What is the origin of the doctrine that "the soul is always thinking, even during sleep"?

Question

To clarify, what I am looking for is the source (author, title, page) for this doctrine that John Locke references in ESSAY CONCERNING HUMAN UNDERSTANDING, BOOK II,
Chapter I, paragraphs 10 through 19. I would guess Descartes or Spinoza, since they precede Locke chronologically. At any rate, the source in question MUST be earlier than 1690.

See http://oregonstate.edu/instruct/phl302/texts/locke/locke1/Book2a.html

Excerpt (note last line):
“We know certainly by experience that we sometimes think, and thence draw this infalliable consequence that there is something in us that has the power to think, but whether that substance perpetually thinks or not, we can be no farther assured than experience inform us… 13. Impossible to convince those that sleep without dreaming, that they think. Thus, methinks, every drowsy nod shakes their doctrine, who teach that the soul is always thinking.

For those of you suggesting Hindu or Buddhist texts, what I am looking for is the source to which LOCKE refers. I don't doubt that your answer is correct as a general answer, but I would expect that Locke in 1690 England is critiqueing a western philosopher. No?

I am looking for the source that LOCKE is responding to - this would be one of his contemporaries writing. "anyone with that sort of idea" is not an citeable answer. Who specifically is he critiqueing: citation please.

Perhaps it is not known, but I would suspect Descartes or a student of his such as Malebranche (who Locke criticized in writings published postumeously).

Answer 1

It doesn't have to be Descartes, per se, that he is critiquing, but anyone that agrees with that sort of idea. What this does is make the statement about a particular conception of human nature, rather than one person's views about it.

Answer 2

"The soul is the eternal witness. It can never be the object of witness because it is beyond sense perception as the subject of experience. When you go to sleep, you are one with your soul that is ever watching. Like an unblinding light, the soul is awake even during sleep."

Answer 3

Hello, mate ! Why not buying and reading Dianetics to find out ?

Ciao........John-John.

Answer 4

budism or hinduism