Vivekananda on the Vedas (part 207)

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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 207

 

2. Because Religion Is Not Perfect We Must Come in Direct Contact with Spiritual

Facts

 

The rational West is earnestly bent on seeking out the rationality, the raison

d’être of all its philosophy and its ethics; and you all know well that ethics

cannot be derived from the mere sanction of any personage, however great and

divine he or she may have been. Such an explanation of the authority of ethics

appeals no more to the highest of the world’s thinkers. They want something more

than human sanction for ethical and moral codes to be binding, they want some

eternal principle of truth as the sanction of ethics. And where is that eternal

sanction to be found except in the only infinite Reality that exists in you and

in me and in all - the Self, in the Soul? The infinite oneness of the Soul is

the eternal sanction of all morality, that you and I are not only brothers and

sisters - every literature voicing humanity’s struggle towards freedom has

preached that for you - but that you and I are really one. This is the dictate

of Indian philosophy. This oneness is the rationale of all ethics and all

spirituality. Europe wants it today as much as our [indian] downtrodden masses

do, and this great principle is even now unconsciously forming the basis of all

the latest political and social aspirations that are coming up in England, in

Germany, in France and in America. And mark it, my friends, that in and through

all the literature voicing humanity’s struggle towards freedom, towards

universal freedom, again and again you find the Indian Vedantic ideals coming

out prominently. In some cases the writers do not know the source of their

inspiration, in some cases they try to appear very original, and a few there

are, bold and grateful enough to mention the source and acknowledge their

indebtedness to it. (21)

 

It is true that [Vedantists have created] a system, but we have to admit that it

is not perfect, because the reality must be beyond all systems. We are ready to

compare it with other systems and are ready to show that it is the only rational

system that can be; but it is not perfect, because reason is not perfect. It is,

however, the only possible rational system that the human mind can conceive.

(22)

 

The Vedanta recognizes the reasoning power of humanity a good deal, although it

says there is something higher than intellect; but the road lies through

intellect. (23)

 

Vedanta offers you nothing that is impracticable. Every science must have its

own matter to work upon. Everyone needs certain conditions and much training and

learning; but, [in the West] any Jack in the street [thinks he] can tell you

about religion. You may want to follow religion and follow an expert, but you

may only care to converse with Jack, for he can talk about it.

 

However, you must do with religion as with science - come in direct contact with

facts, and on that foundation build a marvelous structure. (24)