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 Jiva (person), Dehin (physical body), Kshetrajna
• Psychologically, 'aham,' is referred to as Ahamkara, Jnatr (knower), Bhoktr (enjoyer/sufferer), Karta (doer) and so on.

Ahamkara in Various Texts

Upanishads

In Prashnopanishad, ahamkara is listed along with buddhi, manas and chitta.

....मनश्च मन्तव्यं च बुद्धिश्च बोद्धव्यं चाहङ्कारश्चाहङ्कर्तव्यं च चित्तं च चेतयितव्यं च .... (Pras. Upan. 4.8)

...The manas (with senses) and its objects, the buddhi (intellect) consisting in determination and its objects, ahamkara, i.e., the mind characterized by egotism and its objects, Chittam, i.e., the intelligent mind and its objects...

Chandogya Upanishad speaks about ahamkara as self-sense and points out that those who fail to discriminate between atman and body will confound the self-sense with the body.

According to Upanishads and Vedanta all the problems start when this nonessential factor adds its influence in our life. Therefore, ahamkara is bad and we find more slokas denigrating ahamkara (Ahamkara Ninda) (14 as against 3 describing its nature) in Viveka Chudamani. Ahamkara is looked down with following metaphors and descriptions (Slokas 297-310): It is vikara, dushta, rahu, powerful wild serpent, residue of poison in the body even after it is purged from a body, a thorn in the throat of a person taking food, an enemy to be slayed with the sword of vijnana, and fashioned out of moodha buddhi (dull intellect). Even after it is completely rooted out, if it is thought for a while, it sprouts hundreds of vrttis (mental modes). Even after it is completely controlled, it should not be given scope through sense objects. If it is given, it is like watering a withering lemon plant that will come into life.

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.

Schools differ in the number of functions included under antahkarana.

Manas	Sankhya named it Antahkarana. Yoga named it Chitta	Nyaya named it Manas	Vedanta named it Antahkarana.
Buddhi
Ahamkara
Chitta

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).