D
dhillon
Guest
dear members
are there any differences between reincarnation and transmigration of souls?? thanks
are there any differences between reincarnation and transmigration of souls?? thanks
Nick the Pilot
Well-Known Member
In my belief system, reincarnation means a human is reborn as a human. Transmigration means a human is reborn as an animal. I believe in reincarination and I do not believe in transmigration.
taijasi
Gnōthi seauton
I, too, believe that we only move forward in the bigger picture. Still, transgressions against karmic law can only have negative results, just as cooperation with Divine Law can only have positive. This is taught in the very opening of the Twin Verses of the Dhammapada.
The teaching of transmigration suggests that for our transgressions we are punished, and that we must make amends by returning to a former stage or rung along Jacob's Ladder (of ascent from the material worlds to the Spiritual). This contradicts good logic and Reason, as do so many ideas hatched from the absurdity of anthropomorphism. A moment's thought will show that if it were possible to regress backwards infinitely for our karmic transgressions, great numbers of Humanity would already have long since winked themselves out of existence, both proverbially and - if possible - literally. Were it not possible, we would all probably have `reset' the Race (pun intended) any number of times, such that all souls were now once again assembled on the starting line, with little hope of ever reaching the Finish in this current Kalpa.
Reincarnation is a doctrine indicating that in fact, all transgressions are recorded (vide Matthew 5:18 of the New Testament) ... but that it would be counter-productive for us to return to a lower stage, or rung, on the ladder of spiritual evolution simply because we have failed to master a new lesson (or even an old one, in most cases). Transgressions are recorded, yet all new Karma is balanced against a Reasonable set of expectations and Goals, put before the Soul on spiritual levels by the next greater level of spiritual authority. This only enters into the outer levels of human awareness as we begin to approach the Path, at which point it becomes possible - then necessary - for each Soul to accept its OWN Karma, and to seek to balance this in order to become of benefit to Humanity and to the Powers that Be.
The Latin phrase tabula rasa, or `blank slate,' best refers to the state of the personality consciousness and memory, as applies to the experience each of us has had COUNTLESS times as we come again into a new form - composed of mental, emotional and physical bodies. As we grow and mature, and recapitulate prior attainments for our first 21 years or so, there is only so much negative karma which we might compound ... though some manage to do a bang-up job, that's for certain. Still, as the Soul begins to appropriate its newly-created vehicles in each new incarnation, a fresh opportunity is begun, whereby the burdens of the past are MEANT TO BE easily forgotten - at least for the time being - in order for meaningful WORK to be done in the present lifetime.
The Accepting Disciple knows that s/he is not only working hard to lift his or her own karma - and `wipe clean' the proverbial slate [upon which are recorded those deeds and misdeeds of earlier incarnations] - but that there is also a golden opportunity to assist in the Preparation for the Reappearance, and this means Renewing the Pledge [via Spiritual Rebirth] to assist the One Human Family ... with group, national and racial [read Human] Karma. In truth, of course, there is no *erasing* of karma, but only a balancing of misdeeds, which means the recognition of the Lesson(s) involved, an understanding of how our past actions (& thoughts & speech) transgressed Divine Law, and an equal determination (equal to the unbalancing originating factors) to CORRECT the disequilibrium.
"Getting it Right," in terms of becoming Perfected through Practice, is one way of defining why we're all here to begin with ... and END with, even though what this Perfection actually does is simply to OPEN a Door Leading [or Initiating] us into a new degree of Livingness altogether. What - you wanted to SLEEP for all Eternity? Dance like marigolds in the fields of the Lord? Fine, very poetic, but let's try and be at least a *little* bit realistic, too ...
In all of this, there is no scapegoat. There is no grand, ultimate, external Force or factor to blame for our failings and shortcomings. There is, likewise, no external Savior or redemptive Force, to Whom or which we can simply offload our karmic burdens and rely upon to *carry us* homeward [to Enlightenment]. This is why the Buddha, in His closing words to His Bhikkus, taught them to:
So Let It Be!
