Soul
Contents
Position and Nature
Specifically, it is taught the soul, is the living individual. That is to say, an individual does not have a soul; an individual is a soul and its position is nehind the eyes, within the centre of the head possible around the hypothamus. Originally, it was taught that the position was in the middle of the forehead where the Hindu wear a Tilak. The Soul is eternal and indestructible. Within BK Raja Yoga it is not taught to "merge" into a "Oneness" as taught by Sikhs or Sanyasin. There is debate at what time a soul enters or becomes attached to the human embryo or foetus but generally it is said around 3 months when the baby gives its first kick. Before that the foetus is seen as being spiritually inert. However, it is said that the individual soul has some choice in the parents of its next incarnation according to its karma..
Transmigration
According to the BKs, the human soul does not transmigrate from or into other souls as taught in Orthodox Hinduism and Buddhism. Animals are generally thought to have soul but there are no specific teachings related to this.
Number of births
The maximum number of birth being 83 or 84, it is not clear whether the 84th birth is a physical or spiritual birth. This is a number of births only reached by an elite 900,000, all Golden Aged BKWSU followers.
Components
BKWSU teaches that the Soul can be thought of as comprising three parts.
- Man - the Mind
- the mind is the thinking, element
- Buddhi - the Intellect
- the intellect is the thinking / judging element
- Sanskars - the resolves
the Sanskars are a 'record' of its past actions and the resolutions made regarding the nature of each one.
Karma and Re-birth
The actions - or karma - of the 'role' (i.e. the body) driven by the 'actor' (i.e. the soul) will determine the karmic account of that soul. The karmic account, or reactions to those thoughts, words and actions perfomed, will - it is said - determine the quality of life, experiences and opportunities in subsequent births.