Explanation:
A diamond is a hard condensed product of carbon atoms. Charcoal paint is a soft product of the same carbon atoms. Hence, both diamond and the black paint are products of the same carbon. On washing, the paint goes away, but the diamond is left over without the slightest damage. Similarly, the weak qualities generated from the awareness, produced by food in this birth, are like the charcoal paint. The strong qualities generated from food in the past births have got condensed and the hard jiva is formed. Deep sleep or death destroys the weak qualities of this birth but not jiva, who was the hard condensed product of the strong qualities of the past births. In any case, the soul or jiva is the product of awareness, which is generated by food alone.
Note:
Certain qualities get fixed in the jiva, in several births. Today you are listening to this knowledge and you are very much convinced by it. Now this samskara of knowledge, about which you are convinced in your heart, becomes a hard samskara [1] in the jiva. That continues for birth after birth. But in case of routine maters such as something that you shared with your friend today, you will forget it after a few minutes [2]. Some other feelings may remain with you throughout this life; for example, this is my wife, this is my child etc. Only the strong qualities continue forever in all births. The eternal jiva, who leaves the body after death, is a group of hard qualities, which were with him for births together. When all the samskaras are removed or dissolved, there is no jiva. Only Atman remains—the general awareness. General awareness dissolves by death or even dissolves in deep sleep. This means complete dissolution of the jiva. Suppose by special effort all the hard samskaras are dissolved, then the jiva is dissolved. General awareness is in any case is not permanent. Only inert energy is left over. It mixes with the cosmic energy. From the cosmic energy some atoms, stones, trees; some inert things are formed. That is why an Advaita philosopher who dissolves all the qualities and who becomes quality-less, will be born as a stone, tree etc. The very individuality of the jiva is only due to the samskaras, since the jiva is nothing but a bundle of the hard qualities or feelings. Or the jiva can be thought of as a mixture or group of certain fixed qualities, like the composition of a particular alloy.
[1] Strong feeling or quality
[2] That is an example of the weak feelings or qualities.
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