मुक्त आत्मा ऊपर ही क्यों जाता है?

Summary

The text discusses the reasons why a liberated soul (mukta atma) moves upward after liberation, drawing from the Sarvarthasiddhi commentary by Pujyapada. It presents four primary causes for this upward motion, each illustrated with analogies. First, due to prior momentum (purvaprayogat), like a potter's wheel that continues spinning from initial force even after the potter stops, the soul's past spiritual efforts propel it upward. Second, because of freedom from attachment (sangatvad), like a gourd freed from clay coating that becomes light and rises, the soul, released from karmic bonds, ascends. Third, due to the cutting of bondage (bandhacchedat), like an eranda seed that shoots upward when its pod is cut, the soul, with all karmic bonds severed, moves upward. Fourth, due to its inherent nature of upward motion (tathagatiparinamat), like a flame that naturally rises, the soul's intrinsic quality is to ascend. The text also notes that the absence of the medium of motion (dharmastikaya) beyond the lokakasha (cosmic space) prevents the liberated soul from going further upward beyond the lokanta (end of the universe). Thus, the liberated soul rises to the top of the universe but not beyond, as there is no supporting medium for motion there.