Beyond Doubt

Author(s): Padmasagarsuri
Publisher: Arunoday Foundation

Page 49

CHAPTER VI
Indrabhuti had a doubt regarding the existence of the soul, but the doubt itself goes to proves the existence of the soul, because the doubtful existence of a thing proves that the thing is already existent elsewhere and hence the doubt arose regarding the object. You see a figure approaching in the dark of the night and you are unable to identify it either to be a human being or an animal, so also one is unable to recognise a shining object seen in the dark either to be silver or a pearl. One often mistakes in the dark a long rope to be a snake. In all the above examples the existence of a man, animal, silver, pearl, snake and rope is established. If the soul was non-existent Indrabhuti would never have had a doubt regarding the subject.
Just as doubt is a form of knowledge so also memory, anxiety, logic, etc., are other forms of knowledge. Knowledge is a characteristic of the soul. Atman is the one who possesses this quality & if the possessor of infinite knowledge himself is denied, to whom will the quality of knowledge be attributed to, because the existence of quality is based on the thing existing, not otherwise. Hence if the quality exists, the possessor of that quality is bound to exist and that possessor of infinite quality, knowledge is termed as "Atman'.
A dead body can never experience joy or sorrow, pleasure or pain. The one who is able and experiences these is 'Atman'. The body, devoid of life also is of the same structure & anatomy of a living body, but the former is devoid of carrying out any activities of the living person. In the absence of Atman the dead body ,ceases to be active & becomes useless and ultimately perishes.
I was, I am & I shall be, this eternal feeling which all living beings possess also proves the authenticity of the existence of the
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