The teaching of transmigration suggests that for our transgressions we are punished, and that we must make amends by returning to a former stage or rung along Jacob's Ladder (of ascent from the material worlds to the Spiritual). This contradicts good logic and Reason, as do so many ideas hatched from the absurdity of anthropomorphism. A moment's thought will show that if it were possible to regress backwards infinitely for our karmic transgressions, great numbers of Humanity would already have long since winked themselves out of existence, both proverbially and - if possible - literally. Were it not possible, we would all probably have `reset' the Race (pun intended) any number of times, such that all souls were now once again assembled on the starting line, with little hope of ever reaching the Finish in this current Kalpa.
Reincarnation is a doctrine indicating that in fact, all transgressions are recorded (vide Matthew 5:18 of the New Testament) ... but that it would be counter-productive for us to return to a lower stage, or rung, on the ladder of spiritual evolution simply because we have failed to master a new lesson (or even an old one, in most cases). Transgressions are recorded, yet all new Karma is balanced against a Reasonable set of expectations and Goals, put before the Soul on spiritual levels by the next greater level of spiritual authority. This only enters into the outer levels of human awareness as we begin to approach the Path, at which point it becomes possible - then necessary - for each Soul to accept its OWN Karma, and to seek to balance this in order to become of benefit to Humanity and to the Powers that Be.
The Latin phrase tabula rasa, or `blank slate,' best refers to the state of the personality consciousness and memory, as applies to the experience each of us has had COUNTLESS times as we come again into a new form - composed of mental, emotional and physical bodies. As we grow and mature, and recapitulate prior attainments for our first 21 years or so, there is only so much negative karma which we might compound ... though some manage to do a bang-up job, that's for certain. Still, as the Soul begins to appropriate its newly-created vehicles in each new incarnation, a fresh opportunity is begun, whereby the burdens of the past are MEANT TO BE easily forgotten - at least for the time being - in order for meaningful WORK to be done in the present lifetime.
The Accepting Disciple knows that s/he is not only working hard to lift his or her own karma - and `wipe clean' the proverbial slate [upon which are recorded those deeds and misdeeds of earlier incarnations] - but that there is also a golden opportunity to assist in the Preparation for the Reappearance, and this means Renewing the Pledge [via Spiritual Rebirth] to assist the One Human Family ... with group, national and racial [read Human] Karma. In truth, of course, there is no *erasing* of karma, but only a balancing of misdeeds, which means the recognition of the Lesson(s) involved, an understanding of how our past actions (& thoughts & speech) transgressed Divine Law, and an equal determination (equal to the unbalancing originating factors) to CORRECT the disequilibrium.
"Getting it Right," in terms of becoming Perfected through Practice, is one way of defining why we're all here to begin with ... and END with, even though what this Perfection actually does is simply to OPEN a Door Leading [or Initiating] us into a new degree of Livingness altogether. What - you wanted to SLEEP for all Eternity? Dance like marigolds in the fields of the Lord? Fine, very poetic, but let's try and be at least a *little* bit realistic, too ...
In all of this, there is no scapegoat. There is no grand, ultimate, external Force or factor to blame for our failings and shortcomings. There is, likewise, no external Savior or redemptive Force, to Whom or which we can simply offload our karmic burdens and rely upon to *carry us* homeward [to Enlightenment]. This is why the Buddha, in His closing words to His Bhikkus, taught them to:
Walk in the Light;
Work out thy own Salvation with DILIGENCE.
Work out thy own Salvation with DILIGENCE.
So Let It Be!
OAT
Where is the TAO?
You may wish to check out this:
http://www.interfaith.org/forum/reincarnation-13236-2.html#post234632
http://www.interfaith.org/forum/reincarnation-13236-2.html#post234632
Bhaktajan II
Hare Krishna Yogi
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Re-incarnation really & simply refers to an INDIVIDUAL SOUL (INDIVIDUAL BEING or A LIVING BEING) taking a new future birth in a species of living creature (A LIVING BEING with its commenserate body).
YET, within this forum, it has been wisely stated that there is a distinction between Re-incarnation of an individual Personality --versus Re-incarnation of an individual life-force-conscious Soul-Being [that animates all species of bodies of all conscious creatures].
