THE REAL NATURE OF MAN

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Posted by: " Uttishthata " uttishthata

Tue Aug 28, 2007 8:56 pm (PST)

 

THE REAL NATURE OF MAN - Swami Vivekananda

 

There is a great discussion going on as to whether the aggregate of

materials we call the body is the cause of manifestation of the

force we call the soul, thought, etc., or whether it is the thought

that manifests this body. The religions of the world of course hold

that the force called thought manifests the body, and not the

reverse. There are schools of modern thought which hold that what we

call thought is simply the outcome of the adjustment of the parts of

the machine which we call body. Taking the second position that the

soul or the mass of thought, or however you may call it, is the

outcome of this machine, the outcome of the chemical and physical

combinations of matter making up the body and brain, leaves the

question unanswered. What makes the body? What force combines the

molecules into the body form? What force is there which takes up

material from the mass of matter around and forms my body one way,

another body another way, and so on? What makes these infinite

distinctions? To say that the force called soul is the outcome of

the combinations of the molecules of the body is putting the cart

before the horse. How did the combinations come; where was the force

to make them? If you say that some other force was the cause of

these combinations, and soul was the outcome of that matter, and

that soul -- which combined a certain mass of matter -- was itself

the result of the combinations, it is no answer. That theory ought

to be taken which explains most of the facts, if not all, and that

without contradicting other existing theories. It is more logical to

say that the force which takes up the matter and forms the body is

the same which manifests through that body. To say, therefore, that

the thought forces manifested by the body are the outcome of the

arrangement of molecules and have no independent existence has no

meaning; neither can force evolve out of matter. Rather it is

impossible to demonstrate that what we call matter does not exist at

all. It is only a certain state of force. Solidity, hardness, or any

other state of matter can be proved to be the result of motion.

Increase of vortex motion imparted to fluids gives them the force of

solids. A mass of air in vortex motion, as in a tornado, becomes

solid-like and by its impact breaks or cuts through solids. A thread

of a spider's web, if it could be moved at almost infinite velocity,

would be as strong as an iron chain and would cut through an oak

tree. Looking at it in this way, it would be easier to prove that

what we call matter does not exist. But the other way cannot be

proved.

 

What is the force which manifests itself through the body? It is

obvious to all of us, whatever that force be, that it is taking

particles up, as it were, and manipulating forms out of them -- the

human body. None else comes here to manipulate bodies for you and

me. I never saw anybody eat food for me. I have to assimilate it,

manufacture blood and bones and everything out of that food. What is

this mysterious force? Ideas about the future and about the past

seem to be terrifying to many. To many they seem to be mere

speculation.

 

To be continued..

 

The Complete Works of Swami Vivekananda Volume 2 [ Page : 75 ]

(Delivered in London)

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QUOTE OF THE DAY:

Nature grinds all of us. Keep count of the ounce of pleasure you

get. In the long run, nature did her work through you , and when you

die your body will make other plants grow. Yet we think all the time

that we are getting pleasure ourselves. Thus the wheel goes round.

- Swami Vivekananda