[Advaita-l] Concept of soul

[kuntimaddi sadananda]

Maheshji - PraNAms 

Here is my understanding.

--- Mahesh Ursekar <mahesh.ursekar at gmail.com> wrote:

 
> 1. What happens when some cells are extraced from
> your body as a tissue
> culture or suitably preserved while outside you. The
> individual cells of
> this culture continue to exhibit the same behavior
> as when they were in your
> body. They are living without the enlivining
> principle of your subtle body.
> According to your explanation, how is that possible?
>
First, when the cells are extracted, they are no more
my cells - They were part of me as one organism when
they are integrated as one - that is the reason I
mentioned about the cancer cells.  These cancer cells
or the tissue cells that are extracted are taken over
by another subtle bodies that is of unicelluar nature
since they function and reproduce. Life is pulsating
there in each of these cells as an entity. That life
or life forms are differnt from mine. When you prick
them, I do not feel the pain  since their subtle
bodies are differnt from mine.  They grow and multiply
accoding to their capabilities - but they are not me. 
In fact you may be able to use them to clone anther
multi cell organism and that organism is differnt from
me with their own vaasanas and subtle body to go
through their life.  Cloning process is exactly that.
Why even when the conception occurs, two cells
joinging as one and growing - it grows as separate
individual.  In the unicellular experiement you
mentioned, the culture cells can also eat one another
since each wants to survive at the expense of others
if there is no other source of food. Each has mind of
their own!

Organism is one as long as they are integrated as one
and that integrated oneness is due to subtle body that
is pervading as one. If there are many organisms in my
body, each organism behaves differently competing with
each other - since each is organized as separate
entities and behave as separate entities. Therefore
they have minds of their own that differ from mine.
And they live at the expense of the host and can
destroy the host for their survival. I have to leave
that body and find another one that is more conducive
or join the adviatin list to transcend my subtle body!

The point is the life pulsates or enlivens whereever
and whenever the uppadhis or equipments are conducive
to express that all pervading light of consciousness. 



 
> 2. Why do you differentiate between bacteria
> (prokaryote) and other cells
> in your body (eurkaryote). They are both living. Why
> does one have its own
> subtle body while the other not? 

No, I am not differentiating them - they have their
own subtle bodies compare to mine. Like we have big
apartment where I am living but some intruders also
come and live - unless I get rid of them they may
occupy the whole place and kick me out. The cells that
are integrated as one organism are governed by one
subtle body. Those cells that disintegrate and behave
not as integral unit as one organism but behave like
different organisms, since their organization differs
from mine.  The difference arrises since they show
that they have mind of their own - and that mind is
what we call their subtle bodies. 

Anyway that is how I understand as life. It is the
expression of consciousness in the subtle and gross
bodies depending on their capabilities to reflect.
Scientist as Vidya is pointing is only trying assemble
(not create) from nature what he sees are physical
requirements for consciousness to express.  A
scientist does not creat a life - life is the
expression of all pervading consciousness in the
matter that is suitable to express. 

In the gross body - it expresses as just existence. In
the more sophisticated cells, it can express as life,
if the physiological functions can take place due to
subtle body. 
 

Hari Om!
Sadananda