Transmigration of the Soul-Being = an INDIVIDUAL SOUL (INDIVIDUAL BEING or A LIVING BEING) taking a new future birth in a species of living creature (A LIVING BEING with its commenserate body).
1 Eat,
2 sleep,
3 mate,
4 defend
These four gruops of acts are performed by all forms of animated living creatures ---each sentient being is animated by the presense of the life-force which is constitutionally composed of Consciousness ---some crawl on their bellies; others fly in the sky; others give directions on what to do & when to do things.
Supreme ettiquette can be cultivated ONLY IN THE HUMAN FORM [as opposed to sub-Human species] ---Celetial Life-Forms are busy enjoying their Posh Karma ---but the common denouminator is PERSONA.
We are made in the Image of GOD's PERSONA.
We get unlimited repeated births to ammend our ways of roaming around while "searching out pleasure" ---yet we neglect PERSONA(s) and especially the Ultimate or Original PERSONA (Godhead)
God's persona is absolute ---the souls that spend their time taking repeated birth (thus, the cycle of samsara) are absolute sparks of the supreme soul . . . yet, we souls in the material world, are living 'relative' 'transicent' 'mundane' 'subjective' lives in a world of imperminence.
The soul is "individual" ---because it is each of our unique LOCATION in OBJECTIVE SPACE AND TIME. EAch soul has a SPACE-TIME STAMP known as our own PERSONA.
"No two objects can occupy the same location at the same time" ----similarly, the souls of all beings are uniquely unique and Individual, thus, the soul is indivisable.
always quoting the spiritual masters of the Vedas,
your Hare Krishna cousin,
Bhaktajan
J
Jack Halb
Guest
Many of you haven't heard of the Druze Unitarian religion. We believe in reincarnation only and we reject transmigration, for many reasons. First, only individuals who are conscious of themselves reincarnate. Second, reincarnation is a medium of maintaining equality among human beings, where through reincarnation God ensures that all humans live the same amount of time and humans even exchange their socioeconomic conditions, which is another way of maintaining socioeconomic equality among humans.
Maranguape
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There can't be reincarnation or transmigration of what does not exist. A soul exists as long as one is alive. According to Genesis 2:7, when HaShem formed man from the dust of the earth, He breathed into his nostrils the breath of life and man became a living soul. To become is to be. So, one does not have a soul; he is a soul. At death, the body goes back to the dust and the breath of life returns to God Who gave it. (Ecclesiastes 12:7) In other words, the soul is only the combination of the breath of life with the body. With death, that combination is over.
Bhaktajan II
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But where,in scriptures, does it say WHAT YOU SAY?
The soul is the life force of the body. The Body is made of material elements. The soul is made of Spirit.
Material energy is one kind of energy.
Spirit is another kind of energy.
According to the above quote by Maranguape, we live once and then disappear. This is miserly to say and to propagate.
Have you told this to (any) children yet?
Bhaktajan II
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a] they are the same concept ...
b] Re-incarnation (noun) means the same soul with a new birth/body/ego/facilities/faculties ---but it is erroneous to think that the same old previous memories, relationship, etc follow the soul into the new birth. Its an individual soul for each living creature. No soul trades places with other soul. The soul does not operate the same way as material elements [earth, water, fire, air etc].
c] Transmigration (verb) means the same soul leaves the body...aka death. The soul travels to a new location and takes residence in an embryo etc and gives life to the growing body.
The body of all creatures from ants to demigods in the celestial penthouses abvoe our stratum of lives all do the same four activities:
Eat, sleep, amte and defend ---all done in ways concomitant with ones' station in life.
To me, this indicates just the opposite; that the soul is separate from the body.
Genesis 2:7: "And the LORD God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul." This is the soul entering living flesh.
Ecclesiastes 12:7: "Then shall the dust return to the earth as it was: and the spirit shall return unto God who gave it." And this is the soul leaving the flesh once the flesh has perished. If one were dependent on the other, the soul would not be able to return. It would have died along with the flesh.
Only God can destroy the soul.
Mathew 10:28: "And fear not them which kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul; but rather fear him which is able to destroy both soul and body in hell." This further indicates that soul and body are separate.
