A question may arise whether the mind can at all function in an entity lacking a physical body. In a disembodied state the mind cannot work, because ectoplasmic structure can never function in that state. The stuff of which the mind is composed cannot function once it is detached from the body, because the mind-stuff functions only when the brain is active and the nerve cells are active. Physical death brings about dissociation of the nerve cells, hence the ectoplasmic structure stops functioning. So when people say that there is a ghost in such-and-such tree, it is totally baseless. The brain of a dead person has already been burnt in the cremation fire or transformed into soil in a grave, so how can it function? A disembodied soul or disembodied mind can never function.

But it is true that often a powerful person will associate his or her ectoplasmic structure with the disembodied mind. Suppose there is a man named Ráma Bábu who has great ectoplasmic strength, great mánasadhátu. (In Ánanda Sútram,⁽¹⁾ the word cittáńu has been used for mánasadhátu). He, employing a portion of his own ectoplasm, activates the disembodied mind according to its saḿskáras [reactive momenta]. In this case the reactive momenta remain associated in the form of seed with the disembodied mind. Now, the disembodied mind has no ectoplasmic structure because it has no physical body. Under the circumstances Ráma Bábu can get that particular disembodied mind or soul to do many things. If people such as this happen to be wicked by nature, they can cause the disembodied entity to hurl pieces of bone, brick, etc., into someone else’s house. Sometimes the cots on which people recline are also found to be tilting. All these actions are done by the ectoplasmic structure of a powerful person, not by that of the dead person.

So to stop this nonsense you should find the real culprit and give the person a good shaking. You will find that the throwing of pieces of bone, brick, etc., will immediately stop. All this comes within the scope of Avidyá Tantra. It often turns out that the person who was responsible for the throwing of the bricks is found sitting quietly in a corner of the burial ground, and their ectoplasmic structure is getting that hapless disembodied soul to do all those wicked things. If you hit their arm with a good stick then their wicked deeds will immediately stop. And when you see a cot rising from the ground with the ectoplasmic strength of that person (though you cannot see the ectoplasmic arm that raises it, as ectoplasm cannot be seen), just brandish a stick at random. It will turn out that the arm of that wicked Tantric gets broken. Perhaps that person was seated three miles away from the actual site of occurrence. These are all interesting things – Avidyá Tantric things.