prana-bodystubschool: yoga-tantra· Frawley — Astrology of the Seers

Buddhi (the discriminative intellect)

बुद्धिbuddhi

also: buddhi, intellect, judgement, discrimination

pra-buddhi

Definition

The faculty of judgement and discrimination (viveka) within the inner instrument (antahkarana). In Frawley's Vedic psychology it is what Mercury represents: the power of judgement that can either trap the soul in a 'net of information and speculation' or become 'a ladder of values and principles' for ascent; right discrimination (truth from falsehood, eternal from transient) 'changes Mercury into the God of wisdom.'
Traditional

Prāṇa relevance

Prāṇa relation not yet traced — a complete, acceptable terminal state.

Connections (1)

corresponds-to · 1
  • ↔Mercury (Budha)Modern
    Frawley reads Mercury AS the judgement-faculty buddhi: 'Mercury represents the power of judgement (buddhi)' (book p.227, verified p222.png). Mercury's rational process is the discriminative intellect that can either trap the soul in a net of sense-information or become a ladder of ascent; right discrimination 'changes Mercury into the God of wisdom.' Symbolic/structural equivalence (graha = faculty), hence corresponds-to.

Sources

  • txt-frawley-astrology-seersPsychological Indicators — Mercury (book p.227)Traditional✓ verified'Mercury represents the power of judgement (buddhi).'

Other attributes

System Of Origin
yoga-tantra
Location In Body
not stated here (classically the highest evolute of prakriti / mahat, above manas; not specified by Frawley)
Function
judgement, discrimination (viveka), the determining intellect; directs reason either toward organizing sense-impressions or toward discriminating the eternal
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