Paramacharya

[Guest guest]

Do We Need Rituals ? from Hindu Dharma

 

Some ask me whether religious functions, puja, etc, are not " mere "

rituals. Atmic awareness is an inward experience. As for rituals

they are outward actions. The question is how rituals will help in

experiencing the Self.

 

Rituals are indeed not necessary for one who has realised the Self.

But we must put the question to ourselves whether we have truly

realised It, whether we are mature enough for realisation, whether

we have become inwardly pure. Were we honest we would admit that we

are far from having become mature for awareness of the Self. By

taking many births, by performing many works and by the vasana of

previous lives, we have concealed the bliss of knowing the Self. By

conducting good rites, and by associating ourselves with noble

objects, we have to banish the evil habits sticking to us from our

past lives. Then there will be an end to karma itself and we will

embark on Atmic inquiry. Until then we have to perform what are

called " mere " rituals.

 

The proper thing for ordinary people is to conduct all the rites

mentioned in the sastras. The benefits obtained from them may be

seen in practice. When a person takes care to go through the rites

strictly in the manner prescribed in the canonical texts, he will

gain one-pointedness of mind. This should be of immense help to him

in contemplating the Self later. And the desire to follow the

sastras in all aspects of life will mean that he will be brought

under a certain discipline. When we conduct rites according to the

sastras our determination and will power will be strengthened. Since

we subordinate our views to the injunctions of the scriptures, we

will cultivate the qualities of humility and simplicity.

 

So what do we gain by performing " mere " rituals? We will acquire one-

pointedness of mind, discipline, non-attachment, will power,

humility. On the whole it will help us to live a moral life. Without

moral conduct there can never be Atmic inquiry and Atmic experience.

 

The Buddha did not prescribe any Vedic rites. But he too laid stress

on morality and discipline. The Pancasila that Nehru often spoke

about is of the utmost importance to the Buddhists. The Buddha

points to the value of morality without the performance of Vedic

rites. What about the Purvamimamsakas? They believe that Vedic rites

are of the utmost importance and that is no need to worry about God.

In our sanatana dharma, however, there is a weaving together of

rites, the good conduct and discipline arising out of them, devotion

to Isvara and finally knowledge of the Self.

 

Morality does not arise by itself. If you want milk you must keep a

cow. If you keep a cow you will get not only milk but also cow dung.

Then there will come up a haystack. When you keep the cow called

karma you will not only derive not only morality and good conduct

from it but also something that you feel is not wanted, that is cow

dung. When you keep a cow must keep the place free from cow dung -

that is a part of commonsense or wisdom. It is in this manner that

you must obtain the real benefits from religious rites.

 

If rituals are not necessary for true Atmic knowledge, even the

murti called Isvara is not necessary for the same. But we can

dispense with rituals and Isvara only when we reach a high plane of

knowledge. At first Isvara is very much necessary for our inward

journey and there are so many reasons for it. I will tell you one.

We need an entity that exemplifies all that is good. Have we not for

ages together thought of Isvara as such a one, one who represents

all virtues and all auspicious qualities. When we mention the

word " Isvara " we at once think of him as one without any evil. If

anything or anyone combines beauty, compassion, power and

enlightenment to the full it must be Isvara. It is a psychological

principle that we become that which we keep thinking of. By

meditating on Isvara's manifold auspicious qualities our own

undesirable qualities will give place to good ones.

 

There are many benefits that flow from rituals, puja, etc. One of

them is that they help to make us good. They are also of value in

taking us to the path of workless yoga and the inward quest.