Soul vs Body
Soul and Body are two words that are looked upon as one and the same, but philosophically speaking there is a difference between them in terms of their nature. Soul is indestructible. On the other hand, the body is destructible. This is the main difference between soul and body. Though there are differences between soul and body one simple fact remains true. Soul and body are very much bound together. A soul needs a place to stay. This place to stay is a body. Once the body in which the soul stays comes to any harm and dies or simply succumbs to a natural death, the soul moves away and finds another body. Many religions such as Christianity and Hinduism believe in this concept of the soul. Both religions attribute great value to the soul. So, let us see what we can know more about soul and body.
What is Body?
Body is the physical structure made of flesh, bones, and blood. This structure of a human being normally has different parts such as head, neck, trunk, arms, legs, hands and feet. Body is tangible. You can burn a body by fire, blow it away by a strong wind, wet is using water or cut it into pieces using a weapon as a knife or a sword because a body is tangible. We even can eliminate the body if we want to. That shows that body is not eternal. In other words, the body is not permanent. Even if a body does not suffer such harm as to make an individual die, a body comes with an expiration date. Even without any harm, the body slowly decays over time and once the right time comes, death follows eliminating the functioning capacity of a body. As a result once the body losses the life, body can be cremated or buried as according to the practice of the respective religion of the person that has met with death. The body’s journey ends with death. So, the body is not subjected to the theory of reincarnation.
What is Soul?
Soul is the spiritual part of a human being. Soul does not have different parts as the body does. This part is something intangible. Soul cannot be burnt by fire, it cannot be blown away by the wind, it cannot be made wet by water, and it cannot be cut into pieces by the sword. This is another important difference between soul and body. There is nothing we can do to eliminate a soul. If it cannot be harmed, it cannot be eliminated. That means soul is eternal. Soul is permanent. Soul is subjected to transmigration. Transmigration means once the body in which the soul lives dies, the soul moves into another body. Soul cannot be buried or cremated. Soul is subjected to the theory of reincarnation. A person that has realized the supreme nature of the soul is called a liberated person. He is not affected by heat or cold, happiness or sorrow, profit or loss, and victory or loss. On the other hand, a person that has not realized the supreme nature of the soul is born again and again in this world. He is subjected to a number of rebirths.
What is the difference between Soul and Body?
• Definition of Soul and Body:
• Body is the physical structure made of flesh, bones, and blood.
• Soul is the spiritual part of a human being.
• Parts:
• Body has different parts such as head, neck, trunk, arms, legs, hands and feet.
• Soul does not have different parts like the body. It is always spoken of as a whole thing.
• Tangibility:
• One can touch the body. So, body is tangible.
• One cannot touch the soul. So, soul is not tangible.
• Mortality:
• The body can be eliminated. So, a body is mortal.
• The soul cannot be eliminated. So, a soul is immortal.
• The ability to destroy:
• A person can destroy a body.
• A person cannot destroy a soul.
• Transmigration:
• Body is not subjected to transmigration.
• Soul is subjected to transmigration.
These are the important differences between the two words, soul and body.
Images Courtesy: Body and soul via Pixabay (Public Domain)