शिवज्ञानबोध (मेय्कण्डार - शैव सिद्धान्त का आधारभूत दार्शनिक सूत्र ग्रन्थ)

SECOND SUTRA. 29
re-births. So it is laid down that Births and Deaths are possible
only when a thing is eternal. But what is that in it which brings
about births and deaths. It is the Law of change—Continual
change, Evolution. This eternal and continually changing ego un-
dergoing births and re-births should not be confounded with the
vaguely apprehended and feebly postulated ego of the southern
Buddhists, a mere product of the Skandas, eking out some kind
of continued existence, failing when the Skandas fail, and becoming
annihilated also. We postulate also Nirvana and the word is used
in such conjunctions as Nirvana Diksha, &c., but in what sense
they are used will be shown later on. It does not mean annihilation.
(a & b). The illustrations explain how the soul and
its inseparable and eternal body undergo birth, death, and
rebirth. Man's visible body (Sthula Sarira) is only resolved
into its cause Sukshuma Sarira, as water passes into invisible
vapour. So the soul passing from its Sthula Sarira to its Sukshuma
Sarira as illustrated in (b) experiences some pleasure or pain, as
in sleep, the death of every day (Nithya Pralaya), the man
experiences pleasant or unpleasant dreams, according to his expe-
rience of the previous day or days. When the soul had there-
fore eaten of its Karma in part and had received sufficient rest, its
Akamia Karma induces it again to get a Sthula Sarira. Heaven
or Hell are merely states or conditions of the soul's existence
in Sukshuma Sarira. These have no local or space existence.
When the soul is in its Sthula Sarira, the faculties are
active and receive full play. In its Sukshuma state, all the
faculties are paralysed and inactive ; though it is capable of cer-
tain experiences owing to the past experiences vaguely reproduc-
ing themselves. The dream condition is exactly its parallel.
We don't remember all our days, experiences in sleep or dream ;
nor do we remember the numberless dreams that we dream in a
night, when we wake up, unless it be very vivid or strong.
Even when we are awake, we do not remember all our past