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EXISTENCE OF THE SOUĻ, the soul and may not have thought further, and if the reply had been that there was no Soul, he might have been bewildered and might have turned a materialist or an atheist. ..
:. This description of Samyutta Nikâya clearly shows that Gotama believed in the soul, just in the same way as the Jains did. To take an illustration. As regards its composition, gold is indestructible, but as regards its modifications or conditions, it is destructible. Its own inherent attributes are permanent, but it may be moulded into any form, or changed into any alloy.
Samyutta Nikâya of Sutta Pitaka “Chando 13.” The Pali words are :
तस्मीदिह आनन्द अत्तदीपा विहरथ अत्तसरणा अनण्ण सरणा धम्मदीपा धम्मसरणा अनण्ण सरणा. • Tasmadih ânanda attadípa Viharatha attasaraņā ananna' sarana dhamma dipa dhamma sarana anannasarana.
“ Therefore, 0, Ananda, walk in the Isle of Self: Self is the safe refuge, there is no other place of safety. Dharma (Path of Nirvâna) is the Isle. Dharma is the place of security. There is no other place of safety.”
These above words show that one's own pure soul should be taken to be an Island or a right resort, and the nature of soul which is Dharma should be taken as an Isle or a place of safety.
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