Soul Science Part 01

Author(s): Parasmal Agrawal
Publisher: Kundakunda Gyanpith

Page 32

XXXI
spiritual teachers clearly know this concept that although every component of a living being is valuable but a living being in its entirety is not Jiva (soul), a living being is a combination of Jiva (soul) and nonJiva (non-soul) (let us call this as concept-1).
Regarding a gold-mine, we are also clear that the nature of the soil of a gold-mine is very different from the nature of gold. Further, the nature of soil varies from mine to mine but the nature of gold coming from a mine in USA is the same as that coming from a mine in India. Similarly, spiritual masters are clear about this concept that the nature of soul is very different from the nature of living beings, and the nature of living beings change with time and varies from species to species and individual to individual, but the nature of soul is invariant (let us call this as concept-2).
Again regarding a gold-mine we know very well that before carrying out any attempt to realize gold from gold-ore, we scientifically understand gold as well as associated non-gold, and attain an ability to differentiate between gold and non-gold. In the same way, spiritual teachers have clarity about this concept that the realization of the soul that leads to peace, happiness and bliss is not possible without understanding the soul (Self) and attaining the ability of visualizing the difference between the soul and the associated non-souls (let us call this as concept-3).
These three spiritual concepts are very important. Among these three, concept-3 encompasses concept-2 as well as concept-1. In treatise Samayasāra, Ācārya Kundakunda has attempted to focus on concept-2 and concept-3. The literal meaning of Samayasāra is the soul in its essence or the pure soul. It corresponds to gold (nothing other than gold) existing in the mine in the above mentioned analogy. It also relates to the visualization and recognition of the nature of gold (nothing other than gold) even when it is associated with non-gold in the gold-ore. A reader may note that it is rare to find other scriptures that have gone as deep as Samayasāra to describe concept-3 and concept-2.
What to do and what not to do for the purification of our souls? Such questions fall in the area of the soul engineering which is based on the soul science. Ācārya Kundakunda has attempted to answer such questions in chapter 3 (e.g., see stanza 73). However, in this scripture the main focus of Ācārya Kundakunda is on the soul science. Therefore, in this treatise we find more detailed answers regarding questions