Soul and The Supreme Soul
YOGINDU DEO
Prabhakar – Oh my spiritual preceptor! Please explain me the nature of the soul and the supreme soul. You told us yesterday that the soul is unhappy, having forgotten itself.
Yogindu Deo – Oh Prabhakar Bhatta, disciples like you alone have the craving to know the secrets of the soul. Those who hear about the nature of this sentient soul with joy, attain complete liberation of the soul, in a short time. There is no other reality than the knowledge of the self. The sentient living substance is the soul. From the point of view of different manifestations it is of three kinds- 1. Extrovert 2. Introvert 3. Supreme Soul.
Prabhakar – Who is an extrovert ?
Yogindu Deo – One regarding one’s body as one’s soul and accepting other objects and attachments as one’s own is an extrovert. He is ignorant and devoid of the consciousness of the soul.
Because he regards other objects as one with his soul, he is called an extrovert. Since infinity, this being has been regarding the birth of the body as the birth of the soul and its demise as its death. Those related to his body are regarded as his own. As long as this mistake continues, that being is called an extrovert or a being with wrong faith.
Prabhakar We should discard the state of an extrovert. This is alright, but….
Yogindu Deo – One should become an introvert discarding the state of an extrovert. One who accepts and experiences the soul as distinct from body, and other such like things and knows it as sentient and blissful by virtue of the power of making distinctions is an introvert. That sentient being alone is an introvert. Accepting the soul alone as his own and no other material object or idea, he is regarded as an introvert. The introverts are of three kinds – (i) the high introvert (ii) the medium introvert and (iii) the low introvert.
Devoid of all external and internal possessions, passionless monks engaged in the pursuit of self (in the twelfth scale of spiritual progress) are the high introverts. Beings having correct faith, but without any specific vows of conduct, in the fourth scale of the pursuit of the soul are the low introverts. Midway between the monks and the householders of the fifth scale having some vows are the medium introverts.
Prabhakar – What are the merits of being an introvert ?
Yogindu Deo – This very introvert, leaving the household, adopts monkhood with all inclinations towards the spiritual pursuit, trying to realise the self, attains Godhood and accomplishes infinite perception, infinite consciousness, infinite bliss and infinite strength. It means this introvert, by dint of personal effort attains Godhood.
Prabhakar – What are the merits of Godhood ?
Yogindu Deo – Every soul wants to be happy. Bereft of all restlessness, God is infinitely happy. Gods are of two kinds : (i) Gods having human form and (ii) Gods without any form.
Those Arahantas, who have eliminated the four destructive karmas are Gods with human form, and those that have no karmas left and no forms are the Siddhas i.e. the completely liberated souls. Extroverts are treading upon the worldly path, and, therefore, their position is undesirable altogether. Introvert is on the path to liberation and as such, his position is, from some point of view, desirable. Godhood, being above sensual attachments and full of bliss, without the existence of senses, is all desirable.
Everybody should, therefore, wilfully discard the state of an extrovert and becoming an introvert attain the status of supreme Godhood.
Dr. H.C. Bharill