Guest guest Posted July 1, 2001 Report Share Posted July 1, 2001 Parts 1 to 59 were posted earlier. This is part 60. Your comments are welcome... Vivekananda Centre London Earlier postings can be seen at http://www.vivekananda.btinternet.co.uk/veda.htm SWAMI VIVEKANANDA ON THE VEDAS AND UPANISHADS By Sister Gayatriprana part 60 PART II, SECTION 4: THE EVOLUTION OF THE VEDANTIC TEACHINGS ON GOD Chapter 12: The Last Word of the Vedas: Abstract Unity, the One Soul Unifying the Manifestations of the Universe a) The God of Vedanta Is Both Personal and Absolute The writers of the Upanishads knew full well how the old ideas of God were not reconcilable with the advanced ethical ideas of the time; they knew full well that what the atheists were preaching contained a good deal of truth, nay great nuggets of truth; but, at the same time, they understood that those who wished to sever the thread that bound the beads, who wanted to build a new society in the air, would entirely fail. We never build anew, we simply change places; we cannot have anything new, we only change the position of things. The seed grows into the tree, patiently and gently; we must direct our energies towards the truth and fulfill the truth that exists, not try to make new truths. Thus, instead of denouncing the old ideas of god as unfit for modern times, the ancient sages began to seek out the reality that was in them. The result was the Vedanta philosophy; and, out of the old deities, out of the monotheistic God, the ruler of the universe, they found yet higher and higher ideas in what is called the impersonal Absolute, they found oneness throughout the universe. (1) God is everywhere preached in our [Hindu] religion. The Vedas teach God - both personal and impersonal. God is everywhere preached in the Gita. Hinduism is nothing without God. The Vedas are nothing without God. (2) Our God is both personal and absolute. The absolute is "male" and the personal is "female". (3) Abstract unity is the foundation of jnana-yoga. This is called Advaitism (without dualism or dvaitism) This is the cornerstone of the Vedanta philosophy, the alpha and omega. (4) Monism, or absolute oneness is the very soul of Vedanta. (5) Cross reference to: Isha Up., 16 Cha. Up., 6.8.7 b) The Indian Mind Has Always Been Directed to the Realization of Absolute Unity With the Hindus you will find one national idea - spirituality. In no other religion, in no other sacred books of the world will you find so much energy spent in defining the idea of God. They tried to define the ideal of soul so that no earthly touch might mar it. The Spirit must be divine; and Spirit understood as Spirit must not be made into a human being. The same idea of unity, of the realization of God, the omnipresent, is preached throughout. (6) The one theme of the Vedanta philosophy is the search after unity. The Hindu mind does not care for the particular; it is always after the general, nay, the universal. (7) The Eastern mind could not rest satisfied until it had found that goal, which is the end sought by all humanity - namely, unity. (8) The philosophers of India do not stop at particulars; they cast a hurried glance at particulars and immediately start to find the generalized forms which will include all particulars. The search after the universal is the one search of Indian philosophy and religion. The jnani aims at the wholeness of things, at that one absolute and generalized Being, knowing which one knows everything. The bhakta wishes to realize that one generalized and abstract Person, in loving whom one loves the whole universe. The yogi wishes to have possession of that one generalized form of Power, by controlling which one controls this whole universe. The Indian mind, throughout its history, has been directed to this kind of singular search after the universal in everything - in science, in psychology, in love, in philosophy. (9) The real nature of the jiva (individual soul) is Brahman, [the Absolute]. When the veil of name and form vanishes through meditation, etc., then that idea is simply realized. This is the substance of pure Advaita. The Vedas, the Vedanta, and all other scriptures only explain this idea in different ways. (10) Cross reference to: Brih. Up., 1.4.10 a 2.3.6 Cha. Up., 3.14.1 Mund. Up., 1 1.3 Mand. Up., 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You are posting as a guest. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.