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Re: Atmaa : Do I have one ?
Roy Raja (rajaroy@ecf.toronto.edu) wrote:
: In article <4f0v5b$t00@babbage.ece.uc.edu>,
: N. Tiwari <ntiwari@rs3.esm.vt.edu> wrote:
: >The term aatmaa implies self. So the question whether
: >I have an aatmaa is quite meaningless. The moment I
: >use the word "I", a sense of self-ness is implied.
: >Further, if there is something which I cannot really
: >doubt, it is this "I". I can doubt Raja Roy's existence.
: This is what I have been thinking about. Who am I, or Why am I.
: According to Sankhya, there are two fundamental things in universe :
: Purush and Prakriti. Prakriti goes through transformation when universe
: comes into being, but Purush remains unchanged. However since Prakriti
: is inanimate, it can not go through transformation on its own, but it
: happens due to the presence of Purush.
: Let's take another example here of a computer. Computer has a hardware,
: software, but it won't run without electricity. We have a body, mind, but
: we won't be alive without Atmaa. Let's assume there is a computer that
: can think. What should it identify with : its hardware, its software, or
: its electricity? To me it is hard to identify with electricity.
OK. So, we agree that it is fundamentally impossible to deny
the existance of Atmaa (I). I cannot deny my existance, and
you cannot deny yours. But, I can doubt your existance, and
you can dispute mine.
Let us proceed.
What makes up this I? Is it mind, body, memory, ...
What is it? The moment you ask this question, an entire
series of questions is asked.
Let us see. Since the time, I became aware of myself (birth)
my body has changed its shape and size. Yet, I have existed.
So, I is not the form of the body.
Also, the material constituents (atoms) have changed over and
over again. My blood, my skin, my flesh, have all been built,
died and re-built. In this very life. There are scientific
studies, which show that you do not have even 1% of atoms,
which you acquired during your birth. So, I am not my body.
My body (materially) has changed several times over, right
in this life.
What about my memory. That which call software. I know that
I have forgotten lots of things. Some things still remain
in my sub_conscious. Some things remain in my conscious.
But the contents of these two memory banks, have gone
thru repeated deletions, additions, and modifications. And
yet I KNOW THAT I AM THE SAME. So, my memory is not I.
Having rid of the psycho-somatic (pshyco == memory, emotions)
(somatic == body) aspectes of myself, whatever is left is
may be partly I. From here onwards, we stop philosophizing
and start darshan. And it is at this point, that I cease
to discuss, since I am do not know, what I have to speak
about.
However, one of the upanishads, very beautifully addresses
this question as to what makes up I. I think it is the
Ken_Upanishad. The person (shishya) is sequentially led
thru a series of options (reg. the make up of I). Some of
these are:
anna (grain)
pran-vaayu (breath of life)
..
..
..
and finally you end up at whatever is left. The Atmaa. Pure
unadulterated Atmaa.
But as I said, I shall not comment on it, since I do
not know it.
--
Nachiketa Tiwari
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