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knowledge is nothing but inferential knowledge. According to you, even the process of analogy is useless because there is no tangible thing analogous to the soul. Thus, it is not possible to prove the soul's existence through any of the means of valid knowledge. So the only conclusion is that the soul does not exist." Having thus formulated the opposite point of view, the Bhagawan proceeded to resolve the doubts as under: "Oh Gautam, your doubts about the soul's existence are out of place, and your contention that the soul cannot be perceived by senses is also not correct because it can be perceived very directly." "Sir, how is that so?" asked Gautam. "Gautam, just consider what is 'Soul'. It is nothing but pure consciousness or knowledge 'Vijnanarupa'. If this consciousness exists, soul exists. This consciousness exists in you because; otherwise, there cannot be any doubt in your mind about the existence of soul. Hence, the very fact of the existence of doubt is proof of consciousness. Unconscious has no doubts. Thus, there is direct proof of consciousness and hence of the soul. If it can thus be directly perceived, it does not require any further proof." Gautam, however, required further proof. He therefore asked: "It may be that the 'Soul' can be directly perceived as you say, but still further proof is required. As there are some philosophers known as Shunyavädi, not recognizing the real existence of even the things which could be perceived by senses and they insist upon their proof by other logical methods." Bhagawan Mahävir said: "We often say 'I did' or 'I am doing' or 'I shall do'. In all these statements of past, present and future, the subjects is l' even though the action is over, is being done in the present or is yet to be done in future. This suggests the continuity of 'l' consciousness throughout past, present and future. The 'ego consciousness' (Ahamrupa Jnän), thus expressed by reference to a constant 'T' is a further proof of the existence of the soul because that T is the 'soul or the 'self', was not destroyed by the past, exists in the present and also projects existence in the future also. This ego consciousness is not the subject matter of any inference nor does it require any scriptural authority. Even those ignorant of scriptures experience this ego consciousness. So this is direct perception and hence direct proof of the soul's existence." "Moreover, Oh Gautam! There cannot be any 'knowledge of the object having no existence at all. Therefore, if the 'soul' does not exist, who has the consciousness or knowledge of 'T' when one says 'l did'. I doubt', etc. Who is it that doubts? Every doubt presupposes a doubter. That doubter, that 'I', is your own self, your soul. 'Ego consciousness' has soul as its object because the question is whose 'consciousness'? The answer is consciousness of l' which is the object of this consciousness." Gautam: "Sir, this 'ego consciousness' would not be rendered objectless if instead of believing that 'soul or 'self is its object, we take our body as its object. When I say 'I am black' or 'I am thin; the ego consciousness l' is used with reference to our body. So, what is objectionable if we take 'T' as referring to our body and not to our 'self"?" Bhagawan Mahävir: "If ego consciousness expressed by the use of l' has a reference to our body as its object, then even our dead body could be having that ego consciousness and could be referred to as 'T. That is not so. It follows, therefore, that the object of ego consciousness is not the body. It cannot be said that the 'doubter' is your body. Moreover, consider what a 'doubt' is. Every 'doubt' is an attribute (Guna) of some object, which is its substratum. Every substratum is known by its attributes because attributes and their substratum are mutually reciprocal so that the existence of one can be known by the existence of the other. Therefore, even though the substratum cannot be perceived by our senses, its existence can be mentally perceived through our knowledge of its attributes. A doubt can never be an attribute of your body because doubt is always an attribute of consciousness and the body has no consciousness of its own." "Further, just consider who possesses the power of memory, who remembers the past and the present and who has a comprehension about the future. This attribute of memory is not the attribute of body. It is
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