2.5.3 expression of language

Q: Does our language ability form part of the general cognitive structure of our mind and, if so, how?

You know, language is formed in the mind and expressed through the vocal chords. There is no difference between language that is expressed and language that is not expressed except the movement of the vocal chords. So language is not originating in the vocal chords; it is originating in the mind and expressed through the neural pathways of the physical body. The origin of language is like that, and, as I have already pointed out, it comes through the rays or tonal expressions which are emanating from the propensities available to the human structure.

Language is the expression, or the manifestation, of these tonal elements that are from the psychic arenas, or propensities. How they manifest and to what degree is dependent upon two factors. First is samskara and the second is the environment, the influences of the situation about. So the samskaras held in the mind of the individual - the overall social or cultural samskaras - and the present environment, these form the influence of how the propensities will express. And language provides the medium for this expression.

It is true that not only does language provide the medium for the expression, but it is part of the cultural conditions which define the type of expression which will be available to the individual. Let us say a person is in a particular culture in a very northern country. So that person will bring the samskara from a past life. Let us say they lived in the south of France, in China, in the tropical belt of Polynesia in different lives. So all of those samskaras from those lives will be present and wanting to express. At the same time the body and mind will be developing within this northern climate and the culture developed in that place. So there may be some samskaras related to the south, but the cultural overlay, the cultural samskara, will be northern. Along with that cultural samskara, as part and parcel of the formation of that samskara, is the definition of language as it is used by the people collectively, as it has been developed, as it has been modified to that environment. You see, the people will develop language which is appropriate to the environment. If it is a northern environment, they will develop the words for snow, for the removal of snow, for frostbite, for warm furs to cover the feet, for so many things that relate to the northern climate.

Now, when the person takes birth in such an environment, not only will the samskaras of previous lives become an active influence in the formation which the tonal avenues or vibrations emanate through in the present incarnation, but also the cultural influence will be there very strongly. That influence will be containing elements from the environment and, in this, language will be the medium of definition. The language will define the types of mental formations available to the individual within that cultural context. So this person may learn so many words related to cold climates, while they may have very few words for sunny beaches and for warm tropical oceans, because they do not exist in that culture. Though the samskara is in the mind, remembering in the deep recesses of the mind the sandy beaches, the warm waters, still it cannot manifest in the present life because there is no sympathetic environmental situation. The language holds no manifestation or form of expression for that particular experience, so it will be suppressed in that life unless the person, due to the pressure of that suppressed samskara, is drawn again to a place where they will again experience a compatible situation to the samskaras. They may be drawn out of the cold land, to a different environment, with a different language, and a different culture where these experiences from past lives may manifest.

So you see, like this there is the influence of samskara, the influence of environment, and there is the influence of culture. Language forms the influence of culture, and language is developed through the environment, the collective samskaras of the individuals present, and their adaptation to the environment. So it becomes a limitation in mental expression. But that limitation may be overcome. If the samskaras are sufficiently strong, they will pull that person to a point where methods required to expand their thinking will be available to them. It is a limitation, but it is not a complete determining factor. It is only one determining factor in the type of mental expression an individual will have in a particular life.

Language is not only a determining factor in mental expression, forming the avenues of growth, the parameters of growth, but it is also determined by the mental expression of the individuals collectively. That is to say, if a people have a strong warring quality - they are a very aggressive people, they kill the animals, they hunt and whenever they meet other people they are hostile and will attack - such a race will develop a language to reflect their approach. So an individual born into that culture will adapt that approach because it will be propagated by the language which will influence the moral thinking of the person.

But, at the same time, it is the collective samskaras of the individuals, the warlike qualities, which have formed the language and which will draw people with the samskaras to be warlike into the culture to reinforce this thinking. You see, it goes hand in hand. Let us say that for some other reasons, a somewhat peaceful minded person is born into the warlike culture. Will they become warlike? They will be highly influenced. But if the influence of competing samskaras is sufficient, they will not become warlike. In fact, they will influence the culture. Let us say there is now a group of people who are not warlike in this warlike culture which has fashioned a language that has thinking which is aggressive. Now these people are not aggressive, but they come into this culture. They will be influenced by the language and the way that thought is developed in the culture. But, at the same time, due to the influence of their samskaras, they will bring their peaceful ideas. They will alter the language to adapt to their samskaras, their peaceful mode of doing actions and their approach to people, and they will think in those terms despite the language. Then they will, if they become a sufficient influence, modify the language itself and the thinking of the people. Thus that race may become a more peaceful people.

You see, it is not only the language which influences thinking but also the samskaras which influence thinking and therefore influence language. There is an interaction between the two to form thought patterns, and from these thought patterns will be formed the substance of willful expression.

Q: What cognitive faculties share the same region(s) of the brain as the faculties used for language? What are those regions of the brain?

Language is developed in the frontal lobe because language is related to thinking and cognitive faculty. The cognitive faculty and thought form language, then the other areas of the brain will transform this into a command to the vocal chord from which an expressed language will emanate. There is an interplay between thought and the development of expressed language. So language has its origin in the cognitive faculty of the frontal lobe.

Q: What region(s) of the brain house what faculties/abilities?

I think that this is properly explained by scientific approach and can be found in any textbook.

You know, Parama Purus'a may come in many forms and express in many languages. There is not one language alone through which Parama Purus'a may express, because the subtle waves may be expressed in all languages. Language is not a barrier to His expression. It may be that some subtle concepts are more readily defined in certain languages, they are more suited to subtle expression, but any language can be used. The language may put a certain formation on the mode of expression but it will not stop the expression. For the expression of Parama Purus'a is not limited by language as His love is beyond the scope of the spoken word. And His love may come to any and all who desire to receive it, whatever language they may speak and use to form their thoughts. His love comes from the subtle kos'as into the mental arena, and in the mental arena comparable words are found to express that Divine compassion. Those words and the formation may vary from language to language, yet in any language they can be manipulated to find a suitable expression for His divine love for human beings.

It is only that in some languages, such as Sanskrit, the tonal vibration will be more suited to the pure expression of divine flow, and you will find there is more precision in the capacity to express a concept and more capacity to utilize language, to express the direct communication of subtle thoughts. So for subtle purposes, it is best to use a pure language. For mantra it is best to use Sanskrit because of the purity of the tongue.

But for the expression of the love of Parama Purus'a any and all language can be used and should be used, for the people must hear Him in their own tongue so that they know that He is with them. He is not from some far off land. He is with them in their own life, in their own culture, in their own experience. He is not from a far off land. So it is important that spiritual teaching is given in the native tongue of the people and that the love and compassion of Parama Purus'a is expressed in the native tongue. But for those processes which require a purer intonation for purposes of aligning external forms with subtle tonal emanations, it is best to use a language suited to that purpose. I think this is basic knowledge of language.