An overview of science, religion, and spirituality by the Gita Society...

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An overview of science, religion and spirituality by the Gita Society...

 

Science is progressive. Most religions are stationary. Science is constantly

winning new inventions because they are based on untested beliefs. The usual

method of most churches has been to hold their people by virtue of inbred

church-going religious habits, or by holy threats, or by lectures, and musical

or festive entertainments. If the scientists do not get new knowledge by blind

prayer, how can the religionists expect to know new laws of life just through

blind prayer? Instead of peddling untested dogmas and urging people to believe,

churches should convert their premises into universities of experimental

psychology. Ancient India built the biggest and most gorgeous temples in the

world, but now they have mostly become marts for priests to ply their religious

trades and to shear the pilgrims of money for their own diabolical uses. India

is now going through a new evolution and is getting rid of this false growth. In

little secluded hermitages, unmarked by any religious trademark, real spiritual

teachers, who live the Life, are experimenting with the worthwhile effect of

spiritual laws on the lives of true seekers, and not on floating curiosity

seekers.

 

Protestants, Catholics, Christian Scientists, Jews, Quakers, followers of Unity,

Rosicrucians, Theosophists, Buddhists, Shintoists, Mohammedans, Jains, Mormons,

Zoroastrians and Hindus must cease fighting with one another about the

infallibility of their individual dogmas, and spending money in decorating their

temples. They should get together and find the real meaning of life. Let the

best universal moral and religious codes of discipline as found in all true

religions, be combined into a universal spiritual treatise on the art of moral

and spiritual living. It might be named the " Code Book of All Religions. "

 

From the Hindus let us take their methods of Self-Realization through scientific

psychophysical meditation, which throws the searchlight of attention from

without to within. Let us omit the superficial religious ceremonies, caste

system, untested beliefs, etc. Let us take the pantheistic, positive conception

of God as ever-existing, ever-conscious, ever-new Joy -- which, directly or

indirectly, all people are seeking. Let us take from them the doctrine of

Reincarnation which assures imperfect souls, cut off by untimely death, a chance

to make continuous effort until perfection is reached. Let us take [the] law of

Karma or cause and effect which makes man responsible for his advancement or

downfall, and explains why there are born failures, morons and other defectives,

produced not by God but by the wrong actions of individuals in past lives. Let

us take the Hindus' step-by-step methods of meditation which scientifically and

gradually lead to God-contact.

 

From Buddhism let us select the unique self-discipline and the doctrine of

compassion-including even the animals within the family circle of love. Let us

avoid the popularly interpreted negative or annihilating state of Nirvana. As

Souls, made in the image of God, we cannot be absorbed, losing our

individuality. We can remain confined in the flesh through desires for some

time, but not for all time. According to Hinduism, as Soul images of God, we

expand by right effort until we become Gods. Let us accept from Buddhism the

doctrine of Reincarnation and the universal moral code of living.

 

From the Christian Catholics let us learn their profound devotion to God. Let us

learn self-discipline from the exemplary lives of the Catholic saints. Let us

omit their fear of hell. This earth can be made hotter then hades or better then

beatific paradise. Let us omit their sect exclusiveness. I should like to see

the Pope of Rome and the Bishop of Canterbury exchange pulpits-for they are both

disciples of One Christ. The Catholics should hold their people by

Self-Realisation, not by dogma.

 

From the Protestant Christians let us adopt their liberal views about God and

Truth - and avoid their lack of perfect devotion. Let us combine the

intellectual sermons of the liberal Christian Church with the Self-Realization

of the Hindus. Christian churches should employ intellectuality, not merely to

believe something reasonable, but also to find the technique of using and

developing the powers of intuition and concentration so the God may be

scientifically contacted. Self-Realisation should be the binding force of the

Christian churches.

 

From Christian Science let us take the idea of making Christianity practical by

using spiritual healing. Let us adopt their good principles of teaching people

to depend more upon the all-powerful mind and not to enslave it to the habits of

the body. Let us omit their exclusiveness and their method of holding people by

intellectual dogma and isolation. Truth can never be the monopoly of one sect.

It is only [in] comparative study of religions that we can find the path best

suited to us. Let no Christian Scientist deny the existence of matter or body

until he develops himself like Christ to know that Spirit alone exists.

Christian Science, according to Mary Baker Eddy, received some of its knowledge

from India - and Christian Scientists should increase their knowledge by

constructively exchanging their religious experiences with real Hindu Savants.

 

New Thought has done great work in uniting the eastern and western religions and

in emphasizing the necessity of entering the Silence. It lacks a system of

scientific training in spirituality, but it has done much to free people from

wrong Orthodox beliefs.

