Soul, Mind and Body - Chapter 1: Basic Characterisics

Preface:
While body is perceptible, soul and mind are non-perceptible. The mystery of soul and mind and to some extent even body is manifold. Many in the past have written volumes on this subject; still, the mystery persists and even is deepened. Many questions were raised in this regard and many answers were furnished – some complementary and some contradictory.

Sages, philosophers, scientists, religious pundits and even atheists had contributed their theories and to draw a common view or theory is very nigh impossible. Ancient Vedas, Upanishads, Bhagavad Gita and host of many hindu philosophic and religious texts are there to give us a vivid picture on this subject and still, one will have a feeling that the final word is not yet said!
The thesis of Plato, Aristotle, Buddhists and Chinese Ancient Philosophers, Western Philosophers and Christian Religious Texts had also enriched the already loaded literatures on this subject.

The subject was in my mind for quite some time – say a few years. Now, I felt that the time had come to pen down my own experiences and thoughts on the various treatises, theories and philosophies.

Chapter 1: Basic Characteristics

The letters in the three words – viz. soul, mind and body are four letters each. Each letter in these words has some sort of meaning to convey their characteristics.
Let us examine this aspect first.
Soul:
S = Source less
O = Oneness
U = Uniqueness
L = Limitless
Mind:
M = Memory
I = Intellect/Information
N = Notion/Negative Feeling
D = Devotion
Body:
B = Birth
O = Oven (Fire of Digestion)
D = Death
Y = Years (Age)

Soul is variously called as atma, being, that, living force, jivan etc. When we say soul, we often refer mostly to human soul. Then, one can reasonably ask ‘is there any difference between human soul vis-à-vis animal or insect or plant soul?’ Though we can say ‘no’ to this question, we cannot be sure and we cannot emphatically say ‘no’.

What is the reason?
Every Human body contains only one soul and when the human body decays with ailments, then the soul leaves the body which becomes a lifeless one which we call death of the human. Take the case of an insect. Some insect, when cut, becomes a separate entity having its own soul in the separated cut body. Though there are some doubts whether this entity cut out from the parent body has all the characteristics of its parent insect, the fact of a new soul in this new entity cannot be disputed.

In the case of plant also, you can cut a branch and plant it separately in the earth and it grows as a separate entity with its own soul encased. Then, you may wonder even the cut out branch has a soul in it, even after its separation from the main tree. Planting it in the earth is an evidence of the soul within it. But, the soul cannot be there for ever in the cut out branch, as a dried out branch due to its delayed planting in the earth cannot sprout.

There are some animals also having similar properties.

‘Soul cannot be cut’ declares Bhagavad Gita. But, if the body is cut, a different soul enters into the piece separated from the parent body. The soul in the piece is definitely a separate one. Perhaps soul referred in the Gita could be only human soul.

Mind is an important ‘organ’ in the human body like soul. Without soul, there is no mind. In the body, mind is being controlled by brain. Memory vouchsafes mind’s existence.

How does one understand clearly the relationship between Brain and Mind?

The existence of the stomach can be felt, when you feel appetite. In the same way, when the brain starts functioning, the mind is being activated. If the Brain is like stomach, then Appetite is like Mind.

Mind co-exists with soul as far as human soul is concerned. The same cannot be said about all souls, as there are many animal, insect and plant souls, which have no mind or memory.

Body has organs for various functions such as seeing, tasting, hearing, touching, smelling, remembering, reproduction, movement etc. These organs are being controlled normally by brain. If there is no brain in the body of some species, then they have to depend upon other sense organs.

Body is not soul, but, soul needs a body. Body needs a soul for its growth and decay. Mind, which is being identified by memory, accompany its soul. This can be revealed, when cases of some persons revealing their past birth were proved correct. Famous Shanthi Devi’s story has been well documented to prove the rebirth of the same soul later on the demise of the earlier one. A 15 Member Experts Committee investigated this episode under the orders of Mahatma Gandhi, which goes to prove its authenticity. The full details will be dealt with in the next chapter.

(To be continued.)