A:The Hinduism calls Almighty as Parama Atma (Infinite
Soul). The Hindu Advaitha theory states that a soul
is a finite piece of the Infinite Soul.
The Latin word Anima means a living being with life
and soul. Ancient Greeks and Romans have treated
that trees have souls. The word transanimation
was used for transmigration of the soul after death.
http://www.wordinfo.info/words/index/info/view_unit/2388/3/?spage=9&letter=A
The Ancient Greeks used the same word soul for
'alive' as for 'ensouled'. So the earliest
surviving Western philosophical view might suggest
that the terms soul and aliveness as synonymus.
Parama Atma can be assumed as an infinite ocean
who is Omnipresent and we are all bathing in that
infinite ocean - to give an extention to what
you wrote. But that was not sufficient for
ancient Hindus. Some humans are born poor and
some as rich - whether in material wealth or
knowledge. Only Karma of past lives can answer
such a variation. The soul is said to have
a Karma energy sheath that separates it from
Ominipresent Parama Atma. (It is similar to the
case of a balloon which has the same air inside
as it is outside). If that sheath is pierced
through Yoga or Tapas, soul gets merged with
Super Soul resulting Moksha or Nirvana.
