ddhi or
intellect, secondly Ahamkara, which is perhaps best rendered by
individuality, and next the five Tanmatras or subtle elements.
Buddhi, though meaning intellect, is used rather in the sense of
ascertaining or perception. It is the faculty by which we distinguish
objects and perceive what they are. It differs also from our
conception of intellect in being, like Ahamkara and all the
subsequent developments of Prakriti, material, and must not be
confused with the immaterial Purusha or soul. It is in fact the organ
of thought, not in the sense of the brain or anything tangible, but a
subtle substratum of all mental processes. But in what sense is it
possible to say that this Buddhi exists apart from individuals, who
have not come into being at this stage of cosmic evolution? This
difficulty is not met by talking, as some commentators do, of cosmic
as well as individual Buddhi, for even if all Prakriti is illuminated
by Buddhi at this stage it is difficult to see what result can occur.
To make the process of development coherent we must think of it not as
a series of chronologically successive stages but rather as a
logically connected series and an analysis of completely evolved
beings, just as we might say that bones are covered with flesh and
flesh with skin, without affirming that the bones have a separate and
prior existence. Ahamkara, which is, like Buddhi, strictly speaking a
physical organ, means Ego-maker and denotes the sense of personality
and individuality, almost the will. In the language of Indian
philosophy it is the delusion or misconception which makes the soul
imagine itself a personal agent and think, _I_ see, _I_ hear, _I_
slay, _I_ am slain, whereas the soul is really incapable of action and
the acts are those of Prakriti.

The five subtle elements are the essences of sound, touch, colour,
savour and odour conceived as physical principles, imperceptible to
ordinary beings, though gods and Yogis can perceive them. The name
Tanmatra which signifies _that only_ indicates that they are concerned
exclusively with one sense. Thus whereas the gross elements, such as
earth, appeal to more than one sense and can be seen, felt and smelt,
the subtle element of sound is restricted to the sense of hearing. It
exists in all things audible but has nothing to do with their
tangibility or visibility. There remain sixteen further modifications
to make up the full list of twenty-four. They are the five organs of
s