 

Unity (Kansas City) has done great work in liberalising Orthodox Christianity in

America and by incorporating some of the doctrines of Reincarnation, and so

forth, of the Eastern religion. It should avoid the growing clannish spirit and

the excluding from its centres of speakers representing other religions whom it

used to welcome. Unity is very liberal and has done a great good in emphasizing

the necessity of Silence and Meditation in modern churches. Unity asks its

students to meditate, but does not give them the exact technique. It needs the

scientific method. Unity would be more practical if it adopted the Eastern

technique of systematic meditation and mental development which leads to

conscious contact with God.

 

From Judaism let us learn to worship only the One God of Gods, and no other. Let

us follow some of the hygienic teachings of Judaism -- and avoid its

clannishness. Let all followers of Judaism hold themselves to their religion

because of the Self-Realisation of Truth and not because of racial prejudice.

 

From Mohammedans let us adopt the practice of regular chanting and regular

praying. Let us learn their spirit of resignation to the will of God.

Mohammedans ought to adopt the esoteric method of Sufis.

 

Baha'ism is an eclectic religion with splendid liberal principles. It is not

original, but collects the results of other religions under the liberal doctrine

of Baha'ism. It should give esoteric training in Self-Realisation and

Self-Discipline and not depend only upon theoretical lofty principles.

 

Theosophy has done wonderful work in uniting eastern and western religions and

in emphasizing esoteric Christianity, but it has contradicted its esoteric

teaching by frightening people about some forms of meditation. Real meditation

never caused any one to go crazy, but instead can heal insanity. Meditation

should not be blamed if people happen to go crazy anyway in the course of time,

due to bad heredity or wrong living. People who are liable to go crazy should

take a rest; they have no business taking any kind of lessons. Many crazy people

seek the church and if they happen to explode with an emotional bomb during a

stirring sermon and go crazy in the church, the temple walls or the sermon of

the minister should not be blamed. Churches, or representatives of any kind of

teaching, cannot help it if crazy people seek them.

 

Rosicrucianism is more or less an eclectic religion. It emphasizes the necessity

of Silence. It has done much good. It should avoid the emphasis of mysticism.

Truth when understood should be free from mysticism. The tendency to love

supernatural powers must be avoided lest it divert its devotees from the seeking

the highest - God. Rosicrucianism should learn systematic methods of

Self-Realisation from the Eastern world.

 

Self-Realisation Fellowship (Yogoda Sat-Sangh) emphasizes the technique of

Self-Realisation: as scientifically evolved by the Saints of India - and still

to be discovered by future Savants. It is not a sect. It tries to avoid the lack

of (Self-Realisation) of the theological school and the dogmatism of the

churches. It emphasizes the fellowship of religions, not for empty theological

discussions, but to get together and find the highway of Self-Realisation

wherein the bypaths of all beliefs meet.

 

Yogoda Sat-Sangh was founded by Lahiri Mahashay , one of the great incarnations

of God. He was a prophet who lived according to the ideals of the Bhagavad Gita

in the world but was not of the world. His life was exemplary and unparalleled

in showing to businessmen and women of the world now, by Self-Realisation, God

can be contacted without fleeing away from the world. We have heard of unmarried

prophets without distractions attaining Realisation, but Lahiri Mahasaya was

married and had a family with its business to look after; still he was one of

the greatest prophets the world has known. He has been compared to Kind and

Saint Janaka of India. The Supreme Master of these teachings is Babaji, who is

living an unusually long life - while retaining his youthful appearance. He is

known to have all the powers which Christ had. My Master, Swami Sri Yukteswarji,

founded the Sat-Sanga (Fellowship of Religion) Movement in India. Yogoda, or

Self-Realisation doctrine, teaches the combined technique of Self-Realisation as

taught in Sankhya, Yog and Vedant - and is based on the universal, usable

principles underlying all religions.

 

Rama Krishna Mission exalts the name of modern India. Ramakrishna emphasized

Self-Realisation from the beginning to the end, and united all religions by his

exemplary life. However, most of his disciples in India have concentrated more

upon missionary work, and emphasize only the devotional path, to the exclusion

of some other scientific Yog paths. Rama Krishna Mission has done wonderful

relief work in India. It should avoid the clannish spirit of intolerance for

other paths - which its Master never had. It has more substantial

Self-Realisation of the great Savants than most so-called liberal eclectic

religions. Rama Krishna Mission would do well to teach its students more of the

technique of meditation (Yog) and not so much emotional

devotion. Ramakrishna himself practiced Yog.

