The Theory of soul is repudiated by both Buddhism and Science.
The reason why believers upholding this theory is this: as human
body is made of flesh and other material things, all of which are
without consciousness, the need of a conscious being to be its
master is obvious, same as a motor car in need of a driver.
According to this theory, when one is alive, the soul is inside the
body, but at the time of ones death, it departs from the body.
Apparently, this sounds plausible, but if tested by Logic or
Hutuvidya, the Science of Cause, its fallacy is perceived at once.
Let us ask this question: Is the soul material or immaterial? If it
is a material thing inside the body, why has it remained unknown to
mankind without being discovered by Science of Anatomy even to the
present day? The assumption that it leaves the body after ones
death is illogical, because no material can move by itself; and if
it is sent out by the heat of the body, it should be found around
the body. Again, since both the soul and the body are material
things and both of them are without consciousness, to say that the
one needs the other to be its ruler is utterly pointless.
Therefore, to say that the soul is material is a fallacious
statement. On the other hand, to say that it is immaterial is also
fallacious, for if it can move in and out of the body, it is no
longer immaterial.
Now that the concept of soul is refuted by Buddhism, we may ask,
"What is THAT which rules over oneself during ones lifetime and is
subjected to reincarnation after ones death?" Here is Buddhisms
answer: THAT may be expediently called either Consciousness or
Buddha-nature and is the Essence of everything; it is immaterial
and formless, neither inside nor outside the body, neither entering
nor departing from the body. Consciousness is Essence contaminated
with material craving and passionate vexation, and Buddha-nature is
Essence pure and undefiled; in reality, Consciousness and
Buddha-nature are but two aspects of one substance. Of course,
Consciousness or Buddha-nature is essentially different from the
soul, which is said to be of material form, abiding inside the body
and capable of moving in and out. Despite that Consciousness or
Buddha-nature is without these physical attributes of the soul,
nevertheless, if and when conditions are ripe, it may transform
itself into a material form to enter or to depart from the body. In
view of this, it is said to be neither material nor immaterial. Now
to return to the above question. Without being able to give any
answer at all, the scientist merely says arbitrarily, "There is
nothing like that." Buddhism tells us, however, that it is only by
direct apprehension of the reality and by self-experiencing, as
resorted to by Buddha, that truth and illusion may be perceived and
the good and the evil may be clearly discerned; in the meanwhile by
the various Dharmas of cultivation, we would be able to verify
truth by ourselves, after the manner of Buddhas
self-experiencing.
Indeed, Buddhism and Science are two brilliant lamps of the world,
and it is by their illuminating power that ignorance and
superstition would be eliminated, biased views and dogmatism would
be eradicated and infinite progress would be made by human beings
in exploring human wisdom till the attainment of Supreme
Enlightenment. It must be conceded, however, that no matter how
progressive and advanced is its development, science is largely
confined to the study of material phenomena, but to understand the
reality of those phenomena where mind is involved, we cannot but
depend on Buddhism, and Buddhism only. For instance, nowhere among
those books of Western Psychology can we find such inexhaustive and
analytical study of the psychological aspects and reactions of the
various sense-organs of human beings as enunicated in the Sastra on
the Hundred Divisions of Mental Qualities.
