Soul Science Part 01

Author(s): Parsmal Agarwal
Publisher: Kundkund Gyanpith Indore

Page 88

50
Soul (Jiva) and non-soul (Ajiva)
understanding and assimilation of a correct concept. In many situations, we find that the removal of dirt leads to the cleaning and shining. Acārya Kundakunda realized that for a correct understanding of the soul, it is very important to wash away the erroneous concepts. Therefore, he described in detail what the soul is not.
In Gāthā 4, Acārya has already expressed his concern that the description of sensual experiences, pains, pleasures, and bonding have been heard, observed, and experienced by all, but the realization of the Self (soul) as separate from others is difficult to achieve. Here he expands his concern to help us understand the Self which is beyond Kārmika bonding and physical body.
Question: Gāthā 43 states that all descriptions in stanzas 39 to 42 regarding the Self are untrue from the real point of view. Does it mean that some of these descriptions of the Self are meaningful from the relative point of view?
Answer: From the relative point of view, if somebody says the physical body of a living being is Jīva (life) and, therefore, he should not hurt others then it is a very meaningful message. However, without accepting the presence of the soul in the physical body the understanding of oneself would be incomplete and incorrect. Such an incorrect understanding would block the spiritual progress. The spiritual fearlessness is also not possible without the realization of the Self as an eternal soul.
Further, somebody may say, "I accept the presence of the soul and identify myself as a combination of the soul and the physical body (Gāthā 42)". Here again a question may arise, what is wrong with this view? If we explore this point, we find that this concept is also meaningful in some situations. But with such view, one may arrive at wrong conclusions. For example, with such belief, one may see one's own damage/loss with the damage/ loss of a limb or any organ of the physical body. On the other hand, the real point of view does not see any damge/loss with a damage/loss in the physical body.