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Soul Science : Samayasāra by Jain Ācārya Kundakunda
33
Annotation
By highlighting the basic difference between soul and Pudgala (material objects and physical body), in these stanzas, Ācārya Kundakunda wants to show that one cannot be the owner of physical body and material objects. Ācārya explains that the material objects such as physical body, wealth, house, etc. do not have perception and knowledge (Upayoga), whereas the Upayoga (perception and knowledge) is an essential attribute of a soul.
Further, we know that a block of ice can be converted into water or the water can be converted into ice, therefore, we can say that the ice and water are same. But one cannot convert a soul into a material body and a material body into a soul, therefore, it should be realized that the soul is different from the material objects.
Here Ācārya Kundakunda also reminds the teachings of omniscient Tīrthamkara to arrive at the conclusion that we cannot claim the material possessions and physical body to be ours.
At this point, one may not be fully satisfied with the citation of omniscients and may be interested in a more direct proof. To answer such curiousity, Ācārya Amstacandra in his Ātmakhyāti writes a very beautiful verse (Kalasa 23) in which he suggests us to perform an experiment to arrive at the visualization of the soul different from the physical body and material objects. He suggests that for a Muhūrta (48 minutes) one should try to experience the Self by pretending oneself as a neighbor of one's physical body (and other related possessions). The word 'neighbor' used for the physical body is worth noting. One should neither own nor hate a neighbor.
This advice may be a boon to those who are having sleepless nights due to tension. The tension is generally due to the feeling of wrong. I-ness and my-ness. For example, the feeling of myness with one's own business sometimes converts into I-ness, and a person starts thinking that any loss in his business is a loss of his own identity. Such a person would have instant relief, if he can experience himself as a neighbor of his business even
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