VML-2/20/02

[Guest guest]

You remember that the Vedas have two parts, the ceremonial and the

knowledge portions. In time ceremonials had multiplied and become so

intricate that it was almost hopeless to disentangle them, and so in

the Upanishads we find that the ceremonials are almost done away

with, but gently, by explaining them. We see that in old times they

had these oblations and sacrifices, then the philosophers came, and

instead of snatching away the symbols from the hands of the ignorant,

instead of taking the negative position, which we unfortunately find

so general in modern reforms, they gave them something to take their

place. " Here is the symbol of fire, " they said. " Very good! But here

is another symbol, the earth. What a grand, great symbol! Here is

this little temple, but the whole universe is a temple; a man can

worship anywhere. There are the peculiar figures that men draw on the

earth, and there are the altars, but here is the greatest of altars,

the living, conscious human body, and to worship at this altar is far

higher than the worship of any dead symbols. "