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The Path of Arhat : A Religious Democracy
“Oh Gautam, your doubts about the soul's existence are out of place, and your contention that soul cannot be perceived by senses is also not correct because it can be perceived very directly."
"Sir, how that is so ?' asked Gautam.
“Gautam, just consider what is ‘Soul'. It is nothing but pure consciousness or knowledge "Vijñā narüpa'. If this consciousness exists, soul exists. This consciousness exists in you because otherwise, there can not be any doubt in your mind about the existence of soul. Hence the very fact of the existence of doubt is the proof of consciousness. Upconscious has no doubts. Thus, there is direct proof of consciousness and hence of soul. If it can thus be directly perceived, it does not require any further proof."
Gautam, however, required further proof. He therefore asked : “May be that the 'Soul' can be directly perceived as you say, but still further proof is required, because there are some philosophers known as Sūnyvādí, not recognising the real existence of even the things which could be perceived by senses and insist upon their proof by other logical methods."
Lord Mahavira said: “We often say 'I did' or 'I am doing' or 'I shall do'. In all these statements of past, present and future, the subject is 'I' even though the action was over. or is being done in the present or is yet to be done in future. This suggests the continuity of 'I' consciousness throughout past, present and future. The 'ego consciousness' ( Ahamrūpa Jñana ), thus expressed by reference to a constant 'I' is a further proof of the existence of soul because that 'l' is the 'soul' or the 'self', is not destroyed by the past, exists in the present and projects existence in 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 soul's existeace."
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