Understanding Atman: The Nature of Self
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My reply:Questioner: ananth
Private: no
Subject: about attma
Question: hi
If attma is undestroyable and remembers all will my attma will remember all my parents friends etc in my all previous birth... eg. assume this is my 600000th birth will it remember my 10th birth friends and parents, will it remember my 145th birth wife, will it remember my 1000th birth kid.... (All numbers are just numbers i chose in random)
There is jiva atman, atman and para atman.
Jiva atman is the embodied living entity, the "you" you are familiar with, and has awareness of what is needed for the present incarnation. Jiva atman will sometimes hold limited remembrance of past lives when that is needful or desired by the Self, but generally not. Normally what is remembered is the instinctual wisdom thus far attained and relevant for the current incarnation and marga (destined path for this life).
Atman is the "higher Self," the "real you." Atman is consciously aware of all experiences ever had by the living entity, be they in saguna (material) or nirguna (spiritual) brahman (existence). It is Atman, in harmony with the laws of Karma, Dharma and Marga, that determines future incarnations and the greater progression of the Self. Atman exists beyond human comprehension and is the goal sought in Self Enlightenment: the realization of Self.
Para Atman is Ek Devata, the One God. How Para Atman is concieved of course varies with ones religious and philosophic understanding. For Personalists this is "God": Sri Visnu/Narayana, Mahadev Siva, God the Father, etc. while for Impersonalists (Mayavadins) this is the "Supersoul" or Totality of All Existence, the Oneness of all that is.
Hope this clarifies things,
~ Jagannatha Prakasa
~ John of AllFaith
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