-sākṣin (as in ''self'') is the witnessing ''consciousness''. The term “self” may be used in a general nonspecific sense to refer to self at all its levels, where a distinction is not warranted.

==Indian Concept of Self==

==Indian Concept of Self==

[[Jiva (जीवः)]], which literally means a living being, is often used in Indian thought as a technical term that is the closest to what is called “person” in contemporary psychology. Jīva is often mentioned in several Upanishads.<ref>Paranjpe, Anand. C. and Ramakrishna Rao, K. (2016) ''Psychology in the Indian Tradition.'' London: Kluwer Academic Publishers. (Pages 129 - 133)</ref>

[[Jiva (जीवः)]], which literally means a living being, is often used in Indian thought as a technical term that is the closest to what is called “person” in contemporary psychology. Jīva is often mentioned in several Upanishads.<ref>Paranjpe, Anand. C. and Ramakrishna Rao, K. (2016) ''Psychology in the Indian Tradition.'' London: Kluwer Academic Publishers. (Pages 129 - 133)</ref>

A person must use buddhi for purification of the self, though it is subtle and does not seem to have any agency. Here the focus is on engaging the manas inwards with the buddhi, gradually eliminating outward attachments and withdrawing from the worldly activities. Apart from the focus, the gunas, [[Sattva (सत्त्वम्)|sattva]], [[Rajas (रजः)|rajas]] and [[Tamas (तमः)|tamas]] also play a significant role in determining the decisions the buddhi takes. Ahamkara used in the sense of ego, as in the concept of self in the West and it is because of its value in understanding how we perform activities.<ref name=":08" />

A person must use buddhi for purification of the self, though it is subtle and does not seem to have any agency. Here the focus is on engaging the manas inwards with the buddhi, gradually eliminating outward attachments and withdrawing from the worldly activities. Apart from the focus, the gunas, [[Sattva (सत्त्वम्)|sattva]], [[Rajas (रजः)|rajas]] and [[Tamas (तमः)|tamas]] also play a significant role in determining the decisions the buddhi takes. Ahamkara used in the sense of ego, as in the concept of self in the West and it is because of its value in understanding how we perform activities.<ref name=":08" />

===Social Self===

===Social Self===

Social network shaped by intricate relationships and behavior patterns A few important parameters required for analysis and understanding of social and behavioral patterns used in modern research are summarized below.<ref name=":7">Bhawuk, Dharm. P. S. (2011) ''Spirituality and Indian Psychology, Lessons from the Bhagavad-Gita.'' New York, London: Springer. (Pages 10 - 15)</ref>

Social network is shaped by intricate relationships and behavior patterns. A few important parameters required for analysis and understanding of social and behavioral patterns used in modern research are summarized below.<ref name=":7">Bhawuk, Dharm. P. S. (2011) ''Spirituality and Indian Psychology, Lessons from the Bhagavad-Gita.'' New York, London: Springer. (Pages 10 - 15)</ref>

# '''Individualism''': In individualist cultures, people view themselves as having an '''independent''' '''concept of self'''. Individualists' do not include other people, i.e., the self is independent. People in the Western world (e.g., USA, Great Britain, Australia, and New Zealand) have an independent concept of self, and they feel a more pronounced social distance between themselves and others, including the immediate family.

# '''Individualism''': In individualist cultures, people view themselves as having an '''independent''' '''concept of self'''. Individualists' do not include other people, i.e., the self is independent. People in the Western world (e.g., USA, Great Britain, Australia, and New Zealand) have an independent concept of self, and they feel a more pronounced social distance between themselves and others, including the immediate family.