Page 62 - Journey to Infinity
P. 62

The following are gross elements:
Ether-Aakasha; air-Vayu; fire-Agni; water-Jal; Earth-Prithvi. This body is organised systematised by the atoms of these gross elements.
The following are the subtle elements:
Sound or Sabda; touch or Sparsha; form or Roopa; taste or Rasa; Smell or Gandha. The subtle body is formed by the atoms of these subtle elements.
The causal elements viz., the causal atoms of the above elements in the seed form are responsible for the formation of the causal body. All the three bodies are organised and systematised by the combination of atoms only. Therefore, the attributes, actions and habits or Svabhava are formed according to those atoms.
What does it matter if none has accepted the soul- Atma—as a compound or divisible substance? Even then reality remains as it is. All have understood it according to the level of their understanding. The Vedantins, the Sankhyas, the Yogins — nay, even the sages and seers have been deceived in understanding it. Even the Shastra accepts the existence of the three bodies but it could not be known that the causal body is the soul itself. Now we shall have to think over the etymology of the word Atman.
The Sanskrit word Atman is formed of ‘Ath’ and ‘Ma(na)n’. ‘Ath’ means movement and ‘Ma(na)n’ means thinking. That in which there is movement and thinking is Atman.The soul itself is the causal body which is in seed form, and which is a compound substance. The same thing expresses itself at the physical or gross body and mental or subtle body levels. When it wakes and enters the conscious level, movement sets in, in the sense organs and organs of perception by the movement of its flow; when it comes to the mental level (dream state) it remains thoughtful; and when it withdraws its flow (current) to the state of deep sleep it remains in its original form and enjoys bliss. So, how can a thing in which there is movement, thinking and absorption be simple and indivisible? It must necessarily be a compound.
Action or Karma is the nature or Dharma of the gross body. Just as the formation of body is natural, its movement also is natural; and so also the law of good and evil fruit is natural. Every embodied being is called Jeeva, the characteristic of which is movement. In this movement works the principle of development or growth, and contemplation.
Jiva is soul, because that in which there is move¬ment (Aath) and thinking (Man) is soul. This soul is Brahman. Brahman is developing and thinking creation. In SanskritBrahman is derived from ‘bruha’ to grow or to expand, and ‘man’ to think. That which moves and thinks is Atman; and that which


























































































   60   61   62   63   64