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# Atma (Soul) siddhanta

# Atma (Soul) siddhanta

Whatever may be their differences of opinion in other matters, so far as the general postulates for the realization of the transcendent state were concerned, all systems were practically in thorough agreement.<ref name=":12" />

Whatever may be their differences of opinion in other matters, so far as the general postulates for the realization of the transcendent state were concerned, all systems were practically in thorough agreement.<ref name=":12" />

== Karma Siddhanta ==

== कर्मसिद्धान्तः ॥ Karma Siddhanta ==

All the Indian shastras agree that whatever action is done by an individual leaves behind it some sort of potency which has the power to ordain for him joy or sorrow in the future accordingly as it is good or bad. Karma siddhanta traces the causes which determine an action to the very individual that performs those acts. When the fruits of the actions are such that they cannot be enjoyed in the present life or in human life, the individual has to take another birth as a man or any other being in order to suffer them, thereby creating ''Samsara'' or the continued existence of the Self (Jiva) in a succession of lives. Thus Punarjanma siddhanta or the theory of Transmigration, is a necessary corollary to Karma siddhanta. Proper observance of all ritualistic details during performance of yajnas was probably the earliest form of the Karma doctrine.<ref name=":32" />     

All the Indian shastras agree that whatever action is done by an individual leaves behind it some sort of potency which has the power to ordain for him joy or sorrow in the future accordingly as it is good or bad. Karma siddhanta traces the causes which determine an action to the very individual that performs those acts. When the fruits of the actions are such that they cannot be enjoyed in the present life or in human life, the individual has to take another birth as a man or any other being in order to suffer them, thereby creating ''Samsara'' or the continued existence of the Self (Jiva) in a succession of lives. Thus Punarjanma siddhanta or the theory of Transmigration, is a necessary corollary to Karma siddhanta. Proper observance of all ritualistic details during performance of yajnas was probably the earliest form of the Karma doctrine.<ref name=":32" />     

Man has had an infinite number of past lives of the most varied nature and the instincts of each kind of life exist dormant in the life of every individual and thus whenever he takes rebirth the special instincts of that life (called vasana) come forth. In accordance with these vasanas the person passes through the painful or pleasurable experiences as determined for him by his action. Such actions and experiences cannot be avoided but those actions which have not matured are uprooted once for all if the person attains true knowledge as advocated by philosophy. But even such an emancipated (mukta) person has to pass through the good or bad experiences ordained for him by the actions just ripened for giving their fruits. If in the meantime he attains true knowledge, all his past accumulated actions become destroyed, and as his acts are neither virtuous nor wicked, no fresh karma for ripening is accumulated and thus he becomes divested of all karma after enjoying the fruits of the ripened karmas alone. Thus, in the last stage of contemplation, all karma being annihilated, and all activities having ceased, the soul leaves the body and goes up to the top of the universe, where the liberated souls stay for ever.<ref name=":12" />

Man has had an infinite number of past lives of the most varied nature and the instincts of each kind of life exist dormant in the life of every individual and thus whenever he takes rebirth the special instincts of that life (called vasana) come forth. In accordance with these vasanas the person passes through the painful or pleasurable experiences as determined for him by his action. Such actions and experiences cannot be avoided but those actions which have not matured are uprooted once for all if the person attains true knowledge as advocated by philosophy. But even such an emancipated (mukta) person has to pass through the good or bad experiences ordained for him by the actions just ripened for giving their fruits. If in the meantime he attains true knowledge, all his past accumulated actions become destroyed, and as his acts are neither virtuous nor wicked, no fresh karma for ripening is accumulated and thus he becomes divested of all karma after enjoying the fruits of the ripened karmas alone. Thus, in the last stage of contemplation, all karma being annihilated, and all activities having ceased, the soul leaves the body and goes up to the top of the universe, where the liberated souls stay for ever.<ref name=":12" />

== Moksha Siddhanta ==

== मोक्षसिद्धान्तः ॥ Moksha Siddhanta ==

Karma leads us to the endless cycle of Samsara and if we could divest ourselves of all emotions, ideas or desires as lead us to action we should find within us the actionless self which neither suffers nor enjoys, neither works nor undergoes rebirth. Various schools agree in the recognition of liberation or release (moksha) from this cycle of rebirths as the highest of human ends or values. Chaturvarga - Artha, Kama, Dharma and Moksha are the highly revered Purusharthas, or the values. While Artha and Kama which mean wealth and pleasure are purely worldly values, the other two - Dharma and Moksha are described as spiritual. Of them, moksha has come to be acknowledged as the highest of human values by all schools of thought.<ref name=":32" />  

