The Crisis of Intellect

[Guest guest]

Namaste

 

The recent discussions centering round the differences

between Buddhistic thought and advaitic thought prompt me

to publish the following from the last page of my book on

Essentials of Hinduism (1989, Narosa Publishing House, New

Delhi):

 

“Every religion is a blend of macro-principles and

micro-setting. The macro-principles speak to man as man.

They are usually understood and appreciated though not

easily followed. But the micro-setting in which each

religion flourishes is a rich compound of religion and

mythology and ritual and it can never make its way into the

emotional milieu of an outsider. Only a powerful poet or a

talented artist may be able to impart some understanding of

it to one not born and nurtured in the tradition. But to

say that only the macro-principles are important is to say

in the words of Huston Smith, ‘the tree is more important

than the sun and the soil from which it draws its

sustenance’.This is the crisis of intellect among

religions.

 

“Each religion has therefore to be understood with

reference to the soil in which it has been nurtured,

without any attempt at any invidious comparisons. However

this emphasis on the micro-setting should not lead one to

develop an aggressive pride in one’s culture and

nationality. Certainly, pride in one’s culture and

nationality is legitimate, but to continue with Huston

Smith, ‘this pride should be an affirmative pride born of a

gratitude for the values he has gained and not a defensive

pride whose only device for achieving the sense of

superiority it pathetically needs is by grinding down

others through invidious comparison. His roots in his

family, his community, his civilisation will be deep, but

in that very depth he will strike the water table of man’s

common humanity and thus nourished will reach out in more

active curiosity, more open vision, to discover and

understand what others have seen’”.

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Let me add to the above the following comment of mine in

the light of the ongoing discussions in the other two

threads. The Earth is a tiny island in the universe of

life. We should not persist in the folly of

misunderstanding religions other than our own. Our task

should be to search diligently and patiently for the best

principles from all religions and schools of philsophy that

humanity has generated over the centuries. Let us only

emphasise their unifying and humanizing aspects and make

amends for the failure of science to promote these values.

It is a crisis of intellect to want to adjudicate among the

great religions and philosophies of the world or to take

cudgels on behalf of one against another.

 

PraNAms to all advaitins.

profvk

 

 

Prof. V. Krishnamurthy

 

New on my website, particularly for beginners in Hindu philosophy:

Empire of the Mind:

http://www.geocities.com/profvk/HNG/ManversusMind.html

 

Free will and Divine will - a dialogue:

http://www.geocities.com/profvk/HNG/FWDW.html