Indian Concept of Self

Abstract

The concept of self has been studied from multiple perspectives in India. A review of the study of self in India reveals that indeed the core of Indian self is metaphysical, and it has been the focus of study by philosophers as well as psychologists. There is general agreement that the metaphysical self, Atman, is the real self. This metaphysical self is embodied in a biological self, and through the caste system right at birth, the biological self acquires a social self. In this chapter, I present material from ancient and medieval texts that describe the indigenous concept of self in India from multiple perspectives. What emerges is a rich indigenous concept of self that simply would be missed if we followed the traditional Western psychological approach employed in the study of self. I start by examining the concept of self as it relates to stages of life, examine concept of self as it appears in the bhagavadgItA and other texts, and finally relate concept of self and identity by discussing regional and national identities. The Indian concept of self is then examined in light of the contemporary psychological research, and implications for global psychology are discussed.