Ahamkara (अहंकारम्)

Ahamkara () is one of the functions of the mind. It is a concept related to self and identity. Inquiry concerning human nature has centered on the fundamental question 'who am I'. The answer is the I-feeling whose nature the questioner is interested in is 'aham'. It is considered as a function of the mind or mental apparatus known as antahkarana. In the Indian tradition, the experience of personal identity or the self-sense is termed 'aham,' translated to 'I' in English. It is debatable that the term 'ego' conveys the same meaning of 'aham,' a Sanskrit term.

In layman's language, Ahamkara is commonly referred to as False ego, Pride, or Arrogance. But the spiritual understanding of Ahamkara lies beyond such terms. For example, ‘Ego’ refers to an individual’s sense of self-esteem. ‘Pride’ refers to an individual’s feeling of deep pleasure or satisfaction from one’s own achievements. ‘Arrogance’ on the other hand refers to an individual’s exaggerated sense of self-importance.

परिचयः ॥ Introduction

Attempts at answering the question, 'who am I,' have progressed in two distinct directions,

• inwardly through introspection and intuition
• outwardly in terms of empiricism and intellectual understanding.

Here the I-feeling is called 'aham' and it is the function of the mind or antahkarana. The function is known as Ahamkara and at the psychological level it refers to all our day-to-day feelings and thoughts about ourselves.

While modern psychology has relied exclusively on empiricism and intellectual analysis, in the Indian tradition both the methods have been employed leading to findings at two levels of awareness.

1. Empirical level (based on observations in physical realm and scientific testing) - A level at which subject-object distinction operates.
2. Transcendental level (beyond ordinary experience, thought or belief, non-physical realm) - A level at which subject-object distinction is transcended.

Ahamkara manifests as the "me" in each person. Personal identity or the self-sense is its defining characteristic. It is the source of the distinction between the self and the other. In the Indian tradition there are many concepts related to identity and self other than the generic term 'aham,' used in different contexts with specific meaning and significance.

• Ontologically (based on existence) 'aham,' represents 'being.'
• Transcendentally, 'aham,' is referred to as Atman and Purusha.
• Empirically, 'aham,' is referred to as Jeeva, Dehin, Kshetrajna
• Psychologically, 'aham,' is referred to as Ahamkara, Jnatr, Bhoktr, Karta and so on.

Ahamkara - Self and Identity

The fundamental questions - who identifies with non-self, who has to make the discrimination between non-self and Self, and who has to make the conscious attempt to dis-identify with non-self, have always challenged the mankind. Ancient Indian seers posit ahamkara, regarded as one of the antahkaranas ("the inner instrument," mind) as the one involved in this process.

Components of Ahamkara

Four sub-concepts of ahamkara based on Indian tradition have been described:

individuality (vaishishtya)

separation-differentiation (dvaita bhava)

agency (kartatva)

identification (abhimana).

While ‘individuality’ represents uniqueness, ‘separation-differentiation’ marks the feeling of being different from others, ‘agency’ signifies the sense of doer-ship and ‘identification’ indicates relationship with worldly objects, involving associations and companionship (sanga), attractions and attachments (moha) and mineness or ownership (mamkara) (Salagame et al. 2005, p. 75).