It is true that the body is mortal, that it is under the power of death; but it is also the dwelling of Atman, the Spirit of immortal life. The body, the house of the Spirit, is under the power of pleasure and pain; and if a man is ruled by his body then this man can never be free. But when a man is in the joy of the Spirit, in the Spirit which is ever free, then this man is free from all bondage, the bondage of pleasure and pain.
The wind has not a body, nor lightning, nor thunder, nor clouds; but when those rise into the higher spheres then they find the body of light. In the same way, when the soul is in silent quietness it arises and leaves the body, and reaching the Spirit Supreme finds there its body of light. It is the land of infinite liberty where, beyond its mortal body, the Spirit of man is free. There can he laugh and sing of his glory with ethereal women and friends. He enjoys ethereal chariots and forgets the cart of his body on earth. For as a beast is attached to a cart, so on earth the soul is attached to a body.
Know that when the eye looks into space it is the Spirit of man that sees; the eye is only the organ of sight. When one says "I feel this perfume," it is the Spirit that feels; he uses the organ of smell. When one says "I am speaking," it is the Spirit that speaks; the voice is the organ of speech. When one says "I am hearing," it is the Spirit that hears; the ear is the organ of hearing. And when one says "I think," it is the Spirit that thinks; the mind is the organ of thought. It is because of the light of the Spirit that the human mind can see, and can think, and enjoy this world.
All the gods in the heaven of Brahman adore in contemplation their Infinite Spirit Supreme. This is why they have all joy, and all the worlds and all desires. And man who is on this earth finds and knows Atman, his own Self, has all his holy desires and all the worlds and all joy.
Extract from the Chandogya Upanishad.
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