Western philosophies and religions fail to explain the great disparities ...

[Guest guest]

" Looking closely at this fascinating concept of god we find that

philosophy introduced this term as the first cause of the universe

for the sake of convenience, to avoid infinite regress. Religions

adopted it as a symbol for contemplation and meditation. Its

deification as a personal boon - granting god was a later dilution.

Yet, inspite of their shortcomings, all religions agree on two vital

points. First, god or Brahman is unknown and unknowable; second,

humans are accountable for their actions. In other words a moral law

pervades life. How, when and where we get our reward and punishment

is the essential difference among various religions apart from

language and rituals. These differences are quite natural as each

religion has its origin in a man's moral experience. How he

interprets this personal experience is limited by his personality

and period. Moreover these interpretations are heavily allegorical

and mythological. God is great, too, is an allegory, which defies

literal interpretation.

 

Indian philosophy gets the credit for discovering the fact that

there can't be a moral law without rebirths or the immortality of

soul; and realizing the importance of experience over speculation.

The western philosophies and religions fail to explain the great

disparities among men. Then the Indian philosophy, or Darsana to be

precise, is neither a speculative philosophy nor a religion based on

individual moral experience. But, much like other great religions,

it is in deep freeze since long before the advent of the

heliocentric age. It needs updating in the light of Darwinism and

new cosmology to provide a comprehensive moral philosophy for this

age. . . .

 

Indian philosophy describes the soul in greater detail. " That atman

is universal, all pervading reality is seen from the fact that it

pervades as a whole; therefore is infinite in scope, without parts,

unborn, incapable of destruction and, therefore, eternal. The

consciousness inheres in atman. The principle of atman reconciles

the dogma that every man will reap according to what he sows, even

beyond the grave. "

 

The Indian philosophy, much before Plato, accepted the evolution of

soul to be the purpose behind the life and universe. It makes sense

if we include all lives and every soul, differing by the level of

consciousness alone. And contact with reality enables a soul to

enter a higher level of consciousness without body or mate. This

world of super conscious souls may be the reality alluded to by

philosophers and mystics.

 

The twenty-first century science is now capable of shedding some

light on the operation of a moral law through rebirths. The soul is

supposed to animate the body while modern biology is in the dark

about how cell-differentiation takes place. Could it be the

handiwork of soul? It is not for nothing that the fingerprints of

identical twins are not identical. Science can now search for the

genetic signature of the soul and herald the era of moral science. "

 

A. Rishi, Calcutta

August 26, 2001

 

 

http://www.boloji.com/spirituality/012.htm

 

 

A. Rishi is a Civil Engineer based in Calcutta, India. He likes to

read and meditate. His expressions are based on the premise,

" Whatever be the true definition of truth, one thing is quite

certain. It takes great courage to acknowledge the truth. Faith is

the fearless search for truth. So it is not lost when one questions

one's beliefs. "