 

I believe that Mahatma Gandhi, from the quantitative standpoint of doing good,

has outdone all the saints and prophets who preceded him. Gandhi is second to

none, for, unlike all other prophets, he came out of the confinement of his

teachings and of his followers and has virtually dictated to the powerful

English nation to abandon empty politics and to administer justice in India. I

believe that he is living the Scriptures and is the embodiment of Spiritual

discipline. Through his life many Souls will also be qualitatively, completely

uplifted and liberated; quantitatively he has partially uplifted more Souls of

all nationalities than any one that I know. Of course, it is hard to tell which

saint or prophet has been the greatest instrument of qualitatively liberating

the most Souls.

 

Gandhi, by his example, has done a great deal to rid India of the liquor and

drug trade and liquor and drug habits. He has greatly helped to make India's

people fearless and self-supporting. His has given to the nations of the world

his religion of reforming life and politics by Truth (Satyagrah). His has given

to the nations of the world the all-conquering ammunition of non-co-operation

with which to conquer wars, to destroy the castles of patriotic and industrial

selfishness and to bring peace on earth.

 

Gandhi stands for plain living and high thinking, and each for all, and all for

each. By his example, he has actually gained more followers in his lifetime than

any saint or prophet who lived before him. Gandhi is a political prophet sent on

earth to be the Saviour of nations by forming a league of hearts.. His

principles of living Truth, combined with the esoteric teaching of Soul

development as scientifically taught by Hindu Savants and true saints of all

religions, offers to the world a great standard of super-living.

 

The Bharat Dharm Mahamandal is an Orthodox religion teaching a belief in the

caste system. It emphasizes the teachings of the Rishis. It was founded by Swami

Gyananand with his great lecturer disciple Swami Dyananda whom I personally

know. This movement, would do a greater service if it liberated its principles

to include all nationalities, all the children of God.

 

The Brahm Samaj of India is what the Unitarians now are in America. It was

founded by the great Raja Ram Mohan Roi and developed by the famous Keshab

Chandra Sen. It has done much to liberalise the ideas of Orthodox religions of

India. It was the pioneer religion which helped gain freedom for the women of

India. It leans towards western methods of culture and adopts them in daily

life. It would do well to incorporate the practical Yog system in its teachings.

 

The Arya Samaj movement, founded by the illuminated late Swami

Dayanand, is a very liberal Movement, which has done wonderful work

in India in breaking down the caste system and other social evils.

This Movement has revived the ancient Aryan culture of the Rishis

along liberal lines by establishing Gurugulas (institutions for both

boys and girls) in India, and is also doing various other

philanthropic works, such as establishing orphanages, widow-homes,

free dispensaries , and Yog ashrams.

 

The philosophy of pantheism, which teaches that God is everything, should be

used to take away the one-sidedness of monoism and dualism. Evil should be

explained as the result of delusion. All that exists is God. Study of

theoretical western philosophies is good, for it helps us to understand the

pragmatic philosophies of the East. Sankhya, Yog and Vedant, three eastern

philosophies, are pragmatic and meant directly to discipline human activity so

that it will yield the highest wisdom and final emancipation. The Sankhya

philosophy teaches that the highest necessity of men consists in uprooting the

three-fold suffering of body, mind and Soul. Sankhya teaches one to seek in

religious technique the panacea for all sorrow. Yog tells people of the

step-by-step methods of Self-Realisation which directly lead to God by the

scientific way, which alone can destroy the possibility of all suffering.

 

According to the highest Hindu scripture, the Bhagavad Gita, Yog is the surest

and the supreme best way, for it constitutes the scientific technique of

salvation. Vedant teaches the doctrine of the Ultimate; it describes the state

of God Realisation and God. Yog is the most important of the three, for it is

the technique which leads to the Ultimate Goal. Vedant describes the contents of

the mine of Divine wisdom, but Yog tells about the way of mining that knowledge

for human use. All humanity, and all religious sects, should follow the combined

religious experiences of these three philosophies, and find in them the greatest

standard of right living. This alone can produce ideal citizens of the world.

 

Last of all, remember, we are all a little bit crazy and don't know it --

because crazy people of the same kind mix together. But when people with

different crazy ideas about religion and other matters come together, they find

out their own craziness. Let us all get together and find out our craziness, and

then, with united hearts and Souls, we shall march to the altar of World Unity.

 

From my heard I feel that a great Spiritual flood is coming from America and a

great Spiritual flood is coming from India -- started by Mahatma Gandhi and the

saints of India. When these two floods meet, we shall have perfect harmony and

understanding and peace in all nations.

 

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