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Philosophy of Six Padas
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primarily a conscious entity. Since such conscious feeling, willing, and knowing are always present in soul, therefore it is eternal. For a clear understanding of such philosophical questions, it is advisable for you to first read Shaddarshan-Samuchchaya, which is being sent. The soul in its pure conscious state, i.e. in the state of selfrealization, is the creator of its own inherent characteristics of knowledge, perception, and smadhi. But in the state of ignorance, the soul becomes a creator of emotions like anger, conceit, greed etc. that are all foreign to it. Not only this much, under the influence of these emotions, soul, through its instrumentality, also becomes a creator of things like pot and table etc. To put it more expressively, though soul is not the creator of the substratum of earth from which pots etc. are prepared, yet it becomes a creator of the processes which give new modifications to the substratum. This latter state and functioning of the soul is called "karma," i.e. action in Jainism and "bhranti," i.e. illusion in the Vedanta. Other systems of philosophy also refer to this state of soul by similar terms. But solemn and serene thinking reveals the truth that in reality the soul is neither a creator of pot etc. and nor of the emotions of anger, conceit etc. In fact, it is a creator of its own conscious characteristics of feeling, willing, and knowing. The karmas which are done in ignorance of one's own self, though in the beginning are merely seeds, yet at the time of maturity turn into trees laden with heavy fruits. It is therefore self-evident that soul itself has to bear the fruits of its actions. Just as by giving a touch to fire you first feel its heat and then pain follows, similar is the state of mundane soul. It also, by coming in contact with earthly objects by its sens''ous organs, first gives rise to emotions of greed, anger, and deceit etc. and then as its fruits has to suffer the pangs of birth, death, and old age. Please ponder well over these problems with a detached mind and if you have any doubts please rewrite to me. It is the detached mind which gives strength for abstinence and control and
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