Buddhi

Buddhi (devanāgarī: बुद्धि) from the root budh (to be awake; to understand; to know) is a feminine Sanskrit noun derived from the same root as the masculine form buddha. In Hinduism it refers to the intellect, the faculty of discrimination. It is the aspect of the mind that knows, discriminates, judges, and decides. It is frequently regarded as the higher mind, which can determine the wiser of two courses of action if it functions clearly and if manas will accept its guidance. In Hinduism buddhi is one of the four parts that form the antaḥkaraṇa (the "inner organ") the other three being manas (the mind), citta (the memory) and ahamkāra (the ego).

In Theosophy buddhi is not the mind (manas) although it can work in close relationship with it, furnishing manas with spiritual illumination. In the septenary constitution of human beings buddhi is the sixth principle. It is regarded to be the vehicle of ātman, and in this function it is frequently called spiritual soul. When united to manas buddhi is usually called spiritual ego. H. P. Blavatsky wrote:

The sixth principle in man—Buddhi. The latter per se is a passive and latent principle, the spiritual vehicle of Atman, inseparable from the manifested Universal Soul. It is only in union and in conjunction with Self-consciousness that Buddhi becomes the Higher Self and the divine, discriminating Soul.

Further reading

• Buddhi at Theosopedia