ĀTMAN, SOUL, AND SPIRIT IN HINDU THOUGHT:  A CRITICAL DISCOURSE ANALYSIS

I Wayan Sukabawa; I Nengah Lestawi; Ni Ketut Riska Dewi Prawita

Authors

I Wayan Sukabawa Universitas Hindu Negeri I Gusti Bagus Sugriwa Denpasar
I Nengah Lestawi Universitas Hindu Negeri I Gusti Bagus Sugriwa Denpasar
Ni Ketut Riska Dewi Prawita Universitas Hindu Negeri I Gusti Bagus Sugriwa Denpasar

Abstract

Although the concepts of Ātman, soul, and spirit have been widely discussed in Hindu philosophy and theology, previous studies have primarily emphasized their metaphysical and doctrinal dimensions. Limited attention has been given to how these concepts are discursively constructed, represented, and communicated within the framework of communication studies. Addressing this gap, this study aims to examine the ontological relationship among Ātman, soul, and spirit in Hindu thought through the perspective of Norman Fairclough's three-dimensional Critical Discourse Analysis (CDA). This study employed a qualitative library research design by analyzing classical Hindu scriptures, including the Upaniṣads, the Bhagavad Gītā, relevant commentaries, and contemporary scholarly publications concerning Hindu spirituality. Within the scope of this study, Ātman refers to the eternal and transcendental self, the soul denotes the individual consciousness associated with embodied existence, and the spirit represents the manifestation of consciousness shaped by karmic experiences in religious discourse. The analysis reveals that Hindu discourse constructs these three concepts as interconnected dimensions of human spirituality that explain the relationship between divine consciousness, individual existence, and the process of self-realization. Rather than presenting theological doctrines as objective truths, the study demonstrates how Hindu religious discourse represents these concepts as philosophical frameworks for understanding human existence, moral responsibility, and liberation (mokṣa). From the perspective of communication studies, the findings highlight the role of religious discourse in constructing, transmitting, and legitimizing meanings of spirituality within Hindu communities. This study contributes to the development of Critical Discourse Analysis, Hindu studies, and religious communication by providing a clearer conceptual framework for interpreting the discourse surrounding Ātman, soul, and spirit in contemporary Hindu thought.

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