Guest guest Posted December 9, 2002 Report Share Posted December 9, 2002 Parts 1 to 133 were posted earlier. This is part 134. Your comments are welcome... Vivekananda Centre London Earlier postings can be seen at http://www.vivekananda.btinternet.co.uk/veda.htm SWAMI VIVEKANANDA ON THE VEDAS AND UPANISHADS By Sister Gayatriprana part 134 iv) Buddha’s Rejection of the Personal God Could Not Hold the Popular Mind Buddha is expressly agnostic about God; but God is everywhere preached in [Vedanta].(59) Every one of Buddha’s teachings is founded [on] the Vedanta. He was one of those monks who wanted to bring out the truths hidden in those books and in the forest monasteries. I do not believe that the world is ready for them, even now; it still wants those lower religions which teach of a personal God. Because of this, the original Buddhism could not hold the popular mind until it took up the modifications which were reflected back from Tibet and the Tartars. Original Buddhism was not at all nihilistic. It was but an attempt to combat caste and priestcraft.(60) Hindus can give up everything except their God. To deny God is to cut off the very ground from under the feet of devotion. Devotion and God the Hindus must cling to. They can never relinquish these. And here, in the teaching of Buddha, are no God and no soul - simply work. What for? Not for the self, for the self is a delusion. We shall be ourselves when this delusion has vanished. Very few are there in the world that can rise to that height and work for work’s sake.(61) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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