This is based on my viewpoints which I shared with Mr. Geoffrey Feldman (an expert in artificial
Intelligence) in 2009 when he asked me two very interesting questions as to
whether a Robot can possess a “Being” (Soul) and whether humans can create a
receptacle (Body) which would hold the Soul?
Based on Vedic Scriptures the jivas (individual Souls)
are eternal. These have been created by the Supreme (Brahman) at
the time of Srushti (cosmic creation). These will exist
till pralaya (cosmic dissolution). Finally everything merges
into the Supreme. Until such time, the
individual souls will change the physical bodies like our changing
the dress from time to time. The type of body is determined based on the
results of actions done by each Soul (karma phalam). One who is Self
-realized or the one who attains liberation (moksha) gets out of this
vicious cycle of births and deaths. Through the grace of the Supreme, one gets
liberated.
On the basis of the above
understanding, it is difficult to assume that one can create Souls (
Beings) based on laboratory or scientific studies. Creating jivas ( Souls)
is primarily the job of God. However, there are some episodes in puranas that
certain great Rishis have created even worlds through the power
of tapas (penance) and yoga. If one has such extraordinary
mystic powers, he may hope to do something in this regard. Else, it would be a
futile effort. But none can match the power of the Supreme.
The
following are the qualities of Atman (Soul) according
to Vedic Scriptures:
(1) It is the Witness (Sakshi) of the three states of consciousness consisting of waking, dream and deep sleep.
(2) It is beyond the five sheaths constituting annamaya, pranamaya, manomaya, vijnanamaya, Anandamaya.
(3) It exists always whether in the past, present or future.
(4) It is the consciousness principle.
(5) It is ever in the state of bliss.
(6) It is different from the gross body.
(7) It is different from the subtle body.
(8) It is different from the causal body.
(9) Weapons cannot cut it.
(10) Air cannot dry it.
(1) It is the Witness (Sakshi) of the three states of consciousness consisting of waking, dream and deep sleep.
(2) It is beyond the five sheaths constituting annamaya, pranamaya, manomaya, vijnanamaya, Anandamaya.
(3) It exists always whether in the past, present or future.
(4) It is the consciousness principle.
(5) It is ever in the state of bliss.
(6) It is different from the gross body.
(7) It is different from the subtle body.
(8) It is different from the causal body.
(9) Weapons cannot cut it.
(10) Air cannot dry it.
(11) Water cannot
moisten it.
(12) Fire cannot
burn it
(13) It is
unbreakable.
(14) It is insoluble.
(15) It is ever
lasting
(16) It is present
everywhere
(17) It is
immovable
(18) It is
imperishable
(19) It is the
non-doer
(20) It is unborn.
(21) It is
unchanging and beyond all modifications.
(22) It is beyond
time.
(23) It is
invisible.
(24) It is
immutable.
(25) It is
inconceivable.
(26) It accepts
new body giving up old useless body just like a person puts on new garment
discarding the old one.
(27) It is
primeval.
If one can create an object which
satisfies the above qualities, he can be said to have created the Atman (Soul).
Vedic Philosophy
Based on the
three-fold principles known as tattva traya, the Universe is
composed of three types of beings:
(a) cit - Consciousness --
Sentient Being --This is the Subject principle. Human Beings , Animals, Plants,
Birds which have a life principle . With a body they are born and they undergo
six-fold modifications and perish.They suffer pains and enjoy pleasures.
They are conditioned beings and have a lot of dependencies. The Atman (Soul) is imperishable. This is known as BMIS
concept.(Body-Mind-Intellect-Self)
(b) acit - Insentient Being
- This is the Object principle.Materials which do not have
consciousness like stone, gold, sand, iron and so on. These are
perishable. There is no life principle involved.
(c) Isvara - God - This is
the creator and sustainer of the entire Universe.He is ancient and
eternal. He is fully independent. He is both the material and efficient cause
of creation.
Bhagavad GIta
Bhagavad
GIta Chapter XV is
known as purushottama
yoga adhyaya. Lord Krishna beautifully
summarizes the above concept:
The
world is made up of:
(a) kshara -perishable
objects ( Insentient). This includes the three types of bodies comprising Sthula
SarIra (gross body), Sukshma
SarIra ( subtle body) and Karana SarIra ( Causal body).