Maranguape
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Genesis 2:7 and Ecclesiastes 12:7 is where in the Scriptures we have what I said. The life force of the body is otherwise in the combination of the breath of life with the body. Once that combination is broken with death, the life source of the body is gone. I am just using Logic to be realistic. Spirit in Ecclesiastes 12:7 is only an embellishment for the breath of life which is no longer part of the combination with the body. Yes, the body is made of material elements which function only as long as the breath of life is in man's body. Yes, we live once and then disappear. You are right. Can you prove the opposite? The expectation of any thing else in the afterlife, is no different from treats promised to dogs to behave well and please their owners by doing what they want. This is the Truth Bhaktajan, and I have taught my own children how to understand reality.
Bhaktajan II
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I would be very enough spoken to simply post/quote/cite/copy'N paste/print THE VERSE.
Until you print THE VERSE ...you are hiding it behind you.
I too learn from what scripture says.
Guru, then Sadhus and Scripture ---these are the 3 absolute "checks" to verify facts.
Bhaktajan II
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Dear Maranguape, please forgive the ecclesiastic joke that I shall highlight here [mind you, you should have little appreciation for it as per wahat you've said]:
Maranguape thinks he has out-done every Buddhist Monk in the last 2.500 years. [Hee hee]
Those the world AFTER-LIFE appear anywhere in the NT?
Did Jesus ever utter the word AFTER-LIFE?
Does the Lord's Prayer not affirm an "AFTER-LIFE"?
Bhaktajan II
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Btw Maranguape, my supposed presumption is that you have an opinion on WHAT IS SOUL. Correct?
I admit openly WHAT THE SOUL IS.
Here's my concern:
MY "sources" on the subject of WHAT IS SOUL are IMO the best and ONLY source found on the planet Earth.
Vesus
You say you have another source of Information on WHAT IS SOUL ---My reaction to your proclamation is: Impossible.
I have already done the research and leg work. How could have the DATA OF WHAT IS SOUL gone un-covered by my work?
That is why I am dubious. It's an old fear of wannabe Gurus aka the harismatic cult leader ethos.
I admit openly WHAT THE SOUL IS.
Here's my concern:
MY "sources" on the subject of WHAT IS SOUL are IMO the best and ONLY source found on the planet Earth.
Vesus
You say you have another source of Information on WHAT IS SOUL ---My reaction to your proclamation is: Impossible.
I have already done the research and leg work. How could have the DATA OF WHAT IS SOUL gone un-covered by my work?
That is why I am dubious. It's an old fear of wannabe Gurus aka the harismatic cult leader ethos.
Maranguape
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You have all the right in the world to understand Scriptures the way you please; even to the opposite of what is written. What entered the body when the Lord breathed into man's nostrils was the breath of life and I can prove it to you. Now, that the soul was an independent entity that entered the body, you can' prove it. Would you care to try? Now, as Ecclesiastes is concerned, what did the Lord give to man? The breath of life. It was that combination that made man's body to become a living soul. In other words, that made man himself to come alive. Spirit is only an emanation to embellish a function. Only God can destroy the soul! What are you talking about! Hitler destroyed more than six million souls which were not in war with him. Namaste, soul is only a synonym for a living being. God did not create man to destroy him. One dies because he was born or had a beginning. Death is only part of life. Every one is born, lives his span of life and dies. That's a natural cycle. Now, as you quote Mat. 10:28, this is something else, I mean, part of the religion founded by Paul in Antioch. (Acts 11:26)
Likewise I'm sure. I don't disagree with you in the literal sense of the word. That is, the soul being representative of a living being. However, speaking in the spiritual sense, I'm of the belief there's far more being conveyed than just that. Therefore I definitely disagree with your assessment of Ecclesiastes 12:7. I suspect this is not something we'll ever agree on though, so I'll just leave it at that, but I do respect your opinion all the same.
Bhaktajan II
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Yes. Absolutely correct. I agree 100%. There is a "Cycle".
So you agree There is a "Cycle"?
Whatever there is in the world goes through this cycle.
All things cycle through birth, youth old age and death.
First they are born then they die.
Where does the soul disappear to? To a place of reality & consciousness? According to your writings the soul "RETURNS TO NOTHINGNESS".