Karma leads us to the endless cycle of Samsara and if we could divest ourselves of all emotions, ideas or desires as lead us to action we should find within us the actionless self which neither suffers nor enjoys, neither works nor undergoes rebirth. Various schools agree in the recognition of liberation or release (moksha) from this cycle of rebirths as the highest of human ends or values. Chaturvarga - Artha, Kama, Dharma and Moksha are the highly revered Purusharthas, or the values. While Artha and Kama which mean wealth and pleasure are purely worldly values, the other two - Dharma and Moksha are described as spiritual. Of them, moksha has come to be acknowledged as the highest of human values by all schools of thought.<ref name=":32" />  

The belief that the soul could be realized in some stage as being permanently divested of all action, feelings or ideas, led logically to the conclusion that the connection of the soul with these worldly elements was extraneous, artificial or even illusory. In its true nature the soul is untouched by the impurities of our ordinary life, and it is through ignorance and passion as inherited from the cycle of karma from beginning-less time that we connect it with these. The realization of this transcendent state is the goal and final achievement of this endless cycle of births and rebirths through karma.<ref name=":12" />  

The belief that the soul could be realized in some stage as being permanently divested of all action, feelings or ideas, led logically to the conclusion that the connection of the soul with these worldly elements was extraneous, artificial or even illusory. In its true nature the soul is untouched by the impurities of our ordinary life, and it is through ignorance and passion as inherited from the cycle of karma from beginning-less time that we connect it with these. The realization of this transcendent state is the goal and final achievement of this endless cycle of births and rebirths through karma.<ref name=":12" />  

== Atma Siddhanta ==

== आत्मसिद्धन्तः ॥ Atma Siddhanta ==

All the Indian shastras except Buddhism admit the existence of a permanent entity variously called Atman, Purusha, Jiva or Soul. As to the exact nature of this soul there are indeed divergences of view.  

All the Indian shastras except Buddhism admit the existence of a permanent entity variously called Atman, Purusha, Jiva or Soul. As to the exact nature of this soul there are indeed divergences of view.  

* Nyaya calls it absolutely quantityless and characterless, indeterminate unconscious entity.

* Nyaya calls it absolutely quantityless and characterless, indeterminate unconscious entity.

* Vedanta says that it is that fundamental point of unity implied in pure consciousness (chit), pure bliss (ananda) and pure being (sat).  

* Vedanta says that it is that fundamental point of unity implied in pure consciousness (chit), pure bliss (ananda) and pure being (sat).  

But all agree in holding that it is pure and unsullied in its nature and that all impurities of action or passion do not form a real part of it. When all impurities are removed and the pure nature of the self is thoroughly and permanently apprehended and all other extraneous connections with it are absolutely dissociated.<ref name=":12" />

But all agree in holding that it is pure and unsullied in its nature and that all impurities of action or passion do not form a real part of it. When all impurities are removed and the pure nature of the self is thoroughly and permanently apprehended and all other extraneous connections with it are absolutely dissociated.<ref name=":12" />

== Jnana ==

== ज्ञानम् ॥ Jnana ==

Though the belief that the world is full of sorrow has not been equally prominently emphasized in all systems, yet it may be considered as being shared by all of them. It finds its strongest utterance in Samkhya, Yoga and Buddhism. This interminable chain of pleasurable and painful experiences does not lead one to a peaceful end but embroiling and entangling us in the meshes of karma, rebirth,  and sorrow. All human experiences are essentially sorrowful and ultimately sorrow begetting.  Sorrow is the ultimate truth of this process of the world. That which to an ordinary person seems pleasurable appears to a wise person or to a yogi who has a clearer vision as painful. The greater the knowledge the higher is the sensitiveness to sorrow and dissatisfaction with world experiences. This sorrow of worldly experiences cannot be removed by bringing in remedies for each sorrow, nor be avoided by mere inaction or suicide. The only way to get rid of it is by the culmination of moral greatness and true knowledge (Jnana) which uproot sorrow once and for all. It is our ignorance that the self is intimately connected with the experiences of life or its pleasures, that leads us to action and arouses passion in us for the enjoyment of pleasures and other emotions and activities.   

