26 Apr 2023
1. If the soul is a form of energy, what differentiates one soul from another?
[Mr. Talin Rowe asked: Namaste to Swamiji. I have attached a series of questions regarding the soul, Thank God for His Greatness. All Praises and Glory be onto You Shri Datta. Thank You for Your patience. Questions on the Soul: 1. If the soul is a form of energy, what differentiates one soul from another?]
Swami replied:- As the basic inert energy, there is no difference between any two souls. The souls acquire different ratios of good and bad qualities like water in different cups acquires different colours, due to various associations with various co-human beings. The water in each cup contains its own specific colour. Difference is achieved by souls even though basically the souls are one only (pure water only).
2. Is a soul in a body, generated by the nervous energy or is it superimposed on the matter and bonds between the matter?
Swami replied:- As far as the individual soul is concerned, it is made of awareness and awareness is generated from inert energy functioning in an active brain-nervous system. Strictly speaking, soul is the basic inert energy. Of course, we loosely call individual soul as soul. Matter is only container of the soul, which is also condensed inert energy.
3. How would the qualities of a soul transfer from one body to another?
[How would the properties of a soul move from one form to another, from a body to an energetic body while maintaining its inherent characteristics if awareness is dependent on food (or energy in the upper worlds)?]
Swami replied:- Food on oxidation by oxygen inhaled releases the inert energy in the living body and this inert energy (soul) is converted into awareness in the active brain-nervous system. This awareness is called as individual soul. Between soul and individual soul, only inert energy and non-inert awareness play distinct roles. Up to this point, there is no difference between soul and individual soul except that soul is inert and individual soul is non-inert. Up to this point, food has no significance. But, food also plays some minor role on the qualities of the individual soul. Actually, the main difference in qualities of individual souls is due to the associations with fellow human beings.
4. Should we view all forms of life as coequal with our own?
Swami replied:- All souls and individual souls are basically equal due to basic energy. Soul is inert energy and individual soul is non-inert awareness. There is perfect homogeneity in all living beings in the sense that awareness as a specific form of energy exists in inert bodies made of inert energy and matter. Matter is also condensed inert energy. But, there is a lot of difference among living beings due to a lot of difference in qualities acquired by individual souls due to associations with different co-human beings.
5. Are all souls inherently connected, or do they exist independently from one another?
Swami replied:- The individual souls are connected with each other through associations of different natured human beings. Except this one type of association, there is no other type of association, which is invisible to our eyes.
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