MAYA AND ILLUSION

[Guest guest]

Posted by: " Uttishthata " uttishthata

Mon Nov 19, 2007 6:48 pm (PST)

 

MAYA AND ILLUSION - Swam Vivekananda

 

Attempts have been made in Germany to build a system of philosophy

on the basis that the Infinite has become the finite. Such attempts

are also made in England. And the analysis of the position of these

philosophers is this, that the Infinite is trying to express itself

in this universe, and that there will come a time when the Infinite

will succeed in doing so. It is all very well, and we have used the

words Infinite and manifestation and expression, and so on, but

philosophers naturally ask for a logical fundamental basis for the

statement that the finite can fully express the Infinite. The

Absolute and the Infinite can become this universe only by

limitation. Everything must be limited that comes through the

senses, or through the mind, or through the intellect; and for the

limited to be the unlimited is simply absurd, and can never be. The

Vedanta, on the other hand, says that it is true that the Absolute

or the Infinite is trying to express itself in the finite, but there

will come a time when it will find that it is impossible, and it

will then have to beat a retreat, and this beating a retreat means

renunciation which is the real beginning of religion. Nowadays it is

very hard even to talk of renunciation. It was said of me in America

that I was a man who came out of a land that had been dead and

buried for five thousand years, and talked of renunciation. So says,

perhaps, the English philosopher. Yet it is true that that is the

only path to religion. Renounce and give up. What did Christ

say? " He that loseth his life for my sake shall find it. " Again and

again did he preach renunciation as the only way to perfection.

There comes a time when the mind awakes from this long and dreary

dream -- the child gives up its play and wants to go back to its

mother. It finds the truth of the statement, " Desire is never

satisfied by the enjoyment of desires, it only increases the more,

as fire, when butter is poured upon it. "

 

to be continued...

 

The Complete Works of Swami Vivekananda Volume 2 [ Page : 99]

(Lecture Delivered in London)

------------ --------- --------- --------- --------- --------- -

QUOTE OF THE DAY:

Be strong! Don't talk of ghosts and devils. We are the living

devils. The sign of life is strength and growth. The sign of death

is weakness. Whatever is weak, avoid! It is death. If it is

strength, go down into hell and get hold of it! There is salvation

only for the brave.

- Swami Vivekananda