Guest guest Posted February 24, 2002 Report Share Posted February 24, 2002 If i too might voice my appreciation of this explanation... the Gita has a verse that fits in well with this,...the verse that refers to the beads on a string...the beads may indeed be separate and even look different but the underlying connecting thread is what we should cling to... and that thread is the superconscious state as expressed in this explanation...and the EFFECT of the superconscious state is Love for all humanity equally...i am not as articulate as Sister but i thought this was relevant here.... regards and pranaams > >Further to the question about unity and diversity in Hinduism by >Hilary the following reply recd....................jay > >~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ > >Dear Hilary, > >Thank you for raising the question whether Hinduism is one religion or a > >collection of religions. This is a very key question. I believe the >answer lies in the Vedanta philosophy which underlies Hinduism and is >accepted, with various modifications, by all the Hindu sects. > >Vedanta philosophy is bsed on the presuppostion that the primary, most >important thing in human life is the direct experience of God or the >superconscious state. Such an experience is available to anyone who >follows the proper methods to do so. That is yoga in its proper meaning. > From millennia of testimony of those who have attained to >superconsciousness, Vedanta asserts that the same, unchanging Reality is >expressing Itself through all the possible forms of the universe. There is >no form, including religious forms, that is not an expression of the divine >and through which God/the superconscious cannot be experienced if the >proper methods are scrupulously followed. Therefore, all religious forms >are valid. > The emphasis here is on experience, not the form through which the experience is attained. This is a very pragmatic approach, because it means that anyone can follow his or her own natural bent in seeking religious experience. There are no artifical barriers to authentic religion. >Because of this unifyuing philosophy underlying our human activities, all >conceivable religious forms have developed in Hinduism. The only criterion >of validity of these forms is: Has it produced superconscious seers? In a >culture embedded in this ethos for millennia, there are always people who >are capable of evaluating the claims of any religious sect to genuine >religious experience, no matter how varied the outer forms may be. If a >particular form survives, it does so because it is producing genuine seers >and saints. Of course, people with full-blown superconscious realization >are few and far between; but to have produced even one, or even a few who >are very evolved spiritually, is proof of the validity of any religious >form. > >I believe this is the answer to your question. > >Cordially, >Sister Gayatriprana > > > > > > >Sri Ramakrishnaye Namah >Vivekananda Centre London >http://www.vivekananda.co.uk > > 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.