Vivekananda on the Vedas (part 75)

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Parts 1 to 74 were posted earlier. This is part 75. 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 75

 

 

b) The Development of the Aryan Theory of Causation

1. The Rsis Perceived the Impermanence of Heaven

When the ancient Aryans became dissatisfied with the world around them they naturally thought that after death they would go to some place where there would be all happiness without any misery; these places they multiplied and called swargas - the word may be translated as heavens - where there would be joy forever, the body would become perfect and also the mind, and there they would live with their forefathers. (6)

The oldest idea which we get in the Samhita portion of the Vedas is only about heaven where they had bright bodies and lived with the fathers. (7)

Various heavens are spoken of the Brahmana portions of the Vedas, but the philosophical teachings of the Upanishads gives up the idea of going to heaven. Happiness is not in this heaven or in that heaven. Places do not signify anything. (8)

In the Upanishads we see a tremendous departure made. It is there declared that these heavens in which humans live with the ancestors cannot be permanent, seeing that everything which has name and form must die. If there are heavens with forms, these heavens must vanish in course of time; they may last millions of years, but there must come a time when they will have to go. With this idea came another, that these souls must come back to earth, and that heavens are places where they enjoy the results of their good works, and after these effects are finished they come back into the earth-life again. (9)

In the Upanishads there is the doctrine of karma, [which] is the law of causation applied to conduct. According to this doctrine, we must work forever and the only way to get rid of pain is to do good works and thus to enjoy the good effects; and after living a life of good works, die and go to heaven and live forever in happiness. Even in heaven we could not be free from karma, only it would be good karma, not bad. (10)

One thing is clear from this - that humankind had a perception of the philosophy of causation even at an early time. Later on we shall see how our philosophers bring that out in the language of philosophy and logic; but here it is almost in language of children. One thing that you may remark in reading these books is that it is all internal perception. (11)

[The] Aryan heavens and hells were all temporary, because no effect can outlast its cause and no cause is eternal; therefore all effects must come to an end. (12)

(In the Upanishads) heavens and earth are all thrown off in order to come to Light. (13)