Though the belief that the world is full of sorrow has not been equally prominently emphasized in all systems, yet it may be considered as being shared by all of them. It finds its strongest utterance in Samkhya, Yoga and Buddhism. This interminable chain of pleasurable and painful experiences does not lead one to a peaceful end but embroiling and entangling us in the meshes of karma, rebirth,  and sorrow. All human experiences are essentially sorrowful and ultimately sorrow begetting.  Sorrow is the ultimate truth of this process of the world. That which to an ordinary person seems pleasurable appears to a wise person or to a yogi who has a clearer vision as painful. The greater the knowledge the higher is the sensitiveness to sorrow and dissatisfaction with world experiences. This sorrow of worldly experiences cannot be removed by bringing in remedies for each sorrow, nor be avoided by mere inaction or suicide. The only way to get rid of it is by the culmination of moral greatness and true knowledge (Jnana) which uproot sorrow once and for all. It is our ignorance that the self is intimately connected with the experiences of life or its pleasures, that leads us to action and arouses passion in us for the enjoyment of pleasures and other emotions and activities.<ref name=":12" />    

* The Upanishads tell us that the Vedas - the storehouse of knowledge - have been breathed forth from Him (Brhd. Upan. 2.4.10); but they regard the Karma-kanda as secondary, being only a help to purify the mind by which purification one is made fit to receive the real teaching about Brahman.   

* The Upanishads tell us that the Vedas - the storehouse of knowledge - have been breathed forth from Him (Brhd. Upan. 2.4.10); but they regard the Karma-kanda as secondary, being only a help to purify the mind by which purification one is made fit to receive the real teaching about Brahman.   

* We find in Chandogya Upanishad (7.2)   

* We find in Chandogya Upanishad (7.2) the [[Narada Sanatkumara Samvada (नारदसनत्कुमारयोः संवादः)|Narada Sanatkumara Samvada]] that even though one is well-versed in the knowledge of the Vedas, Mantras and the Chaturdasha Vidyas, he or she could still be ignorant about the Self. Only one who knows the Self goes beyond sorrow. 

* In the Bhagavadgita (2.45 and 46)also Srikrishna asks Arjuna to rise above the three gunas. <ref name=":22" />    

Through the highest moral elevation a man may attain absolute dispassion towards world-experiences and retire in body, mind and speech from all worldly concerns. When the mind is so purified the Self shines in its true light and its true nature is rightly conceived. When this once done the self can never again be associated with passion or ignorance. Self at this stage ultimately dissociates from ''Chitta'', which is the root of all emotions, ideas and actions. Thus, emancipated the self forever conquers all sorrow.<ref name=":12" />

Through the highest moral elevation a man may attain absolute dispassion towards world-experiences and retire in body, mind and speech from all worldly concerns. When the mind is so purified the Self shines in its true light and its true nature is rightly conceived. When this once done the self can never again be associated with passion or ignorance. Self at this stage ultimately dissociates from ''Chitta'', which is the root of all emotions, ideas and actions. Thus, emancipated the self forever conquers all sorrow.<ref name=":12" />

== Unity in Indian Sadhana ==

== Unity in Indian Sadhana ==

Thus we see that all Indian shastras agreed upon the general principles of ethical conduct which must be followed for the attainment of salvation. There are indeed divergences in certain details or technical names, but the means to be adopted for purification are almost same as those advocated by the Yoga system. It is in later times that devotion (bhakti) is seen to occupy a more prominent place specially in Vaishnava schools of thought. Thus, although many differences are seen among the various shastras, yet their goal of life, their attitude towards the world and means for the attainment of the goal (''sadhana'') fundamentally being the same, advocates a unique unity in the practical sadhana of almost all the Indian philosophical schools of thought. The religious craving has been universal in India and this uniformity of sadhana has therefore secured for India a unity in all her aspirations and strivings.<ref name=":12" />

Thus we see that all Indian shastras agreed upon the general principles of ethical conduct which must be followed for the attainment of salvation. There are indeed divergences in certain details or technical names, but the means to be adopted for purification are almost same as those advocated by the Yoga system. It is in later times that devotion (bhakti) is seen to occupy a more prominent place specially in Vaishnava schools of thought. Thus, although many differences are seen among the various shastras, yet their goal of life, their attitude towards the world and means for the attainment of the goal (''sadhana'') fundamentally being the same, advocates a unique unity in the practical sadhana of almost all the Indian philosophical schools of thought. The religious craving has been universal in India and this uniformity of sadhana has therefore secured for India a unity in all her aspirations and strivings.<ref name=":12" />

== Samkhya and Yoga Darshanas ==

== Nyaya and Vaiseshika Darshanas ==

 

==References==

==References==

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