So as you logically present:
The Soul arose from Nothingness ---is born ---lives ---dies ---and finally "RETURNS TO NOTHINGNESS" ---ERGO, There is a "Cycle".
SO as I have said: There is a "Cycle" that cannot be escaped from.
Before Birth we the soul was NOTHINGNESS ---it was born into SOMETHINGNESS ---it dies and returns to NOTHINGNESS.
We are born from out of NOTHINGNESS and return back to NOTHINGNESS and are born again and again and again and again and again and again and again and again and again and again and again and again and again and again and again and again and again and again and again and again and again and again and again and again and again and again and again and again and again and again
This is the "Cycle" ---it's called 'samsara'.
Bhaktajan II
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Just for posterity:
EGO (ahankara, sanskrit) is the outward expression of the soul's presence "in action".
There are 8,400,000 species of life, spanning all forms of living creatures from amoebas in stool to demigods in celestrial abodes.
Each forms of living creature has a life force present that animates them and also accords them the concominant level of consciousness that had been preiviously cultivated and thus accrued to the soul a particular stratum of life (IOW, as per the fruits of work preformed by a soul with its facility & falculty in a bodily birth it has inherited its due rewards ~aka, Karma (actions) accrues Karma-phalam (fruits of actions).
Each birth through any of 8,400,000 species of creatures IS IN CONTRA-DISTINCTION from the "Supreme Personality of Godhead (Dio, La Persona Suprema)"
The open-book revelation of just who & by what defintion is the "Supreme Personality of Godhead (Dio, La Persona Suprema)" as an absolute "Persona" can only be spoken of and revealed by the "Supreme Personality of Godhead (Dio, La Persona Suprema)" himself. This is done in The Bhagavad-Gita.
Ego is commenerate with the Vessal containing the soul.
Self-identity is the original identity of the soul in its original position, namely, as an eternal associate of the "Supreme Personality of Godhead (Dio, La Persona Suprema)" in pastimes ---all outside the material world of "repeated births and death" (samsara, sanskrit).
The soul is an individual entity existing within a sphere of millions & trillions of other like souls all preforming the same activites (eat, sleep, mate, defend) from amoebas in stool to demigods in celestrial abodes ---each preforms actions to satisfiy their senses (sense gratification).
The mundane ego seeks to sublimate its existance by "seeking transcendence" ---this is IN CONTRA-DISTINCTION to mundane sense gratification and self-preservation.
The False ego (the sense of "I am" this one body amongst 8,400,000 species of creatures during this & many countless past short waking life times) seeks short lived mundane gratification as the all-in-all in life.
The Science of self-realisation delineated in the yoga scriptures such as the Bhagavad-gita reveals how the soul's orginal "transcendant Ego" is inseperable from the individual soul of each "Person".
The (false) Ego is temporary as per each body/birth.
The self-identity of the soul* is "eternal associate & servant" of the "Supreme Personality of Godhead (Dio, La Persona Suprema)" in pastimes ---all outside the material world of "repeated births and death" (samsara, sanskrit).
The ego is temporary.
The souls' identity is a blank slate that is an individual persona.
The souls may cultivate service to Godhead [or nirvana] or it may conversely be led by a ring through the nose (yoni/yoke) by the temporal bodys' sense-gratifitory falculties.
By following the path of Lust (aka, sense-gratification) one thus is succeptable to supra-mundane "karma-phalam" ---namely, ugra-karma (funky-karma).
Bhaktajan’s “Theistic” note here is: The individual vector point of the soul is 'active by nature', thus nirvana is not eternal.
EGO (ahankara, sanskrit) is the outward expression of the soul's presence "in action".
There are 8,400,000 species of life, spanning all forms of living creatures from amoebas in stool to demigods in celestrial abodes.
Each forms of living creature has a life force present that animates them and also accords them the concominant level of consciousness that had been preiviously cultivated and thus accrued to the soul a particular stratum of life (IOW, as per the fruits of work preformed by a soul with its facility & falculty in a bodily birth it has inherited its due rewards ~aka, Karma (actions) accrues Karma-phalam (fruits of actions).
