I would like to understand this thing from our scriptures point of view:
Are our actions outcome of our mind & body or of soul (atma)?
Please cite authentic references with your answers.
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Sign up to join this communityI would like to understand this thing from our scriptures point of view:
Are our actions outcome of our mind & body or of soul (atma)?
Please cite authentic references with your answers.
Who does the actions is emphasized atleast twice in Bhagavad Gita by Shri Krishna that Prakriti alone does all the actions and it happens by default. But due to the deluded false ego, the Jiva assumes itself to be doer and thus incurs consequences of Karma.
प्रकृत्यैव च कर्माणि क्रियमाणानि सर्वश: | य: पश्यति तथात्मानमकर्तारं स पश्यति || 30||
prakṛityaiva cha karmāṇi kriyamāṇāni sarvaśhaḥ
yaḥ paśhyati tathātmānam akartāraṁ sa paśhyati
Translation
BG 13.30: They alone truly see who understand that all actions (of the body) are performed by material nature, while the embodied soul actually does nothing.
Krishna in this makes a confirmation that who understands all actions are particularly done by body and mind in accoradance with Guna, and the Dehi, Jiva doesnt do anything are the one who sees the knowledge.
Another verse here it is.
प्रकृते: क्रियमाणानि गुणै: कर्माणि सर्वश: |
अहङ्कारविमूढात्मा कर्ताहमिति मन्यते || 27||
prakṛiteḥ kriyamāṇāni guṇaiḥ karmāṇi sarvaśhaḥ
ahankāra-vimūḍhātmā kartāham iti manyate
BG 3.27: All activities are carried out by the three modes of material nature. But in ignorance, the soul, deluded by false identification with the body, thinks itself to be the doer.
Here's another verse from Karma Yoga which says entire activities are carried on in accordance with Prakritis Gunas but the false ego makes the Jiva thinks itself as the doer.
If the Atma is non doer, why it incurs Karma? The Karma is incured as long as one owns doership of "I". This "I" is the ahankar, the ego. Its this identity of "I" experiences the sukha dukha, i.e happiness and sorrows as consequences of Karma but the Jiva wrongly identifies itself with the changing nature of prakriti.
The Shiva sutras also say "Atma Chittam" = the Individuality is the Mind. Thus, through the practice of Karma Yoga, one gives up the sense of doership and once the ahankara is dropped, the Atma Jnana dawns into such practitioners.
One cannot compare changing nature of prakriti with unchanging nature of Atma.