Cognition is a wide word that means many things.
In traditional Indian thought, cognition is of three kinds:
– one associated with reason/ mentation / etc. (Manas);
– two, associated with insight/ perception (Buddhi); and
– three, associated with change in consciousness (Chitta).
Cognition associated with Manas is the realm of traditional education and transfer of information/ analysis/ reasoning algorithm, etc.
Cognition associated with Buddhi is insight – that is itself transformative of behavior/ action, i.e. one cannot have genuine insight and not feel the desire or pressure to change.
When cognition at the perception / insight level gets “accepted” wholly by a person at the will/ being level, there is an immediate wholesale transformation in that person. This constitutes ‘change in consciousness’ or Chitta.
However, this fusion of will and cognition called cognition-will by us (or Dhriti in Indian thought) is entirely in the zone of individual ego/ role and goal management.
Any external circumstances could be optimal or sub-optimal, but change will always come from within.