Each birth through any of 8,400,000 species of creatures IS IN CONTRA-DISTINCTION from the "Supreme Personality of Godhead (Dio, La Persona Suprema)"
The open-book revelation of just who & by what defintion is the "Supreme Personality of Godhead (Dio, La Persona Suprema)" as an absolute "Persona" can only be spoken of and revealed by the "Supreme Personality of Godhead (Dio, La Persona Suprema)" himself. This is done in The Bhagavad-Gita.
Ego is commenerate with the Vessal containing the soul.
Self-identity is the original identity of the soul in its original position, namely, as an eternal associate of the "Supreme Personality of Godhead (Dio, La Persona Suprema)" in pastimes ---all outside the material world of "repeated births and death" (samsara, sanskrit).
The soul is an individual entity existing within a sphere of millions & trillions of other like souls all preforming the same activites (eat, sleep, mate, defend) from amoebas in stool to demigods in celestrial abodes ---each preforms actions to satisfiy their senses (sense gratification).
The mundane ego seeks to sublimate its existance by "seeking transcendence" ---this is IN CONTRA-DISTINCTION to mundane sense gratification and self-preservation.
The False ego (the sense of "I am" this one body amongst 8,400,000 species of creatures during this & many countless past short waking life times) seeks short lived mundane gratification as the all-in-all in life.
The Science of self-realisation delineated in the yoga scriptures such as the Bhagavad-gita reveals how the soul's orginal "transcendant Ego" is inseperable from the individual soul of each "Person".
The (false) Ego is temporary as per each body/birth.
The self-identity of the soul* is "eternal associate & servant" of the "Supreme Personality of Godhead (Dio, La Persona Suprema)" in pastimes ---all outside the material world of "repeated births and death" (samsara, sanskrit).
The ego is temporary.
The souls' identity is a blank slate that is an individual persona.
The souls may cultivate service to Godhead [or nirvana] or it may conversely be led by a ring through the nose (yoni/yoke) by the temporal bodys' sense-gratifitory falculties.
By following the path of Lust (aka, sense-gratification) one thus is succeptable to supra-mundane "karma-phalam" ---namely, ugra-karma (funky-karma).
Bhaktajan’s “Theistic” note here is: The individual vector point of the soul is 'active by nature', thus nirvana is not eternal.
Bhaktajan II
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The Soul defined in the Bhagavad gita
The Bhagavad gita acknowledges the existence of both God and the individual souls as eternal realities.
The Bhagavad gita acknowledges the incarnation of the individual souls,
their delusion and bondage to the repeating cycle of births and deaths to due desire-ridden actions.
The Bhagavad gita acknowledges solutions for their salvation, release of the soul from the body, its re-establishment of relationship with God.
The Bhagavad gita acknowledges that the soul is indestructible and eternal (2.18).
It neither slays, nor can it be slain (2.19).
It is never, born and it never dies. After coming into existence, it never ceases to be.
It is eternal, permanent and very ancient (2.20).
It does not suffer, nor can it be tainted. At the time of death it does not die, but leaves the body and enters a new one (2.22).
Weapons cannot pierce it, fire cannot burn it, water cannot moisten it and wind cannot dry it (2.23).
It is impenetrable, incombustible, all pervading, stable and immobile (2.24).
It is invisible, imperceptible and immutable (2.25).
The individual Soul is seeking to re-link with the Lord God by cultivating the etiquette of personal service to Godhead, the supreme Soul.
The soul is superior to everything else in the human being.
The senses are great, greater than the senses is the mind,
greater than the mind is buddhi and greater than the buddhi is the Self (3.42).
The soul is the highest, eternal reality, whereas the senses, the mind, intelligence, etc., are finite and dependent realities.
The supreme soul is localised along side with the individual Soul and together they literally reside in the location of the heart, and is referred to as the indwelling witness , or, super-soul.
The embodied soul is caught in the grip of the Material Cosmic Energy.
It cannot escape from it on its own, without adequate spiritual effort and divine help.
At the time of death, the individual Soul leaves the body and goes to any of a
myriad of new-births, as afforded by the fruits-of-their-lifes'-actions [aka karma].
