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Atmaa : Do I have one ?
I have been pondering over this question for many years, and still
I don't have any answer.
To start with, Islam , christianity, and judaism say that only
humans have souls ( and therefore atmaa ), and other animals and
plants don't have one. Hinduism says that all living beings including
plants have atmaa. Looking from a biological point of view, Hinduism makes
more sense, because there is not much biologocally different among
animals and humans, human brain is more advanced, but animals do have
brains, and they do feel happiness and sorrow, and they struggle to
survive too.
Now comes the doubt. There is physical body, mind, and atmaa (let's
assume). According to hindu philosophy, it is not the atmaa, but the
jiva that is bound in the cycle of rebirth. Jiva is atmaa + inner body
or mind. Since atmaa can not be bound, it is due to the inner body
that I am bound. Example normally given is that of a pot in ocean. Ocean
is god, pot is body and mind, and water inside the pot is atmaa. The
pot is not letting the water inside merge with water outside. Now I think
that pot can not really be closed, because then one can divide god, which
is not possible. Since God is same all the time, its like an open pot
moving in the ocean. So when I move, whatever part of God I occupy is
essentially my atmaa. Then ofcourse I don't have the same atmaa all
the time. So basically, it is quite meaningless to have an atmaa.
Raja