(b) akshara
- jIvAtmA -- Imperishable ( Sentient)
(c) uttama
purusha - paramAtmA -- Isvara ---Supreme God who is the Lord
sustaining the worlds.
(Please refer Chapter XV-16, 17)Whether a Robot can possess a Being (Soul)?
In the light of the
above understanding, a Robot is acit. It is Kshara which is perishable. It does not have the
consciousness and life principle. There is no Being( Soul0 involved in a Robot
though we may say it has Artificial Intelligence.
The body
(SarIra) represents the container of the Soul (Atman) chosen by
the latter based on its actions. There are three types of bodies representing
gross( Sthula), subtle (Sukshma) and causal (Karana) bodies. The Self
is different from these three but
requires these three for worldly action. The Sastras (Scriptures)
have defined in greater detail the nature of Sthula, Sukshma and Karana
SarIras. The
Self ( Atman) is defined as sacchidananda svarupa representing
Existence-Consciousness –Bliss which is beyond these three types of Bodies.
The combination of
the Self and the three types of Bodies as above is required for
the Soul (Jiva) to be effective in this world.
Definition
of Sthula SarIra ( Gross Body):
·
Made up of five
great elements ( panca mahabhuta) which have undergone the process of
grossification ( pancIkarana)
·
Born as a result of
good actions of the past ( human body)
·
Instrument
for experiencing Pleasure and Pain
·
Undergoes the
six-fold modifications –
o potential existence
o birth
o growing
o maturing
o decaying
o dieing.
Definition
of Suskhma SarIra (Subtle Body):
·
Composed of
five great elements ( panca mahabhuta) which have not undergone
the process of grossification ( pancIkarana)
·
Born as a result of
good actions of the past ( human body)
·
Container for
experiencing Pleasure and Pain
·
Constituting 17
items –
o 5 organs of
perception (jnanedriyas – ears, skin, eyes, tongue and nose)
o 5 organs of
action (karmendriyas – speech, hands, legs, anus and genitals)
o 5 Pranas ( prana,
apana, vyana, udana and samana)
o mind (manah)
o intellect (buddhi)
Definition
of Karana SarIra ( Causal Body):
·
Inexplicable
·
Beginningless
·
In the form of
ignorance
·
Sole cause for the
gross and subtle bodies
·
Ignorant of its own
true nature
·
Without thoughts
(nirvikalpa)
As discussed,
the Soul has to enjoy pleasure and / or undergo sufferings.
The Soul requires a Gross Body (Sthula Sarira) for this primary
purpose.
Whether a
receptacle can be created to hold the Soul (Being)?
Sukha dukhadi bhoga Ayatanam SarIram – The
Body is the container for experiencing pleasure and pain. Hence the
container should be capable of achieving this when the Self (Atman) comes into
contact with this.
Keeping the above in view, it is
impossible for human beings with limited knowledge and powers to come out with
a container which can hold the Soul.
The mind is part of the Sukshma
SarIra along with the Intellect. According to the Vedic scriptures,
Intellect (vijnanam) is subtler than the mind (manah)
. Atman is the most subtlest.
One more dimension to Atman when it is
embodied is that it has its own limited free will despite the prarabdha
karma. Those karmas which have to be exhausted only by experiencing
are known as prarabdha karma.
Conclusion
Based on our
deliberations, the following position emerges from a Vedic perspective as far
as Robots are concerned:
·
It appears that the Sthula
Sarira of the Robot is built and visible. But it is not an
instrument to experience pleasure or pain.
·
The Sukshma Sarira is
yet to be fully evolved in
the Robot as the mind and intellect are missing. It has some built-in intelligence
but not deeper intellect in terms of self-contemplation and reflection.
·
The karana
SarIra is absent in the Robot .
·
It is not a
conscious being and there is no Atman
·
It is not a
container to exhaust prarabdha karma.
·
Robot does not
have any free will to operate on its own in a given situation (Example: It cannot
decide to stay back in Mars on its own volition if it is programmed to return
to earth after completing some operations)
Thus there is a
long way to go for the science of Robotics to create a conscious entity.
जय जय श्रीराधे
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