The Bhagavad gita acknowledges that the state of mind in which a person
leaves the body at the time of death is important and will determine
the course of his after-life [aka the next birth].
Whatever the person thinks and remembers in those moments
that alone he achieves thereafter (8.6).
Thus if someone departs from the body thinking of God alone,
he would undoubtedly attain him (8.5, 12 &13).
A liberated soul is different from the embodied or the bound soul.
The individual Soul is caught in the snare of the repeating cycle of births and deaths,
whereas a liberated soul is free from all entanglements and is
forever free from the control of material cosmic energy.
Even though the soul is within everyone, people cannot feel its presence
because they remain distracted by the activity of their senses and minds.
If they succeed in withdrawing their senses and look inwards,
they have a chance of coming into contact with it, this is referred to as Self-realisation.
The transcendent path of loving service to Godhead so as to attain the stage of
reciprocal inter-personal association with the Supreme personality of Godhead.
PS: Because the Supreme personality of Godhead is explained as a definitive
personage with His own name, fame, form, personality, paraphernalia and pastimes ---it is to be understood that the individual Soul is only a small part-and-parcel spark of the Supreme-Soul, aka Godhead in-person.
your servant,
a bhaktajan
The Bhagavad gita acknowledges the existence of both God and the individual souls as eternal realities.
The Bhagavad gita acknowledges the incarnation of the individual souls,
their delusion and bondage to the repeating cycle of births and deaths to due desire-ridden actions.
The Bhagavad gita acknowledges solutions for their salvation, release of the soul from the body, its re-establishment of relationship with God.
The Bhagavad gita acknowledges that the soul is indestructible and eternal (2.18).
It neither slays, nor can it be slain (2.19).
It is never, born and it never dies. After coming into existence, it never ceases to be.
It is eternal, permanent and very ancient (2.20).
It does not suffer, nor can it be tainted. At the time of death it does not die, but leaves the body and enters a new one (2.22).
Weapons cannot pierce it, fire cannot burn it, water cannot moisten it and wind cannot dry it (2.23).
It is impenetrable, incombustible, all pervading, stable and immobile (2.24).
It is invisible, imperceptible and immutable (2.25).
The individual Soul is seeking to re-link with the Lord God by cultivating the etiquette of personal service to Godhead, the supreme Soul.
The soul is superior to everything else in the human being.
The senses are great, greater than the senses is the mind,
greater than the mind is buddhi and greater than the buddhi is the Self (3.42).
The soul is the highest, eternal reality, whereas the senses, the mind, intelligence, etc., are finite and dependent realities.
The supreme soul is localised along side with the individual Soul and together they literally reside in the location of the heart, and is referred to as the indwelling witness , or, super-soul.
The embodied soul is caught in the grip of the Material Cosmic Energy.
It cannot escape from it on its own, without adequate spiritual effort and divine help.
At the time of death, the individual Soul leaves the body and goes to any of a
myriad of new-births, as afforded by the fruits-of-their-lifes'-actions [aka karma].
The Bhagavad gita acknowledges that the state of mind in which a person
leaves the body at the time of death is important and will determine
the course of his after-life [aka the next birth].
Whatever the person thinks and remembers in those moments
that alone he achieves thereafter (8.6).
Thus if someone departs from the body thinking of God alone,
he would undoubtedly attain him (8.5, 12 &13).
A liberated soul is different from the embodied or the bound soul.
The individual Soul is caught in the snare of the repeating cycle of births and deaths,
whereas a liberated soul is free from all entanglements and is
forever free from the control of material cosmic energy.
Even though the soul is within everyone, people cannot feel its presence
because they remain distracted by the activity of their senses and minds.
If they succeed in withdrawing their senses and look inwards,
they have a chance of coming into contact with it, this is referred to as Self-realisation.
The transcendent path of loving service to Godhead so as to attain the stage of
reciprocal inter-personal association with the Supreme personality of Godhead.
PS: Because the Supreme personality of Godhead is explained as a definitive
personage with His own name, fame, form, personality, paraphernalia and pastimes ---it is to be understood that the individual Soul is only a small part-and-parcel spark of the Supreme-Soul, aka Godhead in-person.
your servant,
a bhaktajan