Hinduism Stack Exchange
Hinduism Stack Exchange

Questions tagged [atma]

Atma or Atman means our soul (Jivatma) or the supreme soul (Paramatma)

According to Wikipedia

In Hindu philosophy, especially in the Vedanta school of Hinduism, Ātman is the first principle, the true self of an individual beyond identification with phenomena, the essence of an individual. In order to attain liberation, a human being must acquire self-knowledge (atma jnana).

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How does the soul control the intellect (buddhi)?

Why does not the soul, that is so powerful, stop the intellect from choosing the wrong path/decision/karma? How does the soul control the intellect (buddhi)?
bhamsoul
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Do clones have souls?

Do animal and plant clones have souls? (Such as https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dolly_(sheep))
user5155835
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Who performs the actions of the senses?

I have been told that Atman doesn't perform the action of the senses. Yet we hear, speak, taste and see things. Also I have been told that the Atman is our true self and is only the witness. So my question is : Who performs the actions of the…
Dheeraj Verma
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Size of soul in Hinduism texts

Is there any text mentioning about the size of soul in Hinduism? If there, then what is the size/volume of soul according to it? Is it a physical thing and has same size for all organisms? What I mean is physical dimensional explanation of soul.
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Why does the soul fall prey to maya, when it resides in the body?

I myself am an admirer of the Bhagavad Gita, and am a strong believer of its teachings. There is something, however, that still raises a question in my mind, that I cannot answer fully. I however believe that it arises because I have not yet fully…
Somabha Mukherjee
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How does the atma divide or individualize if it is always in existence?

I am listening to the Bhagavad Gita audiobook and in Chapter 3 Krishna is saying to Arjuna how while the body may be killed (be born and die), the atma remains unchanged, etc.. But my lingering question is, how does it work with lifeforms…
Lance
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Earliest scriptural reference to atma

The question is more or less in the title - what is the oldest scripture to reference the term atma? I know some of the Upanishads expound on the concept; are there even earlier references?
user19885
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What and how many forms of Spirit (आत्मा) are considered?

I was asking someone that why sometimes we call it soul and sometimes as spirit. I found that Spirit (आत्मा) same as the Soul (अन्तरात्मा). And he said jivatma and pretatma are forms of soul in which it exists. But he knows only two forms. So I like…
Kailash Chandra Polai
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Souls and Population

I read somewhere that souls are never created nor destroyed. How is that possible? If souls are never created nor destroyed , how did all of us come into existence and how is the population of the world increasing?
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Can a person see his family after death?

Is it possible that a person can see his family after his death? If yes, then how is it logically possible without eyes? I am not asking for vasanas that a person carries from one birth to another birth. How is it possible for a person to see what…
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Can atma enter into other living jivas?

There are few things confuse me about what happen to atma after death, even after reading this thread. There are some slokas which are used in narayan bali puja, I think those slokas are from vedas and garuda purana. In most of the pitru puja, I've…
Goyllo
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How did my existence is in place at first? Why am there as me and not as anyone?

This question could be a tricky one and may look confused but it's not so. Why my own existence is confined to "me" and why I did not exist as God or some other being? Why my existence came as my individual soul and not any other soul? Can u get my…
Agamas Tantras
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Was there ever a time when I was not there?

My questions are simple(both from advaita and dvaita point of views): Was there ever a time when I was not there? If yes then how did I come into being and from what ? If no then have I lived infinite number of ignorant lives ?
Dheeraj Verma
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regarding some questions on souls

I heard that souls( atma) never born, never died. Its target is unity with paramatma and atma accomplished this through different births. My question: Since total population is increasing then from where the extra souls are coming? Actually number…
Santanu Debnath
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Soul Creation For The First Time

When the souls are created by GOD for the first time, are they neutral souls since they have not had any good or bad deeds to give them a birth of a animal or an insect vs giving them birth as a good human being? If they are neutral souls, then what…
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