Guest guest Posted February 8, 2000 Report Share Posted February 8, 2000 > I wish to respond to Jay's comments on Spirituality It seems many a viewpoint is between the divide between Science and Spirtuality and whether science would eclipse spirtuality. If we think of Spirituality as a seeking of the truth then science is also spiritual. As Swami Vivekananda would suggest, science uses outside objects, experimentation and the mind as instruments to deduce generalities from specifics. Religion uses one's own mind as the instrument to get at the truth. Science looks outward and religion inward. Now this distinction of inward and outward is just a matter of convenience. Somedays ago there was a post by Ron arguing out his case against the beliefs of religion in general. To people with that temperament, Swamiji had lucidly calrified the position of religion and spirituality. It runs something like this : Ron's stance is a prefectly valid one doubting the existence of all these concepts of religion. However as a scientist he is interested in the truth (i) which is verifiable and (ii) repeatable when the same conrolled conditions of an experiment are in place If this is so, why don't people like Ron take up Spirituality as a scientific quest? They don't have to believe in anything. But they have the uniform evidence from saints and god men over the years across the world that when they were able to still the mind they experienced higher truths. They can test it out themselves if they would want the truth badly enough. But with out testing these truths for themselves how can people like Ron conclude that they are not truths? Sreedhar T Bharath > Message: 5 > Mon, 7 Feb 2000 12:25:33 -0000 > " Vivekananda Centre " <vivekananda > Science and spirituality > > The present day science is very much a pseudo-materialistic belief system. > A vast majority of scientists today are quite satisfied with the ideas > offered via > say > - the theory of creation as explained by the 'big bang model' > - the theory of evolution as suggested by Darwin. > - the theory of 'consciousness' as a by-product of a computer made of meat > (brain). > - the ideas of morality as expressed via 'social sciences' (group > dynamics). > > All these ideas are strongly based on a 'materialistic' approach. > They all fall back on trying to explain 'reality' by reductionism > (mathematical approach). > Explain everything via - matter (and the energies associated with this > matter). > > 'Spirituality' as a subject has a difficult task ahead if it is to survive > the next millennium. > > Any thoughts on this subject? > > jay > Vivekananda Centre London > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted February 9, 2000 Report Share Posted February 9, 2000 Re: message 5 on Digest #344 Dear Jay, Only suggestion I have is, recall that Swamiji in one place says that he agrees with the scientists, in having an all-inclusive monism; but, what they call " matter " , he calls " spirit " . I think we can point out that the name itself makes a world of difference. All the connotations, implications, mental climate etc. are vastly different. One is reductionism, the other expansionism. Yours, Yogeshananda Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted February 9, 2000 Report Share Posted February 9, 2000 - Swami Yogeshananda < 09 February 2000 02:50 Re: Digest Number 344 > Swami Yogeshananda <yogeshananda > > Re: message 5 on Digest #344 > > Dear Jay, > Only suggestion I have is, recall that Swamiji in one place says that he > agrees with the scientists, in having an all-inclusive monism; but, what > they call " matter " , he calls " spirit " . I think we can point out that the > name itself makes a world of difference. All the connotations, > implications, mental climate etc. are vastly different. One is > reductionism, the other expansionism. > Yours, Yogeshananda > ----response--------------------- Revered Maharaj It is very interesting to see how far ahead of his time were some of Swami Vivekananda's teachings. His talks were given in the pre-modern physics days (pre Einstein's special relativity) and yet elsewhere he was able to focus on the idea that what the scientists call 'matter' is nothing but a dynamic principle called 'prana' (or energy) in its grossest expression. There are many other aspects of his teachings which have great relevance for the conceptual progress in science today. It is a matter of few years before some of his ideas catch the attention of the scientists at large. (This is no wishful thinking!). jay Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted February 9, 2000 Report Share Posted February 9, 2000 Gokulmuthu N's story " The Guru's Miracle " reminded me of a quote from Barbara Kingsolver's novel about the Congo: Illusions mistaken for truth are the pavement under our feet. edtipple Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted February 9, 2000 Report Share Posted February 9, 2000 Dear Jay, I thought quantum physics had taken science beyond the Big Bang Theory and to evolution/dissolution. And I thought it was hovering around Pure Consciousness as distinct from brain consciousness. Am I incorrect? What to do about morality!? Until and unless one has the conception of true brotherhood/sisterhood, treatment of others is necessarily contained in little boxes of prejudice and dogma. Which will always remain. The best we can hope for is a larger percentage of those interested in ego-eracing spirituality. Or so it seems to me... As science dissolves outer boundaries, hopefully the same consciousness of the microcosm will follow. Edtipple Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted February 9, 2000 Report Share Posted February 9, 2000 Guru Vaani Anurag, I would like to know who " the enlightened ones " you are translated are. Edtipple Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted February 10, 2000 Report Share Posted February 10, 2000 Edith it's my Pujya Gurudev Paramhansa Swami Nikhileshwaranandaji or Dr. Narayana Dutt Shrimali On Wed, 9 Feb 2000, EDTipple wrote: > EDTipple <edtipple > > Guru Vaani > Anurag, I would like to know who " the enlightened ones " you are > translated are. > Edtipple > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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