Vivekananda on the Vedas (part 64)

July 23, 2001

Parts 1 to 63 were posted earlier. This is part 64. 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 64

PART II, SECTION 5: THE EVOLUTION OF VEDANTIC TEACHINGS ON CAUSATION AND TRANSMIGRATION

Chapter 13: The Production of the Universe from Abstract Unity

a) Answers to the Question: Out of What Has All This Been Produced?

1. Vedanta in General Takes the Position That the Universe Is Projected by God out of That Which Already Existed

The Indian religions take a peculiar start… [for] …at the first step in the Vedanta this question is asked: If this universe is existent, it must have come out of something, because it is very easy to see that nothing comes out of nothing, anywhere. All work that is done by human hands requires materials. If a house is built, the material was existing before; if any implements are made, the materials were existing before. So the effect is produced. Naturally, therefore, the first idea that this world was created out of nothing was rejected, and some material out of which this world was created was wanted. The whole history of religion, in fact, is this search after this material. (1)

The word creation in English has no equivalent in Sanskrit, because there is no sect in India which believes in creation as it is regarded in the West, as something coming out of nothing. It seems that at one time there were a few who had some such idea, but they were very quickly silenced. At the present time I do not know of any sect that believes this. What we mean by creation is projection of that which already existed. (2)

Out of what has all this been produced? Apart from the question of the efficient cause, or God; apart from the question that God created the universe, the great question of all questions is: Out of what did He or She create it? All the philosophies are turning, as it were, on this question. (3)

Cross reference to:

Cha. Up., 3.14.1

6.2.2

2. The Dualists Believe That God Is Eternally Separate from Nature

[The dualist] solution is that nature, God, and the soul are eternal existences, as if three lines are running parallel eternally, of which nature and soul comprise what they call the dependent, and God the independent reality. Every soul, like every particle of matter, is perfectly dependent on the will of God.... [They say] that humans are beings who have first a gross body which dissolves very quickly, then a fine body which remains through eons, and then a jiva. This jiva, according to the Vedanta philosophy, is eternal, just as God is eternal. Nature is also eternal, but changefully eternal. The material of nature - prana and akasha - is eternal, but it is changing into different forms eternally. But the jiva is not manufactured of either akasha or prana; it is immaterial and, therefore, will remain for ever. It is not the result of any combination of prana and akasha; and whatever is not the result of combination will never be destroyed, because destruction is going back to causes. The gross body is a compound of akasha and prana and, therefore, will be decomposed. The fine body will also be decomposed after a long time, but the jiva is simple and will never be destroyed. It was never born, for the same reason. Nothing simple can be born. The same argument applies. That which is a compound only can be born. The whole of nature, comprising millions and millions of souls, is under the will of God. (4)

In dualism the universe is conceived of as a large machine set going by God. (5)

The dualists believe that God, who is the creator of the universe and its ruler, is eternally separate from nature, eternally separate from the human soul. God is eternal, nature is eternal, so are all souls. Nature and souls become manifested and change, but God remains the same....

He or She cannot create without materials, and nature is the material out of which He or She creates the whole universe. He or She creates the universe out of indiscrete or undifferentiated nature. (6)

Cross reference to:

Brih. Up., 4.4.22

3. The Qualified Monists Believe That God Interpenetrates Nature

The real Vedanta philosophy begins with those known as the qualified non-dualists. They make the statement that the effect is never different from the cause; the effect is but the cause reproduced in another form. If the universe is the effect and God is the cause, it must be God Him or Herself - it cannot be anything but that. They start with the assertion that God is both the efficient and the material cause of the universe; that He or She Him or Herself is the creator and is also the material out of which the whole of nature is projected.... The whole universe, according to this sect, is God Him or Herself. He or She is the material of the universe.... The God of the qualified non-dualists it also a personal God, the repository of an infinite number of blessed qualities, only He or She is interpenetrating everything in the universe. (7)

Cross reference to:

Cha. Up., 3.14.1

Mund. Up., 1.1.2

1.1.7

2.1.1